Callinicos and Syriza: an argument for grand isolation
Comments on socialistresistance.org2010sA comment by Alan in the thread under “Unite behind Syriza’s anti-austerity programme” on socialistresistance.org.
The publication's own web text.
Editor's note. Syriza came second in the Greek election of 6 May 2012 on an anti-austerity programme, and a second election was called for 17 June. A Socialist Resistance editorial statement of 13 May, “Unite behind Syriza's anti-austerity programme”, appealed to the whole Greek left to support a government of the anti-austerity parties. Antarsya, the anticapitalist coalition that includes the British SWP's Greek sister organisation, refused. Alan posted this under the editorial.
I notice from an article by Alex Callinicos in this week’s Socialist Worker that far from getting behind Syriza in this remarkable situation the SWP is following the line of their comrades in Antarsya. He spend his time sniping at Syriza and has nothing what-so-ever to say about the governmental situation in Greece. He accuses Syriza of ambiguity, of refusing to break with social liberalism, of seeking to contain the situation within the framework of capitalism, and speculates that they are likely to bend to the pressure being mounted against them. This he says “underlines the necessity of building a revolutionary left that is part of this great movement sweeping Europe but maintains its own political identity”. It is an argument for standing in grand isolation when the biggest class confrontation in Europe since Portugal in 1974 is taking place.