If the workers’ movement had just suffered a political defeat, whilst the traditional left was in hiding, it would almost certainly be plunged into confusion and apathy. It would be in no state at all to fend off a combined offensive by the Tories and the employers. The most likely result would be that the more militant sections of the working class would fight in isolation and suffer defeat.
The experience of the movement between the wars and since World War Two shows that when the working class becomes disillusioned with the leadership of its parties there is not automatically a shift to the left. The usual result is a swing to the right, apathy and confusion.
The left in Britain must work to swing the balance of forces for a leftward turn by the Government. Even a demagogic turn would stop the rot and enthuse Labour’s supporters. It would also set into motion a process which would be difficult to reverse: any move against private enterprise interests would evoke a counter-attack and this counter-attack could only be met by further measures and mobilisation of Labour’s supporters. Inevitably, such a process as it developed would bring to the fore those people best suited to carry out a left policy.
Richard Crossman’s speech (whilst one can only wince at his references to the Old Age Pensioners) shows signs that the Government may understand, in part anyway, this fact. His reference to “the failure to enthuse the rank and file” can only give us encouragement and stimulus to pile on the pressure. Anyone who talks of ‘not rocking the boat’ hasn’t even begun to understand what Leyton and Nuneaton meant.
To paraphrase one famous speech: Anyone who keeps quiet now and lets things drift will bear a very heavy responsibility before history.