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I read the first volume years ago.A far more interesting autobiography by a Trotskyist was Harry Ratner's 'The Reluctact Revolutionary'. Very human.

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From its description it looked interesting but its price puts it out of reach of most pockets.

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Wasn't smashing the state an option?

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Interesting and thoughtful article by a Labour right-winger who believes that Corbyn will probably win the leadership election. The article also dismisses the scare stories from the tabloid press about an orchestrated entrist campaign being conducted by left-of-labour types to elect Corbyn as leader:http://labourlist.org/2015/07/where-is-jeremy-corbyns-support-coming-from/

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stuartw2112 wrote:

Since you asked Alan, my current beliefs are something like this: that socialism, as defined here, is probably not possible, even with the best will in the world, but that nevertheless the world needs radical change, along "green" and "spiritual" lines, or along any lines towards a more compassionate world. So I'm roughly in Russell Brand's camp (though I'm a supporter and member of nothing at the moment). You'd better start another thread if you'd like to discuss this though. Cheers

Stuart, don't sell yourself short. Put your boots in the Rob Newman camp if will insist in going in that direction. PS – Cheers to Alan and your good self for a fascinating thread/read.

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And the Daily Mail gets in on the act but it's another set of 'reds under the bed" this time:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3174731/Hard-Left-Militant-Tendency-activists-using-loophole-infiltrate-Labour-help-Jeremy-Corbyn-leadership-election.html

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Apologies for the lack of formatting. I tried to fix it, to no avail.I hope readers can get the gist of the latest ridiculous scare story about Corbyn. Has Kinnock intervened yet?

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From behind the Sunday Times paywall:The Weekly Worker in the Sunday Times. Apparently Chairman Jack can command legions of lefties to ruin the Labour leadership election. www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/s…/news/uk_news/article1585822.ece… HARRIET HARMAN has been urged to suspend the Labour leadership race after evidence emerged that hard left infiltration is fuelling a huge surge in party membership. More than 140,000 new activists are projected to have joined by the deadline for registration to vote, a rise of more than two thirds since the election, with many signing up to back the hard left candidate Jeremy Corbyn. The Communist party of Great Britain has called on supporters to join and back Corbyn as part of its revolutionary “strategy” while Green party activists have also been discussing how to vote for him. Labour MPs say their local parties have been flooded with new members, most of them supporting Corbyn, the MP for Islington North, who polls have suggested is the frontrunner in the leadership race. Some of the new members have previously stood as candidates for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, an electoral alliance including the Socialist Workers’ party, founded by Bob Crow, the late hard left leader of the RMT rail union. A veteran of Labour’s ruling national executive committee said: “It is pretty clear that what is happening amounts to infiltration of the Labour party.” Shadow cabinet ministers have privately admitted they are worried about those who are joining. John Mann, the Bassetlaw MP, said the contest was “out of control, it is totally out of control” and called for Harman, the acting leader, to suspend it so proper checks could be conducted on new members. “It should be halted. It is becoming a farce with longstanding members . . . in danger of getting trumped by people who have opposed the Labour party and want to break it up, expressly want to break it up — some of it is the Militant Tendency types coming back in.” The call came as the Labour donor Assem Allam warned that the party would be out of power for at least a decade unless David Miliband returned as leader. “The only way I am prepared to accept it will be five years is if David Miliband comes back and wins his seat in a constituency and is elected leader of the party,” he said. Allam, who gave the party £200,000 before the election, said he would not donate again if Corbyn won. “I don’t believe I would join what amounts to a criminal action against the country by supporting any hard left trade union figure.” John Hutton, a Labour peer and former cabinet minister, said the party would split if Corbyn was elected leader.“The Labour party has got too much common sense to choose him as a leader because he can’t lead the Labour party,” he said. “He would immediately split the party.” The leftward lurch of Labour is partly blamed on the reforms introduced by Ed Miliband in the wake of the Falkirk vote-rigging row. The projected figure of 140,000 new voters is based on the fact that 52,000 full members have joined since Miliband’s defeat, to push membership up to 253,566. Assuming people sign up at the same rate, another 14,000 will have joined before the August 12 deadline to take part in the leadership contest, taking the number of new members eligible to vote to more than 66,000. Another 17,830 people have paid £3 to become “registered supporters”, a category that was introduced by Miliband. This is set to climb above 22,000 if they continue to join at the same rate. Unions have also signed up 25,338 “affiliate members”, who do not have to pay a penny themselves under the new rules. Another 30,000 affiliate applications are being processed, taking the total number of new activists who can vote to about 140,000. Many have been recruited by the union Unite, which is affiliated to Labour but also includes members from hard left groups on its ruling executive council, which has endorsed Corbyn. All have an equal say in the leadership election. The Communist party of Great Britain (CPGB) chairman, Jack Conrad — whose real name is believed to be John Chamberlain — called in a podcast last Sunday for people to sign up. “What makes sense from our point of view as revolutionaries is if we’ve got a strategy as regards Labour, just as in the same way we’ve got a strategy as regards the trade unions, then what we need to be doing is encouraging people to join the Labour party to vote in the Labour party, to participate in the Labour party,” he said. An article in the Weekly Worker, the official CPGB paper, also urged people to join Labour to turn it into a true party of socialism under Corbyn. “The aim should not just be electing Corbyn but transforming the Labour party from a bourgeois workers’ party that serves capitalism into a workers’ party that serves the working class to the cause of socialism,” it said.A shadow cabinet minister said the increasing numbers of new members from the hard left “is a source of concern”.“There are Greens and [Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition] and all sorts of people joining,” he said. One worried MP said: “MPs that I have spoken to who have represented their constituencies for 20 years say 70 people turn up for a nomination meeting and 35 of them — around 50% of them — are unrecognisable and have never been to a Labour party meeting before,” the MP said. “Some who are recognisable are vociferous opponents of the Labour party from the left. In my own constituency we have had people sign up as members who are Greens, who stood as Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition candidates.” Neil Findlay, Corbyn’s Scottish campaign manager, has urged leftwingers opposed to austerity and nuclear arms to “put aside differences for a short period” to become a registered supporter for £3. A Labour source said several thousand new members had been rejected for administrative reasons, such as not being on the electoral roll, but just a handful were turned away because of their political affiliations. A Labour spokesman said all applications were verified against the electoral register and those not sharing the aims or values of the Labour party were denied a vote.

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Another batch hot out the oven:February 1963 – The Aucan Tribe (primitive communists in the twentieth century)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-aucas-1963.htmlSeptember 1989 – War, history and revolution (MCH and World War 2)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/war-history-and-revolution-1989.htmlMay 1977 – The roots of Roots (yep, I watched it as a kid, too)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-roots-of-roots-1977.htmlJanuary 1993 – The divorce of the decayed (The 1981 street party. Now, that was a party.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-divorce-of-decayed-1993.htmlMarch 1972 – The thirteen Derry dead (Cold, calculating murder.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-thirteen-derry-dead-1972.htmlFebruary 1980 – Russia's Afghan hound (The Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/russias-afghan-hound-1980.htmlMay 1975 – Vietnam, who has won? (Brought to you from a blogger wearing a T shirt made in Vietnam.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/vietnamwho-has-won-1975.htmlJune 1988 – Too old to work, too young to die (Living longer is unproductive in class society.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/too-old-to-work-too-young-to-die-1988.htmlJuly 1975 – The Class Struggle (They're winning.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-class-struggle-1975.htmlAugust 1985 – Hiroshima in the making (Anniversary article on a particular piece of barbarism from 'our side')http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/hiroshima-in-making-1985.htmlFebruary 1974 – Do you live in poverty? (The city and decade that brought you Lynne Ramsay's Ratcatcher)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/do-you-live-in-poverty-1974.htmlAugust 1985 – Labour and the atom bomb (What would Clem do? Bomb the bastards.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/labour-and-atom-bomb-1985.htmlSeptember 1992 – History, whose history? (a/k/a as 'whose consciousness? false consciousness')http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/historywhose-story-1992.htmlJanuary 1976 – Terrorism is not revolution? (Flares and flare guns.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/terrorism-is-not-revolution-1976.htmlJuly 1968 – The British Union of Fascists and anti-semitism (book review)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/buf-and-jews-1968.htmlDecember 1974 – The I.S stand for confusion (before the SWP you had the International Socialists)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/i-s-stand-for-confusion-1974.htmlAugust 1960 – Aneurin Bevan (before JezWeCan there were the Bevanites. It didn't end well.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/aneurin-bevan-1960.htmlJune 1981 – Brixton explodes (There was a riot going on . . .)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/brixton-explodes-1981.htmlFebruary 1979 – Castro's brand of capitalism (Not a che in sight)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/castros-brand-of-capitalism-1979.htmlDecember 1990 – Great men and greater nonsense (Einstein, Marx and the rest of us.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/great-men-and-greater-nonsense-1990.htmlApril 1986 – People's power? (The downfall of Marcos in the Philippines.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/peoples-power-1986.htmlApril 1986 – The lessons of the fall of Marcos (editorial)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/lessons-of-fall-of-marcos-1986.htmlOctober 1984 – Socialists and the police (editorial)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/socialists-and-police-1984.htmlMarch 1971 – Coming up for Orwell (The boot belongs to Barltrop, and the stamped upon face is Orwell's.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/coming-up-for-orwell-1971.htmlAugust 1958 – The execution of Imre Nagy (lead article)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-execution-of-imre-nagy-1958.htmlOctober 1948 – Food for thought (Before Bono, Chris Martin and Bob Geldof, there was Sir John Boyd Orr.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/food-for-thought-1948.html Major props to Rob Stafford for doing 95% of the work. The other 5% goes to Neil Diamond who brought me comfort whilst doing the proof-reading. What a voice! Brooklyn's finest.  

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One of those vox pop videos. This one is where people are asked what they think about Corbyn. It has its moments. Also has its moments of despair:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkPddtUUxEA&feature=youtu.be

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Harry Young is the SPGB speaker at the beginning of the clip. More background on him here:http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2014/08/why-i-joined-spgb.htmlThe other comrade next to him selling the Standard is Steve Ross.Just don't read the comments. Never read the comments on YouTube. Grim, grim, grim.

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Aah, you were more of a George and Lynne cartoon aficianado? I'd totally forgotten about that cartoon strip until your post. Does that qualify as a Proustian moment?

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Very rare.

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Stuart, did you see this Socialist Standard article from 1982?http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/06/money-must-go-1982.htmlI don't know about yourself but I grew up in a household where The Sun was one of the newspapers of choice, so it was funny to think that there was some 'full communism' in its pages, hidden away in one of its regular comic strips.

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*Deep breath*A plethora of links of articles and book reviews from the Socialist Standard which have recently been uploaded to the Socialist Standard Past & Present Blog. All the kudos go to Rob S. and Graham T. for doing all the donkey work. August 1994 – The Peterloo Massacre (working class history)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-peterloo-massacre-1994.htmlMay 1973 – Out of Step – what is normality in capitalism? (outstanding article by Ivan)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/out-of-step-what-is-normality-in.htmlFebruary 1988 – 1968, the BBC and tabloid journalism (tv review)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/between-lines-1968-bbc-tabloid.htmlMarch 1989 – Additive eating (food adulteration)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/additive-eating-1989.htmlDecember 1990 – The demise of Thatcher (editorial)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-demise-of-thatcher-1990.htmlFebruary 1991 – Capitalism unleashes war (editorial on the First Gulf War)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/capitalism-unleashes-war-1991.htmlDecember 1979 – Blood on their hands (Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/blood-on-their-hands-1979.htmlAugust 1989 – Southern discomfort (film review)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/southern-discomfort-1989.htmlMarch 1992 – National Liberation (book review)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/national-liberation-1992.htmlMarch 1979 – Einstein and common sense (science)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/einstein-and-common-sense-1979.htmlNovember 1990 – Who needs money? (hazard a guess)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/who-needs-money-1990.htmlFebruary 1959 – Little Brother is watching you (the tentacles of the state)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/little-brother-is-watching-you-1959.htmlFebruary 1982 – Who will do the dangerous work? (I've got a sore back.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/who-will-do-dangerous-work-1982.htmlOctober 1987 – A culture of violence (murderous behaviour)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-culture-of-violence-1987.htmlDecember 1990 – The end of Fukuyama (The end of history guy)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-end-of-fukuyama-1990.htmlJanuary 1990 – Left Foot, Right Foot (Before there was Corbyn, there was Michael Foot.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/left-foot-right-foot-1990.htmlNovember 1973 – Day of Remembrance for what? (red poppies and emotional blackmail.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/day-of-remembrance-for-what-1973.htmlJuly 1986 – At all costs (World War One massacres)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/at-all-costs-1986.htmlApril 1965 – The Philanthropists (Tressell reviewed raggedly.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-philanthropists-1965.htmlMarch 1990 – After aparthied, what? (editorial)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/after-apartheid-what-1990.htmlJune 1979 – Livestock liberation (Mistreatment of animals . . . and humans)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/livestock-liberation-1979.htmlAugust 1973 – 'Dictatorship of the Proletariat': what did Karl Marx mean? (not a jackboot in sight.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/dictatorship-of-proletariat-what-did.htmlFebruary 1960 – What is morality? (Did I mention my bad back?)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-is-morality-1960.htmlNovember 1978 – Planning the road to nowhere (Hayek versus Keynes . . . the pay-per-view death-match)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/planning-road-to-nowhere-1978.htmlOctober 1986 – Socialism and Work (The right to rest my sore back.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/socialism-and-work-1986.htmlJune 1978 – Down coronation street (True soap opera fact: Stan Ogden was an International Brigader.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/down-coronation-street-1978.htmlJanuary 1995 – Let's all boldly go (One for the geeks.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/lets-all-boldly-go-1995.htmlAugust 1995 – Frederick Engels: A Lifetime's Sevice (manchester, so much to answer for)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/frederick-engels-lifetimes-service-1995.htmlOctober 1955 – Peace, Perfect Peace! (Simply dynamite.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/peace-perfect-peace-1955.htmlOctober 1990 – Is the Left finished? (Don't spoil it for your Facebook friend with their proudly displayed Corbyn profile pic.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/is-left-finished-1990.htmlSeptember 1976 – Amin, Africa and the World (Who backed Amin?)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/amin-africa-and-world-1976.htmlFebruary 1980 – Jesus Christ, Super Myth (The late, great L. E. Weidberg.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/jesus-christ-super-myth-1980.htmlJuly 1960 – Report on Mau Mau (Colonial violence.)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/report-on-mau-mau-1960.htmlJanuary 1972 – From a Russian prison camp (Alexander Solzhenitzyn)http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2015/07/from-russian-prison-camp-1972.html More to come in the fullness of time. Thanks again for the sterling work from Rob S. and Graham T.   

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