Socialist Review No. 03

Population and food supply

The hysteria over the so called population explosion have caught up with us here in Jamaica. The posters are all over the place telling young women “you don’t have to get pregnant”. On a different level we are told by scientist that population growth is so outstripping food supply, and living space, that we will all starve to death if we dont reduce our birth rate in a hurry. The present world population is estimated at 4 Billion, with a 2% annual increase.

Against the background of this increased population, and the millions of people without enough to eat, observe these two occurrences. The Canadian Government will pay fanners C$100 million not to grow any wheat this year 1970. The reason for this action in a hungry world, is that the major wheat producing countries grew more than they could sell profitable. They met and agreed that there should be a cut back in world wheat production. Farmers within the Common Market are now being paid to destroy some cows. As one official explained “Europe is drowning in a sea of milk, and a morass of butter”. The reason again is the same, production exceed profitable sale.

When scientist speak of the population trend, and food supply, they usually quote some figure, like the production of grain in India last year. They rarely touch on the problem of getting this grain into hungry stomachs. The problem of hunger today is not our inability to produce enough. The problem is, without money you cant partake of anything. The fact that people are in need is of no importance. Things in a Capitalist society are produced for sale not to satisfy the need of people. It is the inability of this system to distribute the wealth it can create that cause a hunger problem throughout the world. Waste in the midst of want is one by product of Capitalism, this is the only way it can operate.

There really exists a population problem, but only for the present Capitalist system. Socialism, a system based on production solely to satisfy need, would have no trouble feeding twice our present population. We suffer from the effects of congestion, on the one hand, while there are large land areas with few inhabitants, on the other. All because people must seek work in order to share in the wealth they create. The degree of hunger, and starvation in the world is a glaring example of the obsolete nature of our social system, to serve the need of the majority. How many realise this?

Efforts to curb population growth is more likely to meet with failure, especially in countries like Jamaica. To many, their final revenge on society will be to have as many children as possible, because this is what the establishment does not want. An act designed in some way to disrupt a society that have robbed them of any worth while life. Only a world where a man’s life wont be taken up completely in the process of making ends meet, can effectively control its population. The world is as ready as it can be for socialism, it is only the lack of Socialist understanding by the victims of Capitalism the working class, that prevent this. Why not take steps to understand Socialism, and realise that the way we live, need not remain so forever. Conditions won’t just change, by themselves, it is up to you to make the change.

Mason



Listen to this Jamaica

Heath has finally admitted that apartheid in South Africa would break down for economic reasons.

At the meeting with President Kaunda and his O.A.U. (organisation of african unity) delegate on the question of Britain selling arms to South Africa the British “Prime Minister refuted the African idea that a racial showdown was inevitable by saying that apartheid would break down for economic reasons” -The (Manchester)Guardian Oct. 17.1970. This is what the S.P.G.B. and companion Socialist Parties have been saying for a long time now. Capitalism just cannot work if it keeps black and white workers separate. It is economically undesirable. Labour is needed to keep capitalism alive, whatever the colour of the workers skin.

Heath comes up with the idea that apartheid is economically (note, he doesn’t take it from a moral point of view but from a capitalist economical view) insufficient and then thinks he’s the pioneer of the view. How wrong he is – if he’d only take time off to read the Socialist Standard he’d soon see how “late” he was with that “new” idea of his.

What’s Britain going to do? Export arms to South Africa for supposedly external use at the risk of being exiled by most of Black Africa and the “pure hearted moralists” of the commonwealth and other countries who think “its awful”. But what can Britain do? That country’s capitalist have got to protect their capitalism’s trade route around South Africa. Heath main argument is that Russia is trying to block Britain’s trade route around South Africa. Mind you all Russia has done so far is drop anchor in the Indian Ocean. What could this really mean? I think that Russia is playing that old cat and mouse game. Perhaps they want Britain to think what she’s thinking now, so that she will export arms to South Africa. Or maybe Heath’s just making a mountain out of a mole hill, at the appearance of the Russian Navy. Anyway Britain’s capitalists are scared to death that Russia is going to pinch “her” trade route. Another interesting point is that Heath is trying to get support from the people by saying that we should export arms to South Africa because the Russians are after our trade routes; what propaganda! Thank goodness we know better than to believe that.

Capitalist are always fighting capitalist (yes, including Russia and China so called “communist”. They dont know the meaning of the word) and workers are fighting workers. Now you can understand capitalists fighting because capitalism couldn’t work any other way but workers against workers is not so easily understood. Their common enemy is capitalism, whatever country, or so-called “race” that they come from. Workers can unite instead of bickering, and bargaining with capitalism. Why should we be a part of capitalism and the dirty tricks it carries out. We can so easily unite and join together for Socialism. Its no good fighting only for more money, and petty reforms because whatever we get in our pay packets wont be enough to cover the ever rising bills.

This world could be united, with no frontiers, no wars, no famine, and resources available to cure every ill. Money would be no object, because there would be no money. Money is the root of all evil and capitalism is the maker of money. Money, evil and capitalism go hand in hand, and you can’t abolish one without abolishing the other two as well. Lets work for this world of abundance together.

S. Ellis. Member of the S.P..B.




No nuggets for us

The Nuggets for the needy drive is well on its way. The expected target this year is $l00,000. This organisation have now become the chief collector, and distributor for charity throughout the island. Certainly their task is not an enviable one, as the army of beggars in Kingston alone, increase almost daily. There are hundreds more whose lives are very dependent on charity.

We do not doubt the good intentions of those who seek to help their fellow men through charity. We would like to ask them however; Is this the best way to do it? Purely on the basis of results, charity should incite some examination as to its function in society. Since, the more you give, the need for more seem to increase. The condition it set out to improve, actually get worse. The need for charity is an admission that something is very wrong with society, we should try to correct this wrong. People generally, are made to feel guilty about these things, they usually give without really wanting to. This feeling of guilt is the result of a lack of a philosophical base to voice an objection. People feel it is all wrong, but it would seen inhuman to say so. Charity humiliates those who receive it and stifles protest. Socialists are just as concerned about people, and in fact more so as anybody else, that is why we say, create a world where there would be no need for charity. Let us change from production for sale to production for use.

Those who are really interested in the poor and handicapped, surely would prefer to live in a world where everyman’s material need is guaranteed, and therefore free from the need to be pitied. The knowledge of production are so advanced that production for use has been a practical thing for many years now. Against the background of how we could live, charity, regarded as a social virtue, is really a crime against mankind.

The organisation controlling “Nuggets For The Needy” have come in for some criticism, but for the wrong reason. There have been whispers of mismanagement of the funds collected, and others have been demanding that they show how the money is spent. People should not concern themselves with side issues, it is the reason why we need such an organisation that they should question. They should ask themselves, why should the noblest form of brotherhood be charity? No we shan’t buy any nugget, and by so doing we are really helping the needy.

Please quote me:
Life is not determined by consciousness, but consciousness by life.
Karl Marx.

Capitalism generates war because it is organised in such a way that its wealth can only be produced, and distributed by a process of competition.
Socialist Standard.




Violence in society

The rapid increase in crime is causing headache for the ruling class throughout the world. In Britain, and America, for instance it has become an important political issue. Here in Jamaica we are witnessing a dramatic increase in violent crime, many of them ending in murder. For the first time in memory people are really scared of walking the streets. Small business people are even more worried, as they are a constant temptation to the hold up man.

The Police are blamed in some quarters for lack of zeal, while others accuse the courts for being too lenient. The idea is that the certainty of punishment for wrongdoers, no longer exist. Important witness have suddenly changed their statement, others have even disappeared. The feeling exist that criminals have been getting away with murder! One thing is certain however, about 90% of all crimes are against property. The belief that poverty caused crime wont be around much longer, you need only look at the crime statistics in America to realise why. In fact the reverse would be more true. The more Capitalism develop and increases the living standard for some, it make many more conscious of material things, but frustrated in their efforts to get them. Criminals are as much in favour of Capitalism as any industrialist; they are only interested in adjusting the balance of possession in their favour, and are prepared to do so with a gun.

Regardless of the measures adopted, violent crime seem to have come to stay as a permanent part of modern life. In fact many of the legitimate, and in fact essential business enterprises, incite people to crime. Take advertising. How can you escape from hearing, or seeing something or other that is essential for you to have, if you want to be on the “in crowd”. The pressure to get new things, and replace old ones have distorted any sense of value. Since getting is the thing, how one gets hardly seem to matter.

A society based on private property, is bound to have crime against property. It really is one more example, that our social system is not even capable of making us achieve social harmony. Socialists say that the only way to eliminate crime, is to end the present capitalist system throughout the world. The conflict between those who possess, and those who do not, would end. The motive behind crime would be removed, it would therefore cease. To end the present system however, demand your understanding of how society is as it is operated, what socialism is, and your conscious effort to convince others to your belief. We have made the first move, its up to you now.

DEXTER.



News and views

There are whispers that the government might call a snap election. Since the opposition leader is fairly new to his post the Labour Party might consider this to their advantage. Whether this is true or not there is a definite increase in political activity among the two parties lately. Recent show of strength by supporters of both parties, outside Gordon House, show how little the general public have learned from their experiences. It seem that regardless of how frustrating life became their love and loyalty for a particular leader increases. The extent of hero worship on these occasions is quite sickening. It is almost as if political affiliation is divorced from personal interest. People are still far from realising that politicans are not elected to serve their interest, but to run capitalism which is not the concern with them at all. This is not the politicans doing it, is the system that control his actions. Another aspect of political life that is very disturbing specially at election times, is the regular violent clashes among workers of opposing parties. This perhaps more than anything else show the degree of ignorance that exists. It is exactly like slaves fighting among themselves, to have a particular master. It is sad to think of the many people who have, and those who will waste their lives fighting for something that only regard them as tools. It is sadder still when one realises that it need not happen.

Gambling, the giver of substance to men daydreams, has really caught on in a big way. With nearly a thousand betting shops, and the figure still rising, things are looking quite rosey for the bookie. Workers gamble daily on English races with the hope that they will get and escape their poverty. The fact that this habit sink them more into poverty, cant really destroy their vision of escape. The consequence to home life can be imagined. As Capitalism becomes more complex, it brutalises, and destroys more people, we come to live the way it function, wrong priorities, wrong goal.

The sugar industry is really at a crossroad. With low world prices, high cost of production, and the uncertainty of the preferential agreement with Britain if that country enters the Common Market. The Government is doing all it can to persuade Britain to consider their interest in the negotiations. The fact that Britain needs the Common Market, more than they need Britain is apparently ignored. The U.K. is just not in the economic position to get any major concession. Our rulers appear to be more interested in keeping the commonwealth idea alive than the British Government! They continue to talk of their 300 years as a colony. This should qualify them for something they hint. Our politicans talk as if they would like the British ruling class to give their problems equal status with their own, in Britain’s effort to get into Europe. If this is so, something quite unexpected is in store for them. Each country is forced by our social system to seek the best for itself, and disregard any other consideration. This is a law of Capitalism. If nothing else, independence has helped to expose our economic dependence, such is the nature of our world.

CREMO FORD.
(Kingston, 1970)