Skip to Content

Summer School 2010: A Pessimist's Guide to the Future

Date: 
Saturday, 24 July 2010

From This Months Socialist Standard

Editorial: SNP Hypocrisy

Politicians on both sides of the border are getting worked up over a referendum on Scottish independence and the media are encouraging the rest of us to get involved. But why should we?

It is of no concern to workers in Scotland whether they are governed from London or by a separate independent government in Edinburgh. This is because the cause of the problems they face is the capitalist economic system of production for profit, not the form of government. And the capitalist economic system would continue to exist in a politically independent Scotland.

The only people to benefit from Scottish independence would be the local politicians, who would be able to award themselves grander titles and grander salaries. For workers on these islands there is a precedent in Ireland, which broke away from the UK in 1922. Can anyone claim that this has made any difference to the position of workers there?

Letters

Trade Unions and socialism

Dear Editors

After reading a number of SPGB statements on the unions, among them the SPGB Executive Committee's appeal to trade unionists (Socialist Standard, September 2009), I wonder if you could devote some space to further explaining your position on the role of unions in the revolutionary process.

'Newsraid' Election Broadcast

Election broadcast aired in the London area. Party speaker is Danny Lambert.

Recorded: 
Thursday, 29 April 2010

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

audio/mpeg icon'Newsraid' election broadcast.mp3

Debate - Capitalism or Socialism?

Debate - Capitalism or Socialism?
Speakers - Clifford Slapper (Socialist Party) and David Senior (Conservative Party)
Conway Hall, London
 

Recorded: 
Wednesday, 26 July 1995

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

audio/mpeg iconDebate - Capitalism or Socialism pt.1.mp3

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

audio/mpeg iconDebate - Capitalism or Socialism pt.2.mp3

You are missing some Flash content that should appear here! Perhaps your browser cannot display it, or maybe it did not initialize correctly.

audio/mpeg iconDebate - Capitalism or Socialism pt.3.mp3

Long live the (electronic) revolution!

Socialists have always been aware that if we want to influence the ways in which people think and act we must be able to talk to them. Communication is inseparable from politics. For thousands of years this involved oratory and conversational skills. Even into the last decades of the twentieth century, members of the Socialist Party have been expected to try to develop the ability to deliver talks either to groups of fellow workers at indoor meetings and/or in the cities from outdoor platforms. But one of the reasons that we now find it more difficult to attract workers to our indoor meetings is the fact that they consider the idea old-fashioned. And there are so many modern counter-attractions, such as TV.

The Socialist Party's latest pamphlet

What's Wrong With Using Parliament?

This pamphlet comes at a time when many people are questioning the destructive effects of capitalism, and also with it a rejection of leaders and the traditional left.

This is something that can be encouraged. The aim of the pamphlet is to show that there is another view of social change that may be a blind spot with those who get involved with anti-capitalist, activist or/and anarchist politics.

Price: £1.50
£1.50


Theme by Dr. Radut.