THE DEFINITIVE VERSION of the Alternative Economic Strategy has been produced. It appeared in July and it's called Economic Planning and Industrial Democracy: the framework for full employment.
It was drafted by the Labour Party-TUC Liaison Committee as a report to the Labour Party and TUC conference. It is signed by everyone from Terry Duffy to Tony Benn: the leadership of both the TUC and Labour Party will try to unite our serried ranks around it to win the next election.
It will almost certainly be endorsed, almost unanimously, by the Labour Party. Nevertheless, in this article ALAN FREEMAN argues that it should be rejected by the left, and that we should campaign in union branches and Labour Party branches for an alternative: a programme of action in favour of the most widely accepted demands of the Labour movement, to remove the Tories and secure a Labour carry them out. 'very British coup'.
abo. government that can be forced to The Liaison Committee Report, cooked up in the same pot as the Bishop's Stortford agreement -and with the same good faith from Messrs Healey and Duffy - Wil become a noose to strangle the voice of the rank and file as a prelude to the betrayal of any progressive content it may have.
This betrayal is already implicit in the compromises made in the report, which call, not for worker control, but joint control by employers and employees.
In other words, it cannot function without the employers' agreement. It gives them the weapon with which to blackmail us into submission and implement their LOIN There is an alternative: here we explain what the Liaison Committee says, and what we propose in its tions SIUlIS The declared aims of the plan are • 'Rapid progress towards ful for both men an women.' • 'Major improvements in the struc ture of the economy as a basis fo lasting growth and development. • 'Greater social justice and th removal of poverty and inequalities. • 'More democracy and participatior in economic life.
The causes of the crisis Previous weakness i the result of the priorities of larg firms, who have a large and growin •share of the market, and whose "investment policies have been gearec to the consolidation of market posi rather than developing markets'.
This has been accompanied by short sighted approach by the finan. cial sector to the investment needs of industry... plant and machinery ha become increasingly obsolescent, and industry and services have deteriorated Short-term commercial considera WITn regard wider economic and social priorities have perpetuated the vicious circle of low investment, low productivity and low growth... The extent of this collapse is unparalleled anywhere developed world.
The immediate aim: an expansion of the economy The first measures which a Labour government should take are to spend £9bn in the nationalised industries to create new jobs and provide socia services and provide a basis for in dustrial growth.
The need for planning Planning is ; 'about taking deci better way mee economic, and socia needs...(it) is therefore a proves. which must involve the people af fected by accisions. It entails pro viding the framework for releasing in itiatives, co-ordinating them and im proving the performance of British in •'Co-ordinating the activities o The Labour Party and unions shoul campaign for clearly identified an popular measures, with three aims: • An immediate dramatic improve ment in the living and working condi tions of working people, to restore th right to work, freedom from the fea of nuclear war, and an equal right to free social services. • To blunt or remove the mos dangerous unaccountable in sur unlicils which the ruling classes will resist these measures. • To give working people the mean: to struggle for and implement these measures themselves, against the at tacks being made on them by the bosses and their Tory government.
Many such measures are already Labour movement policy; but the leadership refuses to organise a rea fight to achieve them. must organise that fight ourselves and force the leadership to back it - o replace the old leaders.
So what we propose is a pro gramme, not just for legislation by future Labour government — if there is one — but to be acted on now, to serve as a basis for united struggle. The success of this struggle is the best guarantee that a Labour governmen will be returned.
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Full employment and social justice
The immediate task: an action programme