Summer reflects turn to Marxist theory

A DECISIVE turn on the part of layers of the British working class away from reformism and towards a fight to understand the revolutionary nature of Marxist theory was clearly reflected in the response to the summer camp organized jointly by the Young Socialists and the Socialist Labour League.

With the largest attendance ever at a summer camp since the International Assembly of Revolutionary Youth in 1967, the fortnight's lectures and discussions from July 25 to August 8 confirmed the impact of the Workers Press and the Socialist Labour League through its consistent struggle for Marxist theory the workers' movement-particularly amongst the youth.

The camp was attended by members of the Socialist Labour League, the Young Socialists and the All Trades Unions Alliance.

There were also a number of foreign delegates who, as a result of great sacrifice, were able to make the journey to England to attend.

With the Tory government in power and the betrayal of the national dockers' strike by the reformist trade union leaders— backed by the Stalinists — the question of training as revolutionary cadres to build the party was sharply posed for the whole camp.

For two weeks intense discussion ranged from the basic question of Marxist theory to the most complex ones of party building.

Special study groups in between the lectures were organized especially for the newer YS and SLL members which assisted with reading and questions from the lectures which were not understood.

In six full camp lectures given secretary, on the fight for Marxist theory and its relation to building the revolutionary party questions came thick and fast. As many as 20 questions and contributions to discussion were dealt with at one lecture.

Such was the intense interest in the work at the camp to create a basis for understanding Marxist theory and the dialectical materialist method that over 100 decided to say for the second week after attending the first.

John Crawford gave two lectures in the first course 'Capitalism and its place in history' and 'Imperialism and the present capitalist crisis'.

He was followed by Peter Jeffries who lectured on 'Dialectical Materialism and idealism' and 'The trade unions, the Labour Party and the working class'.

The last lecture for this course, 'Stalinism and the British working class', was given by Cliff Slaughter.

Sécond course lectures were begun by Cliff Slaughter on 'Reformism and Revolution'. Tom Kemp gave two lectures on 'Imperialism' and 'Strategy and Tactics of Revolution'. Peter Jeffries concluded for the fortnight for this course with The history and characteristics of the British working class'.

The great interest in in marxist theory was reflected by the crowd constantly round the bookstall where the Socialist Labour Léague's recent publications 'Stalinism in Britain' by Roberl Black and 'Germany 1931 to 1933' by Leon Trotsky were on sale along, with books by Marx, Engels and Lenin.

The record sale of approximately £700 was reported by the end of the fortnight.

A hallmark of the free time was the impromptu discussion groups which continued to talk over the questions raised by the main lectures.

much apart of the susill fo Marxist consciousness, were the evening's activities of films and stage productions.

Professional actors presented productions by the 'Steam Stage Package' company of an adaptation from D. H. Lawrence and Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream'.

There were also two anthologies — the 1926 General Strike and 'Women and industry'.

There was a tremendous rebean governments, United Nations Secretary-General U Thant and a' top-level 'facesaving' British scientific delegation, the United States Army is displaying its usual cavalier disregard for inter-