Letters: ‘Timeless Leninism?’ & ‘More on Syriza’

Our reply to the Ian Birchall may be considered rather brief and his letter suggests that we know little of his party and its relationship with Leninism. The following are some of the analysis we have written over the decades about the SWP. It could be added to if all mention of the SWP (IS) was included.http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/education/study-guides/where-swp-cominghttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1980s/1987/no-998-october-1987/leninist-state-vs-world-socialismhttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1970s/1976/no-868-december-1976/consistent-inconsistencyhttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1970s/1979/no-904-december-1979/international-socialists-and-parliamentary-actionhttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/2010s/2013/no-1303-march-2013/swp-undemocratic-leninist-organisationhttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1960s/1964/no-721-september-1964/book-review-russia-marxist-analysishttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1970s/1970/no-791-july-1970/debate-%E2%80%9Cinternational-socialists%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1970s/1970/no-788-april-1970/inside-bolshevik-cul-de-sachttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/2000s/2000/no-1149-may-2000/another-leader-called-tony

I could add quite a bit more. Birchall may have translated  the final verse of the international, but the swp never sang more than the first verse. To know more was definitely considered suspect. If one was known to have read anyone outside of the party's approved authors was a definite no-no.  Even reading Marx or Engels, beyond the accepted classics was rather frowned upon.birchall, like widgery, and foot were in a privileged position within the swp. They were able to flout the rules which constrained the rank and file of the comrades. ( Foot would chain smoke on the stage throughout meeting which were strictly no smoking for everyone else). Contributing to, or debating with, the journals of other groups was an expellable offence, unless you were a 'Star', then do as you wish.Birchall has broken with his old party, but not with the mentality that kept him in for so long.