alanjjohnstone
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In my annual work survey for ethnicity question i always put Indigenous North American Native and advised my colleagues to do the same…they never , but if we had gotten 5% to do so then Human Resources would be obliged to work out an equal opportunities job plan for that (non-existent) minority – just to screw management up
SOYMB has now blogged an abridged and adapted article. It complements the previous post of a moneyless society almost perfectly. http://www.socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/2014/03/empty-wallets-mean-empty-stomachs.html
A moving video of his funeral cortege and the mourners. I can't recall media coverage of his funeral despite all the false sympathy that was offered to him by the ruling class. Indeed they are glad he is gone and don't want him to be remembered https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWLkG8tG9xo
In regards to the extra 400 million the Co-op bank has to raise to protect it against pending penalties, i have to offer some sympathy to it when part of those charges of misconduct was protecting workers in arrears by plAcing their mortgages in forbearance (deferring payments) even if it meant their interest charges for them rising.Would it be kinder to have kicked them out of thir homes as the regulator (and Robert Peston of the BBC) suggests? http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26711709
A topic on libcom suggests "The only government minister to order armed police against striking workers was that left-wing man of the people, Tony Benn." around 1976/1977. Although it's not clear this is accurate.https://libcom.org/forums/history/baboon-wrote-the-only It was also discussed here but i forget what thread. It was when Benn was Minister for Energy , he authorised the arming of the independently organised special police force set up to guard nuclear installations. During a strike, on supposed safety advice from civil servants, he gave them authority to escort strike breakers across the picket lines. He later expressed regrets, accusing the civil servants of hyping up the safety risks.
I have been reading much of your work now, and making extracts and adapt to use on our blogs (i will credit you as the inspiration). It is very much welcomed that you have them on site that is freely available to the public (unlike so many other academic papers which are restricted)One thing (if you re-visit this list) i would appreciate is clarification on your views concerning the free access of William Morris and the various market socialism models you describe elsewhere. When we are talking about "socialism" we mean specifically a non-market non-monetary system of production in which individuals have free access to goods and services and labour is provided on a voluntary basis and where the law of value would cease to apply.At times i wondered when you discussed your own thoughts on the market it was not the prices market but the various possible feed-back mechanisms from consumers to the many workers councils/producer associations, that you had in mind. As much as you thank us for our interest, we return our thanks for your interest in our interest
The Co-operators hit backhttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/23/co-op-thrive-fundamental-principles-turmoil-managers
Just did a google on Critchley . He has several articles with titles that sound very interesting, all free downloads . But i am not sure if he may be into some sort of workers self managed market socialism or a critic of its possibility. Needs more reading. http://mmu.academia.edu/PeterCritchley
Surprised the book had never reached my attention before. Even Libcom don't refer to it. i Sped-read through to the Gramsci chapter whose views on workers councils i haven't before read in depth. I share your reluctance of reading heavy theory online but i might buy a Kindle which some say are much easier and user-friendly. He does an effective demolition job on Lenin and the Bolsheviks and their heirs in the vanguard parties.He offers a sympathetic reading to the syndicalists and industrial unionists but accepts they failed to develop a political approach that could challenge the prevailing social democratic party politics and an alternative one which needn't replicate it the SPD faults. He highlights much of what is value in Connolly who i have a soft spot for. Sad he didn't mention the Canadian OBU when he discussed the IWW in that they did not disavow political party acrtion. i cut and pasted excerpts which will be the basis of a blog for socialist courier.
Can you not offer us a little taster in the way of an excerpt from it? Knowing Aufheben i expect it is extremely wordy and i don't expect you to transcribe it…just a little extract to highlight it will do.
Naw, i will qualify my earlier comment….i wouldn't just move to another table but instead move to a different pub !!
Dave Douglass highlighting one error of Scargill's leadership – the relationship with the steel-workers.http://www.cpgb.org.uk/home/weekly-worker/1002/miners-review-inspirational-collection
Plenty of media coverage of the RT presenters criticism of the Crimean annexation and one of them resigning on air. Less publicised is the forced resignation of the Ukrainian State tv equivalent of the BBC by right-wingers , one who happens to be on the parlimentary free-speech committee! http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/19/ukranian-tv-boss-assaulted-and-forced-to-resign-by-far-right-svoboda-mps/
