Alan Woodward, "Hungarian Uprising 1956 - the libertarian response in Britain"

The effect of the repression of the Hungarian workers uprising in October 1956, and later, has been well catalogued so far as the various Marxist/Leninist/Stalinist organisations are concerned. It can be summarised by saying the New Left was born, starting the replacement of the old left, principally the Communist Party of Great Britain and its associated organisations. The question is what was the effect on the libertarian movement? The events were after all merely a reflection of their analysis of the authoritarian nature of the Russian regime, but how did they respond?

Our concern here is with the libertarian left. In this category we would find

• anarchists of all tendencies,
• workers socialists - formerly council communist
• peace and anti war organisations, who for example, are motivated by concepts of pacifism and international co-operation.

In effect the libertarian movement as a whole did surprisingly little. After the repression of the interwar years by both conventional and state capitalism, the movement was at an all time low. Perhaps the response could be anticipated.

There were some articles in newspapers and journals but these were often much the same as those of the left as such. The publications were much the same, with an added anarchist element. Later publications were more extensive and have remained in print to the present.

Nor was there any mass movement of members from the CPGB, which defended the Russian actions, to libertarian groups, so far as can be determined, though the lack of organisational continuity presents obvious problems.

Some individual accounts have been received. These show enthusiasm for showing solidarity but little opportunity to fully express it. Many of the participants are very old but further research could reveal hidden initiatives.

Perhaps the main exception to this depressing story is that there was the renaissance of the hybrid political ideas of workers council communism. This however was only to show practical consequences later with Solidarity for Workers Power , the Workers Voice group in Liverpool , Scorcher Press in Cardiff, and Joe Thomas's Movement for Workers Councils, also as a minority faction in the London Workers Group.

Two publications began this rebirth. The first chronologically was by Cornelius Castoriadis, writing as Pierre Chaulieu, entitled Workers Councils - and the economics of a self managed society [1957, 52pp]. The second was CLR James as JR Johnson, Grace C Lee and Pierre Chaulieu, entitled Facing Reality: the new society, where to look for it, how to bring it closer [1958 USA 174pp]. These books can be reviewed today and, compared to modern texts, show considerable omissions. At the time, they had a substantial effect and deserve to be seen in that context.

So 1956's effect on the libertarian movement was small in the short term but greater on a longer scale. The story of these consequences remains part of the "really hidden history" and is largely unchronicled. Our efforts can begin to rectify this.