Socialist Standard August 2010

8/9/2019 Socialist Standard August 2010

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1SocialistStandard August 2010

August 2010 Std BDH.indd 1 26/07/2010 11:19


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2 SocialistStandard August 2010

SubScription orderSshould be sent to The Socialist Party, 52Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN.rateSOne year subscription (normal rate) 15One year subscription (low/unwaged) 10Europe rate 20 (Air mail)Rest of world 25 (Air mail)

Voluntary supporters subscription 20 or more.Cheques payable to t Ss p G b.

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The next meeting of the Executive Committeewill be on S 4 Sm at theaddress below. Correspondence should besent to the General Secretary. All articles,letters and notices should be sent to theeditorial committee at: The Socialist Party, 52

Clapham High street, London SW4 7UN.: 020 7622 3811

-m: [email protected]

auGuSt 2010

3 e

4 ps

Time out for Animal Farm?

5 ls

7 M WThe Grapes of Wrath II

8 ps tg

8 c ds

9 t ts

9 ckg bks 1The problem with capitalism

19 ckg bks 2Economic soothsaying

20 rvwsHopes and Prospects;

Chinese Whispers; Socialism

or Barbarism.

22 Mgs

22 50 ys agThe Passing of a LabourLeader

24 V m bk

24 f l

contents

website: www.worldsocialism.org

reGularSfeatureS

nhS: s-m ssFor Tories, liberty means the freedom rst and foremost tomake money.

cmms cmWhat communism has in common with a row of tents.

Mx ig dwsmMarx admired Darwins work but was critical of some of the

conclusions drawn from it. The second of our three-partarticle on Marx and Engels and Darwin.

l G: w-w w-s?Corporate self-regulation or total system change?

cvs w sss sssUncomplicated Marxian economics by Wilhelm Reich,author ofThe Sexual Revolution.

socialist standard

22

18

10

12

14

16

18

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The Socialist Party is like no otherpolitical party in Britain. It is made upof people who have joined togetherbecause we want to get rid of the protsystem and establish real socialism. Ouraim is to persuade others to becomesocialist and act for themselves,organising democratically and withoutleaders, to bring about the kind ofsociety that we are advocating in this

journal. We are solely concerned withbuilding a movement of socialists forsocialism. We are not a reformist partywith a programme of policies to patchup capitalism.

We use every possible opportunityto make new socialists. We publishpamphlets and books, as well as CDs,DVDs and various other informativematerial. We also give talks and take partin debates; attend rallies, meetings anddemos; run educational conferences;host internet discussion forums, make

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The more of you who join the SocialistParty the more we will be able to getour ideas across, the more experienceswe will be able to draw on and greaterwill be the new ideas for building themovement which you will be able tobring us.

The Socialist Party is an organisationof equals. There is no leader and there

are no followers. So, if you are goingto join we want you to be sure that youagree fully with what we stand for andthat we are satised that you understandthe case for socialism.

ig

The Socialist Party

Editorial

Dont get us w. W d wa play dw misy f s wav ls i jbs maym w a i ls i jbs

i cu slump. W kwvy wll wa lsi yu jb s

f mas. Lsi yu m (wll,yu u i was yus!). ev ls-i yu family.

Bu ik. If bi mplydwas ally pblm, wuld yuxpc vy wiu a jb bi misy? Bu a may ppl

w d av jbs ad y liv wllu. Ppl w d d jbs.

naiv ppl i Amaz ai-fs, f s l as y maa psv i ld way f lif, dd jbs. ty av accss lad,fd, wd, mdicial bs, sucs y d i masf lif. W li ad miicmpais mv i, y ls accss.Su, y d jbs.

Ms f us i dvlpd cu-is ls accss mas f lifl a. ty l bl us. ty w sizd by a small mi-iy w claim w m. tsws allw us accss is wd ly i xca f my. If

w ca pay, y wuld s avis was s lavuss mpy, f isac, asl mlss. ty allw us

accss pduciv sucs lyw y i us wk f m.If w y accss wiu i

pmissi, y call us cimialsad sd i plic ad jails puis us.ts ppl mplys,

ws f mas f lif aumplyd, vy f m. Bu

i ds b m a bi! ty liv icm fm i ppy.ty d d jbs.

S umplym is a pblmly f ppl w dpd bimplyd i d liv. ta siua-i f dpdc is wa w maby al pblm.

Sm f us y scap fm siuai f dpdc by i ibusiss f uslvs. Bu cacsf succss a small v i dims, l al dui a slump.May d sk scap a all buappal vm cam jbs, pi back slav-i away f s.

W scialiss d appal f jbs.W d wa jbs. ta dsma w lazy. W is f ppuiy d usful wk as f,qual, ad diid uma bis

wk saisfy u ds ad ds f s. W wa b idf a absud sysm a aiciallycas misy ad wass vas ma-ial, aual, ad uma sucs.

ta is wy w dmad saif accss mas f lif i

cmm wsip ad dmcaiccl by wl cmmuiy.

Is unemployment really the problem?



4/24


Ma I-t VStrAnge hoW culual idas vlv, d. Asfa back as cds , fu usad yas a iIdia, ppl w aui abu vaiaism vsusma fami. hw suld a aimals dpdd

w saw m, ad is i u dpdd spacical xpic f m. t pais viw f mas si bis wi suls clasd dicly wi m dw--a fams viw f m as bailsskbabs ls. Wi is f mism cam aapcic viw f au ad aimals wicas psisd v sic. t Cisias pudiad i a ay -uma cau ad a sul,us suffi was impssibl ad ay am

was jusiabl. Sic dba as mvdfm suls illic bu scic f all isadvacs as ally slvd qusi w suld ad, ad by implicai a, -uma spcis. If ayi i as blud wavspcis disicis did xis. Cimpazs mak

ad us ls, pas ca iv wd-pass,ds ca fl a ss f ijusic, ad as ca dpssd.t dba is likly -a. Wil may pas

f days dvlpi wld a apidly icasii ma csumpi i aspiai f Ws livisadads, advacd capialis cuis a cmi

jus ppsi cclusi. Af succss f pa-eupa smki ba, ad immi plas axsua pducs i a ff bsiy, ai isw ui a ky idi f pw fdad sday lifsyl quai spsibl f s mucpssu al svics.

As lbal ma idusy ws, pssu ismui. t fd wlds ppulai a ws

ma di wuld ak 5 plas bcaus i is ilysuc a ifci us f lad. I is als pdlyspsibl f 18 pc f us as missis,pmpi Un bad ma pduci as bad asfssil fuls. Fllwi cmmdais fm 2007S p Un is pusi f a wlsal diayduci (Un us lbal mv ma ad daiy-fdi, Guardian, 2 Ju). t a alady alms fam aimals f vy uma aliv ad u is s dubl by 2050 wil uma ppulai icassby a m id (http://www.vegsoc.org/environment).raci aais is blaaly ususaiabl w issuly a ifbu a when.

o idica f fc f ppaada campaiw i sad is dcy f sm ads pps vsa dis aums. nvsy f a cvsial cv pa, New Scientistclaly fluabl sis di s wi a c adli abbWa apps if w all qui ma? Wy ai s

w sav wld (17 July). Bu if ads w pif a vidicai f ma lifsyl y w i f adisappim, bcaus maazi did i f s. Isad i pvidd sam dami saisicsa i ad d may ccasis, wi a paly pvis a mi b a plac f a fwscawy cicks livi kic scaps ad papsa fw as ad small facis f maiallad a culd b usd f ai cps.

Bu wa f is claim a ai s wuld

sav wld? A vaias s slf-bsssda y aud lli vy a a sya cukcassl is ad aly salvai? Wll, ispssibl. Li Ki, a dispiid x-va, sms

av b f m. S dscibs disillusi a dv bcm

a b-aai caiv ad wi a bkaacki vy a-savi idas sad appaly subscibd f 20 yas:

... a dspa ad all-cmpassi li s wld i... sav pla...

fd uy... (iduci The VegetarianMyth, 2009). Bu m fl f suc adisillusis i s plac. Ma duci culd bpa f slui, bu is theslui, as ay

vi wi i puls wuld adilyadmi.t Vaia Sciy (www.vsc.) ds au

a ma duci wuld duc cab missis,bu ds claim a suc a lifsyl will fd

uy. Jus as wll, bcaus lad fd fmma pduci wuld pbably b usd f aipduci bu m likly f bifuls, sic isa wd by ppl wi my wil mpy bllis awd by ppl wi my ad w a wiskw as iffciv dmad. A ma-f di ca

ca is. A capialis-f di culd.Wa will bcm f ma ad daiy idusy

i scialism? A ps scialis cas fcusscssaily macipai f uma spcisfm capialis-iducd ppssi ad suffi, wil ical qusi f w w suld ad ad aaimals mais as f icb f issussubmd blw wali. Wa is cla scialissif bdy ls is a umaiys laisip au

was v ally apcic bu i fac licic.nau ad vyi i i icludi vas majiyf uma spcis xisd f sl pups, usad dispsii f fw mmbs f uli lis.I viw f s lis, w umas w simplyclv aimals. oc is ily dsuciv licic

picipl is vw, a w ical famwk williviably m i lai suc xpliai.Qui wa is will b ad w i will bcmuily apcic alaivly xpad cmpass csidais byd spcis baiis a ps a p qusi. If scialiss xpc ala-scal ma idusy y will av fac fac a is ical way d is. t NewScientistaicl pis u a f-a fami is ms ifci md b i ms f lad us adus as missis, ad aus a isivfacy fami is ly lical cic.

n asabl ps day ally qusis faca aimals, a las famd aimals, a capablf fa ad pai. Ms ppl d visi abais d y ally wa kw wa s i m, y is a uspk kwld bid sil adsaiizd supmak packai. As nbl Piz

wii wi Isaac Basvis Si pu i i The LetterWriter(1968), spaki f facy fami: I lai [aimals], all ppl a nazis; f aimals, i is aal tblika. t is i dmad f culy-fpducs i Ws cuis sws a, iv luxuy f cic, ppl pf b spsibl fiici suc suffi.

A all vs, wiu a lbal vlui i waysciy cllcivly ws ad cls is sucs ppla v i luxuy f cic v is ay suc qusi. Ulss ad uil wlfa

ad uma am f umas is s add qusi f ical am f aimals mus maia issu waii f is mm. ty sill s ppl,d y?



5/24


Letters

Withering awa fmne?

Da edis,rspdi Max hsss aicl

Capialis My Madss (SocialistStandard, Apil) a susi.Paps, a way a Scialisvm (if v was )culd bi abu a mylsscmy is pi suff iabudac ad pay i u i salaisad was. evy wuld bmplyd i ds ad svics adus my buy wav ydd, u y dd.Mawil, vy wuld b

wki pduc ad pvid ds ad svics bu

wuld v b wiu u ds pucas wav y wadbcaus y wuld av accss as muc f suff a y

wad.of cus, i im a alld b u-away iai bui wuld ma if w my maks, xca adacial isiuis, d b capialis isiuis bcaus

wuld b i f m d. AsMax says, als d f plic,miliay, baks, lawys, pissad pis fcs...a wl swaf jbs lad my, is us admisus.

Ppl wuld s aliz amy is cssay maiai

a cmy. Is jus a mdusd by a p sysm a waspaps cssay i ims pas buw l apppia, dd wad. tyd ly d ciu di wa y always didd...wk ad csum wiu d us pap ad mal ks d i.

If capialis cuis wad ad wi Biai wd pvidm wi ds ad svics ixca f wa w dd fis. ti wks wuld ss wa us av up ad

wuld bi abu sam cai i cuis. W ppls a y d d my maiai i sadads f liviad v ais m is lyv damd f yd wd wyi was v u f bf.t yd aliz a

ivy a ad b ppadup m f cuis ad slv v aai allw capialism ais is fad ad aai.

t, ad ly , wuld auly iaial cmm lbal

cmy vlv. t, ad ly, wuld makid advac upia wld dam f by uacss .

of cus, is wuld usmly a s bu sciy by isvy au is a mal sysm ad

jus as day layabus ad pyivs a disdaid ad jcd,s i a sa scialis sysmdisss wuld av aumad d i ad i fl slfspc ad accpac.

Am I i am I i ?Le Aliferis (b email)

Repl:Yu i a wppl alis y d d my maiai a vy d sadadf livi, yll wd wy i wasv u f bf. Bu aawass ca b acivd ua lfwi scialis vm,

wic wuld av campaidf, ad b lcd , supviscapialism ablis i.

I ily ulikly va suc a vm, ld by a

tskyis-syl vauad, sabad p-was-my sysmby dlibaly bii abuypiai ad cmic cas, ppulai wuld i xpc wa is. All vs wuld fcus is sui acialumil ad yd b xmlyalamd by wa was appi adyd w a vm uf fc a alis ppuiy.Dlibaly subjci a p-myppulai cmic cas, as amas f suppsdly ladi m scialis awass, is dmd fail.

Was, if a cla majiy f lca v f mylssal scialism, bcaus y avcm udsad wa i isad csciusly wa is sysmisad f capialism, db d ciu wi amas f xca. ty wuldalady aliz a my iscssay maiai a cmy.Ad af a cla majiy f pplav vd f al scialism i aal lci, plas ad

ppaais bi is abu cab acd up immdialy wiuay widspad jci adsisac a wuld b assciad

wi yi imps i auady ad avs ppulai fmabv.

giv di cdii clappd-u capialism is w i, ad a

w adi f a pld pidf addiial wki class suffiad misy, maisam paypliicias will b yi ad av dup ppl i blivia my maam ffs

asw allviai ad slvis capialism-causd pblms.

tyll wa ppl submissivly

accpi wsi sa-fuddsvics. tyll wa s wiu

jbs submissivly accpi ay lw-paid wk y a ffd. tyll

wa s wi jbs submissivlyaccpi pay sai ad cus.

tyll wa ppl ui aaissuppsdly lss-dsvi cipisf wlfa bs.

W d ppl cmplly jc is buscapialis ada a maaimy b is i u bs iss.I is. Ablisi my, ad capialis sysm a quis i, isi u bs iss.

W a all i is ,as Cam facically sas.Capialiss ad i pliical ssa i i f as muc as y ca u f i. evy ls is quid kp pi u as full aspssibl. Editors.

Declining rate fprt?

Da edist July dii f yu jual

cais a bif viw f mycly publisd bk GlobalCapitalism in Crisis: Karl Marxand the Decay of the Prot System.Alu bk as a amay issus f is scialiss, viw cs fcus jus ical issu a I a a

sm l i bk, amly, spcicai f wa billf scially cssay upducivlabu (SnUL i cmmc, acad sa) as a cmp fcsa capial a a asa pa f suplus valu vaiablcapial.t viw is i sus

a is appac is impa my aalysis f cu lbalslump as d i -idisplacm f livi, pducivlabu fm pduci (waMax calld a isi aic

cmpsii f capial).hwv s implis a my mpiicalmasum f csa capial i Maxia ais f avaa f p ad aiccmpsii f capial icluds css assciad wi upducivlabu. tis is cas, assuc css a assimilad by m w f csa capial aa capial advacd,i.. csa capial sck.

t maiud f csacapial ws ds i masum f i ava a f p aiccmpsii f capial.t mai ffc f ai SnUL



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css as a cmp f csacapial w is a i mvs scss fm masum f iaa suplus-valu aavaiabl capial, by allwif m accua masums fMaxs ky quaiaiv ais. I myviw, assimilai f SnUL css suplus valu vaiabl capial

( b) as b a ky sumbliblck i mpiically valuai Maxslaw f falli dcy f a f p ad cizi caliy f is law dyamicsf capial accumulai i a fcapials dcay.Murra E.G. Smith (b email)

Repl: W caily accpa sm f Maxs wiis pduciv ad upduciv labua p ipai ad

w fully wkd u (.. am f is issu is a

diff i Appdix f VlumI f Capial calld t rsuls f Immdia Pcss f Pducicmpad cap i Vlum 2 t Css f Ciculai).

hwv, w a s ssa yu a ffcivly di a f p fmula s a imi m asily sw wa yusk pv ad wa s avfaild pv bf yu (a is a pucd ad saisicallybsvabl l-m dcy f a f p fall i capialisma will lad sysms dmis).tis amp sms divcd fm

sm f aliis f capialismad misss muc f wa asudpid pliical ad cmicdba i c dcads: amlya i is a f p af axa is ky f ivsm dcisisad a vms av bi a dspa sul duc ax-ak fm ps f

yas. Idd, axs mslvs aulimaly a bud capial - fmsuplus valu - as f is sa maci fudd by m, ad

is is impa pi w sk mpasis. Editors.

Capital difcult?

Da edisIm all f ayi a wids

ai Max. Bu is Capitalally difcul ms iv upby cap 3, s udiabldifculis fd (SocialistStandard, July , Bk rviws), avI missd smi? Max imslfds idd say i iduci

a, xcpi subscis fcap 1, ad will av as cmplai a i is difcul

udsad la ayiw will av b willi dsmi i w accu.

Af maialis ccpif isy, cmmdiy pduci, suc f p suplusvalu, add-s f absluad laiv suplus valu ad simpl laisips bw

csa capial, vaiabl capial,suplus valu, c, Capitalis asaifwad ad ad af abualf way i bads u i isy,pilspy, scily ad wadsu all ss f isipspcivs.

Im yi ik w difculis a, av I madassumpis w I suld avfud m mai? t say aCapitalis difcul mus alady puup a d wuld-b ads.Bu a a a vcm by a fw mms u.

Bu mayb is bcaus day, ififmai is asmid by tV DVDs ad adi is ly f aswspaps ad vls, a w simply lis back wi a bk,suc as Capital, f jus sak f ad ad. A d ad is w yuak yu im, ik abu was pa, v lav i f a wil,cm back i, ad i u, ad i pas pickd i a adm f paicula is.

Wi a bk lik Capital, yu caplay wi i, pick up sc fpimay accumulai swidlf aial db cdiisf wki class i mdivalims cmpay ims ad s.

Iv jus ud Capitalafiki aai abu ms iv upbf cap 3. Wll, v if asu, avi a fa basicsa cvd ad s xpads a basis.

Plas d ciu is ida aMax is difcul, is lss difcula a cky cip a-packisucis. Is a d ad jus

ak as a bu xplaaisad idas a cm ff pa av w mid-blwi ad ca

yu w ccpi ad pspcivf wld aud yu. I applis ly is im bu cuvs ad xplais s.

Ad if I wa kw w muclad f pasas w ild, ad w v a ad cmm was ivd ff m i laims, is a isy bk i is wi. S ws pblm, plasxplai.

Stuart Gibsn, Drset

Repl:t udiabl difculisf aly caps fCapitala

s udiabl a, as yu say, Maxfl i cssay wa is adsf m i iduci isa wk. William Mis, adly aillcual sluad, said bkcausd im ais f cfusi f bai. Bu difculis amsly v by d f idcap, ad s fCapitalis,

w a, faily saifwad buwadi adi - Editors.

Da edisI Mac issu, Adw

Amia dscibd Civil risMvm (CrM) i US as ad caus (i quai maks). I Ju issu, ry Ba calld isaiud scaia bcaus CrM

was m a jus a d caus.Adw Amia spdd i Julya scialiss ciz siuslimiais f CrM i a bs

ly aspii paiy wi wiwks.

I dcads bwrcsuci ad CrM blackppl i Su w lplss i fac f csa umiliai ad. Ay w mi av ak ais i vluiay idas wuldav b ad ad fad lycd as uppiy is. S limiais f CrM w albu culd adly av b avidd.tis xmplis pi a

sul f dmcaic isis a ssial pcdii f sul f scialism. I badisical pspciv, y a wsas i a sil sul f scialqualiy. Fm is pi f viw,i is idd scaia blil pss acivd by Civil risMvmStephen Sheneld, USA

nw Ss p pmWhats Wrong With Using Parliament?

The Cases For And Against

The Revolutionary Use Of Parliament

Send cheque / money order for1.50

payable to The Socialist Party ofGreat Britain to 52 Clapham High St,London SW4 7UN.



7/24


Waste and Want:

Grapes of Wrath revisited

In hIS famus vl The Grapes of Wrath(Cap 25),J Sibck dscibd w fd was dsyd dui ga Dpssi:

Calads f as dumpd ud. t p-pl cm f mils ak fui, bu is culd b.hw wuld y buy as if y culd div u adpick m up? Ad m wi ss squi ks as... A milli ppl uy, di fui

ad ks spayd v ld muais.Ad smll f lls cuy.Bu cff f ful i sips... Dump pas i

ivs ad plac uads al baks kp uy ppl fm si m u [wi s]. Slau- pis ad buy m...

Ad cild dyi f pllaa mus di bcaus a pca b ak fm a a. Ad cs mus lli cicas did fmaluii bcaus

fd mus b fcd .A fw m facs. I 1933al, US fdal v-m bu 6 milli sad dsyd m. Vasquaiis f milk w puddw sws. 25 milliacs f cps ( aa f asqua wi sids 200 milsl) w plud ud.I Bazil, 69 milli bas fcff, quival w yasupu, w dsyd. All kp up pics.

Wa abu is im ud?

t cu dpssi is dps sic a f 1930s, ad is d is yi si. As al was ciu fall ad ausiy masus bi ad, m ad mds will mai usld. Falli pics ad ps aalady ladi scs miisc f s paydby Sibck.

Leaving strawberries t rtI Mac ps appad a Flida sawby

ws, facd wi a dd mak ad a sap cl-laps i wlsal pics, w lavi u acs i lds. Ms f s fams did allw ppl i pick fui f mslvs. ty w afaid a cucum-

bs ad w cps y w plai bw ws mi b amd.

n ly sawbis w was bu als wa usd w m. Culivai f wasd saw-bis daid udwa ad causd lcal wasas.

Bulldzing husest av b ps fm aud Uid Sas

f dsuci f uss, may f m wly buil.Ms fclsd uss ca l b sld a auci,v f pics as lw as $500. ty d up i adsf baks a s mdium-m pspc f sllim ad cclud a caps slui is am dw. tis apps ly idividual ussbu f wl ss. I May 2009, a bak dcidd bulldz a alms isd usi cmplx i Cali-fia a a spd fw udd usad dl-

las dd cmpl i.Mawil aks f mlss ciu swll.

ty a i dspa d f usi bu a ffciv dmad.

Slashing clthes and shesI aly Jauay, The New York Timesa a sy abu

w maj ail cais, h&M ad Wal-Ma, wi uusld cls i as bas. Fis y a mad uwa-abl: mplys a ld slas ams, slic ls iss, cu slvs ff cas, s ff lvs, c..t sps is aicl icludd i simy

fm x-mplys f la ss, vali wwidspad s pacics w a.

Cyl: I wkd a Dillads f sval yas. ty d sam i. ti lic was a if y dad i [

caiy] ppl wuld y bi i back xca f

mcadis.Maa: Ya, I usd wk a a s w ywuld ip bd ss,blaks ad pillw cassif y culd sll m, w m away...I u i was dumb. I

wad ak i ad dai, bu y did l m.

na: I usd wk fh&M ad ad cu cli [a] I kw wculd av iv away s w dd i. W

dsyd eVerYthIng adI fud i s supid. I wassuc a was ad sad!

Mayliz: tis jus maksm sick. hw ibl, spcially i w wi pplfzi da. ty culd av b savd if y adsufci wam cli. Sam cmpais ad is.

Mai: I s mad a my maas wuldbx up [usld fd] ad ak i sls a I calldcpa adquas... ty wuld l fd bdad! Sm bla abu w a wuld dvalu bad, bcaus ppl wuld jus a sl a fd isad f cmi ad payi f i.

The vintageSibck iss Cap 25 wi passa a

ivs is bk is il:I ys f uy is a wi wa. I

suls f ppl aps f wa a lli adwi avy, wi avy f via.t is ampl caus f wa. Bu wa is

u. t maas w Mai s ay avac as y d. (owis y w mai maas.)

ty av pusu cmmcial lic f maximisip miimisi lss. t ida f ivi ppl way d, simply bcaus y d i, is icsis- wi is lic. I xpsss a diff, uma lic,

wic will cm i is w c w aiz sciy a diff, uma basis.STEFAN

A scene from the lm version of The Grapes of Wrath



8/24


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MidLandsW Midld rgil b. Meetsevery two months on a Sunday afternoon(see meetings page for details).

Tel: Tony Gluck 01242 235615.Email: [email protected]

northeastn b. Contact: Brian Barry,86 Edgmond Ct, Ryhope, SunderlandSR2 0DY. Tel: 0191 521 0690.Email: [email protected]

northwestL b. Meets every Monday8.30pm. P. Shannon, 10 Green Street,Lancaster LA1 1DZ.Tel: 01524 382380M b. Paul Bennett, 6Burleigh Mews, Hardy Lane, M21 7LB.Tel: 0161 860 7189

Bl. Tel: H. McLaughlin.01204 844589cumbi. Brendan Cummings, 19 QueenSt, Millom, Cumbria LA18 4BG

clil: Robert Whiteld.Email: [email protected]: 07906 373975rdl. Tel: R. Chadwick.01706 522365su M. Enquiries:Blanche Preston, 68 Fountains Road,

M32 9PH

Yorkshire

sip. R Cooper, 1 Caxton Garth,Thresheld, Skipton BD23 5EZ.Tel: 01756 752621tdmd: Keith Scholey, 1 LeeviewCt, Windsor Rd, OL14 5LJ.Tel: 01706 814 149

south/southeast/southwest

su W rgil b. Meetsevery two months on a Saturdayafternoon (see meetings page for details).Shane Roberts, 86 High Street, BristolBS5 6DN. Tel: 0117 9511199cbuy. Rob Cox, 4 Stanhope Road,Deal, Kent, CT14 6AB

Lu. Nick White, 59 Heywood Drive,LU2 7LPrdu. Harry Sowden, 5 ClarenceVillas, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 1PB.Tel: 01209 219293

eastangLiae agli rgil b.Meets every two months on a Saturdayafternoon (see meetings page for details).Pat Deutz, 11 The Links, Billericay,CM12 0EX. [email protected] Porter, Eastholme, Bush Drive,Eccles-on-Sea, NR12 0SF.Tel: 01692 582533.Richard Headicar, 42 Woodcote, Firs Rd,Hethersett, NR9 3JD.

Tel: 01603 814343.cmbidg. Andrew Westley, 10Marksby Close, Duxford, CambridgeCB2 4RS. Tel: 07890343044

ireLandc: Kevin Cronin, 5 Curragh Woods,

Frankeld, Cork. Tel: 021 4896427.

Email: [email protected]

nwwbby: Nigel McCullough.

Tel: 028 90852062.

scotLand

edibug b.1st Thur. 8-9pm.

The Quaker Hall, Victoria Terrace (above

Victoria Street), Edinburgh.

J. Moir. Tel: 0131 440 0995. JIMMY@

jmoir29.freeserve.co.uk Branch website:

http://geocities.com/edinburghbranch/

Glgw b. 3rd Wednesday of each

month at 8pm in Community Central

Halls, 304 Maryhill Road, Glasgow.

Richard Donnelly, 112 Napiershall Street,

Glasgow G20 6HT. Tel: 0141 5794109.


Dud. Ian Ratcliffe, 16 Birkhall Ave,

Wormit, Newport-on-Tay, DD6 8PX.

Tel: 01328 541643

W Li. 2nd and 4th Weds in

month, 7.30-9.30. Lanthorn Community

Centre, Kennilworth Rise, Dedridge,

Livingston. Corres: Matt Culbert, 53

Falcon Brae, Ladywell, Livingston, West

Lothian, EH5 6UW. Tel: 01506 462359


waLes

sw b. 2nd Mon, 7.30pm,

Unitarian Church, High Street. Corres:

Geoffrey Williams, 19 Baptist Well Street,

Waun Wen, Swansea SA1 6FB. Tel:

01792 643624

cdiff d Dii. John James, 67

Romilly Park Road, Barry CF62 6RR.

Tel: 01446 405636

InternatIonaL contacts

Li ami. J.M. Morel, Calle 7 edif45 apto 102, Multis nuevo La loteria,La Vega, Rep. Dominicana.africa

ky. Patrick Ndege, PO Box 78105,Nairobi.

swzild. Mandla Ntshakala, PO Box981, Manzini.Zmbi. Kephas Mulenga, PO Box280168, Kitwe.asia

Idi. World Socialist Group, VillGobardhanpur. PO Amral, Dist. Bankura,722122Jp. Michael. Email:[email protected]

Dm. Graham Taylor, Kjaerslund 9,oor 2 (middle), DK-8260 Viby JGmy. Norbert. E-mail:[email protected]. Robert Stafford.Email: [email protected]. Gian Maria Freddi, Casella Postalen. 28., c/o Ag. PT VR 17, 37131 Veronaspi. Alberto Gordillo, Avenidadel Parque 2/2/3 Puerta A, 13200Manzanares.

coMPanIon PartIes oVerseasWld sili Py f auli.P. O. Box 1266 North Richmond3121, Victoria, Australia.. Email:[email protected] Py f cd/Pi

sili du cd. Box 4280,Victoria B.C. V8X 3X8 Canada.Email:[email protected] sili Py (nw Zld)P.O. Box 1929, Auckland, NI, NewZealand.

Wld sili Py f Uids P.O. Box 440247, Boston, MA02144 USA.Email: [email protected]

Contact Details

WorKerS WaKinG upZhongshan, China Striking workers at a auto

parts plant here are demanding the right to form their own labor union, something ofciallyforbidden in China, and held a protest march Friday morning. Meanwhile, other scatteredstrikes have begun to ripple into Chinese provinces previously untouched by the laborunrest. A near doubling of wages is the primary goal of the approximately 1,700 Hondaworkers on strike here in this southeastern China city, at the third Honda auto parts factory toface a work stoppage in the last two weeks. (New York Times, 10 June)

aloSttribeindeed

Northern Irelands born-againChristian culture minister has called on the Ulster

Museum toput on exhibits reecting the viewthat the worldwas made by God

only several thousand years ago. Nelson McCausland,who believesthat Ulster

Protestants are oneofthe lost tribes of Israel, haswritten to the museums board

oftrustees urging them to reect creationist and intelligent design theories ofthe

universes origins. The Democratic Unionist

minister said the inclusion of anti-Darwinian

theories inthe museum was a human rights

issue. McCausland defended a letter he

wrote to the trustees calling for anti-evolution

exhibitions at the museum. He claimed that

aroundone third of Northern Irelands population

believedeither in intelligent design or the

creationist view that the universe was created

about 6,000 years ago. (Guardian, 26 May)

profitablecarnaGe

Russiahasexported$5.3

billionworthofweapons-related

productionintherstsixmonths

of2010,theheadoftheFederal

ServiceforMilitary-Technical

Cooperation(FSMTC)saidon

Wednesday.Withaplanfor

$9.5billion,wehavedelivered

$5.3billionin[weapons-related]

productionintherstsixmonths

[of2010],whichconstitutes56%

oftheplan,MikhailDmitriyevtold

theEngineeringTechnologies

InternationalForum2010inthe

townofZhukovskynearMoscow.

In2009,thegurewas$8.5billion.

(Ria Novosti,30June)

capitaliSMinaction

Aboyagedseven hasbeenfoundworking 98hoursaweektoproducedecorativeChristmasgoodsfortheBritishhighstreet.Heisemployedfrom9amto11pm,sevendaysaweek,earning7panhourforhiswidowedmother.Theboy,knownonlyasRavi,notonlyworksbutsleepsinaDelhisweatshop thatproducesitemsforPoundland,thecut-pricechainstore.(SundayTimes,11July)



9/24


This is a system of the elite, by the elite and for the elite,said Riyaz Hussain Naqvi, a retired government ofcial whoworked in tax collection for 38 years. It is a skewed systemin which the poor man subsidizes the rich man. The problemstarts at the top. The average worth of Pakistani members ofParliament is $900,000, with its richest member topping $37million. Its a very good country for the rich man. Chauffeurs,servants, big houses. The question is, who is suffering? Thecommon man. :

://.m/3xvwj3

The anti-Muslim politician Geert Wilders, whose Freedomparty (PVV) won 24 seats and third place in the Dutchnational election last month, says he is forming internationalalliances to launch branches of his Islamophobic partyacross the Western world. Almost 1.5m Dutch people votedfor the PVV in June. The message, stop Islam, defendfreedom, is a message thats not only important for theNetherlands but for the whole free Western world.

://.m/387g

The United Nations estimates that each year 5,000 mostlyMuslim women and girls are shot, stoned, strangled, stabled,

burned, or smothered by family members with the intentionof cleansing shame from the familys name. While mostof these crimes occur in the Middle East and South Asia,immigration is taking them around the globe:

://.m/27mmq6

Fears are growing for the fate of thousands of younggirls in rural Mauritania, where campaigners say the cruelpractice of force-feeding young girls for marriage is makinga signicant comeback since a military junta took over theWest African country. Aminetou Mint Ely, a womens rightscampaigner, said girls as young as ve were still beingsubjected to the tradition of leblouh every year. The practicesees them tortured into swallowing gargantuan amounts offood and liquid - and consuming their vomit if they reject it:

://.m/j

As 14-year-old Nguyen Hoang Anh was being brandedwith hot irons, had solvents poured in his wounds and hadhis teeth pulled out with pliers, those who heard him ignoredhis cries. In most countries, suspicions of any kind of childabuse, let alone such a horric case, would rouse a smallarmy of social workers and police. Vietnam, however, has nosuch public system and only loose laws protecting childrenand other vulnerable people. We dont consider beating achild to be violence against children, concedes Nguyen HaiHuu, director of the Ministry for Labour, Invalids and SocialAffairs child-protection unit.

://.m/2vqv

An Indian court has ruled that Hindu gods cannot dealin stocks and shares, reports said Saturday, after anapplication for trading accounts to be set up in their names.Two judges at the Bombay High Court on Friday rejected apetition from a private religious trust to open accounts in thenames of ve deities, including the revered elephant-headedgod, Ganesha. Trading in shares on the stock marketrequires certain skills and expertise and to expect this fromdeities would not be proper, judges P.B. Majumdar andRajendra Sawant said, according to Indian newspapers:

://.m/338sk

the problem wih capialism

the ProBLeM wi capialism, fm Canadian

Pim Minis (1993-2003) Jan Cin ld Times (29 Jun), is capialiss. ty dn knw

wn sp. ty wan m and m.tis is an asu bsvain fm smn wi

cnsidabl xpinc in unning pliical affaisf capialism. Capialiss d bav in is way. tya always aiming mak as muc mny as y

can f i businss, and wn y n a p-making sp y dn knw wn sp. Wic

causs pblms fm im im, nably ciss fvpducin vspculain.

Bu wy is is? Is i bcaus capialiss ajus gdy ppl? Max ffd an alnaivxplanain: a capialiss a psnicains f

capial and a, as unis f capial a divn xpand, is is cd in i baviu:

t simpl ciculain f cmmdiis sllingin d buy is a mans f caying u a

pups uncnncd wi ciculain, namly,

apppiain f us-valus, saisfacin f wans.t ciculain f mny as capial is, n cnay,an nd in islf, f xpansin f valu aksplac nly wiin is cnsanly nwd mvmn.

t ciculain f capial as f n limis. As cnscius psnaiv f is mvmn,

pssss f mny bcms a capialis. his psn, a is pck, is pin fm wic

mny sas and wic i uns. t xpansin fvalu, wic is bjciv basis mainsping f ciculain M-C-M, bcms is subjciv aim, and i

is nly in s fa as apppiain f v m andm wal in absac bcms sl miv

f is pains, a funcins as a capialis,a is, as capial psnid and ndwd wi

cnsciusnss and a will. Us-valus mus fnv b lkd upn as al aim f capialis;ni mus p n any singl ansacin. t

slss nv-nding pcss f p-making aln iswa aims a. (Capital, Vl 1, c 4).

In wds, capialiss a gdy bcaus ya in cag f unis f capial. ty can lp i

as capial accumulain is wa capialism is allabu. Sm innalis is and will b nasy ppl,spcially slf-mad man vaiy. Bu s

bav lik is nly wn unning i businss andusid wking us a jus lik vyn ls.

Cin ss n f ls f gvnmns as sain capialiss fm im im in bs

ins f all f m. As pu i, Yu liv wi i,and yu gula m (xndd inviw, Times, 1July).

Capialiss and capialis ms dn lik binggulad and spnd ug sums f mny lbbying

pvn is. ty wan a f and mak ps inany way y can, wiu sicins, d ap

as y call i. In 19 cnuy, as Max pind uin Capital, y s ulssly xplid wkfcby impsing lng us f wk, a y iskd

pducin f fuu wks mak psf m. t sa ad invn in gnal

capialis ins and bing in Facy Acs sain m.

Wa s f sciy is i w s in cag

f pducin a divn b gdy and ndsaining sp m causing muc damag

i wks and nvinmn?



10/24


t w ty vm as b quick sablis is cdials i caus f liby s, w ad F Scls, as ppsd

tyay Scls a pviusly xisd, ud udl by dak fcs f lcd cucills. nw, wav libai f al pacii dcs i nhS, wi cmmissii f am ad budibi add m, a a dak fcs fpfssial buaucacy. I is w b cmpsd

f idpd ad cmpi spials ad svicswki i a ial mak, wi sa playi l f mly bi a isuac pvid apvids ulima suc f fuds.

As may ciics av b quick pi u, dcsav sp yas aii i mdici, ad publicadmiisai, ad s i is m a likly a ifac i libai fm public buaucacy will ak fm f ii svics f piva buaucacis u i fuds f m. Idd, dspicablbuaucas w will b u u f sa mplym

will pbably d mslvs bi -id as siyad viuus buaucas by piva cmpais a

will pvid gP csia wi admiisaiv capaciis.

Prtable pprtunitiest amu f cmic aciviy i nhS is

imms, ad ppuiy u a i

pabl aciviy f piva capialiss spciallyi said cmic ims is as allui asa asis a isy ds avll. F tis,liby mas fdm s ad fms makmy. ty ad cmic aciviy ak by sa as cwdi u piva sc, a pivasc y ik is iviably m fci ad csffciv a vm buaucacy. of cus,pa f a ffcivss wuld qui spials,

c., bakup if y d maa ibud ffcivly. I wuld als ma a diffmaam ams wuld av b abl ak v

wak aisais. tis cas is w cas adifcicy; ad i may b pssibl fully plicaa mak wii nhS, bcaus ms acivcmis f scal wuld simply s a u la pvid is im i piva a a saads, wic wuld b pliically difcul.t w nhS aisais will y ad sav

my, ad a will msly cm fm ms adcdiis f i saff swai m, as Maxmd i: pvidi a svic a sam lss csas bf vall, bu maki i p u f payii saff lss. ousuci nhS admiisai masbaki up aial pay baaii mcaisms.eac spial will b a idpd mply, f ia is w ms wi saff. Sm saff will

NHS:short-termprescriptions

For Tories, liberty means the freedom rstand foremost to make money.



11/24


iviably d vy wll u f is, ad tis wulds a as wadi xcllc alu, i aliy,

f u i will ma mly wadi s wa i a lucky u mak psii baai upi psii. As as b s wi baki cisis,may icivs a sufci bai dmaam.

Ud ad ui law, bcaus y will b spaamplys, i will ma a siks acss sc

will b illal, ad ui pw may b wakd. txampl u, f ailways, w aially sliduis w abl pick ff famd mplysmay au imas f w vm,ad may b pa f as wy is alk ffu sicis i sik, by sifu cdiis suc as quii a majiy fs liibl v, a a simply f s

vi, bf a sik ball is valid. Claly, i lvf liby ds xd liby f wks ais dfd ad advac i baaii pwi mak plac.

W av xampls f amps us ismdl f sa as a cmmissii buy. tPiva Fiac Iiiaiv (PFI) was usd xsivlyud Labu fud public pjcs, f muc sam as. t pblm wi is is a imas sa as bav lik a piva busissps, a a as a axi pw i lad. Ibcms bud by is cacs, ad as Private Eyeas b pii u f yas, PFI cacs alckd-i spdi, wic ca b ald i

sam way as dicly u aciviis ca b. Pvidsav paly clauss pi f sui suld vm y ad duc i payms. tis

mas a cu ud f cus will av cmdisppialy fm dicly admiisd paf sa sc.

Tax r brrw?ts cus mslvs div fm fac a v

yas i as b asi pay f sa spdiby bwi fm piva capialiss a a axim. Bwi by vm icass capials

vu was axi ducs i vall. t pwlai is als diff, wi is as i upif lds a appy wi a vms plicispvidi a pwful l f disciplii sa.Wa is mas i pacic is a fa fm divisibw Labu ad tis bi f public vsuspiva pvisi, bu abu diff capialiss wai i vu via sa piva capialism.ts lms f sa, suc as al,

ducai, scial bs a ps a isuacfuci culd als b pvidd by pivasc. hal css av b paid f by sm.Umplym mus b paid f smw. tis isdmsad i Uid Sas, w obama

admiisai as cad cmpulsy alisuac (muc as i UK cmpulsy misuac pays f mdical css aisi fm afcaccids, wic a cvd by al nhSspdi). Cmpulsy isuac is a ax by ay am, xcp i mus b paid cmpi pivaisus w will su y mak i p fmi. of cus, c nhS as b asfmd ia ial cmmissii mak, i wuld ly b asmall sp f vm asf a US sylcmpulsy isuac scm, ad cu sas ldw pvidi a subsidy f s w ca affd

isuac. t sam d sul ccus as w, xcpa fmal liby ad spsibiliy f buyiisuac ca mvs fm sa idividual. tdiffc is m idlical a pacical, savi a

wi piva isus is p b mad.

of cus, nhS as always ad a massiv pivalm saff i cai scs av b abl accu la wa packs fm nhS labu mak;pamacuical cmpais ad pvids avalways b paid u mak. Dublss,u, a u campai Sav nhS will m,ld by suc uis as Uis wic mai cmmid kpi a la public sc.

Ulimaly, wav way i wks u i was, pvisi f al ad scial isuac wiicapialism dpds capaciy f wks as aclass wi paym u f ws f wld.S l as was sysm xiss is scu mas f livi, ma w wssquabbl am mslvs abu w pay us u

du.PIK SMEET

v s x wks gs v gg w mk.

He comes not to bury hospitals, but to set them free!



12/24


W

hat happens when you swapyour wage-slavery for a

rucksack? You get communism.That, at least, was the argument ofAditya Chakrabortty in a column forthe Guardian (13 July), drawing on thearguments of the late Marxist philosopherGA Cohen. Camping and caravan tripslast year were up 27 percent on theprevious year and sales of tents andother equipment continue to climb, asworkers cut back on holiday spendingdue to the recession, according to areport in the same newspaper. Butcamping, says Chakrabortty, is not just abit of fun (or a horric trial comparable toeeing a war zone with your belongings

strapped to your back, dependingon taste): its also a socio-politicalexperiment demonstrating the feasibilityof communism.

How so? Well, on a camping trip,adult hierarchy is attened, utensilsand resources are pooled. Tasks areperformed as a unit: you may lay on thefood, but your friend is a better cook,and her boyfriend will clean the dishes.There is no question of people being paiddifferently for different tasks. Nor [canyou claim a] banjo bonus for providinga highly-valued service enjoyed by less-talented souls. And the objections to thiscommunist picture? What if someone onyour camping trip demands more roomin the tent than everyone else? Or agreater share of the food? Or dominatesthe decision-making about what todo? In real, everyday life, we would

just say, For heavens sake, dont besuch a schmuck. But in political

discourse, especially in thewilderness of the camp

of public opinion,where passions run

as high as thebog roll is

scarce, and the odd real insight blowsby unremarked like tumbleweed, such

objections are taken to be the stuff ofprofound criticism. Chakrabortty willhave discovered this for himself if heever went to read the comments sectionon his article when it was posted on theGuardian website (see www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/13/camping-for-communists-brain-food). Tobe fair, although the noiseof the screeching in thechimp enclosure was atlevels youd expect frominternet discussion forums,all the important issueswere also raised, and

the comments reectedgenuine concerns aboutthe socialist project concerns that very rarelyget a hearing in CampPublic Opinion.

The chief objection wasthat, as far as Guardianreaders could see, therewas very little resemblancebetween a camping trip and a labourcamp in Siberia (or alternatively a verygreat resemblance, again dependingon taste). In other words, socialismand communism are still associated inthe public mind with the state-capitalisttyrannies of the former Soviet Unionand China and so on. These argumentsare very frustrating to socialists, butactually they make a fair point. To thevast majority of people, the wordscommunism and socialism refer torealities that they are quite right toreject indeed, to regimes and practicesthat genuine socialists have alwaysrejected on principle. Thats why we inthe Socialist Party are always carefulto explain exactly what we

mean by socialism (or

communism, by which is meant thesame thing): a moneyless, stateless,

classless society, where the meansof producing and distributing wealthare held in common and controlleddemocratically by the whole community.This is a different proposition to stateownership. State ownership and controlof capitalist industry is just that aninevitable and necessary aspect of the

normal functioningof capitalist society,resorted to asfreely by freemarket ideologuesas communistdemagogues.

Socialism, on theother hand, is atotal change inhuman relationships;the realisation ofthe liberal dreamof democracy. Itmeans democracyeverywhere, fromthe home to the

workplace to the global administration ofproduction, not just the right to choosedifferent management teams every veyears.

A related objection is that communismonly ever comes about if forced on acountry against the will of i ts people.Again, this is an idea that it is quite rightto reject, and the exact opposite of thetruth: genuine communism is impossibleunless a majority of the populationconsciously chooses it and expressesits choice democratically, at the ballotbox; and not just in one country, butglobally.

Another predictableobjection, giventhe example

Communistcm

is s

mg s

s

w ms -s-

-g mk

xg

ss

SocialistStandard August 201012



13/24


Chakrabortty chose, was thatpeople like living in the modernworld and do not want togive up their homes or theirhard-won comforts to live ina eld or wash in a bucket.Again, the hecklers have a

point. Living in a mud hut mayappeal to a small handful of romantics,but socialism is all about building onwhat capitalism has bequeathed us,not razing it all to the ground andheading back to the trees. It will often beconceded that communism is possibleamong small groups it can hardly bedenied now thanks to the popularisationof anthropology on some very goodtelevision programmes, such as BruceParrys Tribe on the BBC but the ideathat it can also take place on a largerscale is dismissed as obvious rubbish.This is false on both levels hunter-

gatherer egalitarianism could be andwas organised with millions of peopleand over vast continents; and if theres areason why a postal system, or an airline,

or a world-wide industrial system, couldntbe organised on similar principles, then ithas yet to be demonstrated exactly whynot.

Of course, Chakraborttys specicarguments about camping shouldnt betaken too seriously. As he says later inthe same article, its not as if campingis the only situation where the normalrules of pay-as-you-go market exchange

are suspended. He cites the exampleof libraries and blood donation, but theexamples could be massively extended.As Marx pointed out, even within a

capitalist factory or workplace the basicorganizational principle is still largelycommunist internally: if someone wantsto use your stapler, you hand it over,you dont charge by the hour. Withinthe family, too, the principle from eachaccording to ability, to each according toneed applies: parents do not generallyneed to put padlocks on the fridgedoor. Indeed, as Marx shows in Capital,capitalism is actually parasitic on thisform of communism it takes the naturalgains of human cooperation and nature

as a free gift, then pours them intothe pockets of private individuals.

When we go camping, theusual, normal organizationalprinciple of human life i.e.,communism naturally takes over.The question is, as Chakraborttysays, if people choose to live likethis for a few weeks each year,whats to stop them doing so allthe time? What indeed? Our

answer is nothing at all apart fromthe political will and the kind ofdedicated organization needed tosee it ushered in. The argumentthen becomes not whether to havesocialism but how to have it, saysChakrabortty. When the argumentprogresses to this level, assumingit ever does, then indeed socialistswill be able to say that they havescaled the north face of the Eiger.And camping will be optional.

Stuart WatKinS

Camping... the Soviet Gulag style.

Equality - not sameness



14/24


I Maxs iiial usiasic adi fThe Origin ofSpecies ad wi b els (19 Dcmb

1860) ad Lassall (16 Jauay 1861) a i cais aual-isy fudai f u viwpi ada i pvids a basis i aual scic f isical class sul. Wa culd av ma bys cmms? h was caily sayi a Dawiia pcss applid uma sciy. Af all,Max ad sp i 20 yas appli wi yi udsad scial pcsss ad aivi a uidiad f is maialis ccpi. I is ulikly a i 18 ms spaai wa w i famus1859 Pfac ad is adi f Dawis oii a

wuld av jisd is w ad w appac adplacd i wi Dawis. S wa was cci

wi Dawi? I is ulikly av b DawisMalusiaism, as ayi smacki f Malus wuldav b cmpibl Max. Paps a cls lk a

wa Dawi ma by pas sul f xiscmay lp.

Dawi mad cla i t oii a usd ispas i a mapic ss cv a wid a fsiuais:

I suld pmis a I us m Sulf exisc i a la ad mapic ss,icludi dpdc f bi a,ad icludi (wic is m impa) ly lif f idividual, bu succss i lavipy. tw cai aimals i im f da,may b uly said sul wi ac

wic sall fd ad liv. Bu a pla

d f a ds is said sul f lifaais du, u m pply isuld b said b dpd misu.(Cals Dawi, On the Origin of Species, 1859;Pui dii 1968, p.116.)

Ad:hc, as m idividuals a pducd a

ca pssibly suviv, mus i vy casb a sul f xisc, i idividual

wi a f sam spcis, wi idividuals f disic spcis, wi pysical cdiis f lif. (ibid., p.117.)

tis la ad mapic mai f passul f xisc icluds m a hbbsiawa f all aais all f au d i ad

claw f tys, ad fs cssiy f allbilical spcis bai i mas f suvival adpduci fm i iaci wi vim

y iabi, ad a diff bilical fms avdiff kids f iaci wi i suudis.huma bis, , av cf is pblm f

baii i cdiis f xisc. Idd, i TheGerman Ideology(1845) i wic Max ad els sfmulad i maialis ccpi, y sa:

t pmiss fm wic w bi a abiay s, dmas, bu al pmissfm wic absaci ca ly b mad i imaiai. ty a al idividuals, iaciviy ad maial cdiis f i lif,b s wic y d alady xisi ads pducd by i aciviy. ts pmissca us b vid i a puly mpiical way.t s pmis f all

uma isy is, fcus, xiscf livi umaidividuals. tus, s fac b sablisdis pysicalaisai fs idividualsad icsqulai sf au. of cus,

w ca i i acualpysical au f ma, i aual cdiis

i wic ma ds imslf lical, -ydapical, climaic ad s . All isicalwii mus s u fm s aual bassad i mdicai i cus f isyu aci f m. (Max ad els,Collected Works, vlum 5, p. 31.)

I is pcss f baii i cdiis fxisc umas i paicula csuc ad usls as isums f pduci, bu s , alss d, d aimals. Fa m impaf aimals i is was spcialisd dvlpm fpas f i bdy. Ad i was is aspc f Dawispc-maki wk (Capital, vlum 1, Puidii, 1976, p. 461, 6) a Max fd i ly cmms publisd dui

is lifim, ad ly as fs iCapital, vlum 1:

Dawi as dicd ai

Marx admiredDarwins workbut was criticalof some of theconclusionsdrawn from it.

The second of

our three-partarticle on Marxand Engels andDarwin .

Mx ig dwsmMarx Darwin Spencer



15/24


isy f aual cly, i.., fmai f as f plas ad aimals,

wic sv as isums f pducif susaii i lif. Ds isyf pduciv as f ma i sciy,f as a a maial basis f vypaicula aisai f sciy, dsv qualai? Ad wuld suc a isy b asi cmpil, sic, as Vic says, uma isy

diffs fm aual isy i a w av mad fm, bu la. tcly vals aciv lai f ma au, dicpcss f pduci f is lif, ad byi als lays ba pcss f pduci f scial lais f is lif, ad f malccpis a w fm s lais. . . .

t waksss f absac maialism faual scic, a maialism

wic xcluds isical pcss, a

immdialy vidfm

absacad

idlical ccpis xpssd by ispksm wv y vu byd buds f i w spcialiy. (Capital, vlum1, Pui dii, 1976, pp. 493-494, 4.)

tuu is wk, Max always mad a disicibw aual isy ad uma isy, ad diffc bw aimals ad umas i ilaisip i cdiis f xisc. Aai i German Ideology, ad els ad wi f is:

[M] mslvs bi disiuismslvs fm aimals as s as y bi pduc i mas f subsisc, a sp wicis cdiid by i pysical aisai. Bypduci i mas f subsisc m aidicly pduci i acual maial lif. (p. 31.)

As s as uma bis sa pduc imas f subsisc y mus i caikids f lais f pduci, ad s a au-dmid as y a wi spcis. talis umas may av sad u wi au ivcdiis, bu vlui f i bilical sucusmad i b pssibl ad cssay f m mvbyd is. tis aspc f uma bis was byd

Dawis viwpi; culd mv byd aualisy.

Alu Max appciad sciic siicacf t oii, is ciical pspciv bu fsm f Dawis idlical assumpis, spciallyw applid uma sciy ad us mad jusify capialism as aual. I f is las lsi wic mis Dawi, wii Laua adPaul Lafau (15 Fbuay 1869) w:

Dawi is ld by sul f lif i elissciy cmpii f all wi all, bllummium ca ms discv cmpii[] as uli law f bsial ad vaivlif. t Dawiia, cvsly, csids isa cclusiv as f uma sciy v macipa islf fm is bsialiy.Maxs is i Dawi did xd byd

t oii, ad is vidc a adThe Descent of Man ay f Dawis wks.hwv, is dub a appciadDawis pc-maki wk ad ld Dawii i ad. tis is mad cla w sDawi, 25 Spmb1873, a iscibd cpy

f scd gma dii fCapital: M CalsDawi pa f is sic admi Kal Max.

Dawi (1 ocb 1873) s a ypically cuusbu -cmmial ply, ad majiy f pasmai ucu i Dawis libay. Ad sic mid-1970s my a Max wisd ddica vlum 2 f

Capital Dawi as b laid s.o sam day s is iscibd cpy Dawi, Max als s hbSpc, a ia f 19 cuy

u, paps v m widly ad bys a v Dawi. Bu apa fm

l f Ialia cimilis,eic Fi, w w Socialism andPositivism(1894; elis dii 1905),w ls as ampd a Dawi-Spc-Max lik up?ED BLEWITT

Next month (concluding article): Had Engels

read Darwins The Descent of Man? The rst

part appeared in the June issue.

SocialistStandard August 2010



16/24


following the recent growing interestin land acquisition and investmentin land around the world for

which there are no binding regulationsand also, apparently, no agreement byprivate industry as to whether or howto adopt voluntary self-regulation, theWorld Bank with the Food and AgricultureOrganisation, the Institute for Food andDevelopment, and the United Nations

Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTAD) convened a meeting todiscuss this issue. Titled Principles forresponsible agricultural investment that

respects rights, livelihoods and resources

the discussion notes from the September/October 2009 meeting were published inJanuary.

A set of seven principles was drawnup highlighting the main risks, whichwere perceived to be displacementof populations and undermining ornegating existing rights. The rst twoprinciples were concerned mainly with

not jeopardising existing land rights andensuring that food security would not bethreatened in the targeted areas.

Two more principles were focussed ontransparency at all stages of the processwhen accessing land or other resources,to ensure that all stakeholders wouldbe kept within the information loop.Consultation and participation were tobe such that all those materially affectedshould be consulted and agreementsfrom consultations would be recordedand enforced. The remaining principles

were concerned with responsibleinvesting, respect for rule of law,use of industry best practice and tobalance returns for shareholders withsignicant positive outcomes for the hostnation. Both social and environmentalsustainability were considered important,with the need for environmental impactstudies written in and the recognition thatthere should be no negative impacts onlocal populations.

In conclusion it was noted thatagreement had been reached that a setof principles was necessary and that the

seven drawn up were the right ones.

rss un S r

This proposed voluntary code wasresponded to on 26 April at a high

level session of UNCTAD and theCommission on Investment Enterpriseand Development in Geneva by the UNSpecial Rapporteur on the Right to Food,Olivier De Schutter. He is independentof any government or organisation andreports to the Human Rights Council andthe UN General Assembly. His responsewas lengthy and apprehensive especiallywith regard to item ve on the agendaInvestment in the agricultural sector with

a view to building productive capacities

concerning the seven principles above.I am worried, he began before going

on to expound his many reasons. In anumber of areas he felt that the focuswas wrong, that it should be on ruraldevelopment and increased incomes, noton boosting production, He referred tothe Green Revolution of the 1970s whenfood production increased per capita by9 percent in South Asia 1970-1990 butthe increase of hungry people was also9 percent and in South America in thesame period food production per capitaincreased 8 percent but the hungryincreased by 19 percent.

Another concern was that withagricultural investment there was atendency to antagonise groups of farmerswho are involved in different kindsof farming, especially the small landowners who, although generally more

productive, can in no way compete withthe bigger mechanised farms. A furtherworry came from knowledge of earlierprojects when land rights had beenviolated in investments in plantations forfuel crops, dams, tourism and large scaleinfrastructure projects.

His conclusion: We cannot afford moredispossessed, greater inequalities, moreleaving the land because it has become

Land Grab: win-win or win-lose?Corporate self-regulation or total system change?

Olivier De Schutter



17/24


DeMoCrACY IS a all-cmpassiwd usd dscib pliicalsa f md ims. M lssdmcacy dscibs a pliical sai wic fully dd paliamay

laliy uiss ad pliicalpais cm pw u ball bx. t a f csiuialvm as w kw adpacic i i Zambia is divd fmBiis clialism (paliamaydmcacy). Bu paliamaydmcacy is a saic cdii

pliical csiuis av bvisd i Afica day i ad day u sui spciv pliical paisa may app b i pw.I Zambia uli MMD asb xpimi vis cu pliical csiui, i amv aimd mak i impssiblf ppsii lad Mical Sala sad f 2011 psidiallci.

I is cas i Zambia daya mds f pliical caa fau wi may difculis

cif am s is ialfamai f vi pas, i..ppl sill v ibal alliacs.Zambia pliics is avily iucdby pliical caisma. t spsid D. K Kauda

was a caismaic lad ad sill

maid a ambya psaliy.Caismaic pliicias av appsiy capu public wsipi u maki aiculaspcs wai suis. BKauda ad Ciluba ad a if fmaki ispii spcs ad aai f cla ad sma cls.Ciluba is said av pssssdw udd pais f ss wudds f dllas p pai.

B Kauda ad Ciluba ad if fs wa masssflis w ad usd akadvaa f a iv mm bysmily vici s flis.

Ad i bcam vy pblmaicf may diay Zambias ally bid la psid LvyMwaawasa, w lackd a maicpsaliy ad was a p spc-mak. Idd, cu psid,rupia Bada lacks a pliical aif publiciy ad lacks a ai fspc maki.

Fdm f xpssi i Zambiaas b ccivd i w ms.I as ma icssa pliicalciicism f uli vm imds likly pvk pliicalvilc. W i WSM ab mds f pliical ciicism a isspaadd by PF ad UPnDbcaus y bd iimidaicai idividuals isad f ffia alaiv sysm aais xisi saus qu (capialism).Pliical dmay by islf is a aid umplym adiai. t pblms f umais, d qualiy ad fdmf xpssi will xis iscialism bcaus a scialis willail acual mbdim fpliical ad d macipai.

t failu f ay pliical payi elad wi a uipaliamay majiy dui May al lci was slvdi a amicabl ma wi Csvaivs ad Libals fmi acalii vm. I ms Aficacuis suc a lci sul

wuld av iv is pliicalvilc.KEPHAS MULENGA

unviable pastoralists to lose access tograzing, shers cut off from their shinggrounds, forest destruction or fencing infor carbon sequestration.

The World Banks and their associatesstatement and principles all sound quitereasonable if we are able to lay asidecynicism for a eeting moment. However,if it is as trustworthy and dependable

as it appears to be transparent, fair,considerate of all parties etc etc whydoes Olivier De Schutter feel the needto report that he is worried and to furtherexpand on the principles and explainwhere they can go wrong? Rememberthe original principles were an attempt toprovide merely a voluntary code to whichDe Schutter was compelled to call foradded regulation or more careful wording,discerning the probability of win-losescenarios.

Note there was no discussion of bindingthe principles in law, merely a suggestion

that respecting any current laws wouldbe favourable. The very fact that it isconsidered necessary to implement a(voluntary) code of conduct implies thatpreviously (and currently as this codeof conduct has not yet been agreed)dubious practices have been rife. Wehave to conclude that it is not the needfor voluntary or mandatory regulationsto protect what may be vulnerable,whether animal, vegetable or mineral,that are required but the removal ofeach and every agent that causes thesevulnerabilities.

Few people are nave enough in the

21st century to believe that investoragencies, corporate, nancial orwhatever, are altruistic in their dealingswith the (mostly) developing countriesbeing discussed in their absence. Werecognise that their rst consideration willbe the timescale of the prot potential.Maybe the following response can throwsome light onto a better way to dealwith this matter if we are to be seriousabout focussing on benets rather thanprots. The way to make it possible for allpossible third parties to benet materiallyin exchange for a signature is to eliminate

the prot motive. This is also the sure reway to ensure that any outside agenciesare there to assist positively rather thanto prot personally. The guarantee thatall communities around the world will beempowered to organise their own affairsaccording to their own self-determinedaspirations will come from the rejection ofthe capitalist system in favour of a worldsocialist system; from the democraticdecision of a majority world populationdesirous of a world of free associationand access.

(World Bank guidelines and De Schutters

response originally sourced from www.farmlandgrab.org)Janet SurMan

Politics in Zambia

Election violence in Zambia



18/24


assisa: Syl a simpl aicu?Cusm: A aicu plas bu squa

ud.(Paus)Assisa: Wa d yu ik f ps ims?Cusm: tibl. W will i lad ?Assisa: t lias a i cu ac s

as ad wll ws f i wv wis,w Cmmuiss nazis. ty as bad asac .

Cusm: Paps yu i. I ca udsadpliics.

Assisa: Im lad Iv a jb ad am maki dsm. As f s, all I wa is liv i pac.

Cusm: May I ask w muc yu i fac a?

Assisa: 100 maks a m.Cusm: Ca yu liv a?Assisa: Jus abu. Id lik maid bu ill

ak a l im uil my ac ad m av savd upu b abl a f1a. Iv b wki

yas i is plac ad Iv savd up u y.Cusm: Was yu bss lik?Assisa: hs a vy ic ps. Smims s a bi

mdy, bu I faily wll wi im.Cusm: hw may cusms d yu dal wi a

day?Assisa: 10 15. o Saudays is m.Cusm: S a mas a 15 cusms pay 15

maks i busiss. oK, bu yu ly 3.50maks a day. Wa apps s?

Assisa: Yuv ak i accu xpssfourbusiss. Lii, lp, isuac,isums, , y a up qui a bi.

Cusm: Id b isd w muc.Assisa: (iks awil) Wll I supps a las 8maks.

Cusm: oK, bu a sill lavs abu 9-10 maks.Assisa: Ys, bu busiss mus mak a suplus

sic bss aks a a isk. F xampl, smdays a fw cusms, i bad ims.

Cusm: Ds a ma a yu m wbusiss is bmi?

Assisa: n, wy suld I? Im a ula icm.Cusm: I d udsad. W yu wk m

yu d paid m? Ad f amu yu a ava f bss kps a fud f bad ims?

Assisa: Yu qui i.Cusm: If I udsad yu ccly, yu pduc

af subaci all css abu 10 12 maks f imp day ad f is yu civ 3 3.50 maks. Ad ifims bcm pmaly bad f busiss ll sack

yu, i wic cas sv fud is f us yu.S wa i fac ds us is my f?

Assisa: Wll, f xampl bss as acquimd macis. A ps w placi adclipps by lcic s.

Cusm: Wa ds a ma?Assisa (supisd): Wa, yu d udsad a?

Is qui simpl. nw I ca dal wi 10 cusms a day,afwads Ill b abl dal wi 20 bcaus cui

will b muc fas.Cusm: Ad ac f s 20 will b payi 1

mak as bf. Ad yu, w muc will yu ?

Assisa (v m supisd): naually, Ill ciu my 100 maks.

Cusm: excus my bi s iquisiiv, Im i

Conversation

with a

hairdressers

assistant

In the 1930s Wilhelm Reich, perhaps best known as the author ofThe SexualRevlutin, developed the theory that it was possible to explain the basic concepts ofMarxian economics without employing complicated economic terms and arguments.As an example of his attempt at this, we publish below, for the rst time in Englishtranslation, an article he wrote in 1935 under his pseudonym of Ernst Parell for theZeitschrift fr plitische Pschlgie und Sexualknmie (vol 2, No 1) he published inexile in Denmark.

Wilhelm Reich



19/24


em ssg

ONE BIT of window-dressing George Osborne did ontaking over as Chancellor was to set up a supposedlyindependent Ofce for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to

calculate by how much the economy can be expectedto grow, for the government to take into account whendrawing up its budget.

Economic forecasting is no more reliable than theweather forecast. It is based on assumptions derivedfrom past experiences and only forecasts what is likelyto happen, not what will happen. Thus, when, on thebudget, the OBR forecast that the economy (GDP) willgrow by 2.3 percent in 2011 all they are really saying isthat it is more likely than not that something like this willhappen. Other economic soothsayers are saying that 2.3percent is over-optimistic. The Business Secretary, VinceCable, is saying that there is a one in four chance of adouble-dip recession (Times, 9 July), i.e., of the economyshrinking next year. Basically, its just guesswork.

The OBR prediction of growth next year is basedon the key assumption that business investment willrecover:

Business investment is forecast to pick up during2010, though in the year as a whole by only 1 per cent.The recovery is maintained in 2011, although it takesuntil 2013 before investment returns to its pre-recessionpeak . . . The measures to reform corporation tax, whichare estimated to reduce the cost of capital faced by rmsby about 3 per cent, should have a positive effect oninvestment . .. Business investment also strengthens asresources released from the government sector ow intothe private sector.

They are right to see any growth as arising from a

revival of business investment since capital accumulationis what drives the capitalist economy. But that businessinvestment will resume just because governmentspending is reduced is an ideological assumption; whichis shared by the new government (so much for theindependence of the OBR). As the Times (23 June) putit, that the economy will grow next year derives fromOsbornes belief that public spending has been crowdingout private endeavour and is a big economic judgment.

The theory is that, as taxes on prots are beingreduced, capitalist rms will invest more. But it is by nomeans as simple as that. If businesses judge there is noprospect of making a prot from expanding productionthey wont do it. They will simply hoard their extraprots and build up cash mountains. There are plenty of

examples of this happening in the past. Japans decadeof stagnation in the 1990s, for example. You can bring ahorse to water but you cant make it drink.

Long-term predictions are even less reliable. Even so,the OBR has indulged in this, predicting (and we recordthe gures for future reference) that in 2012 growth willbe 2.8 percent, in 2013 2.9 percent, and 2.7 percent in2014 and 2015. This is not worth the paper its writtenon. Its like the Met Ofce predicting a barbecue summerin two years time. After all, no economic soothsayerpredicted in 2004 that in 2009 GDP would fall by 4.9percent. They didnt in 2005, or 2006, or 2007, either.

The fact is that the way the capitalist economy is goingto go is unpredictable. Governments can only navigateby sight within it, reacting to what it throws up.

a bi ls ad am a amazd. Wi w impvdmacis yull b ai 20 maks f, im bu yu

yuslf will ciu civ ly 3.50. ta mas suplus as w fm 8 abu 13? W ds my ?

Assisa: (scacs is ad) Acually, yu i.tas a d qusi bu, yu kw, I s id fmwki a I d av muc y ik. Im appyif I ca s ad kp my jb. Yu kw x wk 2 u f

my 5 wkmas a bi mad duda ad I av su a Im sackd .

Cusm: I mus b py bad sad 10 us aday i sp wa abu lidays?

Assisa: o ys. I a fi vy ya, bu s als liday ad w y d I av dm wk. Ad w bss is i away f 2 ms.

Cusm: W ds my say awayf s l?

Assisa: h as a villa i Dal.Cusm: o. hw cm?Assisa: Wll s wd is busiss f 30 yas

w.Cusm: I s. Ds wk?Assisa: o , ly smims lps u. But its

a successful business.Cusm: Lis. I d udsad ayi abu

suc is bu i sms m a is villa ad issumm lidays a paid by 8 13 maks wic yua f is busiss suplus.

Assisa: o I d ik s. Bu paps yu i,i is dd. Id lik alk yu smim abu is. Yualk a l f cmm ss.

I is cvsai pliical wd as b mid,bu is aidsss assisa as dvlpd yf suplus valu, aialisai ad umplymfm xpics f is w lif. Ad v ad abvis as dvlpd a cdc i cusm.Yu d d ac im abu wa aialisai xpliai is, as dscibd s imslf. Wa lacks is udsadi f lik bw iskwld abu is wk ad suplus labu wi villa f pu. n is a all cscius f fac a idis wi is bss. Ad is cmpllyuabl s cci bw pliics, wic isaais ad afaid f, ad is vyday lif. A is pii will b asy mak im cscius f is bcaus i iscaid i wa imslf as said ad xpicd;all a as b d is dvlp i.Ernst Parell

tg a Jgt Ss p?For further information about membership of The Socialist

Party, return this form to t Ss p, 52 cm

hg S, l SW4 7un.

NAME.....................................................................................

ADDRESS..............................................................................

...............................................................................................

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...............................................................................................POSTCODE...........................................................................



20/24


Book Reviews

Cmmn sense raised

t genius

Hopes and Prospects. Nam

Chmsk, Hamish Hamiltn, 2010,18.99

nam Cmsky, f wldsms impaillcual usi b sci-cs ad u-maiis, ad f msqud wis fall im, aki

wi Max, Bibl ad Sakspa, as admi-d a is spcs a vy bi.Bu, says, as way liksi. I mas a, w ppl u

up lis im, ad millisd, y di s bcaus yisd i issus Cmskyis alki abu, i Cmskyimslf as sm kid f illcualclbiy.

Ad si as may f Cmskysbks a cllcis f is pviusspcs, yu mi xpc is bks b py bi . Yud bi. radi is bks is lik yi spi u a wais-i iv ppsi bak: i may lklik yuv fa , bu i willcaily ak yu muc l a

yu ik. hwv, al qus-i is, is i w i sid? Wi Cmsky, asw isalways ys.

Du hwd c said a s up is (xcll) Left BusinessObserverwsl bcaus wascvicd a wa was dd

was a b mpiicism i wds, if scialiss culd jus facs u , pliics wulds islf u. h s alisd ais a qui a simpl, busill, b mpiicism is a cs-say if isufci cdii f ascialis ducai. I ca ik f b way f acquii is bmpiicism a wi a ula adcsa di f Cmsky, ma- w blad i mi sm yuas buds.

his las bk, Hopes and Pros-pects, a cllci f c spcs,is muc lik all is s. Bu yaai, is is ciicism imi appa. Cmsky is always sam, y s always amd wi ms iial dails ad dvasaifacs, las sclaly sac

ad ps, ad a cmm-ssaalysis a lavs yu iki ayu culd av d i all yuslf.

Idd, is Cmskys m blif ayu culd av d. his aalysisis, as a iducy uid imc pu i, cmm ss lvad ius.

Aai lik is bks, Hopesand Prospectsis suppsd a a m: i is cas,Amica fi plicy ad ppula

suls i Lai Amica. Bu ifac, ssays a fflssly,paps v ccically, v

wl wld, ai fm dawf uma isy cu affais,fm wa was i The New YorkTimeslas m isy fcmic u, fm num-b ials s w day cmminazi-syl cims ad y a paisdas aluisic idaliss by libal il-lcuals. h is a -ma sclalysuc, a always-liabl s pf call f scialiss ad ai-capial-iss w wa back up i au-

ms wi facs.t mai ciicism lvl a

Cmsky, alu wuld si as a ciicism a all, is a is i-sufcily Maxia. h udsads,as pus i i bk, a mayf cims dcums a -d i dp faus f pvailiscicmic ad pliical sysms.Bu is ucvicd f pwf Maxis y. elsw, qusis w i v is a y( mas is dubful a i casv ayi lik sam l asy i aual scics). t i is is byd scp f isviw, bu i mas a Cmskyis abl applaud ffs dmca-is capialis cmmdiy pduci,

wiu avi ayi muc sayabu w i mi b cssay byd is if umaiy is v aciv a uly f sciy.SPW

Bttm f the heap

Chinese Whispers. Hsia-Hung Pai.

Penguin 8.99.

t cas iCis capial-ism v lasfw dcads pivaisai,sackis, facispduci fmuliaialcmpais avld vas um-bs f wks

mvi bis ciis i sac

f wk. May av als fl y adlil cic bu y i luckabad, if ly a u pay

f i cilds ducai. I iss, usually udcumd adillal mia wks, umbipaps 200,000 i UK, wssy is ld i is vali bk.

Ms Cis wks w mv Biai i sac f wk bwmy pay sakads wsmul m . ty als av

pay amass w djbs f m (ad if y a sackd lav i jbs, y av payaai a). Pai, a jual-is w smims w ududas a pd udcumd wkslf a ifmai, sws kid f wk y d ad c-diis i wic y labu.

Fm assmbli Samsu mi-cwavs i halpl cppiup pk i Sufflk, fm pickivabls i Slsy wasi upi Lds Ciaw, y d ads ad diis jbs, wi lil if

ay aii ad al ad safyisuci. typical was may b3.20 a u, wll blw lalmiimum wa ad fu blw

wa Biis wks di similawk mi a. t us a l, a paid lidays, ad may b cmpulsy ad upaid v-im w m upu is wad.Pai v maas spak smf usad s udcu-md Cis wm w wk i sx ad.

Bi udcumd, wksav accss al ca fw pcis a capialis lawspvid. n ca y ji a ad u-i. Ms spak lil elis, wicfu limis i liks ay

w mi lp m ad psm v ws xpliai.

ty a, wv, smims abl sik up a camaadi wi mia wks, suc as Ukai-ias.t Biis vm as c-

casially cackd dw illalwks ad s w mply m,bu is jus maks wks p-

sii v m pcaius. Plicis asylum sks ad s didfu saus cibu xis-c f a amy f ppl dsp-a f ay jb y ca . Biiscapialism maks ms f icap ad xibl labu pw, buv a may b u kp facis . I 2005 sm f halpl facis lcad Slvakia f accss v caplabu pw. Ad wd mayCis mplys i Biai supp Cis vms plicis

wic iv is all s mia

wks.Pais bk ivs a vivid picu f

s a vy bm f capial-



21/24


isms ap, ad als lls i smf backud i ms f lbal au f pduci ad f suci f labu pw udcapialism.PB

Descent intbarbarism?

Socialism or Barbarism. From

the American Century to theCrossroads. Istvan Meszars. 2001Mnthl Review Press.

I fwad is bk i issad a i1992 Mszasxpssd iscvici a

fuu fscialism will bdcidd i USad a i scialism as

ass islf uivsally ad i a waya mbacs all aas i wsuccd. As il suss mpasis is is vil aa-ism capialism, impialism adlbalisai US-syl. h ducs f pliical cic f mulipaydmcacy f wa i is a v-awi pliical cssus, adpis icasi dwwadpssu pay ad cdiis

wldwid wic is avi aivimpac i acss bad. tfac a capialism is faili i allaspcs f ms ciizs wldwidas, f isac cid, i Idiaad Cia w capialism ccusi clavs wi vas -capialisilads ad i wic ppula-is usid liima cmyav d i w ways maka livi.

Mszas viws cu pasf US impialism as pially

dadlis pas bcaus f slf-sad aims f acivi wlddmiai u plicis f 100pc slf-is, impsi a-biay dcisis s f

wld wils accusi s wamp d likwis f aialism.Is williss bak iaiallaws ad i wa ivasi pc is w iss is wllkw. radi sucual ci-sis f capial dails xampls f

wsi cdiis i US ad UK suc as v-icasiumbs f cild i pvy ad

widi ap bw p pc ad muliud a bm.

I a sci calls fac-i scialis mvm callsf iaial slidaiy idwads cai f a d fsubsaiv qualiy spcially is ims f xadiay vi-mal a. Labu ca sapw wi capial (a as bpvd im ad aai) wic as

b a p-dw auiaia maa-m f busiss.

Pa II ild Maxism, t Capi-al Sysm ad Scial rvlui isa iviw f a qualy Iaia

jual i wic ivs is vsif lbalisai as al scial capialad aliy f labu. t capialissysm lically as b lbal cmpl islf. glbal labu, ad, is fcd amsislf say aa wii sysm,ad s cmps isad f cf-i capial. Capials dpdc labu is abslu; wv, labus

dpdc capial was cadad is sumuabl v if c-diis a culy favuabl.

t ly way vcm capialad isiu a alaiv, scialissysm is wi aliy f labu as iccilabl aais fcapial u a pcss f p-fud scial asfmai.t is a s sci i

iviw ws ad wys fa scial vlui bu vall mpasis uu bk is i bi a all-mbaci ad ulyscial vlui, wi wic w caa. I fw yas sic bk

was publisd, as al cdiisf mplym av ciud d-ia, capialism as aai swislf b idiff impacsf is plicis. I wuld sm, w-v, a, if w w ly slly v laly US labu b caalys w mi b waii l ad scial bakdw ad ba-baism may wll wi u.JS

oBITUARy

Friedrich Vogt

We Were sad la f suddda, a a f 88, f CmadFidic V i Via. h was f a up f ad uiissad fm mmbs f Ausia

Scial Dmcaic pay a bkaway i 1959 ad vually,i 1966, u cac wiCmad rudlf Fak , cam accp bjc ad dclaaif picipls f Wld ScialisMvm.

As was alady a isdScialis Pay i Ausia, w up was amd BudDmkaisc Szialis (Lauf Dmcaic Scialiss). Mmbsaddssd ac as gss/gssi a a as Kamadas is was assciad wi Ausia Cmmuis Pay.

Alu y ld ifmaldiscussi mis, mmbsmai aciviy was pduciad disibui f i wspapfma jual InternationalesFreie Wort(Iaial FWd). Alu y ad a lis fsubscibs, cavassi was by fa mai md f sal. o my lyvisi I k pa i is. Up ad dw sais f apam blcks wascaily ams ads wk Iav d f Scialism!

Ufualy, as mmbs adad bcam pysically lss ably culd kp up wi issuus wk ad publicai f IFW casd.

Dui wa Fidic wascscipd i gma Amy russia F bu

was s s back as usuiablbcaus f is baviu. hadd u Cfc jus cad ld m w muc jydmi mmbs , sm f

wm kp i uc. W av ls afid as wll as a cmad ad

cmpai pais a sauc adilss wk f Scialism.EG

p cs

2: Michael Sata - www.lusakatimes.com.Wilhelm Reich - www.balancingcenter.com.Aneurin Bevan - ronaldsearle.blogspot.com.7:The Grapes of Wrath - www.presci.org10: Doctor www.theislamicstandard.wordpress.com.11: hands chains www.evedyahu.wordpress.com.12: Campsite - Alan Stewart, 2003, Creative Com-mons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.13: Identical tents - Calumn Black, 2005, CreativeCommons attribution ShareAlike 2.0 license.13: Belbaltlag, a Gulag camp, 1932, Central RussianFilm and Photo Archive.14: Ape studying human - Okedern, 2007, GNU FreeDocumentation License, Version 1.216: Man grabbing land - www.northbird.blogspot.com.Olivier De Schutter - www.fes.de.17: Zambia violence - www.theage.com20:Hopes and Prospects - www.forewordreviews.com. Chinese Whispers - www.spread-the-word.org.uk. Socialism or Barbarism www.histomatist.blogspot.com.

23: Nick Clegg - David Spender 2008 CreativeCommons Attribution 2.0 Generic24: Niger Delta - Ed Kashi, Curse of the Black Gold:50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta

Socialist Standard

index for 2009

Now available. For a copysend 2nd class postage to:

The Socialist Party,52 Clapham High St,

London SW4 7UN



22/24


This declaration is the basis ofour organisation and, becauseit is also an important historicaldocument dating from theformation of the party in 1904,

its original language has beenretained.

ojt ssm ssm s s mm ws m ms sms g sgw s w mm.

d psThe Socialist Party of GreatBritain holds

1.That society as at present

constituted is based upon theownership of the means of living(i.e., land, factories, railways, etc.)

by the capitalist or master class,and the consequent enslavementof the working class, by whoselabour alone wealth is produced.

2.That in society, therefore, thereis an antagonism of interests,manifesting itself as a classstruggle between those whopossess but do not produce andthose who produce but do notpossess.

3.That this antagonism canbe abolished only by theemancipation of the working classfrom the domination of the masterclass, by the conversion into thecommon property of society ofthe means of production anddistribution, and their democraticcontrol by the whole people.

4.That as in the order of socialevolution the working class is thelast class to achieve its freedom,

the emancipation of the workingclass wil involve the emancipationof all mankind, without distinctionof race or sex.

5. That this emancipation mustbe the work of the working classitself.

6.That as the machinery ofgovernment, including the armedforces of the nation, exists onlyto conserve the monopoly by thecapitalist class of the wealth takenfrom the workers, the workingclass must organize consciouslyand politically for the conquestof the powers of government,national and local, in order thatthis machinery, including theseforces, may be converted from aninstrument of oppression into theagent of emancipation and the

overthrow of privilege, aristocraticand plutocratic.

7.That as all political partiesare but the expression of classinterests, and as the interest ofthe working class is diametricallyopposed to the interests of all

sections of the master class,the party seeking working classemancipation must be hostile toevery other party.

8.The Socialist Party of GreatBritain, therefore, enters the eldof political action determinedto wage war against all otherpolitical parties, whether allegedlabour or avowedly capitalist,and calls upon the members ofthe working class of this countryto muster under its banner to theend that a speedy terminationmay be wrought to the systemwhich deprives them of the fruitsof their labour, and that poverty

may give place to comfort,privilege to equality, and slaveryto freedom.

Declaration of Principles

The Passing of a Labour Leader

Meetings

IT IS not our purpose here to attempt ananalysis of the career of Aneurin Bevan, butonly to put one or two aspects of his progressfrom being a working class rebel against thetyranny and sordidness of capitalism to hisoccupancy of high ofce in the post-war LabourGovernment ().

Throughout the years after he had begun tomake a name in the Labour Party he was tornbetween the desire to be a rebel espousingcertain ideals and the necessity of working outconcessions to meet the needs of practical politics. Nobody can

suppose that Bevan was happy about nding himself supportingwar, supporting re-armament and making his belated decision topress for the retention of the H-bomb as a bargaining counter inthe Labour Partys plan to work for all-round disarmament.

But was he ever clear about what was happening and whyit happened? Did he ever realise that his dilemma is one thatnecessarily faces all who take on the task of governing a capitalistcountry in a capitalist world? With or without seeing it clearly he,

like the other leaders of the Labour Government, hadcome down on the side of the belief that as a presentpractical policy a Labour Government must face theworkers as an administration trying to keep the Britisheconomy functioning and must face the world asguardian of British interests which necessarily meantin both spheres of action accepting and working withinthe framework of the capitalist social system. That he

did so with some reluctance and occasional rebelliouswithdrawals show his resentment of the dilemma, buthe never succeeded in resolving the problem. He

would have argued, no doubt, that there was no alternative, and

here we as Socialists insist that there was, and is, the alternativeof leaving the running of capitalism to those who believe in it andof devoting efforts to building up an international Socialist workingclass with the consciously-held aim of putting Socialism in theplace of capitalist society.

(Editorial, Socialist Standard, August 1960)

lSaturday 11Sm6pm

Hunter, Fisherman, Shepherd, Critic:

Karl Marxs Vision of the Free Individual.

Speaker: Stuart Watkins

Socialist Party premises, 52 Clapham

High Street, SW4 7UN (nearest tube:

Clapham North)

es agSaturday, 14 ags 2pm - 5pm

FILM SHOWING

Theme - Do You Feel Exploited?

(3 of 3)

A short (approx. 20 min.) lm by Brendan

Mcooney will be shown in the basement

of The Workshop, 53 Earlham Road,

Norwich NR1 3SPAs you can see from the length of these

lms their will be plenty of opportunity for

discussion. All welcome.

l d SSaturday 25 Sm12.00noon

CAN YOU BUY HAPPINESS?

Speakers: Ed Blewitt, Peter Rigg, Brian

Johnson

Ed Blewitt - Happy shopping.

Peter Rigg - Consumerism on the

couch.

Brian Johnson - The family and

consumerism.

Each talk will last about 20 to 30 minutes

followed by discussion.

Refreshments at appropriate times.

Evening social with music from Peter

Rigg.

Socialist Party premises, 52 Clapham

High St, SW4 7UN (nearest tube:

Clapham North)

Aneurin Bevan



23/24


Youre Nicked

UntIL reCentLY w w quid kw im asplai, uai, msyllabic nick Cl v ifis acss w aiscas i Impial russia ad

was ducad a apppialy xpsiv scls, wicmay xplai is ucy i fu fi lauas bu, paps, a pcivd pblm wi mas wic,

w askd by dius Pis Ma uma wm ad ad sx wi, pvd is ply bim xac a m a iy. Bu as mvd, pi f suvivi uvi xpicf ai b gd Bw ad David Camdcla i public a y ad wi im. nw is niclas William P nick Cl MP, PC, DpuyPim Miis, Ld Psid f Cucil, Miisf Csiuial ad Pliical rfm, wi duisxdi byd bically ddi a David Camsback dui Pim Miiss qusis. Cl w as jb f di u wa ppl ik abu cai law ablisi sm laws, maki s. I is

ma, says, ...i is ppl, plicy-maks, wkw bs...I is a adically diff appac. o basd us. Bcaus i is up vm ll pplw liv i livs. tis will av cm as a supis a l f ppl w a lsi i jbs wil Clsvm ds m u i livs a isiyf pvy icud by yi xis dl, ducd b psi. Bu is m im aa.

Respnsest bi wi is ma f Cls psis

slf-ccp as a sasma a u b cai fac f Biis pliics: Wa I d spciallyxcii abu is pjc is a, w w av

ball lli, dba is ally u fvms cl. Bu lik ms ccis is

was ulpful ad disi. Cls aliy w spss a wbsi pvidd by Telegraph:

Sa wi piss! Cimials a ivid iluxuy, paid f by ax pay...

I wuld dilu Scis ipu i UK!...I wuld pal ui ac, ad als

cimialis ay u ps aciviis asabas u...

... lislai w wa pald is eupa Cmmuiis Ac 1972...

A m usful susi, was: hy! Dyu uys us Cli & C. I vd f m adyv sld u i picipls f a adful f

vm...Cucially, Cls dba is basd

misccpi a laws ca b cad byppula dmad bcaus y a laid dw pc safy ad wll-bi f majiy fppl. I u wl massiv, vbai,lal ad judicial sysm wi is iimidaiisiuis, is uifms, is wis ad ws adis impabl pcds cmpsd i acaicvbia, was ccivd ad dvlpd i d ppua sadi ad pivils f dmia miiy class i sciy. Pliicallyaisais lik Labu, Csvaiv adLibal Dmcaic pais (ad ay cmbiaisbw m) xis pm a uau i ppaada i lis, disisad fals pmiss.

A Tr PastBuid i Cls pas is is mmbsip, wil a

Cambid, f Uivsiy Csvaiv Assciai.I spi f wi vidc, Cl as did allkwld f is, paps u mbaassmaf s fv duciais f tis i tVlci dbas. t is fac a am is

jbs af lavi uivsiy wkd i pivafc as a spc-wi f Vic Psid f eupa Cmmissi L Bia w, apa fm acivms i a ifamus ca, assudimslf a puai as a hm Scay saisfy

tis ms passia advcas f as sci.Bu by 1998 Cl ad cad is mid if a

is wa appd u b a Libal Dmcacadida f eupa Paliam. By 2005, aladyspk f as a fuu pay lad, was ifmiBia a wil facid K Clak i a

yas cs f Csvaiv ladsip was

qui a psal fa f K ad svais; Lib Dms suld b i uad aais Clak mvi tis i adiial Lib Dm iy is bibuis ...smw muscli i u iy. (nwa Cl ad Clak si bsid ac samF Bc i is fai ask wa Clak iks f

tis bi muscld i ). Ad Cl was cppsd a fmal alliac wi tis bcaus ... dply illibal b f Csvaiv Pay v las 10 yas ad mad c-pai bw w pais uily impssibl. Bu diplmaicallykpi is pis p, did ul u jii

a calii i picipl if a m libal typilspy md. Was jus bi cauius?o cfusd? o cuily ambiius?

ExpensesAll s caacisics wuld av b

usful a pliical lad yi dfus c cisis v MPs ad ixpss; u fm, Cl playd ubid s. Sui a aiviwi tV cama, ad cm dw lik a f bicks ay fud b ddli sysm.Am s bav wds was

mi f Lib Dm MPs w wxpsd as avi vclaimd. Ad Cldid pmis buy imslf basm cvily ls bicks bcaus f

is w claims, wic icludd mlyis payms f 1,018 iscsiucy m ma, 2,600 f aw kic, 680 f adi, 760

pai a pa, 2.49 f a cak i ad 1.50f pap apkis. ni did say w was alki abu imslf w ada Ppl will simply jus dspai a allpliicias lk i idiculus a bs cup a ws. tak yu pick. Ad wilyu a abu i yu ca cibu Clscsulai by aski wa palis a f pliicias w a padly adblaaly diss. Bu d wai f a

asw.IVAN


Documents

Socialist Standard August 2010