Young Master Smeet
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ALB wrote:Was reviewed in the May Socialist Standard:
Was that actually a review (as in the author had read the whole book)? I took it as a report of the news controversey, and we were waiting for a more detailed review. Anyway, I think someone has linked to Harvey's review before, but in case not:http://socialistworker.org/blog/critical-reading/2014/05/18/david-harvey-reviews-thomas-pi
ISTR that in fact Adam Smith advocated a wealth tax (as opposed to taxes on income, sales or land), and indeed, this would be a good way of clearing out the non-capitalist rentiers and property owners, but they wouldn't put up with that for long.So, up to 1970 the top 10% only had six times their share: and that was with a tight labour market, relative to the capital available. They broke out with the expanding worldwide available labour force (and under those conditions it's arguable that state action actually savd the capitalists money by refining the labour market).Where Piketty is right is that capitalism is global and we need to (and indeed can only) act globally.
That isn't/won't be our position. Whilst we might formally register for the no camp, just to keep ourselves legal, we'll be calling for a write-in vote for World Socialism, AFAIK
gnome wrote:I can think of one very good reason. The local branch, despite the best efforts of several comrades, is still not a functioning unit of the Party. I may be wrong but a recent online meeting of North East branch was inquorate.Other branches have gone through periods of inquoracy in the past (Central London certainly did), the point is, if Vin comes back the branch would cease to be inquorate.There is another option which is that the inquorate branch meeting proposes a postal ballot of branch members, that would just require a quorate vote to be effective (and would not be underhand). Last time this was mooted Vin seemed reluctant to draft a supporting statement, but that would work, and we'd have a functional branch back.That, or we get the physical meeting organised, I'm looking into that.
Vin Maratty wrote:Bill you have probably already tried this but what about 'management' ; 'group settings' and select 'public' ? I think it is important branch meetings are open to the public.I've tried, the option doesn't exist. It's a matter for the branch to resolve when it gets a quorate meeting together.
Specially convened emeeting of North East Regional Branch to discuss conference report 2014, 19th – 23rd May 2014, held at Yahoo Groups Yahoo Groups Yahoo! Groups offers free mailing lists, photo & file sharing, group calendars and more. Discuss hot topics, share interests, join online communities. View on uk.groups.yahoo.com Preview by Yahoo Present: E. Colborn, S. Colborn (Chair), G. White (Meeting inquorate).Visitors: B. Martin (Minutes), V. Marratty.Meeting convened 1200 hrs 19/05/20141) Previous minutes: not to hand. 2) Conference report – brief discussion. 3) The future of the branch (membership, physical meeting). Meeting Adjourned 1200 hrs 23rd May 2014.
Labour win all three seats, taking one from the Lib Dems.Riddhi Bhalla (Conservative) 320*Janet Burgess (Labour) 2,228Michael Collins (Conservative) 361Giorgia Gamba (Liberal Democrats) 297Mick Holloway (Green) 717Daniel Hudson (Green) 621Stefan Antoni Kasprzyk (Liberal Democrats) 333*Kaya Makarau Schwartz (Labour) 1938Bill Martin (The Socialist Party of GB) 90*Tim Nicholls (Labour) 1,779Jill Renwick (Green) 720Victoria Savvides (Liberal Democrats) 245Oliver Peter Jonathan (Conservative) 314
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/NEB-SPGB/conversations/messagesAs a wee technical glitch (i.e. I unchecked the wrong box at some point) it's not visible to the public, but you can apply to join to see what is going on.
Vin,we have 350 words to make a statement: something will always be left olut. The aim is to bring people in to read more detailed discussion if their interest is piqued.There is a feeling around, generally, that we need to put the positive case for socialism (that happy images are a better sell than misery).Frankly, we're pitching for the people who already think capitalism is brfoken (and after the past 6 years, we shouldn't really need to persuade people of that fact, if we do, they aren't (yet) our target market). Whenever I've been on the stump, banging on about the ills of capitalism, someone will always ask "so, what are you proposing" (in effect, I'd ghave jkust wasted the previous fifteen minutes).
Not bad, at least we were the only ones not demanding control of borders: I hope a few Oxfordshire types spat their breakfast out when they heard her…
ALB wrote:Our candidate from Oxford Claudia's interview with BBC Radio Oxford will be broadcast between half 8 and half nine on Thursday morning (1 May). You can listen to it on your computer here:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radiooxfordBut you'll have to be quick as it only lasts a minute (though there is a "Listen Again" facility).Did anyone catch this? (What time in the programme was it?)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-27217198
BBC wrote:Unlike a number of other financial institutions, before the merger, the Co-operative Bank obtained most of funding from its own customers' deposits.As a result, it was not adversely affected when the international money markets dried up during the financial crisis and considered itself as having "weathered the crisis well".But the bank was hurt by the prolonged period of low interest rates introduced by the Bank of England, which depressed its net margins and profitability.I think that's the key, although, in the way of things, this report cites personal failings, these would not have been an issue had there been a lot of profits to go around. Teh case of the co-op shows how the general inpersonal trends of the markets interracts with teh personal specifics of people in offices. I suppose psychologically we personalise faults, at the expense of looking at the system.
Apparently its for digitising and selling the collected works to academia. To be clear, they only own their translations.
The (returned) TSB has been advertising it's banking model. Clearly they are evil lying lizards:http://www.abouttsb.co.uk/truth_and_banking.html(actually a clever and informative video, we should make maximum use of it).
