This article is a translation of an editorial in the latest issue of Quatrieme Internationale (July, 1962), French la. nguage theoretical journal of the I.i3.C,. of the Fourth International. Id. Note.
It is not so long ago since the Tories won the General lection easily and various lower middle-class sociologists and ideologists gravely affirmed that it was a case of a'fundamental swing' resulting from the 'new structuret of the working class after the second industrial rovolution. But it is sufficient that the Conservative Government imposes a pay pause of 3% per annum, and a year of stagnation, if not slight recession, for the 'fundamental drift! theory to be so exposed that it dissolves intc nothingness. The Tories march from defcat to defeats; from one by-election to another losing in places a half, a third or even sometimes more than half the votes they obtained at the General “ilection.
At first it seemed that the Liberal Party, miraculously coming to life, was getting the votes of the disgruntled Tries. It was said, in addition, that the Liberals were taking one vote from the Labour Party for every two votes that it took from the Conxervatives. Since then, however, the picture has changed some~ what. It seems today that the General Uketion will not lead to a Government which cannot govern, the Liberals holding the balance between the Conservatives and Labour but that Labour will obtain an absolute majority in the House of Commons,
At first sight it would appear unbelievable that the Labour Party should be enjoying such a resurgence. For some years, in effect, the extreme right wing policy of Gaitskell and Brown has done everything to discourage the masses, to offaco the difference between their programme and that of the left ccnsorvation. This policy, with its treachery, deception and fo°lishness, has filled the hearts of the advance guard of the working class with repugnance. The latest, and patticularly scandalous, example of this betrayal was the brazen about turn on tie question of nuclear policy. At the time of the resumption of the Russian tusts, Gaitskell, conforming with the decision of the last annual conference, declared that his party was hostile to all resumption of tests, no matter which country resumed them. But hardly had he returned fron a lightning trip to Washin- Gton, than he approved the resumption of nuclear tests by the American imperialists ceclaring them 'indispensible to the defence of the free world'. Crowning this perfidy he even launched a purge against supporters of C.N.D., the unilateralist movenent which enjoys the support of tens of thousands of young people and hundreds of thousands, even several million trade union workers,
If despite all tiese efforts to make the Labour Party practically identical with the Tory Party the workers party once attracts support from resolute voters, it is because British imperialism is going through an exceptionally grave crisis, and in face of this crisis the British proletariat and the petti bourgeois sections that it drags along with it are instinctively looking for the class solution to this problem. And, in their tradition with their outlook, they can conceive of a class solution only through the return to power of a working class Government.
The crisis of British Imperialism follows the slow progressive decline of her position in the world and a rapid loss of gzcund in face of the Suropean Common Market. In four years production within the Common liarket has increased by more than 30% whereas in the same period production in Great Britain has only increased 13%. To get.out of this impasse the most powerful and decisive section of the bourgeoisie wants integration with the Common Market. But this question deeply divides the Tories and becomes an additional cause of their crisis.
The progress of the colonial revolution in Africa, and its resurgence in South Jast Asia, will be menacing in the immediate future to two key positions of the old empire which wstill exist: the copper belt of Rhodesia and Singapore. Overwhelmed by financial difficulties, a prey to incessant labour unrest, sceptical as to his future prospects, Macnillan's team no longer knows where to shows its face and sends its ministers to the four corners of the earth to try to settle its most important problems.
The Tory Government is not obliged to resign although it has obviously lost the confdence of the majority of the electors, Only Labour Governments hasten to resort to such traditional procedure because they never feel strong enough alone when they are in power. Macmillan will have to content himself with remodelling the cabinet and continuing until there is an improvement in the economic situation. that promises a better electoral result. He can hardly hope to regain his majority. But a big comeback for tie Tories would either restore a majority for the bourgeoisie (the Conservatives plus the Liberals), or lead the right wing of the Labour Party to make a pact with the Liberals; an act which would provoke a split in the Labour