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the resistance

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= Solidarity needed -PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Phone 01-359-8189/8180 (editorial and distribution)

THE STRUGGLE taking crucial not only for the future of that country, but for the workers of the whole world. would be difficult to overestimate the stakes involved.

The imposition of martial law by bureaucrats shows weakness. It is the bureaucracy's last card short of Soviet invasion. The stakes in the struggle have been rasee massively.

August 1980 leading transformation of Polish Stalinism to a more open and democratic' system have had a rude shock. The military's action patibility of bureaucratic rule with genuine independent workers' organisations. workers of the whole world was that Poland in 1980 and 1981 represented the highest point of the world revolutionary process, the most politically advanced struggle taking place The struggle cratic system gave rise to forms of organisation and struggle which contained lessons for the workers of every country. tion of strikes and unions; direct access by tens of thousands of workers to the negotiations between party leaders; massive use of factory occupations;

sphere society represented a threat not only to the bureaucracies in Eastern Europe but also to the the West. Despite the crocodile tears, radical actions had few governments.

place in Poland is the Polish their strength but their Those people who thought that the events after to a gradual, peaceful clearly demonstrates the incomThe significance of the struggle in Poland for the anywhere of Solidaritv against the bureauControl over hiring and firing; veto works managers; democratic organisaCASSIO and the extension of and influence into every all these things capitalist system in Solidarity's friends in the Western The defeat of the Polish proletariat, either at the 'THERE are difficulties in the Polish situation.' Arthur Scargill made just crackdown.

trade union in our accepted sense of the word. It is, I suspect, a political movement.

The 'difficulties' Arthur Scargill appears to have standing full the Polish suual C workers are shared by number of leading personalities in this country s labour movement.

even WULSE. it is left wingers who have tended to react most cautiously to the Polish events.

Tony Benn, for example, has said virtually nothing in public since the imposition of martial law.

The majority of the Labour executive refused to port a call from Eric Heffer for a Labour Party That was one comment miners' president-elect after the military Equally strong statements nave Come Communist Party member Mick McGahey, president of the Scottish On 29 December illicis he offered to go to Poland as an expression for his support for miners there.

He explained that Scottish miners; 'are callall those who have been de tained arising resistance to the imposition of martial law.

'We are insisting on the ending of martial law the return to civil rule and the restoration of civil and democratic rights from the left Socialist Challenge DEFEND

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Scargill also maintained his support for 'free independent trade unions in every nation', but added, 'it is clear that Solidarity is not a