alanjjohnstone
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Wasn't three-quarters of the content of German Ideology aimed primarily at Stirner, and three-quarters of the remainder aimed at other members of the Young Hegelians who are no longer read except if it is on the curricula of your university philosophy course? Was it also very much a joint effort. From Wiki
Quote:The Preface and some of the alterations and additions are in Marx's hand; the bulk of the manuscript, however, is in Engels' hand, except for Chapter V of Volume II and some passages of Chapter III of Volume I which are in Joseph Weydemeyer's hand. Chapter V in Volume II was written by Moses Hess and edited by Marx and Engels.Coincidentally George Monbiot writes about democracy in his column which is a good read (as he often is)https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/oct/04/democracy-people-power-governments-policy
Quote:We base our political decisions on who we are rather than what we think. In other words, we act politically – not as individual, rational beings but as members of social groups, expressing a social identity. We seek out the political parties that seem to correspond best to our culture, with little regard to whether their policies support our interests. We remain loyal to political parties long after they have ceased to serve us….The idea that parties are guided by policy decisions made by voters also seems to be a myth; in reality, the parties make the policies and we fall into line. To minimise cognitive dissonance – the gulf between what we perceive and what we believe – we either adjust our views to those of our favoured party or avoid discovering what the party really stands for. This is how people end up voting against their interests.He makes an interesting point on the use of language in political discourses which is something we perennially do in our self-analysis and self-criticisms. If the weakness exists, if we vote by social identity then it is the lack of class identity which is at the core of the problems. We may be a class in itself, but certainly, not a class for itself (which is so often said it has grown rather a passe comment)As i never weary saying, it is now time that we have a whole re-evaluation of how the party practices its principles in the light of our declining numbers and influence.
If anybody got a spare hour, watching this speciesism video might pass the time usefullyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqT82oGeax0
The New Yorker has a long article on Marx that is an interesting read with some things said that could be an interesting debate.http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/karl-marx-yesterday-and-today
yup…my usual failing of not reading what i see. Now if we ever had 4% writing "world socialism", i think we would be extremely pleased.I'm all ears for ideas on how this could be accomplishedhttp://www.dw.com/en/orban-ropes-hungarian-roma-into-anti-refugee-campaign/a-35944193I did read an article where Orban tried to appeal to the Roma for support on the basis that the lowest of the low would have their miserable existence undermined even more by newcomers. But one Roma spokesperson refused to fall for the government clap-trap.
Quote:"Most people now think that migrants are some three-headed aliens with four arms who will rape all the women and will destroy everything, so this kind of hate should not be amplified as it could really hit back on the Roma later," Lakatos said. "Hungary shows no tolerance for the oppressed. Government or society does not even show minimal tolerance of the poorest or the weakest: On the contrary, the government even amplifies such aversions."Regards Colombia, this seems a good analysis, something similar to the Remain campaign in the EU" the “yes” side took the support of the people for granted…"https://www.countercurrents.org/2016/10/03/no-to-peace-in-colombia/
Two bits of news.http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/colombia-referendum-peace-accord-farc-rejected-161002220514696.htmlIn Columbia, the peace agreement was very narrowly defeated but the turn out was just 40%http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hungary-referendum-eu-migrant-quotas-fails-low-turnout-a7342071.htmlIn Hungary, the anti-migrant referendum failed have not achieved the requisite turn-out of 44% I would have voted for peace in Columbia as i commented on the Socialist Standard article on the Farc. Peace at all costs, (that is why we applauded Lenin's decision)While arguing for abstention in the Hungary referendum as the best tactic to defeat it rather than a no. Four per cent of the votes were spoiled — twice as many as in any of the other four referenda held since 1997 — driving down the number of valid votes to just below 40 per cent. But a spoiled ballot would effectively made it easier for the 50% turn-out threshold to be met as they were counted in the turn-out.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/colombia-referendum-peace-accord-farc-rejected-161002220514696.htmlThe outcome of the referendum was a blow for peace. 50.2 percent of ballots opposed the peace agreement while 49.8 percent favoured it – a difference of less than 60,000 votes out of a total of 13 million.The position of the World Socialist Movement has always been peace at any price (except, of course, in the case of the class war)
Well worth a read about how society fears the consequence of discovering the true nature and intelligence of animal specieshttp://www.truth-out.org/news/item/37826-we-are-not-alone-listening-to-the-8-7-million-other-animals-who-live-on-earth
Worth a watch of a talk-radio presenter contrasting the fact that 16 million brits have less than 100 pounds savings and their stupid concern about the number of migrantshttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/james-obrien-lbc-powerful-tirade-britain-immigration-a7339756.html
Quote:it is possible to have a moneyless class society with a state (a number have existed in the past)The Inca Empire is one such example
Quote:The production, distribution, and use of commodities were centrally controlled by the Inca government. Each citizen of the empire was issued the necessities of life out of the state storehouses, including food, tools, raw materials, and clothing, and needed to purchase nothing. With no shops or markets, there was no need for a standard currency or money, and there was nowhere to spend money or purchase or trade for necessities.Quote:The Incas had a centrally planned economy, perhaps the most successful ever seen. Its success was in the efficient management of labor and the administration of resources they collected as tribute. Collective labor was the base for economic productivity and for the creation of social wealth in the Inca society. By working together people in the ayllu created such wealth that the Spanish were astonished with what they encountered. Every citizen was required to contribute with his labor and refusal or laziness was punishablewith the death penalty. Labor was divided according to region, agriculture would be centralized in the most productive regions, ceramic production, road building, textile and other skills according to ayllus. The government collected all the surplus after local needs were met and distributed it where it was needed. In exchange for their work citizens had free clothing, food, health care and education.The Incas did not use money, in fact they did not need it. Their economy was so efficiently planned that every citizen had their basic needs metQuote:The Inca economy was not based on a money system, and it did not have commerce (the buying and selling of goods, especially on a large scale) or free trade. The government made sure that everyone had enough land or goods to survive, and it managed the exchange of goods between faraway regions. There were no merchants acting on their own behalf. The government promised to take care of the old and the sick, using the large supply of surplus goods produced by mit'a labor. In times of famine, the government storehouses were opened to the public so that no one would starve. Instead of money, the Incas invested mit'a labor: They directed terracing and irrigation projects that enabled peasants to grow more food. Once surplus food was stored away, some of the people were able to quit farming and pursue other activities.i don't know how relevant this is to the topichttp://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/having-sex-believe-in-god-research-religion-duke-university-patty-van-cappallen-a7330076.html
Quote:Hormones released while having sex can increase spirituality and belief in God, scientists have claimed.It seems it is not monks who should be celibate but atheists !!
Then consider the stimulation and inspiration you will get by actually joining the SPGBIt will liven up whatever branch that will have the privilege to have you as a memberOf this increased understanding and knowledge…unless it is reproduced then it is sterile…Why are you insistent that you won't present your core ideas for the blog?
Quote:I want workers active in the intellectual and critical areas of production, not just the mundane.Let me remind you, LBird, that i offered you the medium of the blog for you to address our fellow-workers with your message (subject, of course, to a reasonable word-count limit). That invitation still standsBut you must think why for over 3 years you ahave been on this forum with moreorless the same arguments. Surely, there must be a psychological reason and not a political reason for why you have persevered so long. We cannot be as bad as you say, otherwise, you could be considered a masochist.
I have a lot of sympathy for Linda's view LBird although i would not have worded it as brutally. We have spent an exorbitant time in discussing these and various philosophical positons that keep getting returned to I have said previously that the debate is all rather hair-splitting and point-scoring.I would much rather you redirected your intellect to much more mundane issues, LBird, and advancing the case for socialism.I would like you to convince me of the workers' councils as a means to socialism and not as an end as how socialism itself will be organised.
