New Reasoner
Encyclopedia
During the crisis of the 1950s within the Communist Party of Great Britain
(CPGB), John Saville
and E.P. Thompson created a journal of dissident Communism named the Reasoner. They took the title from an early 19th century publication, created by John Bone, which had been an attempt at renewing and reinvigorating a flagging Jacobin
Radicalism
. In Thompson and Saville's Reasoner, the editors attempted to rekindle the embers of the dying opposition to Stalinism
. They posed their critique of Stalinist Communism, at the point of its moral decay.
Producing the first copy of their dissident journal at the end of July 1956, the editors proposed the use of the journal as a forum for the discussion of "questions of fundamental principle, aim, and strategy". Over its five months of existence, the journal angered many within the leadership of the CPGB.
Thompson and Saville, centred their editorials on their resentment of Stalinist practise, and the CPGB's dogmatic analysis of domestic and foreign developments. In their view, Stalinism stood condemned for six essential reasons:
These criticisms would permeate their general attack on Stalinism:
Thompson believed it was these theories, which had brought on the crisis within the International Communist Movement.
From its publication in July 1956, the Reasoner had irritated the Old Guard of the CPGB. Because of this, Thompson and Saville were ordered to cease publication of their dissident journal, an order they chose to defy. Because of their refusal, Thompson and Saville were suspended from the CPGB.
In November 1956, the armies of the Soviet Union
entered the streets of Budapest
; on October 23, the people of Hungary
had revolted against their Soviet puppet regime. There were mass demonstrations
by students and workers, as the demonstrations spread throughout the country, workers councils were established. Fearing the loss of control along its borders, and an end to Soviet hegemony
in the region, Nikita Khrushchev
resurrected Stalinist practices and invaded the neighbouring state. By the time the uprising was put down, there were an estimated 30,000 dead.
Thompson and Saville, along with many others, resigned from the CPGB in protest against its support of the Soviet Union's actions. They believed "that the Party was now wholly discredited"; over the following months, 7,000 members of the CPGB (that is, one in five) left the Party. With their departure, the CPGB was to lose almost all of its members who could lay claim to middle class standing.
Their departure from the CPGB did not silence Thompson and Saville. They did not abandon working class politics: instead they began again in new ways.
In 1957, they began the publication of a new journal, named the New Reasoner. The opening editorial, centred on a reaffirming of their commitment to the British Marxist and Communist tradition. They allied themselves with the European workers, who were fighting for 'de-stalinisation', and for the rebirth of principles within the movement. The New Reasoner was created with the express purpose of contributing to "the re-discovery of our traditions, the affirmation of socialist values, and the undogmatic perception of social reality".
In 1960 the New Reasoner became New Left Review
, after a merger with the Universities and Left Review journal.
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(CPGB), John Saville
John Saville
John Saville was a Greek-British Marxist historian, long associated with Hull University. He was one of the most influential writers on British Labour History in the second half of the twentieth century.- Life and career :...
and E.P. Thompson created a journal of dissident Communism named the Reasoner. They took the title from an early 19th century publication, created by John Bone, which had been an attempt at renewing and reinvigorating a flagging Jacobin
Jacobin (politics)
A Jacobin , in the context of the French Revolution, was a member of the Jacobin Club, a revolutionary far-left political movement. The Jacobin Club was the most famous political club of the French Revolution. So called from the Dominican convent where they originally met, in the Rue St. Jacques ,...
Radicalism
Political radicalism
The term political radicalism denotes political principles focused on altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways...
. In Thompson and Saville's Reasoner, the editors attempted to rekindle the embers of the dying opposition to Stalinism
Stalinism
Stalinism refers to the ideology that Joseph Stalin conceived and implemented in the Soviet Union, and is generally considered a branch of Marxist–Leninist ideology but considered by some historians to be a significant deviation from this philosophy...
. They posed their critique of Stalinist Communism, at the point of its moral decay.
Producing the first copy of their dissident journal at the end of July 1956, the editors proposed the use of the journal as a forum for the discussion of "questions of fundamental principle, aim, and strategy". Over its five months of existence, the journal angered many within the leadership of the CPGB.
Thompson and Saville, centred their editorials on their resentment of Stalinist practise, and the CPGB's dogmatic analysis of domestic and foreign developments. In their view, Stalinism stood condemned for six essential reasons:
- The mechanical notion of the Dictatorship of the proletariatDictatorship of the proletariatIn Marxist socio-political thought, the dictatorship of the proletariat refers to a socialist state in which the proletariat, or the working class, have control of political power. The term, coined by Joseph Weydemeyer, was adopted by the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, in the...
; - The unmistakable tendency to regard all disagreement and controversy as counter-revolutionary action;
- The perversion of Socialist ideals by a military vocabulary;
- The stifling of discussion and the reification of leadership, most evident in the cult of personalityCult of personalityA cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are usually associated with dictatorships...
and the dominance of the bureaucracy; - The theory of the infallibility of the Party resting on a wrong-headed notion of democratic centralismDemocratic centralismDemocratic centralism is the name given to the principles of internal organization used by Leninist political parties, and the term is sometimes used as a synonym for any Leninist policy inside a political party...
, or discipline; - The outmoded theory of consciousness expressed in the dichotomy: base/superstructure.
These criticisms would permeate their general attack on Stalinism:
- The subordination of the moral imaginative faculties to political and administrative authority is wrong; the fear of independent thought, the deliberate encouragement of anti-intellectual trends amongst the people is wrong; the mechanical personification of unconscious class forces, the belittling of the conscious process of intellectual and spiritual conflict, all this is wrong.
Thompson believed it was these theories, which had brought on the crisis within the International Communist Movement.
From its publication in July 1956, the Reasoner had irritated the Old Guard of the CPGB. Because of this, Thompson and Saville were ordered to cease publication of their dissident journal, an order they chose to defy. Because of their refusal, Thompson and Saville were suspended from the CPGB.
In November 1956, the armies of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
entered the streets of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
; on October 23, the people of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
had revolted against their Soviet puppet regime. There were mass demonstrations
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
by students and workers, as the demonstrations spread throughout the country, workers councils were established. Fearing the loss of control along its borders, and an end to Soviet hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
in the region, Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
resurrected Stalinist practices and invaded the neighbouring state. By the time the uprising was put down, there were an estimated 30,000 dead.
Thompson and Saville, along with many others, resigned from the CPGB in protest against its support of the Soviet Union's actions. They believed "that the Party was now wholly discredited"; over the following months, 7,000 members of the CPGB (that is, one in five) left the Party. With their departure, the CPGB was to lose almost all of its members who could lay claim to middle class standing.
Their departure from the CPGB did not silence Thompson and Saville. They did not abandon working class politics: instead they began again in new ways.
In 1957, they began the publication of a new journal, named the New Reasoner. The opening editorial, centred on a reaffirming of their commitment to the British Marxist and Communist tradition. They allied themselves with the European workers, who were fighting for 'de-stalinisation', and for the rebirth of principles within the movement. The New Reasoner was created with the express purpose of contributing to "the re-discovery of our traditions, the affirmation of socialist values, and the undogmatic perception of social reality".
In 1960 the New Reasoner became New Left Review
New Left Review
New Left Review is a 160-page journal, published every two months from London, devoted to world politics, economy and culture. Often compared to the French-language Les Temps modernes, it is associated with Verso Books , and regularly features the essays of authorities on contemporary social...
, after a merger with the Universities and Left Review journal.
External links
- Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust website All the issues of the journal are available in digital format copyright free (CC copyright). The site also includes an article on the journal's history by Peter WorsleyPeter WorsleyPeter Maurice Worsley is a noted British sociologist and social anthropologist.He is a major figure in both anthropology and sociology, and is noted for introducing the term third world into English...
, assisted by Dorothy Thompson (historian)Dorothy Thompson (historian)Dorothy Katharine Gane Thompson was a social historian, a leading expert on the Chartist movement. She entered Girton College, Cambridge, in 1942. During the war, her work as an industrial draughtswoman for Royal Dutch Shell interrupted her formal education...
and Stuart HallStuart Hall (cultural theorist)Stuart Hall is a cultural theorist and sociologist who has lived and worked in the United Kingdom since 1951. Hall, along with Richard Hoggart and Raymond Williams, was one of the founding figures of the school of thought that is now known as British Cultural Studies or The Birmingham School of...
.