The start of an irregular series on the blog where, in lieu of actual blogs of substance to post, I cut and paste a quote on the SPGB from someone who is either famous, infamous or facetious in the rarefied atmosphere of fringe politics. It serves the purpose of keeping the blog ticking over and also, in light of their being more urban myths out there on the SPGB than there are members of the 5th International that still get a retelling to this day - see recent comments on the blog - it also gives the bogus impression that an SPGBer can laugh at both himself and the 'Party'. First up is the bloke who is still, 42 years after the event, Britain's most famous anarchist, Stuart Christie:
[Writing of the Workers Open Forum that existed in Glasgow in the 50s and 60s] "Robert Lynn revelled in the forums, which he called the University of Life. They certainly had their moments. I remember one exemplary SPGB graduate speaker mounting the platform, drawing a ten-shilling note from his pocket and holding it dangling from his thumb and forefinger for a quarter of an hour or so while delivering a devastatingly witty attack on money. The audience of thirty or so were spellbound. There was not a single heckler, until he set fire to it”. My Granny Made Me An Anarchist: 1946-1964, 2003, p. 157.
More to follow when blogging block kicks in.
4 comments:
Are the SPGB Anarchists? I am confused here. Are they part of the Dissent! network?
Hello Neil,
I should have perhaps set up the Christie quote better. The quote is from the first part of an autobiographical trilogy that he wrote a few years back, and it covers the period 1946-1964.
He's referring to speakers at the Workers Open Forum, which to quote from here:
"The Workers Open Forum was established in Glasgow in October 1942 to organise regular exchange of views between all bona fide revolutionary organisations. The WOF's slogans were: A Workers Council for eliminating error. All parties invited. Let the Truth prevail! Towards the end of the Second World War the activity which the APCF/WRL carried out independently in its own name was steadily reduced in favour of increasing participation in the Open Forum. The WRL and Solidarity thus both seem to have disappeared at the end of the war; the Workers Open Forum continued to be held in Glasgow well into the 1950s."
The WOF was a space in Glasgow where radical individuals and groups of the day would either debate, discuss or put on lectures. It did include anarchists groups and the SPGB, but also the ILP for example.
I thought that the WOF, which was based at 50 Renfrew Street in Glasgow, lasted until the early sixties but from googling it appears that it disappeared sometime in the late fifties. It's a shame that there isn't more information about it readily available on the net, 'cos it looks like a fascinating nugget of history about radical politics in Glasgow that I would love to know more about.
I appreciate the answers, Darren. I'll go do a bit of reading up. So far, though, I can tell you I agree with quite a bit of what I see, with the exception of the SPGB attitude to breaking up of the Imperialist British State. I think the weakening of imperialism is an imperative towards socialism. I agree, however, that a Scottish Socialist Republic could not exist on it's own. I do believe, however, that a left leaning Scottish Republic would move to make links to other left leaning states (eg Venezuela/ Bolivia etc) States actually supporting the yabasta! cry in south America would, in the long term, facitlitate revolution. In the mean time, a few reforms to make lives in Drumchapel/Govan/Easterhouse/Springburn/Sighthill etc a bit better should be welcomed.
As for the troubles in the SSP - remember, no-one said dialectic interaction in realisty does not necessarily have to be a comfortable experience!
Sorry - that should have read - "As for the troubles in the SSP - remember, no-one said dialectic interaction, in reality, would necessarily have to be a comfortable experience!"
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