Edgemont Debate Page 1 of 4

AFF—Statism/Martin Frontline
Webster

_____1. The root of war is not just the State—changing just the State won’t solve.
Not addressing the rootS of war will only further the State.

(from Brian Martin, Uprooting War (London: Freedom Press, 1984); this is the revised
1990 version)

I have examined a number of structures and factors which have some connection with the
war system. There is much more that could be said about any one of these structures, and
other factors which could be examined. Here I wish to note one important point: attention
should not be focussed on one single factor to the exclusion of others. This is often done
for example by some Marxists who look only at capitalism as a root of war and other
social problems, and by some feminists who attribute most problems to patriarchy. The
danger of monocausal explanations is that they may lead to an inadequate political
practice. The 'revolution' may be followed by the persistence or even expansion of many
problems which were not addressed by the single-factor perspective.

The one connecting feature which I perceive in the structures underlying war is an
unequal distribution of power. This unequal distribution is socially organised in many
different ways, such as in the large-scale structures for state administration, in capitalist
ownership, in male domination within families and elsewhere, in control over knowledge
by experts, and in the use of force by the military. Furthermore, these different systems of
power are interconnected. They often support each other, and sometimes conflict.

This means that the struggle against war can and must be undertaken at many different
levels. It ranges from struggles to undermine state power to struggles to undermine
racism, sexism and other forms of domination at the level of the individual and the local
community. Furthermore, the different struggles need to be linked together. That is the
motivation for analysing the roots of war and developing strategies for grassroots
movements to uproot them.
Edgemont Debate Page 2 of 4
AFF—Statism/Martin Frontline
Webster

_____2. Activism can’t work—does too little to create a spark and change the
ENTIRE State.

(from Brian Martin, Uprooting War (London: Freedom Press, 1984); this is the revised
1990 version)

The hardest problem for Western activists in supporting democratic initiatives within
state socialist countries is doing something at a local level which actually has an impact
on people in these countries. Some on the right will suggest public criticisms of state
socialist regimes in Western media or demonstrations at Soviet embassies. These are all
very well in themselves, but do relatively little to foster the initiative of people under
state socialist rule. What can Western local action groups actually do that goes beyond
this? Here are a few possibilities.

• Systematically contact and exchange ideas with visitors from state socialist
countries.
• Encourage visitors to state socialist countries to make contact with dissidents and
to distribute information.
• Send letters or leaflets to people in state socialist countries. These might be
known dissidents or friends of a contact. (In all cases, special efforts would be
needed to avoid causing unnecessary victimisation of people contacted.)
• Send letters to censors who will open mail en route to its formal destination.
• Rent part of a satellite overflying a state socialist country, and broadcast
information. (Jamming, though extensive, cannot be fully effective.)

All these suggestions may sound quite inadequate to contribute much towards a move
from state socialism to self-managing socialism. Exchange ideas, write letters--is that all
that can be done? Certainly there is a need for developing other ways to encourage and
support internal opposition to repressive regimes. But even the simple avenues of
communication remain little used. One likely consequence of increased contact with state
socialist opposition groups is learning what they think should be done. After all, they are
in a good position to know their own political environment.
Edgemont Debate Page 3 of 4
AFF—Statism/Martin Frontline
Webster

_____3. And, the critique will backlash—jeopardizing everybody.

(from Brian Martin, Uprooting War (London: Freedom Press, 1984); this is the revised
1990 version)

What can be done beyond this? This is indeed a difficult question. In the past, too little
was done in providing support for Eastern opposition groups in promoting self-managing
socialism. But there is also a danger in too much intervention by Western groups. The
Eastern opposition groups may become targets of state repression, and their independence
and autonomy in developing a form of opposition appropriate to their own country may
be jeopardised.

_____4. There is nothing to critique effectively and NO alternative.

(from Brian Martin, Uprooting War (London: Freedom Press, 1984); this is the revised
1990 version)

It is possible to analyze the nature of the State at great length. Indeed, this has been the
active area of inquiry for quite a few years, especially for Marxist academics. One can
analyze the changing class of composition of state elites, the relative autonomy of the
state and the ideological state apparatuses, ad infinitum. But for all the analysis of the
state as it is, there is relatively little fundamental critique of the state as a social structure,
and less still in the way of alternatives to the state. Abolishing the state is hypothetically
on the Marxist agenda for the far-distant future, but is certainly not an immediate
preoccupation of state socialists. Under state socialism, the state is strengthened. In
capitalist societies, most socialists also seek to strengthen and expand the domain of the
state. They aim to adapt state power for their own ends, not to abolish it. One reason for
maintaining the state is to wage war against enemies of the State.

_____5. This whole debate is N/U—it’s been going on for years. Even Martin
claims it is “largely irrelevant”.

(from Brian Martin, Uprooting War (London: Freedom Press, 1984); this is the revised
1990 version)

For many years the debate over innate aggressiveness has raged, nonviolently it might be
added. At stake is whether or not, down deep in genetically conditioned human behaviour
patterns, there is a predisposition to use violence in interpersonal relations. The debate is
fascinating and clearly exhibits the presuppositions of the protagonists. But it is largely
irrelevant to the question of modern war which is increasingly technological and
bureaucratic. Instinctive aggression has little to do with designing missile tracking
systems, working in armaments factories or pressing switches for bomb delivery. Much
more important in these cases are professional specialisation, the manufacturing division
of labour, training in technical skills, conditioned acceptance of hierarchy and
identification with one's own state.
Edgemont Debate Page 4 of 4
AFF—Statism/Martin Frontline
Webster

_____6. And— the neg is just offering a social change, working THROUGH existing
structures. This can’t work.

(from Brian Martin, Uprooting War (London: Freedom Press, 1984); this is the revised
1990 version)

Action groups that focus on challenging social problems often work through bureaucracy,
sometimes eagerly and sometimes grudgingly. Their aim is to change bureaucratic
policies, not bureaucratic structures. Groups fighting for the rights of women, gays and
oppressed minorities aim to overturn discriminatory policies and to obtain fair hiring and
promotion practices and representation within bureaucracies. Environmentalists seek to
stop particular freeways or chemical factories, not to reconstitute the basic nature of
social decision-making. Experienced activists pass on their knowledge of how to use the
state bureaucracies: who are the sympathetic bureaucrats, how to lobby effectively, how
to apply mass pressure to influence policy at key moments.

All of this can be quite useful and often effective, and should not be rejected. But
working through bureaucracy on the inside, or demanding policy changes from the
outside, does little to transform bureaucracy itself. In fact, working through bureaucracy
can reinforce the legitimacy and sway of bureaucracy itself. In addition, campaigns
oriented towards working through bureaucracy or applying pressure for change at the top
tend to become bureaucratised themselves.