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Brian wrote:

You also seem to be thinking that if the post is paid the EC does the selection.  Not so under the present party rules. Nonetheless, if such a post does become our new reality it will by necessity mean quite a few changes in the rules.

If a change in the Party Rulebook is going to be required nothing will be able to be done until at least the second half of 2019 when the votes on the motions discussed at 2019 Conference are counted. It's not clear what you are proposing anyway. You seem to be suggesting that it's one of the existing Party officers, presumably the General Secretary, who should be paid as someone not selected by the EC, but the General Secretary is subject to annual re-election so any employment contract would have to be temporary…One of the remits of the Ad Hoc Committee of which you are a member (not the only one) is to propose any changes of rule that may be necessary to implement their recommendations. Which are going to have to be a lot more precise than the brainstorming going on here.As to the salary, when we discussed this at our branch £1000 a month was suggested as reasonable to do the present, part-time work at Head Office. If converted into a full time post that gives a figure nearer Robbo's, which is also roughly Lenin's famous "workers average wage" which I assume is what the SWP and SPEW's full-timers get.

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That banks couldn't lend more than they had, as had once been generally understood, and that the old bankers' saying that  "every bank loan creates a deposit" had been misunderstood. All it meant was that a bank loan would encourage an expansion of business activity, which would bring in more deposits.Judge for yourself:http://www.theoryandpractice.org.uk/library/meaning-bank-deposits-edwin-cannan-1921It wouldn't be surprising since Cannan was one of Hardy's professors at the LSE.

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Oh no, not amending Terms of Reference again. When I was on the EC a couple of years ago we discussed amending terms of reference month after month after month. It was one reason why I decided not to stand again and maybe why there's a shortage of EC candidates.Anyway, what's there seems flexible enough. It allows what you want. The Pamphlets Committee has an idea for a pamphlet. All they need do is put it to the EC, no need to wait for Conference. If it's a reasonable proposition it will be okayed. If it's a proposal to print poetry it will be turned down.

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robbo203 wrote:

Incidentally, I have  never quite understood why the old "World Socialist" journal was discontinued.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Seven issues were produced between 1984 and 1987. It stopped, basically, because not even active members were buying it let alone non-members. Also, we were having difficulties getting good quality articles from the Companion parties. I can't remember exactly but I don't think more than a few hundred per issue were printed. There's good stuff in them and there are still copies of some of the issues left at Head Office if anyone wants one. Just ask.It was set up in accordance with a resolution passed at 1983 Conference:

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That this Conference favours the publication (in addition to present publications) and instructs the EC to act accordingly.

But, can I put a similar question to you, why did the publication "Common Voice" stop being produced. For similar reasons?

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Janet, here it is;

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Publications Committee1. To edit and produce pamphlets and leaflets on subjects decided by Conference or approved by the EC. 2. To report to the EC annually in January on the results of work done and money spent in the previous calendar year. This is intended to be part of the EC report to Annual Conference. 3. To report to the EC annually in July on future plans and financial requirements for the coming calendar year. This is intended to be part of the EC report to the Annual Delegate Meeting. 4. To be composed of at least 2 members appointed annually by the EC from nominations branches.

Not much. Do you want to be nominated for next year's committee?

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You are mixing two things up — the fact that money does not measure the usefulness of what is for sale and whether using money is a good or a bad thing.  Nearly everyone accepts that money does not measure usefulness but comparatively few  want a society in which money would be redundant.  You are the ORIGINATOR of neither.

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It would have to be self-financing (as it wouldn't be) and not take resources away from the Socialist Standard (which it would). And it would require a Conference resolution (unlikely to get through) .So it's a non-starter.  It's not a priority.and would only be a vanity publishing. Another of the thousand blooms flourishing here that will wither in the face of reality.

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These were activities (indoor and outdoor meetings, selling the Standard door to door) organised by the Party in the 1960s and 1970s. It was also the title of a supplement to the September 1967 Socialist Standard which carried articles from all the Companion Parties. The 7 days were the week 3-10 September. But this wouldn't have been the only one. Here's the report on that one:https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1960s/1967/no-758-october-1967/week-meetings-londonThe Irish party organised one in October 1963, in fact this might be where the idea came from:https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/socialist-standard/1960s/1964/no-715-march-1964/letter-irelandSelling the Standard door to door (canvassing) died out years ago as has selling it in pubs though that lasted a longer into the 1980s.

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There you are. Easy and flexible.

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Prakash RP wrote:

I expected some comments from yoy all on the content of my last post. It passes my comprehension why you all are silent on the SIGNIFICANCE of the THESIS that money canNOT measure the worth of a commodity.

It will be because it's a commonplace observation which we, and most other people, agree with. Of course we go further and say this situation should be ended by bringing in a society based on common ownership and production for use instead of production for profit which would make monetary calculation and evaluation and money itself unnecessary.

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I am afraid Joel Sobel is right, as we pointed out in the discussion of the other thread you started –it isn't you that is the first to point out that money doesn't measure use-value (only exchange-value) and that this was known at least as far back as Adam Smith. As he wrote to you:

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Joel Sobel Oct 25 to me: Dear Mr Prakash, I agree with the comments of the distinguished people who have replied to your message. The monetary value of an object does not measure worth. This idea, however, has been known since (at least) Adam Smith and the references to the diamond-water paradox are appropriate. So I believe your insight is sound, but not novel. Best wishes, Joel S.

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The present situation is flexible enough. 1986 Conference passed the following resolution which is still in force and applied:

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This Conference resolves that the New Pamphlets Committee, while continuing to be a sub-committee of the EC, should have the authority to produce pamphlets and leaflets on subjects which have been approved by the EC without having to submit the texts to the EC for editing; quantities and expenditures to be agreed by the EC.

Its current terms of reference say:

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To edit and produce pamphlets and leaflets on subjects decided by Conference or approved by the EC.

So the position is clear: the subject of a pamphlet is decided by Conference or the EC; after that the Publications Committee produces it in the same way the Editorial Committee produce the Socialist Standard.Having said that, it is a bit surprising that nobody has raised the question of whether printed pamphlets are things of the past and have been superseded by online publications. I say that as a pamphlet reader and collector who doesn't like reading things online, but is this the view of, how shall I put it, more modern readers?

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Personally I'd prefer the self-employed option, but we've set up a committee to go into the ins and outs of all this. Let's wait and see what they come up with. The rather succesful survey was only the first, introductory part of their work.

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jondwhite wrote:

Are 'No reformation' and 'No promises' suitable slogans for WSM companion parties?

"No promises" is certainly ok. We often emphasise that ourselves when we stand at elections. "No reformation" (which presumably is the Indian English for "No Reforms" or "No Reforming". I don't think they mean they are opposed to the Reformation that took place in Christian Europe 500 years ago; that was a good thing as it made the development of capitalism, a precondition for world socialism, easier).Could be misleasing if interpreted as meaning that we are opposed to reforms whereas our position is that we don't advocate them.

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Is 'self-defined needs' correct, shouldn't it be 'class-defined needs'?

"Self-defined needs" is a term we have been using for some time now to emphasise that in socialism the individual decides what their needs are. Could be misleading if it is interpreted as meaning that they can have whatever they want whereas they can only have free access to what society has decided should be produced. "Class-defined needs" is certainly not an alternative as there won't be any class, including the working class, in socialism. "Society-defined needs" would give the impression that individuals wouldn't decide what they need. I suppose, to be strictly accurate, we would have to say something like "individuals would have free access to what they decided they needed out of what society had decided should be produced". A bit unwieldy.

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Are there any other speakers at Spring schools past or present?Will there be an agenda with motions submitted from a variety of sources for conference and has there been in the past? Are past conference decisions available?Is a treasurers report available?

All their Minutes and accounts are published (and recent ones posted here). Remember that we are dealing with a party the size of one of our branches.

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Will 'History of Universal Suffrage' and WSPI pamphlets be open to make use of by companion parties?

Why not. Their pamphlet on the History of Economics is available from Head Office, price 50 rupees + 2nd class postage stamp. Can also be ordered on line here: http://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/catalog/non-party-publications/world-socialist-party-india-history-political-economy

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Where is the link to the WSPI discussion forum?

Seems to be here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/328364997178353/about/%5B/quote%5D

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The obvious thing is to have a stall outside the entrance. It's in the North London branch catchment area.

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