Yes, we need to transition away from a world disorder driven by profit maximisation for a tiny few. We need to struggle for societies based on human needs and environmental imperatives. Yes, in Kasrils’ apt words, in our complex global and national context, socialists must be “creative, tolerant, open-minded, non-sectarian and non-dogmatic”. He adds: “We need to find a modicum of courage to question the old tired formulas, and creatively relate to the challenges of the current period.” Agreed.
Unfortunately, excessive dwelling on all three is liable to churn the discussion around in “old tired formulas” in the service, perhaps, of self-justification. This would be at the expense of dealing with the more important question – how do we build an effective left within South Africa? This latter is not just, nor even primarily an election issue.
So, in the spirit of being tolerant, open-minded and non-sectarian, let’s all learn collective lessons. Let’s vigilantly guard against the temptations of personal opportunism. And let’s move away from the ultimately not very helpful exchange of “we told you so’s”. The struggle from within, or the struggle from without? That’s a perennial political challenge. Each has its potential, its responsibilities, and its risks, and every context requires its own very specific concrete analysis. Justifying the struggle from within was something Ramaphosa in his January Sona speech touched upon with his Teddy Roosevelt reference to “the man in the arena” as opposed to “the critic without”.
In my original response to Kasrils it was not my intention to give the impression that the SACP alone played the decisive role in turning the tide against the Gupterisation of the ANC and the state. I expressly saluted, perhaps too briefly, the role of a wide range of forces. “Brave investigative journalists and whistle-blowers”, I wrote, “opposition political parties, faith-based formations , the judiciary, social movement mobilisation, the business community and many more played major roles.
In my own view, it is naïve to believe it would have been possible for the SACP to run a principled but independent anti-corruption, pro-socialist electoral campaign in 2017-18 and still have an effective impact on what was the absolutely critical challenge of the time. That critical challenge was to pull the country and our hard-won constitutional democracy back from the brink upon which we were teetering in 2017 and early 2018.
Kasrils wins the argument on the SACP being wrong to support Zuma. He loses it on SACP contesting 2019 elections. Cronin convinces me on the SACP's key role in propping up Ramaphosa leading up to Nasrec. A win for Cronin but it's stained by failure to loudly admit the Zuma error.
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