The roots of the current crisis between British Jews and the leadership of today’s Labour Party, are not new.They are a consequence of debates that stirred passions over 100 years ago in Europe between socialist factions, following the deaths of Marx and Engels; friction between loyalists and critics of the Kremlin within the Communist party during the 1980s; and a diminishing belief today in the relevance of parliamentary representation, hitherto the bedrock of the UK’s system of government.

When the young Vladimir Jabotinsky arrived in Italy in 1898 to study at the University of Rome, he was plunged into an angry public debate about the future of socialism. In a changed political situation, many Italians argued for a revision of Marxism and to follow the parliamentary road while others wanted to cling to the banner of revolution.

Such debates spawned both social democracy and fascism in Europe – and it gave Jabotinsky food for thought which no doubt subsequently colored his views on Zionism. It also gave rise to revolutionary syndicalism – an ideology which expanded the role of trade unions far beyond its traditional role of defending workers’ rights into becoming a vehicle for greater public democracy – and diminishing the deliberations of distant parliamentarians.

Read the full article at Haaretz.