Confrontation

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Confrontation, Issue 1, the 'theoretical journal' of the Revolutionary Communist Party, 1986, Junius Publications.

Confrontation was the 'theoretical journal of the Revolutionary Communist Party, first published in the summer of 1986. According to the British Library Confrontation ceased publication after its fifth issue in 1990.

The 'Theoretical journal' of the RCT seems not to have continued and it was not until summer 1986 that the RCP began producing the short lived Confrontation, described as the Party 'theoretical journal'. In addition to a range of pamphlets the principal publications of the RCP were The next step, its weekly newspaper which in the early days it described as a 'review' and later Living Marxism (later renamed LM magazine). The RCP also produced numerous leaflets, posters, newsletters and other materials for its front groups and election literature.

Almost all RCP publications were published by Junius Publications, the party's publishing company set up in late 1977.

Cover of Confrontation, No.2, showing articles by both Linda Ryan and Frank Richards. Both names were pseudonyms for Revolutionary Communist Party leader Frank Furedi.

Confrontation, Issue 3, the 'theoretical journal' of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Summer 1988, Junius Publications.

Confrontation, Issue 4, the 'theoretical journal' of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Summer 1988, Junius Publications.

Issues

1

• Sabena Norton, 'Editorial: Living Marxism', Confrontation Number 1 Summer 1986. London: Junius Publications Ltd, June 1986, p. 1-3.
• Frank Richards, 'Marxism in our time', Confrontation Number 1 Summer 1986. London: Junius Publications Ltd, June 1986, p. 4-31.
• Mike Freeman 'The road to power', Confrontation Number 1 Summer 1986. London: Junius Publications Ltd, June 1986, p. 32-89.
• Paul Flewers, 'The rise and decline of British Stalinism', review of Noreen Branson, History of the communist Party of Great Britain, 1927-1941, 1985, Confrontation Number 1 Summer 1986. London: Junius Publications Ltd, June 1986, p. 90-101.
• Keith Tompson, 'A flawed critique' Review of Ellen Meiksens Wood The Retreat from class: a new 'true' socialism, Verso, London, 1985, Confrontation Number 1 Summer 1986. London: Junius Publications Ltd, June 1986, p. 102-105.

2

• Mike Freeman, 'Editorial: Taking on Labourism', Confrontation, No. 2, Summer 1987, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 1-5.
• Linda Ryan, 'Labour or The Red Front?, Confrontation, No. 2, Summer 1987, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 7-30.
• John Gibson, 'The working class under Thatcher', Confrontation, No. 2, Summer 1987, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 31-83.
• Frank Richards, 'The myth of state capitalism', Confrontation, No. 2, Summer 1987, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 87-113.
• Kate Marshall, 'Picking up the fragments, Review of Elizabeth Wilson (with Angela Weir), Hidden Agendas: Theory, Politics and Experience in the Women's Movement, Tavistock, 1986, Confrontation, No. 2, Summer 1987, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 115-122.

3

• Mike Freeman, 'Editorial' Confrontation, No. 3, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 5-10.
• Anne Burton, 'Abortion rights - the dangers of being defensive' Confrontation, No. 3, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 11-59.
• Tony Kennedy, 'South Korea's takeoff and the theory of imperialism' Confrontation, No. 3, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 61-144.
• Gemma Forest 'Marxism and the mid-century', Review of Ernest Mandel, The Making of the Second world War', Verso, 1986 Confrontation, No. 3, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 147-155.
• Mark Reilly 'The failure of Irish nationalism', Review of Clare O'Halloran Partition and the Limits of Irish Nationalism, Gill and Macmillsn, 1987, Confrontation, No. 3, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 157-163.

4

• Mike Freeman, 'Editorial' Confrontation, No. 4, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 5-12.
• Mike Freeman, 'The decline and fall of British Labourism' Confrontation, No. 4, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 13-83.
• Frank Richards and Mike Freeman, 'The third Thatcher term' Confrontation, No. 4, Summer 1988, July, London: Junius Publications, ISSN 0269-9966, p. 85-144.

5

Title: The death agony of Stalinism - A symposium - Includes 'the proceedings of a recent conference on Stalinism'

• Frank Richards, 'Thesis on Stalinism in the Gorbachev Era', In:- Confrontation, No. 5, 1989(a), Junius Publications, London.

Volume II

The journal appears to have been resurrected briefly in 1996 when Living Marxism advertised it as Confrontation: A Moral Impasse and described it as the RCP 'theoretical journal'. It was said to be edited by Lynn Revell and James Heartfield. The first and possibly only number of 'volume II' included an article by Heartfield:

• J Cullen 'The return of the Residium', in L Revell and James Heartfield (Eds) 'A Moral Impasse: The End of Capitalist Triumphalism', Confrontation, Vol II, No. I, London: Junius, 1996.
• James Heartfield 'The limits of social construction theory' Confrontation, Vol II, No. I, A Moral Impasse: The End of Capitalist Triumphalism, Junius, 1996.