THE UNFASHIONABLE ANGRIES
SIR,—Judith Pakenham has given us some thought- provoking points on 'The Unfashionable Angries,' but she spoils it by using too many pat phrases, and too many easy classifications. As an 'Angry' (?) from a rather different class background to Miss Pakenham, I suppose I have become 'the romantic revolutionary whose pipe-dreams of perfection in this life have been hardened by Marx into doctrin- aire gloom.' What has Marx got to do with either romantic revolution or doctrinaire gloom? Perhaps by a 'pipe-dream of perfection' she means advo- cating a positive alternative to the class snobbery which she, and I, heartily deplore.
There are many young people today whose views are influenced more by Kropotkin or Thoreau than Marx or Engels. There arc still many, thank good- ness, who can see the point of arguing about socialism, and it is those who reject the slick sen- tences that make up Labour Party phraseology just as much as Liberal and Tory, who might have something to offer us. Judith Pakenham has shown us that the conscience and sense of revolt of many has been awakened, but it consists as yet only of rejection rather than a positive advocacy of an alternative. It can easily degenerate into the smart brittle barbs of the Private Eye and all that jazz clique,, and become completely meaningless. Many of us believe that socialism is the only positive alternative—that is why we believe in arguing about it—and acting on it.
ALISTAIR GRAHAM
Secretary, Coleg Harlech ILP
Harlech, Merionetlz
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