William Thompson's reviaw of the pam phiet The New Techology of Repres sion, published by the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science [Red Weekly, 25 October] was seriousAlthough Thompson did urge that the pamphlet 'should be given the wid est possible circulation in the British working claes, he failed to point out just how much important and invaluable information it contains. At the same time he overlooked its very real political weaknesses.
When it comes to the political context, the pamphlet runs out of steam. All it proposes to the British working class is that in the event of a military coup, a general strike would be nec mary, Given the (more likaly) variant of a 'gradual rightward drift', it says industrial action would be needed, up to and including a detensivs ganerWhile there are clear signs that the military has strengthoned its position within the state to the extent that it can openly defy government policy les, for example, in the Ulster workers' strike earlier this year] it remains a small professional force with no in. dependent base in society. In Chile, for example, the military coup was only possible because of the miss support from the midele classes. Clearly. a military coup is not on the agends As the pamphlet explains, what Red Weekly 21 November 1974 Page B the new technology of reprin offers the state is a 'graduated resp"This may eable situations to be held in check which otherwise could not be controlled without resort to more dramatically repressive measures... which [would be politically counter. productive.
The use of such technology by the state depends on the development of the 'right political contest. What is necessary for the workers' movement is to mount its own 'variable response" that meets every new manoeuvre of the ruling class and mobilises against every new attempt to strengthen the repres sive apparatus of the state.
This means buildina united actions to defend all victims of state repression, to get rid of the laws on which this rep ression is based, and organising against all attempts to introduce further anti working clies legislation. It is also necessary to organise against the attempts by Powell and his ilk to divide the wor king class through the use of racism and chauvinism The Mechnology of repression' is merely an arsenal at the disposal of the phlet is a useful weapon to warn of its dangers, the key question remains the polucat arming or une workers move mint to counter the attacks of the ruling class and its state. - ANDY NEWTON, London.
The main purpose of Labour's budget was to dole out thousands of millions of pounds to Britain's bankrupt capitalist industry. The pay-off from the Budget for the capitalists has been widely described as £1.5 billion - but in fact they will get this amount in the next six months alone, Over the next twelve months they can expect to receive a total of more than E3 billion.
The vast bulk of this huge sum will come directly out of the pockets of working people - through higher prices for the goods produced by private and nationalised industries alike. Prices next year will be pushed up by an extra 4% in order to pay for Labour's scheme to bail out capitalism. Inflation is now bound to top the 20% mark - and could go far higher. This fact casts far into the shadows the tiny payments.
Of course the capitalists are not satisfied - the Confederation of British Industry says that some increases the Government has made in social security £2.5 billion is needed to bail them out just within the next six months. But they realise that Healey is firmly committed to solving the crisis within a capitalist framework, and that further handouts paper, The Financial Times, put it: 'If it is only a matter of weeks since Mr. Healey's last budget, it difficulties, in the right direction." must eventually come. As the leading capitalist newsis only a matter of weeks until his next. At least he is now beginning to walk firmly, despite considerable