Socialist Alternatives

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Socialist Alternatives was the British section of the International Revolutionary Marxist Tendency (IRMT), a formerly Trotskyist Pabloite group based in Paris.[1]

Being a small group in the UK, it was best known for the Marxist magazine of the same name partially edited by Keir Starmer from 1986 to 1987.[2] The magazine is believed to have been produced by the Pabloist International Revolutionary Marxist Tendency (IRMT)[3] and advertised its events and publications, although one of the authors identified it as being an outgrowth of the Socialist Society connected with Ralph Miliband and Hilary Wainwright.[4] Paul Mason has called it a "Trotskyite front magazine",[5] although this is disputed.[4] The French Trotskyist journalist Maurice Najman was also cited as a key supporter.[4]

Its politics were defined by one of its later authors Andrew Coates as being "aligned to the European ‘alternative’ movements of the time which stood for ecology, feminism and self-management. These were forerunners of later radical green-left groups, Los Indignados, Podemos, the left of Labour and similar currents within social democratic parties."[6]

It was described by the left wing magazine Chartist as "the human face of the hard left".[7] Peter Hitchens described Socialist Alternative's "preoccupation with sexual politics and green issues" as presaging the politics of all today's major British politicians.[8]

The magazine included articles by Michalis Raptis,[9][10][11] the leader of the International Revolutionary Marxist Tendency and the left wing Labour MP Eric Heffer, Peter Tatchell[6] as well as an interview with Tony Benn.[12][13] There were also advertisements for Michael Raptis's "Self Management Lectures"[14] and IRMT publications.[15] Keir Starmer wrote articles on the Wapping strike,[16][17] the 1986 TUC conference,[18] criticising Labour leader Neil Kinnock's moves towards the market economy,[19] a book review of Eric Heffer's Labour's Future,[20] Trade Unions and pluralism,[21] an interview with Tony Benn[12] and left wing approaches to local government.[22]

The magazine was still publishing in 1989[23] and 1994.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Barberis, Peter; McHugh, John; Tyldesley, Mike (1 January 2000). Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th Century. A&C Black. ISBN 9780826458148. Retrieved 14 March 2021 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Keir Starmer: Radical who attacked Kinnock in Marxist journal," Archived 2 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine The Times, 18/1/20.
  3. ^ An archive of Socialist Alternatives is here Archived 2 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ^ a b c "Comrade Paul Mason Backs Keir Starmer; on Starmer's 'Socialist Alternatives' background". 8 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Clive Lewis and Keir Starmer are the candidates who understand how Labour must change". www.newstatesman.com. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Europe, Internationalism, Socialist Alternatives (Pabloism), and…Keir Starmer". 29 August 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Starmer's Socialist Alternatives". 28 May 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Letters: Labour's left vs left struggle | the Spectator". 3 December 2020.
  9. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, pages 26 to 30
  10. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no2 October November 1986, pages 31 to 33
  11. ^ Socialist Alternatives v2 no1 April May 1987, pages 25 to 27
  12. ^ a b Socialist Alternatives v2 no1 April May 1987, pages 21 to 23
  13. ^ Interview with Keir Starmer talking about the Benn interview on Nick Robinson's Talking politics, linked here
  14. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, page 30
  15. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, back page
  16. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, pages 19 & 20
  17. ^ Socialist Alternatives v2 no1 April May 1987, pages 7 and 8
  18. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no2 October November 1986, page 3, written with Alex Harvey
  19. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no1 July August 1986, page 31
  20. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no2 October November 1986, page 41
  21. ^ Socialist Alternatives v1 no3 December 1986 January 1987, pages 25 to 27
  22. ^ Socialist Alternatives v2 no2 August September 1987, pages 15 and 16
  23. ^ Europe, Internationalism, Socialist Alternatives (Pabloism), and… Keir Starmer, posted on the blog of Andrew Coates an author featured in that edition
  24. ^ "Google Scholar". scholar.google.com. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
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