Weekly Worker: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
m Reverted edits by BillyBonkerss to last revision by Alansohn (HG) |
|||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
| website = [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/] |
| website = [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/] |
||
}} |
}} |
||
The '''Weakly Wanker''' is a load of old bollocks run by a bunch of MI6 agents. |
|||
The '''Weekly Worker''' is a weekly [[newspaper]] published by the [[Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)]]. The paper is well known on the left for its polemical articles, close attention to [[Marxist]] theory and the politics of other Marxist groups. It currently claims an online readership averaging over 20,000 a week<ref>Average Readership, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/750/750.html]</ref> and is approaching issue 800. |
|||
==Outlook== |
|||
The [[Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)|CPGB-PCC's]] self declared intention is to emulate ''[[Iskra]]''<ref>Weekly Worker and Iskra, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/445/iskra.html]</ref> in providing Marxist analysis of politics and organisation to an initial vanguard of the working class. The ''Weekly Worker'' is integral to the CPGB-PCC identity given that the party consider, probably [[dialectical]]ly, themselves to not be a [[Marxist]] party. They aim instead for the paper to provide a focus for the communist organisation and theory which will be absorbed by a Marxist party that will arrive in a time of greater working class activism. |
|||
The paper has a policy of printing a wide variety of viewpoints. Having printed the articles of the [[Revolutionary Democratic Group|Revolutionary Democratic Group]] (RDC) over a significant part of the paper's history. The group has also given columns to factions within the party, notably the Red Platform faction during a debate over the CPGB-PCC's stance to the newly founded [[Respect]]. The ''Weekly Worker'' is known for its reporting of the activities of other [[left-wing]] groups with a particular focus on the activities of the [[Socialist Workers Party (Britain)|Socialist Workers Party]] and the [[Alliance for Workers Liberty]]. Critics have denounced this as gossip and amounting to sectarianism, a charge inverted by the CPGB<ref>Open Publishing, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/485/partynotes.html]</ref>. |
|||
The paper has, amongst left wing publications, one of the most open publishing policies. The paper prides itself on publishing a variety of letters, including critical ones. This has often resulted in lengthy debates been conducted through them, leading to a set of familiar names in the letters page. The group has also attracted a John [[Smithee]] character, who is eager and determined to relate all topical issues to house prices. |
|||
The paper has also attracted many leading, but non party members, to write in the paper. Leading [[gay rights]] activist [[Peter Tatchell]], former Soviet dissident [[Boris Kagarlitsky]], Marxist scholar [[Hillel Ticktin]] (editor of the magazine ''[[Critique (Journal of Socialist Theory)|Critique)]]'' and Graham Bash of ''[[Labour Left Briefing]]'' are regular contributors. [http://www.google.com/custom?q=tatchell&sa=Google+Search&cof=GIMP%3A%23FFFF00%3BT%3A%236699CC%3BLW%3A440%3BBIMG%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpgb.org.uk%2Fsearch%2F+index.html%3BALC%3A%23FFFFFF%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpgb.org.uk%2Fimages%2F+m_search.gif%3BGFNT%3A%236699CC%3BLC%3A%23FFFFFF%3BLH%3A60%3BBGC%3A%23003366%3BAH%3Aleft%3BVLC%3A%23FFFFFF%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2F+www.cpgb.org.uk%3BGALT%3A%23FFFFFF%3BAWFID%3A36e88ff1bc00e9e7%3B&domains=cpgb.org.uk&sitesearch=cpgb.org.uk] [[George Galloway]] has also at one point claimed to be a reader. |
|||
==Structure== |
|||
The paper is typically around sixteen pages long (after having been eight till the mid 90s). Rarely it incorporates publications by other attached groups such as Communist Students. The basic structure is: |
|||
*Front Page: typically of magazine format, with large striking image and overlaid text. The image tends to be artistic, examples include [[Hieronymus Bosch]]'s The Garden of Earthly delights to a picture of [[Barack Obama]] titled 'World's No 1' Terrorist'<ref>Obama, Accessed 20/02/2009 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/752/index.html]</ref> |
|||
*Letters Page: one or two pages of letters sent to the paper during the week. |
|||
*Action Column: a column containing upcoming events<ref>Action Column, Accessed 17/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/action/index.html] </ref> |
|||
*News: the next few pages typically contain Marxist interpretation of World News |
|||
*Left Politics: this tends to be followed by articles outlining developments with the left-wing political sphere |
|||
*Theory and Reviews: towards the end of the paper there are articles dealing theoretical issues in Marxism, historical points and reviews of recent plays books etc |
|||
*Final News Item: the paper typically ends with a Marxist interpretation and response to a world event. |
|||
The paper runs a weekly section 'What we Fight for'<ref>What we fight for, Accessed 1/02/2009 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/documents/cpgb/what.html]</ref> outlining in bullet point the core programme of the CPGB-PCC. |
|||
It also has 'Fighting Fund' section where 'Robbie Rix' attempts to cajole readers into donating to the paper whilst providing an update on readership levels. In September 2008 the paper decided to increase its monthly fund raising targets from £500 per month to £1000<ref>Fighting Fund, Accessed 20/02/2009 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/735/letters.html]</ref>. The party is reasonably successful in raising these small, for political party, amounts. The Fighting fund is replaced during the main fund raising drive, the Summer Offensive<ref>History of the Summer Offensive Accessed 17/02/2009 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/578/so.htm]</ref>, with updates on the offensive. Typically the party set themselves the task of raising around £25'000<ref>Fund raising Accessed 17/02/2009 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/Summer%20Offensive/index.htm]</ref>. The paper vigorously denies other sources of funding, priding itself on being solely funded by the membership of the party and readership<ref>Summer Offensive, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/730/twentyfive.html] </ref><ref>Funding Independence, Accessed 20/02/09[http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/481/partynotes.html]</ref>. |
|||
==Production== |
|||
The ''Weekly Worker'' developed out of ''The Leninist''<ref>Leninist Evolution, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/704/anappeal.html]</ref>, this tended to be a A-4 sized short publication. Upon transition to becoming the ''Weekly Worker'' the party succeeded in buying its own printing press. The machine was also operated by a party member, Phil Kent, giving the party complete control over publishing, something it considered integral to its independence<ref>Printing the Weekly Worker, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/704/anappeal.html]</ref>. The paper was for the 90s a large broadsheet printed in black and red, although towards the end of the decade the paper started to develop a web presence. As the new millennium moved on the online version of the ''Weekly Worker'' became more important, till print readership became a small fraction of the total readership<ref>Web Importance, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/701/aggregate.htm]</ref>. |
|||
In 2008 the party's press broke irreversibly. After considering stopping print publication altogether the party decided to focus on web publication but attempt to develop the facilities to print an A4 version of the ''Weekly Worker''. The party is currently attempting to update its archive of both the ''Weekly Worker'' and ''The Leninist'', whilst modernising and overhauling its website<ref>Website Update, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/750/750.html]</ref>. |
|||
==History== |
|||
The paper was first published in [[1993]], having developed out of the ''The Leninist'', the eponymous underground publication of the hard-left group opposed to the [[eurocommunism|Euro-communist]] leadership of the old CPGB<ref>The Leninist, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/702/cp.htm]</ref>. The group was defined by their adherence to orthodox [[Soviet]] Marxism and their strong opposition to [[eurocommunism|Euro-communism]] within the CPGB. This found primary expression in their stance towards the Soviet Union, where they denounced Gorbachev's reforms and the developments within the [[Warsaw Pact]]. The party's position was as [[rigorous]] to lead the group to publish denouncements of the [[Solidarność]] trade union for agitation against the workers regime. Such positioning was charactured by the nickname 'Tankies'<ref>Tankies, Good News Section, Accessed 20/02/09[http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/727/smallgreen.html]</ref>. |
|||
The Leninist had a convoluted path to publication. After a factional confrontation with the then [[eurocommunism|Euro-communist]] leaning leadership a group called the [[New Communist Party of Britain|New Communist Party]] (NCP) split split from the CPGB in 1977. An event later regretted as having been a move away from the real site, the old CPGB, of class struggle and premature<ref>NCP-CPGB Split, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/702/cp.htm]</ref>. A part of the [[New Communist Party of Britain|NCP]] engaged close alliance with the [[Communist Party of Turkey|Communist Party of Turkey]] (CPT), which left a lasting influence on the groups philosophy<ref>[[Communist Party of Turkey|Communist Party of Turkey]] and CPGB, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/683/so.htm]</ref><ref>Communist Party of Turkey and CPGB, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/702/cp.htm]</ref>. A result of this contact with an active and intellectually lively communist organisation was disillusionment with the inadequacies of the NCP. Another split followed, leading to six joining the CPT and becoming active members. After a period of years this small grouplet, headed by John Chamberlain, decided that they should refocus on Britain's political situation. The group now numbering four members, began a two year period of Marxist study with the aiming to 'reforge the CPGB'<ref>Reforging the old CPGB, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/702/cp.htm]</ref><ref>Reforging the CPGB, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/302/partynotes.html]</ref>. These two years of study finally culminated in the publication of the first edition of the Leninist<ref>First Leninist, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/702/cp.htm]</ref>. |
|||
After the collapse of the old CPGB, the group around ''The Leninist'' declared their intention to reforge the party on what they declared to be "firm Leninist principles". They organised an "emergency conference", at which they claimed the CPGB name, but not its assets. The group are technically named the [[Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)|CPGB-PCC]] but commonly known as just the CPGB. They are distinct from the [[Communist Party of Britain|Communist Party of Britain]] (CPB), which has the electoral rights to the name 'Communist Party' and the [[Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)|CPBG-Marxist Leninist]]. After having made this transition the group began the first publication of the Weekly Worker shortly after in 1993 and began its attempts to 'reforge the CPGB'<ref>Reforging the CPGB, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/302/partynotes.html]</ref>. |
|||
The 90s marked a period of introspection for the group. The nature of the [[Soviet Union]] was reappraised as being [[Stalinist]], however the group reaffirmed their [[Lenin]]ist heritage (as opposed to the [[Trotskyist]] heritage of many other left groups). Having decided on the central importance of re-evaluating theory, this debate was primarily conducted through the ''Weekly Worker''. |
|||
The ''Weekly Worker'' was a faultline during unity negotiations between left groups during the [[Socialist Alliance]] (SA). It was proposed that the groups within the SA produced a single paper. This would have resulted in the loss of the ''Weekly Worker'', something that was contentious within the CPGB, both pro and against. The discussions however became [[moot]] after the [[SWP|Socialist Worker Party]] decided to leave the SA and join the movement that would result in the formation of [[Respect – The Unity Coalition|Respect]]. |
|||
The formation of [[Respect – The Unity Coalition|Respect]] marked an upswing in the importance of the ''Weekly Worker''. The CPGB was initially divided whether to embrace the organisation, the PCC initially sided with the pro-affiliation faction lead by Ian Donovan. It however reversed this position early in Respect's life to agree retrospectively with the anti-affiliation faction; Red Platform lead by Manny Neira. This reversal managed to alienate both factions at different times, resulting initially in Manny Neira breaking away to form the short lived [[Red Party]], followed by Ian Donovan after the change of position. This early debate though settled into a strong editorial line against Respect, for being an 'unprincipled unpopular front', which followed through to the split resulting in [[Respect – The Unity Coalition|Respect Renewal]] and [[Left List]]. The papers commitment to angular debate and reporting on the topic combined with the lack of coverage from more official sources lead to increase in readership. The paper at the height of the Respect project reached 40,000 readers a week. This controversy has refreshed the party seemingly leading to a new wave of confidence and generation of recruits<ref>Confidence, Good News Section, Accessed 20/02/09 [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/727/smallgreen.html]</ref>. |
|||
Recently the paper offered to become the paper of the new [[Campaign for a Marxist Party|Campaign for a Marxist Party]]. This collapsed after repeated disagreements about Marxist theory and the logistics of running the movement with members of the [[Democratic Socialist Alliance]]. The paper as also been at the forefront over debates between the CPGB-PCC and the [[Alliance for Workers Liberty|AWL]] over Communist policy towards Iran. |
|||
==Notable Contributors== |
|||
*John Chamberlain/Jack Conrad |
|||
*Mike MacNair |
|||
*Mark Fisher |
|||
*Eddie Ford |
|||
*Anne McShane |
|||
*Peter Manson |
|||
*Michael Malkin (thought to be [[Michael Bettaney]]<ref>Michael Malkins Identity [http://www.borderland.co.uk/notes_from_the_borderland_010.htm]</ref><ref>Michael Malkins Identity [http://www.google.com/custom?q=malkin&sa=Google+Search&cof=GIMP%3A%23FFFF00%3BT%3A%236699CC%3BLW%3A440%3BBIMG%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpgb.org.uk%2Fsearch%2F+index.html%3BALC%3A%23FFFFFF%3BL%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpgb.org.uk%2Fimages%2F+m_search.gif%3BGFNT%3A%236699CC%3BLC%3A%23FFFFFF%3BLH%3A60%3BBGC%3A%23003366%3BAH%3Aleft%3BVLC%3A%23FFFFFF%3BS%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2F+www.cpgb.org.uk%3BGALT%3A%23FFFFFF%3BAWFID%3A36e88ff1bc00e9e7%3B&domains=cpgb.org.uk&sitesearch=cpgb.org.uk]</ref>) |
|||
*James Turley |
|||
*Manny Neira (Ex) |
|||
*Ian Donovan (Ex) |
|||
*[[Peter Tatchell]] ([[OutRage!|OutRage!]]) |
|||
*Graham Bash (''Labour Left Briefing'') |
|||
*Hillel Ticktin (''Critique'') |
|||
In line with Marxist tradition the actual CPGB-PCC contribtutors write under a variety of assumed names. This explains the multiplicity of authors but familiar sets of prose. The ''Weekly Worker'' has been estimated to have as few as 37 members as of 2007 (which is consistent with the £1,000 the party attempts to raise through the paper every month to cover printing costs). Whilst this is a large increase on the 10 or so who were initially part of ''The Leninist'', it is remarkable that such a small number should continuously produce a weekly paper. |
|||
John Chamberlain/Jack Conrad and Mike MacNair are reasonable indicators of the party position, with both sitting on the council of the CPGB-PCC, writing leading articles on theory and being the only members to have had books published by the party<ref>Book List [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/books/order.htm]</ref>. |
|||
==External links== |
|||
* [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/ CPGB website] |
|||
* [http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker ''Weekly Worker'' archive] |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{Reflist|2}} |
|||
[[Category:Communist Party of Great Britain]] |
|||
[[Category:Weekly newspapers published in the United Kingdom]] |
|||
[[Category:Publications established in 1993]] |
|||
[[Category:Communist newspapers]] |
|||
Revision as of 16:29, 25 March 2009
| [[Image:|200px]] | |
| Type | Weekly Newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Online, Print |
| Owner(s) | CPGB-PCC |
| Publisher | CPGB-PCC |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Political alignment | MI6 operatives |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | London |
| Website | www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/ |
The Weakly Wanker is a load of old bollocks run by a bunch of MI6 agents.