RCP & CPGB - where do ex-communists go?

[bashthefash]

flicking through the fragmented history of what was the RCP it occured to me that there are certain links or similarities between its trajectory and that of the CPGB. The last CPGB General secretary Tina Temple [ed] (I would say she abandoned Marxism, but this would seem charitable) ended up ..er wherever she ended up; sharing a platform for Blair in a dodgy thinktank pushing for electoral reform.

It seems to be the case that the dwarfted logical implications of Frank Furedi's thought have led him down a similarly obscure path (at least intellectually). From what I read. I don't quite understand what his hopes are really, beyond appearing on channel four. If anyone who can illuminate the trajectory LM or Sp!ke is taking now,...

Are there parallels or am I wrong? Do all ex- revolutionary-commies end up in thinktanks?

Anyone on here want to inform me what this characterisation is wrong?

 

[audiotech]

The last CPGB General secretary Tina Beckett

I'm sure it was Nina Temple.

 

[bluestreak]

thinktanks, new labour, mainstream liberal journalism. it's not pretty some of the things you'll do when you fail to instigate the revolution.

 

[The Sick Anchor]

I'm sure it was Nina Temple.

that's what i was thinking, tina becker is currently in the cpgb, was there a tina beckett?

 

[Geoff Collier]

flicking through the fragmented history of what was the RCP it occured to me that there are certain links or similarities between its trajectory and that of the CPGB. The last CPGB General secretary Tina Beckett (I would say she abandoned Marxism, but this would seem charitable) ended up ..er wherever she ended up; sharing a platform for Blair in a dodgy thinktank pushing for electoral reform.

It seems to be the case that the dwarfted logical implications of Frank Furedi's thought have led him down a similarly obscure path (at least intellectually). From what I read. I don't quite understand what his hopes are really, beyond appearing on channel four. If anyone who can illuminate the trajectory LM or Sp!ke is taking now,...

Are there parallels or am I wrong? Do all ex- revolutionary-commies end up in thinktanks?

Anyone on here want to inform me what this characterisation is wrong?

You're wrong for two reasons. Firstly you can hardly characterise those who joined the later-CPGB as revolutionary socialists. The real choice of characterisation is eurocommunist or tankie/stalinist. Secondly, they aren't all in think tanks. There's some in parliament, even the cabinet - John Reid for example. There's others like Nick Hardwick - who runs the Independednt Police Complaints Authority. And loads more in "ordinary" jobs

 

[Zeppo]

Mi5

 

[The Black Hand]

I saw Furedi pushing his ideas at a Criminology conference about 9 months ago - he seems to 'sell himself' wherever he can get an hearing. Saying that he'll never be 'big' in criminology (cos you have to publish a lot of specific material) so he must be pushing his career for the RAE (research exercise that determines levels of funding for higher education).

 

[bashthefash]

Firstly you can hardly characterise those who joined the later-CPGB as revolutionary socialists.

I thought this fairly implicit in my jokey character about the last General Secretary, perhaps not.

real choice of characterisation is eurocommunist or tankie/stalinist.

presumably you'd see the RCP as eurocommunist on this basis?

they aren't all in think tanks.

naturally!

 

[JHE]

I saw Furedi pushing his ideas at a Criminology conference about 9 months ago - he seems to 'sell himself' wherever he can get an hearing. Saying that he'll never be 'big' in criminology (cos you have to publish a lot of specific material) so he must be pushing his career for the RAE (research exercise that determines levels of funding for higher education).

Professor Furedi, the Hungarian wretch, has a mere chair of sociology at Kent. <spits>

Brigadier Attica, the world-renowned student of parking meter-smashing, has a bar stool of anarcho-criminological guffage at Piddlington College of Remedial Studies (part-time).

 

[Frank Drebben]

There are loads of ex CP members in normal jobs and the party lasted over sixty years with a membership of at one time tens of thousands. The comically named RCP was a glossy shortlived sect with at most 200 members 99% of which were students or middle class professionals.

 

[SuburbanCasual]

The last CPGB General secretary Tina Temple [ed]

Nina Temple.

The rest of your post is essentially nonsense.

 

[bashthefash]

The rest of your post is essentially nonsense.

Constructive. That's what I like about you.


The RCP confirms Marx’s analysis of historical change – the Revolutionary Communist Party happened first at tragedy and second as farse

 

[TopCat]

There are loads of ex CP members in normal jobs and the party lasted over sixty years with a membership of at one time tens of thousands. The comically named RCP was a glossy shortlived sect with at most 200 members 99% of which were students or middle class professionals.

Many were very sexy though and one offered to shag me if I attended a meeting. I was rather young and hence shocked and declined.

 

[Groucho]

Many were very sexy though and one offered to shag me if I attended a meeting. I was rather young and hence shocked and declined.

That was widely rumoured to be a recruitment tool encouraged by this sect. I have heard the story so many times, but am still not sure if they actually had this (presumably unwritten) recruitment policy.

 

[nino_savatte]

I'm sure it was Nina Temple.

It was. A mate of mine used to be in the CPGB and he and her apparently shagged.

 

[nino_savatte]

Many were very sexy though and one offered to shag me if I attended a meeting. I was rather young and hence shocked and declined.

A classic cult recruitment tool.

 

[nino_savatte]

The RCP has metamorphosed into IoI/Spiked/Sense About Science and has become, for all intents and purposes, a network of front organisations that describe themselves as "think tanks". In many respects what the RCP does now is little different from what it did in the 80's. The only significant difference is in their violent and public lurch to the right.

Does anyone remember their paper The Next Step? In Newcastle, around Haymarket Metro, you'd get Swappies on one side and the RCP on the other. I always expected a serious rumble.

 

[Belushi]

There are loads of ex CP members in normal jobs and the party lasted over sixty years with a membership of at one time tens of thousands. The comically named RCP was a glossy shortlived sect with at most 200 members 99% of which were students or middle class professionals.

Innit.

 

[The Black Hand]

Professor Furedi, the Hungarian wretch, has a mere chair of sociology at Kent. <spits>

Brigadier Attica, the world-renowned student of parking meter-smashing, has a bar stool of anarcho-criminological guffage at Piddlington College of Remedial Studies (part-time).

Why on earth are you bothered enough to post this repetititve stuff - surely somebody else must have noticed how boring and predictable this is getting from U?

 

[JHE]

Why on earth are you bothered enough to post this repetititve stuff... ?

Repetitive? Can't we call it iterative praxis?

 

[Luther Blissett]

The RCP has metamorphosed into IoI/Spiked/Sense About Science and has become, for all intents and purposes, a network of front organisations that describe themselves as "think tanks". In many respects what the RCP does now is little different from what it did in the 80's. The only significant difference is in their violent and public lurch to the right.

Does anyone remember their paper The Next Step? In Newcastle, around Haymarket Metro, you'd get Swappies on one side and the RCP on the other. I always expected a serious rumble.

RCP which morphed into LM (see sourcewatch on LM: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=LM_group)

GM watch watches the RCP/LM think tanks and has some good info on spiked, their online 'organ'.

in GM watch you can find info on:

"a series of organisations which lobby on issues related to biotechnology, eg the Science Media Centre (director: Fiona Fox), Sense About Science (director: Tracey Brown; her assistant: Ellen Raphael), Genetic Interest Group (policy director: John Gillott), Progress Educational Trust (director: Juliet Tizzard), and the Scientific Alliance (advisor: Bill Durodié). Both Tracey Brown and Bill Durodié were also brought in in an advisory capacity in relation to the strands of the UK government's official GM Public Debate."

http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=78

 

[Divisive Cotton]

So was it ever true about the RCP recruiting people into the organisation through sex then?! I have a feeling it was an urban myth

 

[Fisher_Gate]

The RCP has metamorphosed into IoI/Spiked/GM Watch and has become, for all intents and purposes, a network of front organisations that describe themselves as "think tanks". In many respects what the RCP does now is little different from what it did in the 80's. The only significant difference is in their violent and public lurch to the right.

Does anyone remember their paper The Next Step? In Newcastle, around Haymarket Metro, you'd get Swappies on one side and the RCP on the other. I always expected a serious rumble.

I think you must mean 'the next step' - the lack of capitalisation was always significant ... for some reason I never quite fathomed ... [never to be confused with 'The Miners Next Step', a radical document and pamphlet in the pre-first world war Miners Federation!]

 

[nino_savatte]

RCP which morphed into LM (see sourcewatch on LM: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=LM_group)

LM isn't GM watch - GM watch watches the RCP/LM think tanks and has some good info on spiked, their online 'organ'.

in GM watch you can find info on:
http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=78

Ooer, I stand corrected.

 

[untethered]

Ooer, I stand corrected.

The ex-RCP's pro-GM front is Sense About Science.

 

[nino_savatte]

The ex-RCP's pro-GM front is Sense About Science.

No shit, have you just come along to repeat what Luther said?

Pathetic.

 

[untethered]

No shit, have you just come along to repeat what Luther said?

Many of his theses don't stand close scrutiny.

 

[nino_savatte]

Many of his theses don't stand close scrutiny.

Nothing you say ever stands up to scrutiny. So why copy what he said?

You just come along to throw in the odd cheap shot.

 

[Luther Blissett]

You just come along to throw in the odd cheap shot.

I can indulge in cheap shots, waste valuable debating time, embark on a little ad hominem wandering...

"Maybe he's one of those Revolting Chauvinist Prats...."
~ Luther Blissett, c.1986, Three Johns, Angel, Islington, London

...meanwhile, back at the topic...

 

[untethered]

Nothing you say ever stands up to scrutiny. So why copy what he said?

You just come along to throw in the odd cheap shot.

The point I made was a simple, factual addition. I'm sorry that I didn't read the thread closely enough to see that it had already been made. Hardly a "cheap shot".

My point about "theses" was a pun about Martin Luther. Sorry you missed it. Maybe next time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_95_Theses