ALB
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There was (yet another) anti-austerity march in London yesterday organised by the Peoples Assembly, Stop the War and CND, at which the chant "Cameron Out" went up without indicating who they wanted "In" (no doubt Jeremy rather than Boris) as if changing the Prime Minister would change anything. Some of our "The problem is not the Tories … It's capitalism" leaflets were handed out.There's also elections to the Greater London Assembly going on at which we're standing 3 candidates. Other members were involved in activity in connection with this. See:http://spgb.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/another-saturdays-stalls.htmlVoilà tout.
This seems to be more a by-product of the French government's attempt to water down labour laws and therefore probably just a French national phenomenon not likely to spread to other countries, whereas Occupy was a reaction to the Great Crash of 2008 and so more global as a reaction against an effect of world capitalism.
Two letters have been published in the local press in the South West constituency.This in the Surrey Comet on 8 April:
Quote:Green Party mayor candidate Sian Berry has a point (Surrey Comet, April 1) when she says that the present model for providing so-called affordable housing, as housing at a rent or price below the going rate, isn't working as it is based on signing "big deals with developers". These deals have to allow the property developers to make a profit but the more below-market-rate housing the mayor requires them to provide in any project the less their profit. So there are limits as to how far they can be pushed. If they aren't allow to make enough profit they will just walk away. Not enough profit, no production. That's the way the capitalist system works and why it should be replaced by a society based on common ownership and democratic control, which will allow production, including of houses, for use instead of for profit. Adam Buick, Socialist Party candidate GLA South West constituency.And this in the Richmond and Twickenham Times on 15 April:
Quote:George Galloway (RTT, April
is right to pick up on Sadiq Khan's promise to be "the most pro-business Mayor ever". This shows that Labour, even under Corbyn, still wants to be seen as better managers of the capitalist system than the Tories. But capitalism can never be run for the benefit of those who, in Galloway's words, "work for businesses". This is why it needs to be replaced by a system based on common ownership and democratic control not production by profit-seeking businesses. Adam Buick, Socialist Party candidate GLA South West constituencyBring back Edith Summerskill (hope you're ancient enough to remember her):http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/inside-lines-in-the-blue-corner-is-leslie-the-mp-who-packs-a-punch-2299683.htmlThat was one reform within capitalism I always thought worth supporting but it's never going to hsppen (too much money involved in the "sport").
alanjjohnstone wrote:Did, or has, your contact visited the protest and talked with the some of the participants involved with it and come to any conclusions about the potential that it may have, ALB?Yes he has and here is what we has to report (SEL schemes are LETS schemes):
Quote:I did have a look round but it was the day of the big demonstration. I didn’t see anything very interesting except the usual stuff on minority rights, SEL schemes, and all kinds of bright suggestions for saving the planet. Not very interesting. I imagine that the situation is different in the smaller towns of France where things can get quite lively.Confirms the passage that YMS's machine translated.
The famous election booklet which allows candidates for Mayor to state their case, and which would have been one of the main reasons for us putting up a candidate for Mayor, is now published on the London Election website here:https://www.londonelects.org.uk/download/file/fid/744To have taken advantage of this we would have had to have collected 332 signatures, put down a deposit of £10,000 and paid a further £10,000 for a statement in the booklet (this last is not obligatory and 2 of the 12 candidates for Mayor have not done so).That we are contesting three constituencies is featured in the booklet as it lists all candidates and their parties.The booklet will be distributed to all London electors in the coming weeks.
Our man in Paris replies:
Quote:Less interesting than Occupy. Started by a guy called Frédéric Lordon who is a very interesting Marxist (though a bit difficult to follow)More on Frédéric Lordon here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_LordonHe's also the author of a book translated into English as Willing Slaves of Capital:https://www.bookdepository.com/Willing-Slaves-Capital-Frederic-Lordon/9781781681602Reviewed here, for instance:http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2133-frederic-lordon-s-willing-slaves-of-capital-a-review
Russian State, student union tinpot censors, same struggle. Someone in Russia risks a year in prison for offending the sensibilities of christians by saying "there is no god":http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35715325Where will it end if these student activists go in for politics?
Actually, we've got 2 members and at least one sympathiser in France. I've emailed the sympathiser, who lives in Paris, to ask what he knows about this group and for his opinion of it. This might save a useless trip to Paris and taking the risk of being blown up there by some fanatical suicide bomber.
There's a full page interview with George Galloway as one of the London mayor candidates in this week's Richmond and Twickenham Times in which he comments on Khan's pro-business stance:
Quote:Mr Galloway highlighted Sadiq Khan's pledges to be "the most pro-business Mayor ever", and said this is the last thing London needs. He said: "Big business doesn't need a Mayor, it's the people who work for businesses who do. Landlords don't need a Mayor, the tenants do. It is not the Mayor's duty to tell the banks what to do. I will be the most pro-worker, the most pro-tenant".So it seems I'm wrong. There is a candidate using traditional leftwing (but not socialist) language.
alanjjohnstone wrote:I know I'm not going to be popular saying this but a couple of hours around noon is simply not long enough on a SaturdayNo you're not going to be ! This is just the time period when we guarantee to any other members and sympathisers who may want to turn up that there will be a stall there. We may well stay longer and, if we don't, we'll be distributing leaflets door to door nearby.
Also, of course, on the weekend before socialism is established we'll have to spend all our money since it will be worthless on Monday ….
