OF ALL the countries in the capitalist world, Britain in the last twenty years has suffered the most acute economic, worst social, crisis. that period was nothing like so acute. The certainties of the British politics -alternation of Labour and Tory governments of a 'moderate' character The 'social democratic' consensus established after the second world war around state intervention in the economy, limited nationalisation and the welfare state continued unabated.
The dominance of the centre in British politics was broken in the 1970s by twin phenomena Bennism and Thatcherism.
The crisis became so acute malu bou une runne class and the working class, radical Solutions WCC popularised.
The crisis and recomposition of British politics las come to a head in 1981 around the establishment and growth or the Socia!
Democratic Party, the simmering crisis Ill the ory Party and the erupion of civil war inside the politics will never be the Sallic azall. the year the mould broke' Acute The turmoil of British politics, symbolised by the growth of the SDP is the joint product of the problems facing the ruling class and the labour bureaucracy.
For the ruling class Thatcherism posing acute political problems.
Socialist Challenge and increasingly the But the political crisis in the steady - appeared to hold The deflationary strategy - putting the emphasis on combat17 December 1981 page 16 ting inflation, creating 'slimmer but healthier' industrial base and attempting to break the working class through unemployTaned Unemployment, despite intlicting some important defeats on the workers, and despite a drop of one million in the number of trade unionists, has not crushed the organised combativity of the working class.
More importantly the short term, the depth of the crisis has meant that formerly profitable Industry, especially has been bankrupted. Important sections of the ruling class are turning to the SDP for an alternative.
For the labour bureaucracy, both in the Labour Party and the trade unions, the problem Bennism Benn's base wants to break with the social democrauc consen impose radical policies through a new Labour government.
The fight waged for democracy has weakened the control of the bureaucracy over the Labour Party apparatus and threatens to spill over into the trade unions. The response of a section of the nour tarly right-wing has been to give up the struggle in the Party and form the SDP.
The struggle in the labour movement in 1981 was started by the special Wembley conference January to discuss the con The adoption of the 40-30-30 formula for electing the leadership was stinging blow to the right, victory for the Bennite left.
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SOCIALIST CHALLENGE