According to the Economist (13/7/63) Wilson's
spesch at the TG% conference indicated his desire for a "honeymoon period" with the unions after he takes power, in which the union leaderships will collaborate with the government in keeping down coste "in order to be able to expand demand.,". What Wilson offers in exchange is some kind of rostraint on profits and unearned income, This is not original - it is in essence the 'guiding light! policy of Selwyn Lloyd. Coming from Wilson however these arguments require some examination,
It mist said bluntly that what Wilson's ecenomic policies amount to (and the more farseeing of the bouypois papers recognise this) is that the Labour Party be given the job that the Tories have signally failed to do, i,@., to carry out a thoroughgoing rationalisation of British industry in face of the more advanced economies of its rivals, Tho talk about Labour's special relationship with the trade unions, ete., is a round—about way of saying that 4 Labour government would find it easier to hold down wages, to head-off redundancy struggles arising from the rationalisation of industry, to ensure the 7,0, leaders collaborating in economic planning, ote...
On the other hand, it must be roiterated that any move to hold dow wages. whilst tha capitalist class is_in control.of the commanding heights. of industry, whilst capitalist proporty rolations dominate is an attempt to redivide the ‘national cake! at the expenae of the working class, Only when decisive steps have been taken along the road of expropriating the capital=ist class, only when there is a governmont which is determined to carry out a complete socialist programme of socialisation of the means of production can there be any talk by working class organisations of restraint of wagese
Many on the left have gone slow on their struggle to commit the Labour Party to socialist policies since the olection of Wilson as leader. They foel that to pursue the struggle will jeopardise possible election victory, to this argument wo mist counter that the election of Labour government which will carry out in essence an anti-working class policy will be even more disastrous than another election defeat. Only the existence of a strong left wing which in the eyes of the mass of Labour supporters if a real alternative to the right wing will prevent very dangerous .demoralisation and disillusionment, Of course, the left mist judge its tactics according to the mood of the country and that of the mass of Labour supportors,,but a etrugele against right wing policies carried out now will help lay basis for a viable mase left wing after the election of a Labour government, This struggle mist and can be waged without the left artifidally separating itself from those who sag in Wilson an improvement on Geitekell or from those who see in the coming Labour government a solution to many working class problema,