[lbo-talk] The Euston Manifesto

[Julian Gollop]

This is causing a lot of commotion in the blogosphere:

http://eustonmanifesto.org/joomla/

Perhaps it is best understood in the context of left wing politics in the UK
where the 'stop the war coalition' is dominated by the SWP ( a fairly
opportunistic Marxist organisation ) and their creation, along with George
Galloway, the RESPECT coalition.

The manifesto itself is a fairly specific attack on the SWP coupled with a
rather bland statement of 'liberal' beliefs. Most signatories supported the
invasion of Iraq, and I guess most of them still do, perhaps with various
qualifications. Many also supported the 'new military humanism' in
Yugoslavia. Personally, I am not that much enamoured by  'liberal democracy'
from my experience living here in Bulgaria - at least not the version of
liberal democracy which is pretty much forced on the rest of the world right
now. Still, I think the Euston Manifesto has had a positive effect in terms
of stimulating debate, but I am not convinced it will amount to anything
very much.

Julian Gollop.