{"id":209911,"date":"2020-11-25T01:07:44","date_gmt":"2020-11-25T01:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/?page_id=209911"},"modified":"2020-12-09T12:22:25","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T12:22:25","slug":"december-2020-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/december-2020-2\/","title":{"rendered":"December 2020-2"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Debate between Federico Pistono, and Clifford Slapper (SPGB)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Federico Pistono is author of the book<em> &#8220;Robots will steal your job, but that&#8217;s OK; how to survive the economic collapse and be happy&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Thanks to Stephen Oberauer for filming the debate &#8211; https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/soberauer<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hcFocV-f3ew\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Check out all of our audio and video broadcasts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/audio-visual\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Whether you are new to socialist ideas or not, these links provide both introductory as well as in-depth analyses.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/welcome\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">|Welcome<\/a>| <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/what-capitalism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">|What is capitalism?|<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/what-socialism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">|What is socialism?|<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/article\/introductory-articles\/reform-or-revolution\/education-introductory-articles-reform-or-revolution\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">|Reform or revolution?| <\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1391-july-2020\/the-case-for-socialism-5\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">|The Case for Socialism|<\/a> |<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/publications\/in-depth-articles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">In Depth articles<\/a>| |<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/publications\/study-guides\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Study Guides<\/a>| <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/publications\/an-a-to-z-of-marxism\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">|A-Z of Marxism|<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/\/2020s\/2020\/no-1396-december-2020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>No. 1396 december 2020<\/strong><\/a><\/h5>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 25%;\" valign=\"top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/\/2020s\/2020\/no-1396-december-2020\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-209872 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-729x1024.jpg 729w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-768x1079.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-1094x1536.jpg 1094w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-1458x2048.jpg 1458w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover-600x843.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Final-Def-Cover.jpg 1693w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><\/a><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/SS-DECEMBER-2020.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Socialist Standard No. 1396 December 2020 PDF version<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10%;\" valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 69%;\" valign=\"top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/\/2020s\/2020\/no-1396-december-2020\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-209871 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-300x227.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"227\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-300x227.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-1024x775.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-768x582.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-1536x1163.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-2048x1551.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Contents-Page-December-600x454.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 25%;\" valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10%;\" valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 69%;\" valign=\"top\">\n<h5><strong> Regulars <\/strong><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 25%;\" valign=\"top\"><b>The<\/b><i><b> Socialist Standard<\/b><\/i> is a monthly socialist newspaper published without interruption since 1904 by the Socialist Party of Great Britain.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Socialist Standard<\/em><\/strong> <strong>Archives<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/standard-archives\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-203124 \" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/September-1904.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"156\" height=\"156\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong><span class=\"Apple-style-span\">Archives link<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10%;\" valign=\"top\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 69%;\" valign=\"top\">\n<ul class=\"issueListArticles\">\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/editorial-6\/\">Editorial<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/pathfinders-41\/\">Pathfinders<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/cooking-the-books-1\/\">Cooking the Books 1<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/material-world-exercise-in-democracy-not-exactly\/\">Material World: Exercise in democracy? Not exactly<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/cooking-the-books-2-2\/\">Cooking the Books 2<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/proper-gander-13\/\">Proper Gander<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/book-reviews-41\/\">Book reviews<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/50-years-ago-5\/\">50 Years Ago<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/obituary-fred-allen\/\">Obituary: Fred Allen<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/december-2020-discord-events\/\">Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"issueArticles\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/rear-view-57\/\">Rear View<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-style-span\">The newspaper is written in a simple, direct style and focuses mainly on socialist advocacy and Marxian analysis of current events, particularly those affecting the United Kingdom from 1904 until the present..<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h5>\u200b<strong>Features<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/covid-and-capitalisms-unnecessary-dilemma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Covid and capitalism\u2019s unnecessary dilemma<\/a><\/h1>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209807\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/uk-coronavirus-response-charts-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/uk-coronavirus-response-charts-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/uk-coronavirus-response-charts-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/uk-coronavirus-response-charts-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/uk-coronavirus-response-charts-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/uk-coronavirus-response-charts.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>The crisis provoked by the coronavirus pandemic has brought out clearly the nature of capitalism as a system where most people depend on the income they get as wages from employment. They are in this position because they are excluded from ownership and control of the places where they work and where wealth is produced. These are in the hands of a minority, generally through joint-stock companies, who use them, in fact only allow them to be used, to produce goods and services for sale with a view to profit.<\/p>\n<p>To obtain the money to buy what they need, the excluded majority has to go out on to the labour market and successfully sell their ability to work in return for a money wage (sometimes called a salary).<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/covid-and-capitalisms-unnecessary-dilemma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Read<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/us-politics-what-to-expect-from-biden-and-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">US politics: what to expect from Biden and Harris<\/a><\/h1>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-209812 size-medium alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da-300x231.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da-300x231.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da-1024x787.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da-768x590.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da-1536x1181.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da-600x461.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1317495b573837089409fc03cd7449da.jpg 1631w\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"231\" \/><\/p>\n<p>What can we reasonably expect from the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris?<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_209812\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-209812\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-209812\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kamala Harris &amp; Joe Biden (Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>An assessment of the likely policy orientation of the new administration would ideally take into account the record of the political careers of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the sources of finance for their campaign, the appointments that Biden makes to cabinet post, and \u2013 last but not least \u2013 the political and economic circumstances in which the Biden White House will have to operate. .. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/us-politics-what-to-expect-from-biden-and-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/a-lesson-from-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A Lesson from Trump<\/a><\/h1>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209883\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Trump-Image-300x214.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Trump-Image-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Trump-Image-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Trump-Image.jpg 725w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>The day after the outcome of the American presidential election became clear, someone wrote on our party\u2019s Facebook page: \u2018I can\u2019t help but feel a lot happier this morning, knowing that the odious vile strange orange man has been sent packing\u2019. There can be no doubt that, on a visceral level at least, many other workers worldwide felt a similar sense of relief that the unspeakable individual in charge of America had been dismissed from office. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/a-lesson-from-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">..Read<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/labours-internal-conflicts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Labour\u2019s Internal Conflicts<\/a><\/h1>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<p><strong>Corbyn\u2019s crucifixion<\/strong><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-209800 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Corbyn-Image-159x300.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 159px) 100vw, 159px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Corbyn-Image-159x300.jpg 159w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Corbyn-Image-542x1024.jpg 542w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Corbyn-Image-600x1133.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Corbyn-Image.jpg 716w\" alt=\"\" width=\"159\" height=\"300\" \/><br \/>\nThe suspension from the Labour Party of its erstwhile leader Jeremy Corbyn initially appears to be of little note for socialists. There can be sympathy for the hounding of an apparently decent man, , but hey-ho that\u2019s capitalist politics for you.<\/p>\n<p>But actually, this is a little more serious. While Corbyn does not in any sense meet the criteria set out in our principles of what is required to be a socialist, he is identified throughout the media and in the popular consciousness as just that. Indeed he probably self-identifies as a socialist. . <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/labours-internal-conflicts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/50-years-in-the-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">50 Years in the Party<\/a><\/h1>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209796\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Def-Moss-Image-copy-288x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"288\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Def-Moss-Image-copy-288x300.jpg 288w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Def-Moss-Image-copy-983x1024.jpg 983w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Def-Moss-Image-copy-768x800.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Def-Moss-Image-copy-600x625.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Def-Moss-Image-copy.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px\" \/>I first heard about the Socialist Party of Great Britain in 1970 when I was a student in Hull. A couple of fellow students in the house I lived in were always going on about it. Until then I\u2019d followed my parents in being a Labour supporter and saw the nationalisation of industry as the thing to support. But now I was being told that wouldn\u2019t make any difference and I needed to look beyond it to an entirely different kind of society \u2013 and on a world scale. This was a society of common ownership and free access to all goods and services. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/50-years-in-the-party\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Read<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/capitalism-vs-the-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Capitalism vs the Environment<\/a><\/h1>\n<figure id=\"attachment_209775\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-209775\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-209775\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032-1024x684.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032-768x513.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032-1536x1025.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032-600x401.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/1603222517060-gettyimages-1161614032.jpeg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-209775\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Climate change protestors hold their placards high.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ever since the dawn of the industrial revolution, capitalism has had a relentless impact on the environment, causing devastating climate change. With production motivated by making money rather than safeguarding the environment or satisfying people\u2019s, needs wasteful and polluting methods will be used if they minimise costs and maximise profits. Any legislation which aims to curb environmental damage still has to fit into this framework. We in the Socialist Party do not shout for minimum reforms or minor changes to current worldwide production methods in an attempt to mitigate or o\ufb00set the damage already done. Instead we believe that the only real solution is an end to the root cause of the problem, that is capitalism itself \u2013 nothing more, nothing less. ..<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/capitalism-vs-the-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h1><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/merry-christmas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Merry Christmas?<\/a><\/h1>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209819\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/iStock-1269664328-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/iStock-1269664328-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/iStock-1269664328-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/iStock-1269664328-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/iStock-1269664328-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/iStock-1269664328.jpg 1254w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Is your stocking hung upon the wall? Are you all pepped up waiting for your fraction of a family (depending on the apparatchiks latest government edict) to arrive and share the festive fun with you? Or will they be deterred from coming by the incessant government propaganda pouring out of the telescreens \u2013 Obey! Disarray! Dismay! Rule of Two Four Six Eight! Or will they be dissuaded by the militarised police cruising up the street on the lookout for unessential food purchases such as Christmas pud?&#8230;. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/merry-christmas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<h1 class=\"col-md-12\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/happiness-happiness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Happiness, Happiness?<\/a><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<p class=\"western\" align=\"left\">Many aspects of a person\u2019s life can be expressed in numbers: height, weight, income, savings. But what about how happy they are? Can this really be expressed by a score out of ten and compared with how others in the same country felt a year ago or how people living elsewhere feel? That is precisely what is done in the World Happiness Report for 2020, the eighth in the series (online at <a href=\"https:\/\/worldhappiness.report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">worldhappiness.report<\/a>). The period covered is 2017\u201319, and the main source of data is the Gallup World Poll (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/home.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.gallup.com<\/a>). Typically, a thousand people are asked a set of questions in each country each year, and this smallish number is claimed to give reliable estimates, though no evidence for this is provided&#8230;. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/happiness-happiness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Read<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1395-november-2020\/reviews-22\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reviews<\/a><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<table border=\"0\" width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"2\" cellpadding=\"2\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"33%\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/book-reviews-41\/#book-one\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209786\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-195x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-195x300.jpg 195w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-664x1024.jpg 664w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-768x1185.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-996x1536.jpg 996w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-1328x2048.jpg 1328w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL-600x925.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/81p3evowsqL.jpg 1654w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"33%\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/book-reviews-41\/#book-two\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209787\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-201x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-687x1024.jpg 687w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-768x1144.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-1031x1536.jpg 1031w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-1374x2048.jpg 1374w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1-600x894.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Left-Out-scaled-1.jpg 1718w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/a><\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" width=\"33%\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/socialist-standard\/2020\/2020s\/no-1396-december-2020\/book-reviews-41\/#book-three\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-209785\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61RzfrAH1sL-194x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"194\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61RzfrAH1sL-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61RzfrAH1sL-663x1024.jpg 663w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61RzfrAH1sL-768x1187.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61RzfrAH1sL-600x927.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/61RzfrAH1sL.jpg 880w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/3-free-standards\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-153378 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3Free.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3Free.jpg 525w, https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/3Free-300x122.jpg 300w\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"213\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>December 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; Debate between Federico Pistono, and Clifford Slapper (SPGB) Federico Pistono is author of the book &#8220;Robots will steal your job, but that&#8217;s OK; how to survive the economic collapse and be happy&#8221; Thanks to Stephen Oberauer for filming the debate &#8211; https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/soberauer &nbsp; Check out all of our audio and video broadcasts here. &nbsp; &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/december-2020-2\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;December 2020-2&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2282,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-209911","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/209911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2282"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=209911"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/209911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":210597,"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/209911\/revisions\/210597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.worldsocialism.org\/spgb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=209911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}