Of all the reformist schemes put forward for dealing with the economic crisis, there is no doubt that the call for selective import controls has won the greatest support. The TUC, the Tribunite left, the Communist Party, and many rank and file trade union bodies are now committed to this policy. Labour Party secretary Ron Hayward last week claimed that such controls would save at least 300,000 jobs.
It is easy to see why the idea of import controls is gaining support inside the trade union bureaucracy. Rather than involving a fight against the employers, as struggles against the £6 limit or for more nationalisation would mean, import controls appear to offer the possibility of an alliance with the bosses. In the textile trade, one of the industries worst hit by unemployment, bosses and unions have campaigned together for import restrictions.
All wrapped up in nationalist rhetoric and waving union jacks, the bureaucrats can forget nasty words such as 'class" and 'struggle' in favour of the so called 'national interest.
The reason why many trade unionists support import controls, is, however, not so simple. Firstly, any socialist government would have to take measures to control foreign trade.
Secondly, and most importantly, it is not just a question of nationalist rhetoric - although unfortunately that plays a role; rather, it appears that import controls would in the short term | save jobs - and if they work in the short term, then why not in the long term?
After all, what could seem simpler than the argument that if Japanese motorbikes or Pakistan textiles are not imported, then British ones will be bought - creating jobs for British workers? It is certainly necessary for revolutionary socialists to show the whole reactionary basis of this argument, which suggests that British workers should save their jobs at the expense of workers overseas; but in fact even British workers would not gain from such a policy - internationalism on this issue, as on everything else, is not merely a moral gesture but is in the material interests of the working class.
The first effect of import controls would be a massive boost to inflation. The reason why goods are imported is simply because they are more competitive - cheaper - than the same goods produced in Britain. Eliminating imports eliminates the cheaper goods and forTO SALY INDU-
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BRiTiSH TEXTiLES IN FOREIGN TEXTİLES OU BOLTON DİSTRICT WEAVERS