This is not the Dutch party historically occupying much the same space as the British Labour Party. That is the Dutch Labour Party, plus elements of other things, especially the Christian Democrats.
This is not even the old mainstream Communist Party. This is a party which for many years went so far as to make a point of spelling its own name incorrectly in order to emphasise its "proletarian" credentials against the "intellectualism" of the Maoist body from which it had seceded.
And yet, look at it now. On the verge of victory. Something similar has happened in Greece, with devoutly Orthodox farmers four hours drive from Athens turning out to vote for Syriza.
Here in Britain, the Labour Movement has its muscle in the unions, though also in the co-ops and other things, including in the emerging field of community organising, which wants watching, by the way. It has its brain, the Fabian Society and the Christian Socialist Movement, and now also various think tanks and other things, as well as Tribune and, at a slight remove, the New Statesman and the Morning Star.
But where is its heart? Where is its soul? Where is the point of reference to keep it from regressing to its bad old Blairite ways rather than holding to its recovered historical norm as the voice and vehicle of a many-rooted social democratic patriotism in all directions, inclusive of conservative and liberal, provincial and metropolitan, country and town, religious and secular?
Providing a Labour Government's majority even against the worst of that Government's own party. And prepared, if necessary, to replace the Labour Party altogether if that worst should ever again become dominant.
Only, maybe SYRIZA would have won if it were not rather hostile to Orthodoxy. Of course, it is not hostile on the same level as North European leftists, liberals, and Greens, but it did propose measures to not only separate Church and State, but to tax Church property (which even the secularist USA does not do).
ReplyDeleteMany farmers turned out to vote SYRIZA because of economic and political corruption, but more farmers and village people still voted New Democracy. If SYRIZA were not a New Left/Eurocommunist party with an interest in liberal and radical social issues, like defending illegal immigrants, maybe they would not have had such a hard time winning?
-Thomas
(writing from the centre of Thessaloniki by chance)
Eurocommunism is for the good times. The SP also got from where it was to where it is by very much that root.
ReplyDeleteBut then the good times came crashing to an end. SYRIZA's pitch this year was decidedly old school economically, so is the SP's, and that is exactly what a huge range of people now likes, in Greece and the Netherlands alike.
As for being anticlerical, really? The Church in Greece is a natural ally under the present circumstances. As are the churches in the Netherlands. As are the churches here.
And the rural element on the Left has been vitally important from the start. Perhaps the SP, with its Maoist roots, will understand that? One would not wish to see any other part of that heritage preserved, but even so. No Greek party could fail to and hope to get anywhere, never mind to get the sort of total that SYRIZA did.
In Britain, the countryside is where it all began, and in fact often supported or supports the Left more enthusiastically than the neighbouring conurbations. The same things are true of the churches. It is no wonder that the organisational point of reference for the very diffuse "Right Opposition" internationally was the ILP, born in the chapels of rural Britain.
On the cusp of something similar? Already witnessing, and indeed inhabiting, its earliest stages? Why ever not?
Unfortunately, yes, SYRIZA is traditionally anticlerical. I do not think they campaigned on gay marriage, etc., as I said, it is not to the same degree as North European liberals. However, it is an unnecessary antagonism. I think the patriotic elements of the Church feel they can choose between keeping a few privileges and seeing the country go to Hell and supporting some economic sovereignty but succombing to EU impositions in social and Church affairs.
ReplyDeleteOf course, overall SYRIZA is a better choice than ND, but my sympathies lie with the Independent Greeks on the Right and some elements of the Communist Party on the Left. As Stalinists have uniformly refused to compromise with globalisation, some of them understand the need to ally with traditionalists like us. In fact, the EU once passed a resolution calling for opening Mount Athos to women which was supported by part of SYRIZA and PASOK but opposed by the KKE. A current issue in Greek politics is illegal immigrants, which are about 15-20% of the technical residents of the country. The Left alienates itself from the Greek public here by supporting normalisation of the illegals. This is unnecessary, as it should otherwise be easy to profit from the issue given that the corruption of the large parties (signing up for Dublin II allowing North Europe to dump its asylum seekers back onto Greece) caused the crux of the problem.
One should also note that the SYRIZA position on Europe is ridiculous compared to the KKE. The former said they can be pro-Europe, support most EU directives, demand to stay in the euro but just tell Merkel "no" to austerity plans. Only the KKE has stated the obvious, that they are not in the place to dictate their own terms to the European Central Bank and that their only option is withdrawal. But the main reason SYRIZA reached 27% is polarisation due to the electoral system with 50 bonus seats for the plurality party.
Anyway, I share your hopes concerning the Dutch SP. Maoist groups from the 60s-70s can be divided into those with a more anarchist orientation and those more Marxist-Leninist, the latter bearing more hope, and the Dutch SP being from these ranks. They are also known for being culturally moderate, which strengthens their vote vis-à-vis the pathetic Dutch Labour Party.