alanjjohnstone
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A poor example of a demagogue in action, indeed.I am surpried that they still feel the need to profile Sheridan for votes and sadly unless i have lost touch completely, he is well past his sell-by date for most Scots.
A fair enough analysis of Ukraine imhohttp://libcom.org/news/anarchism-context-civil-war-08052014#comment-537875
Not too happy with the The leaderless Socialist Party of Great Britain. Sounds as if we have lost a leader and are rudder-less and is repeated in the following sentnce in a better context as part of our principles. So it could have been omoitted. i noticed it before and was amiss innot criticising at the time. "The membership-controlled" or "fully democratic" would have been a better option.Apologies for nit-picking.
I had an Italian co-worker and when we were discussing politics he sometimes suggested things would be a lot better if we shot all "the men in black" …This was before the movie so it wasn't those men in blackTurned out he meant priests and particularly Jesuits.Also turned out he had one time been a drinking buddy of Dario Fo.
An account of the Odessa fire.Make of it as you will http://libcom.org/news/statement-odessa-tragedy-autonomous-workers-union-06052014
Vin , I thought this song on the Levellers may make a good video with your skilled touches…needs a bit editing…or seek out another version more appropriate for adding text. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bAnCamTwrk4 Leon Rosselson'sWorld Turned Upside Down: In sixteen forty-nine to Saint George's Hill A ragged band they called the Diggers came to show the people's will They defied the landlords, they defied the law They were the dispossessed, reclaiming what was theirs "We come in peace," they said, "to dig and sow We come to work the land in common and to make the waste ground grow This earth divided we will make whole So it can be a common treasury for all The sin of property we do disdain No man has any right to buy and sell the earth for private gain By theft and murder they steal the land Now everywhere the walls rise up at their command They make the laws to chain us well The clergy dazzle us with heaven or they damn us into hell We will not worship the god they serve They god of greed who feeds the rich while poor folk starve We work, we eat together, we need no swords We will not bow to the masters or pay rent to the lords Still we are free men though we are poor You Diggers all, stand up for glory, stand up now" From the men of property the order came They sent the hired men and troopers to wipe out the Diggers' claim Tear down their cottages, destroy their corn They were dispersed, but still the vision carries on You poor, take courage, you rich, take care This earth was made a common treasury for everyone to share All things in common, all people one We come in peace, the order came to cut them down
Well to settle this, i think it just takes a matter of tweaking by DJP to satisfy Brian by offering a choice of long and short versions of the pack…SPGB-LITE and SPGB-SH….no i wont say the obvious…lol
As you see, the above comments are not made from ignorance. We fully understand Albert's position and disagree with its basics, regardless of the endorsements he has received from the likes of Chomsky. The You Tube video Gnome linked you to is of the SPGB debate with him a couple of years back
Capitalism has already created all the necessary prerequisites for socialism. Years ago the task of socialising food distribution in any country would have been formidable, requiring the establishment of social control over endless thousands of independent small retailers and suppliers; today, most people obtain their food supplies from four or five big outlets. The supermarkets are already a model of efficient central planning. It is planning with no democratic control or scrutiny, and the whole operation is aimed at realising maximum profits rather than at the general welfare; but the mechanisms of procurement and logistics of distribution are there. All we need to do is expropriate the owners and turn the work of administration and decision-making over to the various organs of participatory democracy. We take hold, we adapt and we modify and we re-use…recycling capitalism into something different, not re-packaging into another brand of the same! You have invited us to join you, we are already an organisation that perhaps shares much of your aspirations. You should join the World Socialist Movement. The technical details of applying the vital tenet “from each according to ability, to each according to need” can still be debated and discussed. Futurology are broad brush-strokes and present just a sketchy outline but an important one. The pressing situation right now is how to achieve the position of being able to implement our model, what are the most efficacious means and methods to change the present society for a new one. Our outlook is based on collective, political action involving us in activity to capture the State and dismantle it along with capitalism.
i' m rather pleased that unlike Mohammed who had to go to the mountain, the mountain is coming to us, regard that we have maintained our principles and integrity and not joined left unity groups who we would have disagreements with but find that CPGB is endorsing our candidates…and this Oxford group are offering actual assistance in distributing our literature.Can i suggest we try and maintain contact with CCS, perhaps send them half a dozen free Standards each month and add them to any mailing list/press release.I think these developments justify our standing and hopefully next time around we can put up more in other regions.
Here is another model you might wish to consider. A plan fully achievable right now, if the majority of people want it. http://www.countercurrents.org/johnstone020514.htm
Another reason for me to hate the BBC James Cook, Scotland Correspondent, of BBC News, said it had been a member of the CBI since at least 1980. and that means 3/4 a million quid to an employers' lobby group…unbiased, impartial, balanced reporting …
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/02/manifesto-europe-radical-financial-democratic Perhaps, in regards to another thread on media and press, some of our more informed members on European economics and involved in the Euro election could respond to this "manifesto" and have the media committee issue it as a press release.
A 1938 reply to Left Unity that still has resonance today !http://socialiststandardmyspace.blogspot.com/2014/05/why-i-joined-spgb.html
