Richard Cooper's comment on the statement issued by twenty-five left and left of centre Labour M.P's favouring British entry into E.f£.C. could hardly be weaker (The Week 27.4.1967).
He merely attributes it to "their efforts to rationalise British capitalism in the interests of the British monopolies", As one of the signatories who has in the past been a sponsor of The Week, I am prepared to be told that my reasoning is at fault but the suggestion that my major concern is the interests of British monopolies is idiotic. As a Marxist, I recognise that socialism can only arise out of the development of the productive forces. Whether we like it or not, the big capitalist monopolies are no longer primarily contained within the frontiers of national states but are international in their character, For socialists to seek to preserve the inviolability of Britain by opposing entry into Europe if successful would not in any way assist the achievement of a socialist Britain. On the contrary it would mean that the more profitable sectors of British industry would be placed at a disadvantage to their continental counterparts and made a greater prey to take-over by American capital. It might be instructive for those on the left who are so concerned to preserve British from becoming linked more closely to European capitalism to consider the growing domination of the British motor industry, oil, electronics, etc., by American firms. If British socialists are to be able to work in an arena in which the levers of power are actually at hand, they will have to work in Europe alongside European socialists. The alternative of intaining British "independence" is in reality that of furthering Britain's economic and, therefore, political dependence on the United States of America. As an international socialist, I look forward to the day when the American working people will be reaching out for socialist control of their land but, for geographical reasons, Britain is mech more part of Europe than of the American continent. Socialism will no more be achieved in Britain by struggling to preserve an illusory independence from Europe than socialism in a small firm can be ensured by preventing its takeover by a larger concern. Our objective should be to build a European and in the long run an international socialist movement. It is not by fighting against natural economic development but by seeking to take it over that socialism stands to triumph in the end. * Text of letter-= received from Stan Newens -- dated lst May, 1967.