Socialist Standard March 2020 1 Editorial Towards a Disunited Kingdom? The turmoil of the Brexit process has of the 2008 financial crisis, many workers It must be noted that the electoral exacerbated the fissures within the UK, turned away from the mainstream successes of the SNP and Sinn Féin do not which threaten to tear it apart. The capitalist parties. In Scotland, this helped always reflect support for their respective Scottish National Party leader, Nicola the SNP to secure a majority in the 2011 aims of an independent Scotland and a Sturgeon, seized on the fact that the elections for the Scottish Parliament and a united Ireland, but more often a deep majority of Scottish voters opted to landslide in the 2015 General Election. dissatisfaction with the political status remain in the EU, and is demanding a The Irish border has been in contention quo. Nevertheless, these parties will use second independence referendum. The since 1921. However, with the repression their increased leverage to push for their border between the North of Ireland and of the Civil Rights movement in the aims. the Irish Republic which appeared to be North of Ireland in the late 1960s, Irish Do the working class have any invisible since the Good Friday agreement republicanism experienced an upsurge interest in whether or not the United became a stumbling block in the Brexit of support. In the 1980s Sinn Féin was Kingdom remains intact? Or should negotiations. Sinn Fein wasted no time in able to capitalise on the outrage that they, as the Left urges them to, support pressing for a border poll which they hope the British government’s response to the an independent Scotland and a united will lead to the reunification of Ireland. hunger strikes elicited in Catholic working- Ireland? We say no on both accounts The spectre of Scottish independence class areas. It also managed to gain a as, wherever the boundaries are drawn, is nothing new. Scottish workers were foothold by providing welfare services to workers will still be subject to the vagaries badly affected by the economic downturns Catholic workers. With the peace process of the global market system and will of the 1970s and 1980s which hit the and the IRA laying down its weapons, continue to experience problems such as traditional industries (shipbuilding, coal, Sinn Féin was able to reinvent itself as a unemployment and low wages. Workers steel) particularly hard. Many workers workers’ party. will need to organise for a socialist society were also dissatisfied with Labour In last December’s general election, which will abolish borders rather than governments. North Sea oil seemed the SNP increased its seats in Scotland, rearrange them. to promise higher living standards. In whereas the pro-Brexit Conservative these circumstances the SNP was able Party prevailed in England and Wales. to position itself as the workers’ party. In Northern Ireland, for the first time, With the establishment of the Scottish Nationalists won more seats than Parliament in 1999, the then Labour Unionists. Sinn Féin has made a significant government thought they had seen off the breakthrough in last month’s general nationalist threat. However, in the wake election in the Irish Republic.

Introducing the Socialist Party The Socialist Party advocates a society why actions to prevent the depredation of unattractive -- meaning: state ownership where production is freed from the the natural world can have limited effect and control. As the Socialist Standard artificial constraints of profit and and run counter to the nature of capitalism pointed out before both courses were organised for the benefit of all on the itself. followed, the results would more properly basis of material abundance. It does not Gradualist reformers like the Labour be called state capitalism. have policies to ameliorate aspects of the Party believed that capitalism could be The Socialist Party and the World existing social system. It is opposed to all Socialist Movement affirm that capitalism war. is incapable of meaningful change in The Socialist Standard is the combative the interests of the majority; that the monthly journal of the Socialist Party, basis of exploitation is the wages/money published without interruption since system. The Socialist Standard is proud 1904. In the 1930s the Socialist Standard to have kept alive the original idea of explained why capitalism would not what socialism is -- a classless, stateless, collapse of its own accord, in response to wageless, moneyless society or, defined widespread claims to the contrary, and positively, a democracy in which free and continues to hold this view in face of the equal men and women co-operate to notion’s recent popularity. Beveridge’s produce the things they need to live and welfare measures of the 1940s were transformed through a series of social enjoy life, to which they have free access viewed as a reorganisation of poverty and measures, but have merely become in accordance with the principle ‘from a necessary ‘expense’ of production, and routine managers of the system. The each according to their abilities, to each Keynesian policies designed to overcome Bolsheviks had to be content with according to their needs’ slumps an illusion. Today, the journal developing Russian capitalism under a All original material is available under the Creative exposes as false the view that banks one-party dictatorship. Both failures have Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 UK: England & Wales create money out of thin air, and explains given socialism a quite different -- and (CC BY-ND 2.0 UK) licence.

2 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 3 Stories from the city rounded triumphal arches. Empires didn’t What’s always gone on in the PEOPLE ASK a lot of questions about come more bad-ass and macho than background and is also hot today is the socialism in practice, some we can answer, Rome, which is why the growing empires ‘vernacular’ style, which is designing Islands of socialism? Dear Socialist Party, Reply: some we can’t. But nobody ever asks what of the Renaissance revived its styles and buildings in local materials and in the I’m a big fan of yours. I used to be a liberal, Thanks for your supportive remarks. When we talk about socialism we the architecture would look like. it finally arrived in Britain with Inigo Jones local or regional style, so that they fit but you guys have opened my eyes and It’s nice to feel appreciated. You make mean a worldwide sustainable society It’s not a pressing social issue, after all, in the 17th century. Instead of piety, it harmoniously into their surroundings I would like to thank you for that. I have some interesting points and we agree of common ownership, with no leaders, like food or disease prevention. In fact it’s was all about muscular statements of instead of clashing horribly with them. In realized that the only solution to our that the story of Nestor Makhno and so by our global definition socialism has rarely discussed at all, except to complain state power. You often see it on banks theory anyway. problems and the way to a better life for the Makhnovists deserves to be better never existed before. Temporary or small- about some new local monstrosity. or theatres or museums, as well as When you start thinking about the all is through socialism. But, having read known, especially as it is a good example scale experiments have certainly occurred When you think about it though, there’s government buildings. Not surprisingly, socialist architecture of the future, you the replies under your tweets, I’m aware of something which leftists often tend to at different times in history, but we tend something a little strange about this. the Georgians and the Victorians, who realise that all bets are off. First you would there is still a long road ahead. gloss over. to question their usefulness in convincing People who live in rural areas often have a had a high opinion of themselves as rulers have to ask how people wanted to live. However, there’s also something else Leninists usually excuse the top-down, anyone of the viability of socialism. If great familiarity with their landscape and of an emerging globally dominant power, Would they stay in settled communities that I’d like to address: what do you guys authoritarian structure of the Bolshevik anything, the very fact that they didn’t its features, right down to individual tree couldn’t get enough of the neo-classical as now, or move around constantly, think of the Free Territory of Ukraine that regime, as well as its murderous excesses, last long can be trumpeted as proof that and plant species. They know the language style, and neither could Mussolini later exploring the entire world and ‘working existed from 1918 to 1921? Was that a by saying that ‘there was a war on’. But socialism is not viable. Of course it’s not and vocabulary of their environment, and on. But changing political priorities their passage’, in the sense of helping out real example of socialism working? They that war didn’t stop the Makhnovists, proof of any such thing, but neither is it this knowledge undoubtedly adds to their could change tastes. When the Houses with odd jobs wherever they happen to had no top down control (only a defensive who were under attack from both the proof that socialism could work long-term. appreciation of it. be? Would the current global urbanisation military, which was needed considering White Army and the Bolshevik Red Army, Besides, not everyone finds such obscure The majority of the world lives in trend continue, or go into reverse, with they were under threat from all sides); from, as you say, trying to set up an historical debates either attractive or cities, and the built environment has its cities becoming depopulated? There are they had collective property; lived in egalitarian social system, although given relatable. Perhaps what such attempts do own language and vocabulary, that of pros and cons to this question. Would communes; used no money in most parts, the constraints they were operating under, show, however, is that the human desire architecture, but most of us don’t know there be a need for public buildings, and the parts that did use money were whether we could call this ‘socialism for social equality, real democracy, free much about it. We know ‘door’, ‘wall’ perhaps to house representative decision- planning on abolishing it soon, and not to working’ is somewhat debatable. access and so on is very real and very and ‘roof’ but not ‘quoin’, ‘corbel’ or making bodies, or is this an obsolete forget, they had working co-ops and direct What it does show is that the Leninist strong, and the fact that people have ‘voussoir’. We rush past buildings every democratic methodology when everything democracy. They were quite successful justification is meaningless, and that acted on that desire in the past is a very day without really noticing them. We can be done directly and online? What and would have achieved more had the the main reason Bolsheviks employed good reason to think they will act on it might acknowledge that some grand weight would be given to aesthetic Bolsheviks not invaded them. authoritarian repression was because that again in the future, next time we hope buildings are beautiful, but we can’t statements, if it meant more expenditure There have been other attempts to is the nature and mentality of Leninism. with happier results. –Editors. really understand or appreciate what’s of Parliament burnt down in 1834, a of work and resources? Perhaps socialist anarchism as well. This vanguardist mentality is one of the interesting about them because we don’t discussion ensued about what to replace architecture would be plain and functional So would you say this was a real and things that makes Leninism quite different have the words. it with. Neo-classical was the obvious as people found pleasure in things other good example of socialism working? If from the socialism/communism that Architecture is applied art on a giant choice, however the Americans had just than the built environment, or perhaps yes, why don’t you mention this in your Marx and Engels understood, and that we scale, and it’s immersive, because you finished rebuilding the White House in it would surpass the exuberance of the tweets against all the ignorant people understand. live in it. Some of the art is good, some the neo-classical style after the British Victorians, or even the Gothic period, who ask ‘when has socialism ever worked’. Ultimately the anarchist endeavour was terrible. It’s also a living historical record had burnt it down in 1812. Relations were with no effort spared in reflecting the Of course you would mention that in the defeated by armed force, and the same of the past, its moods and crazes and still somewhat frosty, so to avoid any magnificence of a new and free social era. future, socialism would have to be enacted can be said of other famous attempts to fads. It has a function, obviously, but it connotation of republicanism the architect Even the design of the simple domestic on a larger scale, but this is as close as it establish such libertarian communities likes to make statements too, sometimes Charles Barry was tasked with producing a dwelling is open to question. The practice gets out of all real life attempts so far, in within capitalism, such as the 1871 Paris grandiose political or aspirational Gothic design, which in turn kick-started a of having separate rooms for specific my opinion. Commune. Such ‘islands’ will always be statements, that tell us how ruling class Victorian Gothic revival. purposes only really started with the Greetings from the Netherlands, swamped by capitalism as long it remains ideas have changed over the centuries. The Victorians, incidentally, were Victorians. Would people still want to live globally dominant. Tamer Gözübüyük If you know how, you can read these exuberant mash-up artists who would private and secluded lives in their little messages as plainly as words on a page. throw caution to the winds and chuck walled space, or would sharing of lives in any feature from any style they liked and living space become the new normal? Learning even the rudiments of this Nestor Makhno language can be a revelation. Your own without the least concern for artistic or There might be a revival of something like city reveals itself in a whole new light. historical integrity. The more you learn to the ancient Roman model, where people It’s not hard to pick up some basics. Just read their architecture, the more you start use public baths and eat out, and only go four category words virtually encompass to understand their mindset. They were home to sleep. Perhaps even the concept the past thousand years of building in world conquerors in matters military and of ‘home’, in the sense of a permanent Britain. They are Gothic, Neo-classical, scientific. Rules were for other people. personal abode, could become obsolete. Vernacular and Modern. ‘Modern’ architecture is a catch-all All of these questions will certainly Gothic started with the Normans and for anything post-World War 1, when shape the architecture of the future. And became de rigueur for churches and looking forward started to seem better let’s not forget emerging technologies like cathedrals, and often for colleges and legal than looking back, so that revivals went translucent wood for windows, hydro- institutions. It was all about the power out of the window and modern capitalism ceramics for zero-energy air conditioning, of God, so it features a lot of pointed was anyway more interested in making light-generating sulphur concrete and arches, lofty verticals and spires reaching money than making grandiose and costly self-repairing concrete, high-insulation heavenward like arms in supplication. The statements. Trends did exist though, bricks, nano-alloys, phase-changing point was for commoners to gaze upward like the short-lived Futurism of the materials, gels, carbon-fibre, aluminium with their jaws on the floor, mutter a 1920s, which swiftly looked dated, and foam mouldings, clear solar panels and reverential What the Fuck? and vow never, the Brutalism of the 1960s, a distinctly much more. In the end, nobody can really ever, to argue with the beings who could Orwellian statement that said unattractive answer the question we started with, create such soaring marvels. things about encasing populations what socialist architecture would look like. Neo-classical is anything that looks like in hideous concrete boxes and gave Maybe the best response we can give is: it’s from Ancient Rome, such as pillars architects a notoriety they’ve never really what would you like? with a triangular ‘pediment’ on top, or recovered from. PJS

4 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 5 The Art of Cynicism

THOSE WHO might be unaware of it can dispute is the quality of musicianship despite being of equal aesthetic quality, be confidently assured that we live in a that produces the aesthetic catharsis so drifts into historical obscurity. Of course ‘Golden Age of Rock Music’. The music of essential to great rock music (or any art without the artist, recording technology, bands like: Disturbed, Ghost, Godsmack, form). Another possible avenue for a capital investment, the internet etc. we Rammstein, Epica, Kamelot, Nightwish cynical critique is the appearance of the wouldn’t have any art to discuss but and Band Maid represent the evidence band. They wear doll-like house maid although the motivation, inspiration and for this. The last two bands have released uniforms which emphasize the extreme integrity of those concerned in its creation new singles that have rekindled the old feminine quality of many young Japanese is intriguing it is not the most decisive debate between the cynical and the women. Again whether this is purely factor in the political and historical fate of hopeful. Some see Nightwish’s Noise and a commercial decision to attract male any work of art. Band Maid’s The Dragon Cries as merely audiences or whether it represents an In America the music of Jimi Hendrix, profiting from the environmentalist intriguing antithesis to the macho posing Marvin Gaye, The Doors and Creedence zeitgeist whereas others hope that these and costumes of the traditional purveyors Clearwater Revival all fed the anti-Vietnam tunes represent the political integrity of of heavy rock music is debatable. If we War zeitgeist that helped to end the the respective bands and will help create like a band we feel the need to defend it conflict. The music of James Brown, Gil political change. Obviously these videos against criticism, whether justifiable or Scott Heron, War, the Temptations and and the music that they promote are not, but is it necessary or important to do Harold Melvin all strengthened the Civil extremely costly and can only be made so? Rights movement in the US. Not that this within the capitalist context because they Art, as with all concepts, is full of represented the cause of any political represent a commodity that will, for the dialectical contradictions; it can serve the improvement but it would be foolish investors, sell at a profit. However this powerful or it can subvert their power. to deny that it helped create a cultural fact, beloved of the cynics who choose It can also, if it’s any good, contradict background for change. Perhaps the to believe that nothing will ever change, the intentions of the artist through the reason that we see such a flourishing of does not exclude the possibility that the interpretation of its audience. Born in rock music is because of another surge of nature of that commodity might itself the USA by Bruce Springsteen became, political discontent? Another irony is that become subversive of the system which famously, an anthem for patriots despite many of these bands no longer come from helped create it. Change, for good or ill, is the composer’s opposite intentions. In rock’s birthplace (the USA) and oppose its inevitable and we can ask what role music his effort to communicate with a global economic and cultural imperialism. The COOKING THE BOOKS and the arts play within our culture’s audience Bob Marley, according to some, German band Rammstein have said that Same difference economically interdependent and have annual world leaders’ junket in Davos a restless history. sold his soul to Island Records. Art seems they will never use English in their lyrics So, the UK left the EU at 11 pm on become more so over the nearly half- week later, he was forced to backpedal Nightwish have a long track record quickly to become independent once it for this reason. Ironically seventy years on Friday 31 January. Well, not exactly. The century of UK membership. The UK can’t and explain: of using their music to communicate a leaves its creators hands. We use the word from the end of the Second World War UK left the EU’s political institutions become ‘independent’ of that, whatever ‘“Britain will not diverge from European political perspective. It is only recently zeitgeist to emphasise this phenomenon we see a young band from Germany’s old (Parliament, Commission, Council, ultra-nationalists might want, at least not rules “just for the sake of it” after Brexit, that this Finnish band, courtesy of in an attempt to understand axis ally Japan having to make the decision Court of Justice, etc) but remains in without a severe disruption which would Sajid Javid said yesterday, as he softened the internet, has started why some art becomes of whether to confront (like Rammstein) its economic arrangements (customs affect both the UK and the EU. So both the government’s rhetoric on future reaching a global mass iconic whilst other art, the contemporary icon of capitalism and union, single market, free movement, have an interest in avoiding this. EU trade talks. In a move to reassure audience. They have its destructive trade deals, etc) until at least the end Given that previous options of staying business, the chancellor said that while become commercially values or try to of this year. No wonder nobody noticed in the single market and/or customs ministers were determined that Britain powerful enough to subvert it – that the difference. union are now ruled out, the only one left would not become a “rule taker” from only create the music is if they do Some ultra-nationalists wanted us to to avoid this is some sort of agreement Brussels, it did not mean the UK would that they want to indeed possess celebrate ‘independence day’, though for the UK to ‘align’ in some way its necessarily diverge from European make rather than bow the political Boris’s idea to have Big Ben bong fell regulations on technical standards, food standards. “We will be a sovereign and to the commercial integrity one flat. But what is ‘independence’? As far standards, workers’ rights, state aids independent country,” he told a lunch for pressures incarnated might wish as states are concerned, it’s the same and the like, with those of the EU. At British executives at the annual meeting by studio execs, them to have. It as ‘sovereignty’. A political territory is the moment, both sides are at the pre- of the World Economic Forum in Davos. producers and owners has always been independent if the rulers there have negotiation stage of rhetoric and laying “But we’ll always protect the interests of of record companies. challenging to the final, supreme, say in matters down ‘red lines’. Even so, some ministers British businesses throughout this process The Japanese Band believe that concerning it. have made fools of themselves, the then and we’ll maintain high standards — not Maid, although very those with ‘Independence’ and ‘sovereignty’ Chancellor of the Exchequer, Savijd Javid, because we are told to, but because we popular with the rock extraordinary are political concepts, but politics is for instance. want to.”’(Times, 24 January) cognoscenti online have talent might one thing and economics another. On 18 January the BBC reported that he One way of interpreting this is that he not reached a similar have no moral A state can make what ‘sovereign’ ‘has warned manufacturers that “there his saying that the UK will align with EU stage of commercial integrity or decisions it likes but whether they are will not be alignment” with the EU after rules but it will do so as an ‘independent ‘independence’. Their political good will and effective is another matter. No state Brexit and insists firms must “adjust” to nation’ making its own decision – to do single The Dragon Cries is their first would sell themselves to can be independent economically as new regulations’ (www.bbc.co.uk/news/ what it would have done had it remained overtly political song but because it the highest bidder but, all are dependent directly or indirectly uk-politics-51157933). Faced with the in the EU. If this is indeed the final result, was produced in the USA and is sung to misquote the lyrics of on the world market, which places resulting howl of protest from the CBI it will confirm that Brexit has been a fuss in English some suspect it of cynically another great rock band, limits on the effective exercise of their and other representatives of capitalist about nothing, just about how a decision exploiting the environmental and ‘we’ve all been fooled sovereignty. The UK has an additional industry at this expression of unconcern is made not about what it is. political concerns of its intended before’. problem. It and the EU countries are for their interests, when he went to the youthful listeners. What is beyond WEZ

6 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 7 Contact details website: www.worldsocialism.org/spgb email: [email protected] UK BRANCHES & CONTACTS LU2 7LP. Gabalfa, Cardiff, CF14 3LG. 02920-615826. Redruth. Contact: Harry Sowden, 5 Clarence [email protected] LONDON Villas, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 1PB. 01209 North London branch. Meets 3rd Thurs. 8pm at 219293. INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS Torriano Meeting House, 99 Torriano Ave, NW5 East Anglia. Contact: David Porter, Eastholme, 2RX. Contact: Chris Dufton 020 7609 0983 Bush Drive, Eccleson-on-Sea, NR12 0SF. 01692 LATIN AMERICA [email protected] 582533. Richard Headicar, 42 Woodcote, Firs Contact: J.M. Morel, Calle 7 edif 45 apto 102, South London branch. Meets last Saturday in Rd, Hethersett, NR9 3JD. 01603 814343. Multis nuevo La loteria, La Vega, Rep. Domini- month, 2.30pm. Head Office, 52 Clapham High Essex. Contact: Pat Deutz, 11 The Links, cana. St, SW4 7UN. Contact: 020 7622 3811. Billericay, CM12 0EX. [email protected]. West London branch. Meets 1st Tues. 8pm. Cambridge. Contact: Andrew Westley, AFRICA Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace (corner [email protected]. 07890343044. Kenya. Contact: Patrick Ndege, PO Box 13627- Africa’s food potential Sutton Court Rd), W4. 00100, GPO, Nairobi [email protected] IRELAND Zambia. Contact: Kephas Mulenga, PO Box Cork. Contact: Kevin Cronin, 5 Curragh Woods, 280168, Kitwe. MIDLANDS Frankfield, Cork. 021 4896427. West Midlands regional branch. Meets [email protected] ASIA last Sun. 3pm (check before attending). NORTHERN IRELAND Japan. Contact: Michael. japan.wsm@gmail. Contact: Stephen Shapton. 01543 821180. Belfast Contact: Nigel McCullough. com Email: [email protected]. 02890 930002 THE PERCEPTION of many in know it is possible to restore AUSTRALIA the developed countries is that exhausted soils and damaged NORTH SCOTLAND Contact: Trevor Clarke, [email protected]. Africa is always associated with ecosystems. In many parts of North East Regional branch. Edinburgh branch. Meets 1st Thurs. 7-9pm. au poverty, disease, famine and war. Contact: P. Kilgallon, c/o Head Office, 52 The Quaker Hall, Victoria Terrace (above Vic- Africa, the potential for restoration Clapham High Street, SW4 7UN. toria Street), Edinburgh. Contact: J. Moir. 0131 EUROPE It is as if the Four Horsemen of the is enormous. Increasing climate Lancaster branch. Meets 2nd Sun (Jan 3rd Sun), 440 0995. [email protected] Denmark. Contact: Graham Taylor, Kjaerslund Apocalypse have made the continent change resilience requires greater 3pm, Friends Meeting House, Meeting House Branch website: 9, Floor 2 (middle), DK-8260 Viby J. their personal domain. irrigation and more efficient water Lane. Ring to confirm: P. Shannon, 07510 412 http://geocities.com/edinburghbranch/ Germany. Contact: Norbert. Yet Africa has considerable riches. 261, [email protected]. Glasgow branch. Meets 3rd Weds. at 7pm in [email protected] management. Over 90 percent of Manchester branch. Contact: Paul Bennett, 6 Community Central Halls, 304 Maryhill Road, Norway. Contact: Robert Stafford. Africa has long been known for agriculture depends on rainfall, Burleigh Mews, Hardy Lane, M21 7LB. 0161 Glasgow. Contact: Peter Hendrie, 75 Lairhills [email protected] its resource abundance in both with no artificial irrigation aid. 860 7189. Road, East Kilbride, Glasgow G75 0LH. Italy. Contact: Gian Maria Freddi, agriculture and mineral resources. Many small farmers lack access to Bolton. Contact: H. McLaughlin. 01204 844589. 01355 903105. Via Poiano n. 137, 37142 Verona. The ore deposits are so abundant Cumbria. Contact: Brendan Cummings, 19 [email protected]. Spain. Contact: Alberto Gordillo, Avenida del mechanisation. Equipment such Queen St, Millom, Cumbria LA18 4BG. Dundee. Contact: Ian Ratcliffe, 12 Finlow Ter- Parque. 2/2/3 Puerta A, 13200 Manzanares. that some of it has yet to be as cold storage and packaging can Doncaster. Contact: Fredi Edwards, fredi. race, Dundee, DD4 9NA. 01382 698297. discovered. To date, though, Africa end the waste of food rotting and [email protected] Ayrshire. Contact: Paul Edwards 01563 541138. COMPANION PARTIES OVERSEAS has struggled to translate these ease the transport to the cities Liverpool. Contact: D. Whitehead, [email protected]. resources into shared wealth and liverpool [email protected] Lothian Socialist Discussion @Autonomous Socialist Party of Canada/Parti Socialiste and other regions. The technology Centre Edinburgh, ACE, 17 West Montgomery du Canada. Box 31024, Victoria B.C. V8N 6J3 sustained economic development. and the techniques are there. All SOUTH/SOUTHEAST/SOUTHWEST Place, Edinburgh EH7 5HA. Meets 4th Weds. Canada. [email protected] South Africa’s potential mineral in collusion with the foreign corporations, it requires to harness them is a change in Kent and Sussex regional branch. Meets 2nd 7-9pm. Contact: F. Anderson 07724 082753. wealth is estimated to be around $2.5tn, siphon off the proceeds from the the basis of society so that food can be Sun. 2pm at The Muggleton Inn, High Street, World Socialist Party (India) 257 Baghajatin ‘E’ while the mineral reserves of the Congo Maidstone ME14 1HJ. Contact: spgb.ksrb@ WALES Block (East), Kolkata - 700086, 033- 2425-0208. continent’s wealth – lining their own produced to directly feed people. worldsocialism.org. South Wales Branch (Swansea) [email protected] are thought to be worth $24tn. In natural pockets, to the detriment of ordinary We can end and we must end global South West regional branch. Meets 3rd Sat. Meets 2nd Mon, 7.30pm (except January, resources, Africa is still largely unexplored. Africans. poverty. We have the solutions for 2pm at the Railway Tavern, 131 South Western April, July and October), Unitarian Church, High World Socialist Party (New Zealand) There is so much natural wealth on the addressing malnutrition. Food produced Road, Salisbury SP2 7RR. Contact: Ray Carr, Street, SA1 1NZ. Contact: Geoffrey Williams, 19 P.O. Box 1929, Auckland, NI, New Zealand. On a continent with an abundance of Flat 1, 99 Princess Rd, Poole, BH12 1BQ. 01202 Baptist Well Street, Waun Wen, Swansea SA1 continent that a great deal of it is as yet arable land, Africa imports billions of in Africa could make a big contribution to 257556 or 07929627689. 6FB. 01792 643624. World Socialist Party of the United States. untapped. pounds worth of basic foodstuffs and still this. Millions of African farmers need no Brighton. Contact: Anton Pruden, South Wales Branch (Cardiff) P.O. Box 440247, Boston, MA 02144 USA. However, most of the continent’s many parts there are not food secure. longer be poor or endure precarious lives. [email protected] Meets 2nd Saturday 12 noon (January, April, [email protected] existing natural resources are owned and Africa has the land, water and people Canterbury. Contact: Rob Cox, 4 Stanhope July and October) Cafe Nero, Capitol Shopping There is absolutely no reason for Africa to Road, Deal, Kent, CT14 6AB. Centre, Queens Street, Cardiff. exploited by foreign, private corporations. be food insecure. Farming in Africa could needed to be an efficient agricultural Luton. Contact: Nick White, 59 Heywood Drive, Contact: Richard Botterill, 21 Pen-Y-Bryn Rd, There is a common view that believes the theoretically become a major breadbasket producer. wealthier countries are helping and aiding for the world. Africa has 65 percent of Under capitalism and without a change the undeveloped and developing nations the world’s remaining arable land. Its vast in the economic structure there is good in Africa, but such an outlook ignores the savannahs are estimated at 400 million reason to fear the projected rise in Africa’s imbalance of trade and the relationship hectares. only 10 percent of which is population. Nevertheless, such a rise that exists with the extractive industries cultivated. The Guinea Savannah, an area should not necessarily be treated as a that dominate the African economy. across many countries, has the potential curse. The share of Africa’s working-age More wealth leaves Africa every year to turn Africa into a bulk food producer. population is rising faster than any other than enters it. It was calculated that Africa could feed itself and could help region and it will have a larger potential African countries received $162bn in feed the world, too. The world is not workforce than either China or India. It is 2015, mainly in loans, aid and personal winning the war against global hunger. not a matter of an extra mouth to feed but remittances. But in the same year, $203bn Climate change is already worsening an extra pair of helping hands and another was taken from the continent through the situation, especially in sub-Saharan brain to think. multinationals using subsidiaries to Africa. The challenge is not a technical The time is ripe for Africa to make transfer profits into tax havens. Trade issue but rather a question of which type better use of its natural resources but mis-pricing, that is, transfer pricing, and of society we need for production to take capitalism’s drive for capital accumulation trade mis-invoicing, over-reporting of place. At the moment the techniques and profits at the expense of people’s costs and under-reporting production used to cultivate the soil still lag behind consumption precludes long-lasting, output are the most common ways what has been adopted in other parts sustained prosperity in Africa and will not companies seek to maximise profits of the world. Improved grain varieties permit it to bear fruit. Looking at Africa artificially through maximising expenses exist which produce harvests that are from a socialist perspective, we see the in high-tax jurisdictions and maximising larger and drought and disease resistant. situation is far from hopeless. Africa is income in low-tax jurisdictions. This The structure of agriculture itself can be one of the most important places for the enables corporations to minimise tax changed. Smart farming with the use of future and its people among the most payments and transfer the funds abroad. mobile phones and GPS can give farmers useful and needed in the world. The This is compounded by overly generous information and advice. New techniques potential is enormous. tax concessions provided by governments, in agriculture such as agro-ecology ALJO often under duress. Local political elites, are proven to be more productive. We

8 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 9 What about Ireland?

inn Féin, recycled from being the political wing of one of the Change: Building Economic Democracy One Worker Co-op think that a single market will be a prelude to a single political the physical-force Irish republican groups into a left-wing at a Time’. entity, especially as in the case of Ireland the Good Friday Sreformist party, did surprisingly well in the elections in inproduced. fact obliges The those first enterprise that can, to to follow adopt suit some and cheaper the price of but merely so that something should be done about growing production method reaps extra profits, but this encourages, (24.5 percent) and ended up with 37 of the 160 seats in the Those who voted SF are unlikely to have voted for this, Agreement provides for a referendum on uniting with the DáilIreland. The last result month. was They in effect got athe tie most between first-preference them and each votes madethe product to its owners falls, with for the them innovator’s to spend onprofits their falling consumption, back to inRepublic Ireland to for be years held ofif itthe is judgedpolitical that border a majority with the might economic favour of the two other rather absurdly named traditional Irish inequality and poverty. However, it does illustrate the illusions thennormal. its costIf an of enterprise production were would to distribute not fall and all itsthe products profits it this. But this does not necessarily follow, as the co-existence political parties, Fine Gael (‘Tribe of the Gaels’), the party of workerof SF’s policy co-ops makers. are to compete They criticise against traditional them with private any chance of the outgoing Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, and Fianna Fáil enterprises for concentrating on short-term profits, but if wouldunity of risk the igniting single market ‘the Border’ and customs as a burning union – showed. and completely Even if (‘Soldiers of Destiny’), founded by Republican hard-liner De enterpriseswould become are uncompetitive; that short-termist. eventually it would go under a majority were to favour political unity, holding a referendum surviving they, too, would have to pursue the same economic and its owners would lose their money. Very few private When the original Sinn Féin was founded in 1905 it was an objective of profit. They would have to make profits as they irrelevant and dangerously divisive -- issue again, with a Valera, which got 35 and 37 seats respectively. would be operating within the context of a capitalist economy, The point is that the same pressure to give priority to profit- significant minority likely to be fiercely opposed to it, even to scale Irish capitalists eager to break away from the rest of the Thewhich capitalist is based on competitive economy profit-seeking. making and re-investing most of it applies whatever the legal the extent of taking up arms. It would be better from all points UKIrish so nationalist as to be able party to erect (‘We tariffsOurselves’) to protect catering them for from small- the beform more and democratic internal structure and less of hierarchical the enterprise. but theA worker decisions co-op of view to let sleeping dogs lie. while launching ‘one worker co-op at a time’ – is based on would have to operate on the same basis. Internally it might ordinaryBut even people. if it did Capitalism happen without would remain,re-igniting and political they would separateThe capitalist enterprises economy competing – which SFto meetwould paying leave unchangeddemand in violence, it wouldn’t make much difference to the life of competition of bigger British capitalists. Its first leader, Arthur that have to be taken, whoever takes them, will have to be life and so obliged to work for a wage or salary for those who IrishGriffith, nation proclaimed to accord that, protection if an Irish to capitalistthat Irish firmmanufacturer’ was being the same. And of course a worker co-op can also go under, remain excluded from ownership and control of the means of andundercut that ‘under by an Englishthe Sinn competitor, Féin policy... ‘it no is thepossibility first duty would of the their sphere of activity. The weapon used in this struggle with the workers losing not only their jobs but their savings painted green – or maybe the settlement would allow them to be left... for a syndicate of unscrupulous English capitalists inis tomachinery produce moreand other cheaply ways than that your reduce rivals the but, cost to per do unitthis, wage-workers.too. Some succeed but those that do end up behaving like any remainown and red control – but them.that would The pillar be all. boxes in the North might be to crush out the home manufacturer and the home trader’ you must re-invest the major part of the profits you make other business enterprise, even employing non-members as ADAM BUICK The Sinn Féin Policy, 1907). This was the policy that the De Valera Fianna Fáil pro-capitalistIn any event, partners given the may nature well ofindulge Irish politics, it by allowing SF will it never to (Arthur Griffith, fundgovern setting on its up own a worker but only co-op as part or two of a butcoalition. that will Its beopenly as far Mary Lou McDonald, President of Sinn Féin governmentNow it’s a differentthat came story. to power In a 2019 in 1932 policy began document, to implement, in Britain when he was minister of industry in the 1970s is Ownershipinvolving a Matterstariff war, Sinn between Féin states Britain that and it Ireland.wants ‘an economy anythingas it goes. to And go by,if the their experience chances of succeedingthose set up wouldn’t by Tony beBenn that

that works for workers’ (mind you, don’t they all, given that Uphigh; the all those Border? he patronised eventually folded. on:workers make up the vast majority of electors?). After citing Sinn Féin still stands for a 32-county Irish Republic – as did, figures for wealth inequality and poverty in Ireland, SF went of our economy being detrimentally ‘short-termist’ in its this has come into prominence, not as a result of SF’s election ‘Sinn Féin believes that this wealth inequality is a result successesat one time, north the moreand south fiercely of thenamed Border Fianna but Fáilas a partyfall-out – butfrom

ofoutlook longer-term – with privatesustainability. firms, through This has financial become intermediaries,the hegemonic weighing near-term profit outcomes too heavily at the expense Brexit. Which is rather ironic in itself since Sinn Féin, as an shapes purpose. If we allow our economy to be owned and isolationist nationalist party, opposed Ireland joining the EU strategy for private enterprise. The reality is that ownership and urged a No vote in all the referendums to amend and extend the EU’s powers. controlled by a small group of elites whose objective is that People in Northern Ireland voted 56 to 44 percent in of profit, then that will be the purpose of our economy. If, favour of Remaining in the EU and the EU insisted – and Boris however, we agree as a society that our preference is to untilJohnson De Valeraacquiesced and Fianna – that theFáil political came to borderpower onin the the ‘Free island establish an economy based upon productivity, sustainability State’should as not it thenbecome was an and economic pursued border a policy again. of independent It never was and equality then ownership). of our economy must be equitablyThen came spread the acrosspunch line:society’ ‘This (www.sinnfein.ie/files/2019/ new economy can be Workers_Co-operatives.pdf capitalist development before they eventually gave up and (assigned the theEU wasAnglo-Irish then called Free and Trade still Agreement essentially in is) 1965. together. In 1973 achieved through alternative models of business ownership. Ireland and Britain joined the European Economic Community oneSinn go, Féin but, believes in the wordsthat the of Worker a slogan Co-operative the document Model coins, offers ‘Own an exciting and innovative alternative.’ Not to be achieved in So, the north and south of Ireland will continue to have frictionless trade. As with the EU itself, there are those who 10 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 11 Dr Hannah Fry Noam Chomsky applications came from men, and thus decided that being male The capacity of such algorithms, Church points out, brings intocomputing play the techniques. possibility for them to handle resource allocation, Resourcewas a desirable allocation quality in an applicant (reut.rs/3af79FS). Deep reinforcement learning, though, is a powerful tool. to actively supply human wants in a real-time fashion: ‘Over the last few decades, researchers have developed theAlphaGo game defeated (this is radically a human different grandmaster from whenat the humanimmensely soa range they canof pretty attempt effective to keep mathematical up with the dailysolutions demands that can our complex Japanese boardgame ‘Go’ after teaching itself allocate resources across a variety of industries and scenarios chess). he apparent brains behind the Johnson ministry, Guardian, programmers helped Deep Blue to defeat Gary Kasparov at dynamic,lives place and on thethem. passing But when of time an allocationmust be considered made at one as part 5 January). to optimise system performance in areas including resource time affects subsequent allocations, the problem becomes T potentialShe points to profoundly out there are benefit limits broader to using society maths too’to model ( ‘Systems employing this approach have already been used Dominic Cummings, has been ruffling feathers with a society, and that an understanding of humans must go cooling’ (Gemma Church, The maths problems that could bring changingof the equation. and uncertain This throws nature a mathematical of the real world’. spanner in the blog post calling for ‘data scientists, project managers, themanagement, world to a haltdevice payment optimisation and data centre works, requiring these solutions to now take into account the policy experts, assorted weirdos’ (tinyurl.com/yx3yrpd8). algorithms to anticipate what it needs to stock and ship. askedTellingly, to applythe posts to a areGmail advertised address. via Cummings his blog, has rather form than for alongside any such scientific modelling. hitherto been considered, tinyurl.com/sc767a8). computationally intractable: Amazon is already using the data it collects to train the usual civil service recruitment routes, and applicants are As Noam Chomsky has pointed out: Such systems are beginning to solve problems that have malleable,‘A vision completelyof a future social plastic order being, is within turn no basedinnate on structures a Amazon has to solve optimisation problems, trying to trying to use personal accounts to circumvent freedom of ofconcept mind andof human no intrinsic nature. needs If in factof a mancultural is an or indefinitely social character, involving too many permutations and requiring too much maximise use of its warehouses, while minimising its delivery done:information rules. This is all part of his ‘disruptive’ persona, processing time to be realistically solved using traditional routes and matching that with courier availability and flights, looking to shake up the stuffy old civil service, and get things state authority, the corporate manager, the technocrat, astrains, possible etc. Thein a computationallytrick with such immensely realistic amount complex of problemstime. It then he is a fit subject for the “shaping of behavior” by the is thisnot tonon-absolute solve them absolutely,characteristic but that to approximate enables algorithms as closely to ‘We need some true wild cards, artists, people who never the human species will hope this is not so and will try to went to university and fought their way out of an appalling or the central committee. Those with some confidence in hell hole, weirdos from William Gibson novels like that girl steadily improve. The solution to the millions of variables in a hired by Bigend as a brand “diviner” who feels sick at the determine the intrinsic human characteristics that provide the delivery system is to look for good enough, not the perfect. whatsight ofcharacters Tommy Hilfiger around orPutin that might Chinese-Cuban do, or how free international runner freeframework community’ for intellectual (Language development, and Freedom the). growth of moral The algorithms that YouTube and Amazon use to from a crime family hired by the KGB. If you want to figure out consciousness, cultural achievement, and participation in a recommend content to customers are changing and evolving in an ecosystem that drives them to improve and ultimately Lacancriminal at dinnergangs might parties exploit with TVholes producers in our border and spread security, fake you YouTubeFry herself by the had time addressed this article these comes questions to print). in the In Royal one of provide us with the goods and services we want. Effectively, newsdon’t wantabout more fake news’.Oxbridge English graduates who chat about themInstitution she addressed Christmas the: Lectures (which should be available via (see:producing en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_room) a profit-driven, private planned economy. they can learn ‘decade in which we learned the lessons of charging ahead to Algorithmsfollow a set are of rules unhuman, and respond as per Searle’s to inputs, Chinese but they room lack intentionality and the inherent structures of feeling and It is a bit strange to complain of liberal arts graduates via Gibson’sciting a work Blue ofAnt fiction, series, and but tellingly, not Cayce Cummings Pollard (‘that remembers girl’). without first carefully thinking about the ethics of forcing the name of Hubertus Bigend, the uber-capitalist anti-hero of equations on to human systems. There were the stories humanness that people possess. Humans are essential to about racist algorithms in the criminal justice system, and working with algorithmic artificial intelligence to make Seemingly,He also wants Cummings data scientists wants to tobring look systems at models analysis of system and Indeed,sexist algorithms some would designed argue thatto filter the jobworld applications. is still reeling YouTube from resourcesit serve our are needs, there rather to enable than us that to betterof the specialmodel and form predict of change and dynamic modelling of viral information. was accused of unwittingly radicalising some of its viewers. chaoticArtificial systems, Intelligence but they that needis the a capitalist political determinationfirm. The computing on the mathematical thinking into the heart of government. He’d the consequences of mathematical equations gone awry, both the ruling minority. We don’t need Cummings’ technocratic analysishave to be in preparedthe City. to pay well, since those skilled with such algorithms’.during the time leading up to the 2008 financial crash and weirdospart of us to all change to avoid and them shape being our usedworld, to but service we can the use needs their of talents can find good work in automated trading and business Facebook failing to consider the consequences of its newsfeed Maths not everything taught to learn, through deep reinforcement learning, being on our own behalf. She also explained, however, how algorithms are being ideas to improve our lives: but only if we are running society Cummings’ call: For God’s sake, let us be men The mathematics populariser Dr Hannah Fry took issue with ‘rewarded’ for successfully finding the correct result in their notIn the monkeys words mindingof D.H. Lawrence: machines crosses.task, and ‘punished’ for failing. She demonstrated this via a or sitting with our tails curled ‘There is some truth to this – there are a host of government pile of matchboxes that had been ‘taught’ to play noughts and w h i l e t h e m a c h i n e a m u s e s u s , t h e r a d i o o r f i l m o r questions that could benefit from a more mathematical take. if the original data used to teach the algorithm is skewed: Fry, gramophone. In everything from bin collection timetables to Brexit policy, in Theher Guardianproblem, as with the racist and sexist algorithms, is that Monkeys with a bland grin on our faces. I’d love to see more decisions made on the basis of evidence recruitment algorithm had learned that most successful John Searle PIK SMEET over instinct. The big-data revolution has transformed article, linked to an example of how Amazon’s the private sector, and I wholeheartedly believe it has the 12 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 13 A Bad Criticism of Marx’s Labour Theory of Value Capital and Labour by Henry Stacy Marks n an article on 12 January for the website Dissident Voice IBad for Ecological Socialism’, that gives them exchange value. Marx is not a materialist after entitled ‘Marx’s Labor Theory of Value: Bad Science and toall, identify at least ‘annot empirically when it comes detectable to exchange and measurable value’ David Pena launches a For Marx’s theory to be ‘scientific’, claims Pena, it needs stinging attack on the Marxian theory of value and outlines an alternative theory which he evidently considers more sciences,property suchthat gives as physics value andto commodities, chemistry’. But and since a theory abstract that appropriate to an age of heightened environmental concern labouris consistent is not withsomething fundamental physical propositions and therefore of othernot empirically relevant intellectual(tinyurl.com/tbgjo92). origins of some of his ideas can be traced back to Pena is not exactly breaking new ground, though. The detectableOddly enough, and measurable, until recently it follows there was that no Marx’s empirical theory writers such as Sergei Podolinsky, in the 1880s, a pioneer in cannot be materialist or scientific. the field of ‘energetics’, who tried to reconcile Marx’s labour theory of value with the laws of thermodynamics. evidence for the existence of black holes in outer space. Were labourClassical went economists into making like it. AdamThis argument Smith and was David taken Ricardo up and the astrophysicists inferring the existence of such phenomena maintained that a commodity’s value depended on how much being ‘unscientific’ in doing so? The value of scientific theory lives in its predictive power and this is the basis on which labourrefined it by took Marx. to produceIt is important a good to – ‘concreteunderstand labour’. that Marx’s If that NaïveMarx’s theory empiricism must be judged. theory does not equate ‘value’ with the actual amount of which focusses only on the outer appearance of phenomena were case there would never be any incentive to introduce It is precisely the kind of naïve empiricism Pena espouses –labour-displacing the socially necessary technology labour since time this it takes would to meanproduce less a valuegood, Wage Labour being produced. Rather the metric of value is ‘abstract labour’ andthat CapitalMarx criticised in his analysis of capital. Capital is not a ‘Socially necessary labour time’ is not something you can thing but a social relationship. As he explained in from start to finish, under average industry-wide conditions. (1847): the labour of nature in its production should be paid for Value as a social relationship spinning‘A Negro cotton. is a Negro. Only underOnly under certain certain conditions conditions does doesit become he measure with a stop watch – like concrete labour. Moreover, capital.become Torn a slave. away A cotton-spinning from these conditions, machine it is asa machine little capital for has dug his way down to the ore, does Plutus hinder its it can only express itself through market exchange. As Marx as gold is itself money, or sugar is the price of sugar.’ before it is carried off and made use of? When the miner Pena does not see this because he does not grasp that value is explained: ‘Social labour-time exists in these commodities essentially a social relationship based on economic exchange. in a latent state, so to speak, and becomes evident only appropriation? Nature is not, as so many would have us to ecologicalHis physical socialism’. reductionist Since approach the theory to the posits whole only subject labour also as result’.(in the courseA Contribution of their exchange. to the Critique Universal of Political social Economy,labour is resourcesPena is committing as in Schumacher’s the same comment error as thosethat ‘Natural who conflate capital suppose, frugal and grudging. Her rude products, and her informs his absurd claim that Marx’s labour theory is ‘bad for consequently not a ready-made prerequisite but an emerging isthese the things.world’s This stock can of benatural extended resources’ to include (Small also is naturalBeautiful , various capacities and powers, are all freely offered to man. the contribution of Mother Nature to our material wellbeing. 1973). She neither demands nor receives a return for her favours. the source of value it overlooks and devalues, he supposes, ofLawrence ongoing & technological Wishart, Ch. and1, p. other45). Meaningchanges. the value of a ‘naturalising’ capitalism, rendering its categories timeless and Her services are of inestimable utility; but being granted freely product can change even after it has been produced as a result ahistorical.Inadvertently or otherwise this ‘has the effect of and unconditionally,’ (theyThe Principlesare wholly of destitute Political ofEconomy value, and socialistsBut this want is to totallyto get rid miss of, the not point. perpetuate. Marx’s We labour want theory to Pena’s criticism areNature, consequently along with without human the labour, power is of of communicating course the source that of value is an explanation of the modus operandi of a system quality to any thing. , 1864) Pena describes ‘value’ in much the same vein: bring about a society in which the exchange values no longer Pena begins by identifying what he believes is a basic flaw in ‘value in its original and grounding manifestation, the dual of all use values but, as McCulloch points out, makes no ofexist our and fully use appreciating, values are the and sole acting consideration. upon, the latter It is theand is Marx’s theory: notform a ofcreator. matter Nature and energy, is the sourcepre-exists human and all other life contribution whatsoever to the production of exchange values. incompatiblevery existence with of economic ‘ecological exchange socialism’. that gets in the way ... But‘“Abstract how can human an immaterial labor,” according element to (an Marx, abstraction) is the “value forms. The worker is an arranger and discoverer of values, but The latter is a product of human society and even then, only forming substance” that is “materialized” in commodities. of all values, not only use a very particular and recent form of human society called theyvalues, are as products Marx erroneously of human labour,believed.’ their commensurability capitalism in which alone the law of value applies. Ironically, Pena himself calls for the retention of exchange ofbecome categories!’ materialized and take up residence in a physical So instead of commodities having in common the fact that It makes intuitive sense that abstract labour should be the value and even argues ‘If we cannot understand and measure commodity (like the word becoming flesh)? What a confusion wealth.basis of Thevalue economic under capitalism compulsion since this this imposes system on sprang them fromto sell value… we cannot have socialism’. But you cannot divorce hinges on the fact that they all require energy to produce. As theiralienation working of the abilities great majority– or ‘labour from power’ the means – to the of capitalistsproducing capitalism‘exchange value’ from thefrom relentless the system accumulation of generalised of capital commodity it This is making rather heavy weather over what is, after Pena puts it: ‘Rationally expended energy is the “common in return for a wage with which they can buy their own means entails.production called capitalism. And you cannot divorce all, just a metaphor. That Marx saw value as something element” of all commodities. The amount of expenditure of subsistence is precisely what makes for the generalisation Communist Manifesto of immaterial is quite true (even if he used a ‘material’ metaphor representedPena thus wantsby the tofinished make ‘energy’ commodity the fundamentalis its objective metric of notlike an‘substance’). atom of matter As he enters put it ‘theinto valueits composition’ of commodities (Capital is the exchange value.’ into play. asWhen possible’ Marx all and they Engels meant talked by this in was the that these needed Volvery 1, opposite Ch.1). Value of the here coarse is a constructmateriality in of the their same substance, way as the measured (unlike the ‘metaphysical’ concept of abstract of Thecommodity worker underproduction capitalism and, hence, does not for approachthe ‘value’ the to come the need to ‘increase the total of productive forces as rapidly exchange value because it is physical and can be empirically capitalist offering a particular bundle of energy (measured in from commodity production and cannot really be understood to be developed to the point where human needs could be statement, ‘the national average for children per family unit labour). However, exchange value presupposes and springs think,adequately or some met Promethean as a precondition desire of for socialism ‘production itself. for This its ownwas is 1.8’, is a construct. As far as we know there is no actual what Pena wants to do. ofjoules) her labour in exchange power for in thea wage. process Rather, of labouring they offer is a what particular creates sake’.emphatically not a recipe for infinite growth, as Pena seems to ‘material’ family unit consisting of 1.8 children. outside of this context – which, unfortunately, is precisely skill which the capitalist specifically requires. The application Unfortunately, by arguing for the retention of a system of ‘congealed’For Pena, inhowever, (and thus, this according smacks of to a him,contradiction. be transformed How all other life forms’ and has its source in nature. The perfect the source of that capitalist’s great wealth. can something as immaterial and abstract as value become We see this in his claim that value, ‘pre-exists human and a greaterTrue, labour value inthan any the society value (including of the wages societies she receives without and is energy), Pena himself is unwittingly helping to promote the the nineteenth-century Ricardian economist John Ramsay economic exchange (and exchange values couched in units of into) a material substance? Labour is a process not a McCulloch,riposte to this as follows:is the rather colourful observation made by substance. Consequently: commodities or markets) involves the expenditure of energy ROBINvery thing COX that increasingly imperils our global ecosystem that‘Despite all commodities all the talk share about a Marx’s common materialism, non-material his propertytheory is or wood-nymphs make their appearance, and stipulate that but so too does leisure, love-making and tending to one’s about which he is (quite rightly) concerned. obviously based on an immaterialist metaphysics, which holds ‘When a fish is caught, or a tree is felled, do the nereids allotment. But none of these latter activities necessarily entail 14 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialistcommodity Standard exchange March and the2020 production of exchange values. 15 Another Regional Resource War?

or decades the relationship Fbetween Turkey, rightsintensifies has deepened. and the feud over exploration island of Cyprus has participate in the war Greece and the divided againstAlthough ISIS, supposedly the French to aircraft carrier will been volatile. Now make port at Limassol with the discovery in Cyprus. The French pipelinesof gas fields to supplyand the development of Isabelle Dumont said of Europe, the eastern theAmbassador nuclear-powered to Cyprus Mediterraneanthe lucrative markets is aircraft carrier’s n the 31 January the blue Euro-banner from, the European Union. If sterling is growing increasingly presence was intended was hauled down at Westminster and the retained, then economic policy would, more unstable. The ‘to stabilise the region’. O ultimately, continue to be determined in London. Cyprus The formation of Britain enabled the industrial eastern Mediterranean and last year signed an agreement Union flag raised in its stead. In Edinburgh, gas field off the southern coast of is called Aphrodite, France is also planning to enlarge its naval footprint in the though,The SNP the are self-awarded making a none gold toostars subtle flag was point. pointedly The antidote to and English played full parts. This also led to the formation named after the Greek goddess of love, but there is no love lost on the island’s south coast. left fluttering in place next to the saltire. ofrevolution the working to create class awith dynamic interests economy transcending in which those Scots, of Welsh responsebetween theto a rivals Greek-inspired for possession coup. of Turkey that energy. is the only nation withTurkey Cyprus retaliated to use the in early Evangelos December, Florakis 2019, naval by basesigning in Mari,a It would seem the political ‘logic’ is that the best way to constituent regional and national parts. Workers in Scotland to Cyprusrecognise was a dividedbreakaway in a stateTurkish on theinvasion island, in the 1974 Turkish in maritime border deal with Libya’s internationally recognised the referendum they don’t like is to be… another referendum. Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Cyprus’s internationally commitment to send military support in the form of Syrian Westminstercounter leaving stems a union from is a to single leave shared a union. source, nationalism, organisations,faced the same the exploitative trade unions. capitalism as they did in England in 2011 and has granted licences to multinational companies Government of National Accord (GNA), making a military It is somewhat ironic that the clash between Holyrood and and Wales and expressed their voice through their own forrecognised oil and gas government research, subsequentlycommissioning discovered international offshore gas energy companies, including the French multinational Total mercenaries to help in the fight against forces loyal to General alone,albeit competingor at least breaknationalisms. away from The a causepower is portrayed perceived as And nothing has changed. Workers on any side of a border, Khalifa Haftar who has the aid of Sudanese mercenaries plus inhibitingsovereignty, its as freedom. if Scotland, or England, or Britain can stand wherever it is drawn, all face the same fundamental problem, underwater resources. the diplomatic support of several foreign powers such as alterscapitalism. this not To exist,one iota. capitalism must exploit workers to make andTurkey Italy’s claims ENI to that explore some allocated of the drilling blocs offoperations the island are for inFrance, the region, Italy, Egypt, has been Saudi deeply Arabia criticised and the by UAE. Libya’s neighbours profit. Painting your face blue with crossed white stripes either on the Turkish continental shelf or in areas where in Thethe Mediterranean.December deal, which would expand Turkish influence However, what would the SNP do in short order should has called for a fair they achieve independence? Give it up to the EU of course. Whatever the outcome of another referendum the people of . Starting A maritime border agreement between Similarly, should Britain shake off the last vestiges of EU Scotland will continue to live under a parliamentary system the TRNC has rights over any finds and otherTurkey countries, and Libya’s Luigi U.N-backed Di Maio, the government foreign minister is ‘unacceptable’, of Italy, influence, then treaties will be sought and signed with such as surrendereddesigned to preserve to the EU. the interests of capitalism. If they shipsand equal accompanied distribution by militaryof the energy escorts. resources Turkey has insisted declared.violates international Egypt called lawit illegal, and flouts denouncing the sovereign the Turkey-Libya rights of the USA. have opted for ‘independence’ they will find ‘sovereignty’ last summer Turkey deployed two exploration and drilling deal as infringing on waters where they claim economic rights. Not only will the USA want untrammelled access to the NHS interests of capitalism, not democracy. It does not matter Fuat Oktay, Turkey’s Vice-President, answered that ‘Turkey for its big pharma, for example, there will be a demand for if aThe parliament parliamentary is situated system in Londonhas evolved or Edinburgh, to serve the nor if that they should not be excluded and stress that2,200-kilometre their drilling somethingany arrangements similar willto be apply. subject to America’s legal system. For its benches are upholstered in tartan and populated by pipelineactivities, calledare legal the and EastMed, within which territorial is planned waters. to transport the region,’ adding that ‘any plan that disregards Turkey has theThis USA is substitute what ‘independence’ any other major means trading in a global nation/bloc capitalist and gasAlso from featuring Israel through in the strategic Cyprus and rivalry Greece is the into Italy, where it absolutelywill not permit no chance any activity of success.’ that is against its own interests in would be distributed to the rest of Europe. Turkey is already So once again the world is faced with the possible threat nationalist MSPs, it will remain subservient to the needs and part of the TurkStream pipeline which feeds Europe with of war. The Socialist Party maintains that modern war is world. Significant change cannot be achieved by a binary preservation of capitalism. continuesvote in a referendum. unhindered At other best than there by is its some own reordering contradictions. of the wayReferendums of despots and are demagoguesdesigned to give attempting apparently to garner simple arrangements, but essentially, adjustments made, capitalism solutions to complex problems, they are the chosen natural gas coming from Russia. This has provided both an inevitable consequence of capitalist competition for the the monarch as their country’s head of state, continuing programmes. realityTurkey then and RussiaTurkey not and only Russia an economicwill stand benefit to lose butsomething geo- domination of markets, trade routes, favourable treaties, and The SNP has previously stated its intention of retaining some semblance of popular support of their self-serving manypolitical in theleverage EU are as eager well. Ifto the see EastMed – a loosening pipeline of that becomes a possession of valuable resources. Our opposition has a simple of any contradiction, they also want to be rid of the Trident working class to taking economic and political power away dependency. clothes,basis: wars who are are fought the cannon-fodder. over issues of Theinterest global to workingthe capitalist submarinethe use of sterling bases. and joining NATO. Presumably unaware The ballot box can indeed be part of the response of the class haswhile no it interests is workers, at stake either worth in uniform shedding or in a civiliansingle drop Do they really think that if capitalism degenerates to the The Greek defence minister, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, recently of blood. Why should we die defending what is not ours and point where international warfare results in the use of nuclear classfrom consciouslythe capitalist acts class. for But itself. this will have to be just one The possibility of a military conflict cannot be ignored. element of a much wider movement in which the working concern us is the class war between the parasites who possess warned that its armed forces were ‘examining all scenarios, andwhich the we workers will never who benefit produce. from? Mere The moralising only war againstthat need the weapons,Should thethe SNPremoval decide of Tridentthe monarch bases was will not somehow to be their insulate No referendum can solve problems for the working class, even that of military engagement’ and rejected Turkish Scotland from the consequences? tonot socialism. in Scotland, not in Britain via Brexit (or re-joining the EU demands that Greece demilitarise sixteen Aegean islands. He DAVEat some ALTON point), not anywhere. There is no Tartan alternative accused Turkey of displaying unusually provocative behaviour war is not enough. What we advocate is a war on war to be head of state, then a president or some such would fulfil that suchFrance’s as the President rise in the Macron number pledged of violations he would of Greek strengthen airspace thatwaged will on stop the us.battlefield of ideas, for the hearts and minds of function.If Scotland Has wasbeing denied a republic the use lessened of sterling the grippresumably of capitalism, that theby Turkish alliance fighter with Greece. jets. France has dispatched frigates to ALJOthe world’s people. And once we unite there will be no force with its extremes of war, inequality and crises, on the USA? the eastern Mediterranean as the stand-off with Turkey would mean embracing the euro with all its financial hazards 16 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialistand, more Standard importantly, March subservience 2020 to, not independence 17 A letter to Greta Dear Greta, I wish to write to you on just my own part, first of all to express my support for your courage and your message, and also to present some ideas. Although I am a member of a political party, I am here writing alone. All’s Whale That Ends Well? It is my opinion that any hope you have of impressing the urgency of addressing the climate crisis upon those in power will continue to be dashed. They will talk a lot, summon STACEY DOOLEY has an open-minded, their name. Also, as the Faroe Islands correctly, causing suffering to the pilot meetings, etc., but they cannot resolve the crisis because grounded approach to her documentaries, are devolved territories of Denmark, as whales. Stacey shows an adviser to the they represent a system of profit over life, and are governed with an engagingly genuine interest in the Greenland is, their autonomy means Faroese government gory footage of a by that system, no matter how sincere some may be. They contentious subjects she covers. Her latest that they don’t go along with Denmark dolphin being killed in a clumsy, drawn- may be voted in by the majority of people, but they only programme, Stacey Dooley Investigates: as one of the countries which agreed to out way. Official reports claim that the represent about 1 percent. They do not control the system The Whale Hunters (BBC3), follows the ban. ‘Aboriginal whaling’, defined methods used are humane and quick, of production – which pollutes and devastates – but are on from her previous investigations as the hunting of whales by indigenous whereas a fifth of whales take up to six controlled by it. This system, which is global, and which has into women suicide bombers and sex communities is exempted from the ruling minutes to die. The adviser recognises evolved in history, has long been obsolete, but still survives offenders, among other topics. Stepping anyway. Japan always got round the ban that sometimes the grind can be brutal, because of the habits of docility and helplessness it continues out of her comfort zone, she goes out on by hunting whales for ‘scientific’ reasons, but that’s because it takes place in an to foster in the majority – who, afraid of responsibility, and a Norwegian boat hunting minke whales, while Norway, Canada and others object uncontrolled environment, not in a oppressed by working for wages and making ends meet, and watches as one get harpooned and to the moratorium and have continued slaughterhouse. cannot imagine taking the world into their own hands. dragged aboard. Most of the programme, commercial hunting. The hunting of Objections to the grind and the risk The only way to begin to address the urgency now facing though, is taken up by her meeting whales was banned because many of contamination haven’t stemmed the us all is to use the vote to liberate the means of production families on the Faroe Islands, where species were declining rapidly towards Faroe Islanders’ love of pilot whale meat. from the 1 percent and take them over, democratically, in eating long-finned pilot whale meat has The grind, and whaling in general, have the name of all society. This will enable us all to produce only been part of their culture for a thousand been traditions for hundreds of years, to satisfy need, only for use, abolishing the system of profit years. Hunting pilot whales is called the and could continue for hundreds more. and at last to have control over our own destiny as a species, ‘grind’ (grindadráp) in Faroese; when a How would the issue of whaling be and help other species too that are suffering because of the pod is sighted out at sea, fishing boats handled in a socialist society? Of course, present system of human society. herd the whales towards the beach we can’t say with any certainty, as it’ll With my deep respect and support, I am, yours sincerely, where they are killed by hand. The depend on whatever the situation is at ANTHONY WALKER, Christchurch, England. recommended method claims not to the time. But the practice is still likely cause any suffering: a sleek-looking tool to divide opinion and represent bigger called a spinal lance, the use of which is questions about cultural differences, monitored and regulated. animal ‘rights’ and sustainability. A The Faroese live a rural life, close to socialist society would make its decisions COOKING THE BOOKS nature and therefore not as distanced democratically, rather than through from where their food comes from hierarchies, commercial interests or laws, more government intervention than meant that ‘workers feel expendable, Capitalism is irredeemable as most of us. When we load our as we have to in capitalism. All sides Wright would like. Warren even openly suppliers are beaten into submission ‘Corbyn’s defeat won’t end the debate supermarket trolleys with meat or fruit would be able to have their say, and all admits that she wants to reform, in fact on price, and consumers often feel about capitalism’ wrote the editor or any food, we scarcely think about relevant facts – about contaminants, City AM save, capitalism. The other two talk exploited.’ Further, the increase in of (10 January) commenting how it was produced. The Faroese see whale populations, the methods used – of ‘socialism’ but mean a more state- ‘market power and concentration’ has on a report entitled ‘The Crisis of pilot whale hunting as ‘taking food from would be freely available so that people regulated capitalism. had the result that ‘large firms become Capitalism’ by William Wright who runs nature’, which it is their ‘duty’ to do. can make an informed decision. This could City AM’s editor made a fool of himself more powerful and monopolistic, stifling a think-tank, New Financial, that puts They emphasise that they don’t catch be made by voting directly on whether when he wrote that ‘Labour’s ideological competition and undermining the wider out propaganda in favour of private any endangered species and it’s more or how to hunt whales, or by electing enterprise and so-called ‘free’ market error was to insist that the system’s benefits of capitalism to consumers.’ environmentally friendly than rearing unsustainable levels. Another factor people into roles to resolve the issue, or capitalism, his rather narrow definition vagaries, contradictions and flaws are Big business acts as if ‘it doesn’t have cattle, which carries a significant ‘carbon is that whales and dolphins are more some other approach we can’t imagine of the term. proof of its irredeemable inadequacies.’ to play by the same rules, such as footprint’. The grind is small-scale intelligent than most other mammals, now. Would it be only for the whaling In his report (newfinancial.org/ Labour has never claimed that capitalism paying tax’, so, with governments going subsistence farming, with the meat raising questions about their capacity for communities to decide? Maybe, maybe report-the-crisis-of-capitalism) Wright is irredeemable; on the contrary they along with this, ‘creating an uneven just distributed among the islanders suffering and awareness. not, if hunting had a wider impact. It’s claims that ‘Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie have always claimed – and did in their playing field between large and smaller rather than being for export. Pilot Objections to the grind mostly come likely that a socialist society would have Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and millions manifesto for the December general companies – and between capitalism whale meat remains popular among the from the Sea Shepherds, a direct-action some decision-making structures with of their political supporters want to election which envisaged the continuation and consumers.’ Faroese, despite the islands’ officials group, whose mission ‘is to end the a global reach, more accountable and turn capitalism on its head’, adding of a dominant private sector – that the This seems a fair list of why Wright’s recommending years ago that eating destruction of habitat and slaughter of accessible than their equivalents today ‘Capitalism, it seems, is in crisis.’ profit system can be reformed so as variety of capitalism has become it should be avoided. This is because wildlife in the world’s oceans’. They used and not run through states (as states So, it’s a crisis of legitimacy not to work in the interests of the many. unpopular, but there’s not much that it contains high levels of mercury, DDT to actively protest against the grind, but would be obsolete). So, it’s possible that an economic crisis that he is talking But it can’t, as the failure of all Labour governments can do about it. They derivatives and polychlorinated biphenyls since being banned from this their work something like the International Whaling about. It is true that millions of people and other reformist governments has can make Amazon and the others pay (chemicals largely banned in the 1970s), has shifted largely to raising awareness by Commission could remain in a socialist in the US, Britain and elsewhere are consistently shown. more tax and bring in some laws against leached into the oceans and ingested by posting grisly videos of the hunt online. society, albeit structured differently and dissatisfied with the way capitalism Wright lists ten reasons why he thinks consumers being swindled. But private the pilot whales. The group of them which Stacey meets more democratically. Whichever way any is working and want something done his version of capitalism has become enterprises can’t be prevented from The Faroese see the grind as part of are made up of activists from the UK and decisions about whaling would be made in about it. Hence the popularity of unpopular with so many people. Basically, relentlessly pursuing profit for their their culture, which others don’t have the America, while none are Faroese. The socialism, they would aim to directly meet politicians like Corbyn and Sanders he attributes it to increased inequalities owners. Nor can the concentration of right to interfere with. Whaling around Sea Shepherds emphasise their non- people’s needs and wants, in balance with amongst a minority of the population. of various sorts (as between generations, capital into larger and larger units be the Faroe Islands isn’t covered by the aggressive methods, and argue that the nature. There are no easy answers with But to claim these politicians want regions, types of job contracts, as well the reversed. These are not ‘vagaries’ or International Whaling Commission’s ban grind is a tradition which should be left controversial issues like whaling, but a to overthrow capitalism is going way rich getting richer). According to him, ‘the ‘flaws’ of capitalism, but are built-in – on commercial whaling. For starters, in the past, and that it’s not as humane socialist society would enable us to make beyond the evidence. What they relentless pursuit of profit’ in favour only irredeemable—features of the system. the long-finned pilot whales hunted as its proponents make out. They point decisions in the most reasonable way. want is to reform capitalism, with of shareholders over the past 50 years has there are a kind of dolphin, despite out that the spinal lance often isn’t used MIKE FOSTER

18 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 19 Environmental Problem legislation that limited immigration and Will there be enough work to go round? organisation of work as paid employment, home, stressing, by using humour, just even made it harder for those born That is the fundamental question he also sees another dimension of work how relevant the principles of Das Kapital here to get citizenship. The regulations discussed in this book by Oxford University – as ‘a source of meaning, purpose and still are. ‘Did I not say 150 years ago that relating to migrants are complicated and economist and former government direction in life’. And this connects with capitalism would enormously increase frequently change; legal help to navigate policy adviser, Daniel Susskind. His main the socialist case for a world of voluntary the wealth of society but that this wealth your way through them is expensive and concern is whether the rapid spread of work and free access to all goods and would be concentrated in fewer and fewer not always reliable. The Commonwealth automated work, most of it based on the services. The argument often made hands?---(reads from newspaper)—“Giant Immigrants Act of 1968, says Goodfellow, use of artificial intelligence (AI), will, in against this is that such a system could not merger of Chemical Bank and Chase was one of ‘the most reactionary the near future, lead to ‘technological work since, without the necessity to make Manhattan Bank. 12,000 workers will lose immigration acts that has ever passed unemployment’ and if so how that future money to buy goods and services, people jobs---Stocks rise.” And they say my ideas through Parliament’; it was brought society can cope with this. would not work, would not co-operate are dead.’ forward by a Labour government. In a compellingly written and clearly to carry out the tasks to make society Commonly held confusions about A number of other good points are argued narrative, his thesis is that, even operate efficiently and things would communism and socialism are laid bare made, among them the following. There if in the past, fears that new technology simply fall apart. here with Marx becoming angrier as he is no evidence that immigration has a would lead to unemployment have proved However, even if Susskind’s own field of looks back at Stalin’s legacy. He barks out negative impact on wages. A smaller unfounded, the nature of current and vision lies firmly entrenched in the current ‘Socialism is not supposed to reproduce percentage of migrants than of the general ongoing technology, especially AI and the society of wages and salaries, buying the stupidities of capitalism.’ Industry, population claim benefits. Racism is not ‘a robots it is creating, will indeed mean that and selling and the pursuit of profit, it is war, national borders, prisons, the Paris Maya Goodfellow: mistake or a consequence of demographic the demand for human work will ‘wither possible to draw succour for a different “Marx in Soho – A Play on History” Commune, education, all subjects are Hostile Environment: change; it is a product of history’. The away’. He argues convincingly and with system from much of what he says. His Howard Zinn. South End Press $12 covered with relevant jibes at the situation How Immigrants Became tabloid press consistently peddle lies and many salient examples that the potential final chapter, especially, entitled ‘Meaning since his time. Scapegoats. Verso £12.99. exaggerations about migrants. People of AI is such that even the many tasks and Purpose’, contains the notion implicit Marx’s anger builds as he remonstrates have inflated ideas about the proportion which are highly important for human in the socialist idea of a moneyless, at the slowness of succeeding generations of migrants in the UK (it is about 13 per society to operate efficiently involving wageless society that it is not inevitable to accept and act on what he foretold but, cent). If immigration is discussed in terms feeling, empathy and judgement will, for human beings to see work merely as a Witty, imaginative, to the point, with realizing that he only has limited time to In a world full of euphemisms, the term of numbers, there will always be ‘too contrary to commonly expressed views, means of keeping the wolf from the door the ability to stir the emotions from get his message across at this, his second ‘hostile environment’ really does describe much’. soon be able to be done by machines. (i.e. gaining income from employment) frustration and anger to amusement, coming, he mellows somewhat, reiterates the government’s policies towards Towards the end, Goodfellow refers Such machines, he insists, are already in but that, over and above the current hilarity even, this was originally conceived the basic premises and leaves us with migrants. The Immigration Acts of 2014 to a world ‘without the borders or the use or in the process of being invented, employment system, work is a basic as a traditional play which Zinn later hope for the future – if we get off our and 2016 made life much tougher for immigration controls which give rich even if they cannot ape human means of human need, has a ‘social dimension’ reworked into this monologue. Zinn read arses! those who had migrated to the UK, people the right to move but treat this carrying out certain important tasks, are and provides ‘a chance to gain status and Das Kapital (Volume I at least) before This book is fun and will serve both to threatening to deprive them of health care same freedom as dangerous in the hands capable of achieving equally (or more) social esteem’. the age of twenty and was excited to rekindle and enliven the tired socialist and housing or even deport them, if they of the poor’; a world without global efficient outcomes than the same work In this connection, as pointed out by the recognize ‘certain core truths’ about the spirit and to encourage and further could not provide the right documents. inequality or climate change. There is done by the manual or brain power of writer, even today, in a situation in which value of labour, surplus value and the motivate active participation by armchair But, as Maya Goodfellow shows here, much of interest in these pages, but it is human beings. And if no action is taken most people have difficulty in imagining division of the classes, i.e. labour was the socialists. complemented by examples of the plight a pity that such ideas are not developed to handle this ‘task encroachment’ (the how society could be organised differently source of all value; labour produced a JANET SURMAN many migrants find themselves in, this is further. term he uses to describe this process) the from the way it is, in the UK 15 million value beyond its meagre wages; surplus all just part of a much longer history of PB resulting ‘technological employment’ is people still volunteer regularly, already value went into the pockets of the hostility towards immigrants. likely to bring increasing social instability. half as many as are in paid work, and are capitalist class. Britain, she says, was made by So what action does he recommend? engaged in the kind of activity referred The play was written at the time when migrants (see ourmigrationstory.org. Automation & Unemployment Certainly not efforts to prevent technology to by the author as ‘work in pursuit of the collapse of the Soviet Union brought uk). The first inhabitants came from from taking over human jobs, He purpose rather than productivity’. In this on much gloating from the media and southern Europe, and there were plenty quite understandably sees that as an they achieve, as he puts it, ‘value through politicians because ‘not only was “the of people of different origins here before impossibility in a system where the community recognition rather than enemy” gone, but the ideas of Marxism the Anglo-Saxons arrived in the fifth criterion for choosing between human through market wages’. Then, towards were discredited.’ Zinn wanted to show century. Migration did not always result work or automation is which is more the end of his book, the author quotes ‘that Marx’s critique of capitalism remains in prejudice and opposition, but this profitable and where the increasing trend with apparent approval the description fundamentally true in our time.’ The began to change, especially as many Jews is for the cost of automation based on AI of work in Marx’s Critique of the Gotha opening of the play has Marx, having arrived in the nineteenth century, fleeing to fall. Instead, accepting that in the future Programme as ‘not only a means of life been granted an hour to return to Earth pogroms in eastern Europe. The Aliens there will be far less work for people but life’s prime want’. to defend his stance of a century and a Act of 1905 was the first substantial piece to be employed in, he recommends an So this is a book well worth reading not half earlier, arriving in the wrong Soho – of legislation dealing with immigration, increased role for the state. He argues only for its knowledge of and insights into New York, not London – to point out the and was aimed at restricting the number that the state (the ‘Big State’ as he calls likely developments in the field of work relevancy of his writing to today’s working not just of Jews who came here but of it) will have to intervene, to regulate and within the capitalist system but also for population (the audience). Zinn states that the poor as well. Irish immigrants, too, to effectively prop up the living standards its reflections on the nature and purpose the major events are historically accurate were often regarded as inferior to ‘white of workers by what he calls a ‘conditional of work generally. While the author but that there is some literary licence Britons’. basic income’, a variation of the currently does not imagine a society structured regarding his meetings with Bakunin and The 1948 British Nationality Act made much discussed idea of a ‘universal basic fundamentally differently from the current the relationships within his own family it easier for people from the ‘white Daniel Susskind: A World Without income’. one, he clearly sees that work could, and (especially with Jenny and Eleanor) and Commonwealth’ to come to the UK, in Work. Technology, Automation and How this could work leads the author should, be more than just the grind of although most of the dialogue is invented contrast to those with black or brown How We Should Respond. Allen Lane. on to some interesting discussion employment that it is for so many and as he uses Marx’s own words liberally. skins. This was passed under a Labour 2020. 326pp. about the difference between work and helping to fulfil the basic human need for This is a refreshingly different approach government, and both Conservatives employment. In particular, though not personal fulfilment and social interaction. to bringing the fundamental ideas of Marx and Labour were responsible for much seeing beyond the need for the current H. M.

20 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 21 For full details of all our meetings and events see our Meetup site: http://www.meetup.com/The-Socialist-Party-of-Great-Britain/ 50 Years Ago Meetings: The mad world of capitalism will continue to build up surpluses if it continues to exploit MARCH 2020 Once again bricks are piling up, brick-workers are being the same area as today. Whatever happens, the excess CARDIFF laid off and brickworks closing down. All because the land that will have to be withdrawn will be at least 10m. Every Saturday (weather permitting), 1.00 manufacturers can no longer find a profitable market. There hectares.’ p.m. – 3.00 p.m. are about 1,800,000 houses in England and Wales officially To do this would be in line with what other governments, Street Stall classified as “unfit”. But notably the Venue: Queen Street (Newport Road end), the fact that millions American, have Cardiff, CF10 2HQ of people need better already done in a homes does not affect bid to prevent the APRIL 2020 brick production for production of food CARDIFF the simple reason that that cannot be sold Every Saturday (weather permitting), 1.00 it is not profitable to profitably. It is not p.m. – 3.00 p.m. produce bricks to build that people do not Street Stall houses for people who need the food—the Venue: Queen Street (Newport Road end), would not be able to Food and Agriculture Cardiff, CF10 2HQ pay for them. Organisation Meanwhile, in France estimate that up LONDON the government are to half the world’s Clapham worried about there population go to bed Saturday 18 – Sunday 19 April, 10.30 a.m. being “too much food”. hungry—but that – 5.00 p.m. both days According to the Times because they cannot Annual Conference (23 January 1970), the pay for it there is Socialist Party’s Premises, 52 Clapham solution advocated by no profit in growing High Street, London, SW4 7UN one group of academics food for them. and civil servants is that one-third of the present cultivated Stockpiles of bricks beside slums; proposals to cut Declaration of Principles area of France should be taken out of food production. The back food production in a hungry world—just two more Vedel Commission recommended: examples of how capitalism cannot serve human needs. This declaration is the basis of our organisation and, because it is instrument of oppression into the agent of emancipation and the ‘Whatever rate of modernisation is adopted, agriculture (Socialist Standard¸ March 1970) also an important historical document dating from the formation overthrow of privilege, aristocratic and plutocratic. of the party in 1904, its original language has been retained. 7. That as all political parties are but the expression of class Object interests, and as the interest of the working class is diametrically The establishment of a system of society based upon the opposed to the interests of all sections of the master class, the The Socialist Party’s 2020 Summer School looks at technological progress common ownership and democratic control of the means and party seeking working class emancipation must be hostile to and its application in the past, present and future. This weekend of talks instruments for producing and distributing wealth by and in the every other party. and discussion is an exciting opportunity to share and explore revolutionary interest of the whole community. ideas, in the relaxing setting of Fircroft College in Birmingham. 8. The Socialist Party of Great Britain, therefore, enters the field Declaration of Principles of political action determined to wage war against all other The Socialist Party of Great Britain holds political parties, whether alleged labour or avowedly capitalist, and calls upon the members of the working class of this country 1. That society as at present constituted is based upon the to muster under its banner to the end that a speedy termination ownership of the means of living (i.e. land, factories, railways, may be wrought to the system which deprives them of the fruits etc.) by the capitalist or master class, and the consequent of their labour, and that poverty may give place to comfort, From the development of the first tools enslavement of the working class, by whose labour alone wealth privilege to equality, and slavery to freedom. and the wheel through to the invention of is produced. the printing press, the steam engine, the microprocessor and beyond, technology 2. That in society, therefore, there is an antagonism of interests, has always shaped how we live. Scientific manifesting itself as a class struggle between those who possess developments take place in the context of but do not produce and those who produce but do not possess. the social and economic conditions of the time. In capitalism, technological progress 3. That this antagonism can be abolished only by the and how technology is used are driven by emancipation of the working class from the domination of the what is profitable and cost effective more master class, by the conversion into the common property of society of the means of production and distribution, and their than by what is really needed and wanted. democratic control by the whole people. This means that technology is often used in ways which go against our best 4. That as in the order of social evolution the working class is interests, whether through environmental the last class to achieve its freedom, the emancipation of the damage, the development of ever-more working class will involve the emancipation of all mankind, destructive weapons or the misuse of without distinction of race or sex.

5. That this emancipation must be the work of the working class itself.

data gathered online and through social Full residential cost (including E-mail enquiries should be sent to 6. That as the machinery of government, including the armed media. In a future socialist society based accommodation and meals Friday [email protected]. To book a place forces of the nation, exists only to conserve the monopoly by the on common ownership and democratic online, go to spgb.net/summer-school-2020 capitalist class of the wealth taken from the workers, the working evening to Sunday afternoon) is £100, or send a cheque (payable to the Socialist organisation of industries and services, and the concessionary rate is £50. Day Party of Great Britain) with your contact class must organize consciously and politically for the conquest technology could really be used to benefit visitors are welcome, but please book details to Summer School, The Socialist of the powers of government, national and local, in order that us, in harmony with the environment. Party, 52 Clapham High Street, London, SW4 this machinery, including these forces, may be converted from an in advance. 7UN.

22 Socialist Standard March 2020 Socialist Standard March 2020 23 Dumb and dumber Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Needs to appears to have originated from a Wuhan Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy) Learn Economics (nationalinterest. seafood market where wild animals, has even more nonsensical suggestions org, 26 January). Indeed. But so does including marmots, birds, rabbits, bats to offer in the fight... a drop of sesame the author, Ben Shapiro. He objects to and snakes, are traded illegally’ (wired. oil in each nostril upon waking, and a AOC’s claim ‘No one ever makes a billion co.uk, 30 January). Imagine the conditions “light and soft” diet.... Ayurveda and dollars. You take a billion dollars.’ But for animals and workers involved with other traditional medicines, like Unani, that was one of the things she got right. illegal farms and markets. The Indian are seen as a legitimate and burgeoning ‘According to AOC, the very mechanisms government is doubling down on the industry. The Prime Minister... wants to of capitalism mandate such theft. In her damage done by promoting homeopathic make them “a way of life”... and as holistic view, successful businesspeople simply treatment. ‘Far from being a “prophylactic medicine becomes ever more profitable, exploit their workers while maximizing medicine,” as the ministry suggests, the government has started promoting their profits.’ By contrast, the Conservative traditional remedies more and more’ Shapiro believes ‘consumers determine (sciencealert.com, 30 January). the value of products; producers do not. The diffuse informational system of the A world to win free market, which rewards the power of We live in a sick society, yet a small entrepreneurship, rather than punishing minority continue to thrive. ‘The richest it...’. Socialists assert that profit can be Americans are set to inherit a staggering traced to the additional value generated $764 billion... The study noted the US in the production process. Consider, a US has one of the lowest levels of upward factory worker’s output $73.45/hour vs. mobility, which now “heavily depends” hourly pay of just $23.32 (huffpost.com, on the circumstances of birth’ (markets. 6 December 2017) and ‘Almost 80% of US business insider.com, 28 January). workers live from paycheck to paycheck’ Who runs things from top to bottom? (theguardian.com, 29 July 2018). This Who grows the food, who builds the ‘surplus value’ is the difference between houses, who mines the minerals, who the labour time workers actually expend in transports them, who processes them, the production process and the amount of who fashions them into useful things, labour time embodied in the commodities who does all the administrative work for the workers themselves must consume this, orders the supplies, draws up the to reproduce their capacity to labour, designs – who other than the working which Marx terms ‘labour power’. Even a class`? The shareholding capitalist and the ‘fair wage’, or co-operatives, which AOC fat-cat company director are completely supports, do not change the source of redundant as far as the actual work of Shapiro’s ‘rewards’. He actually quotes wealth production is concerned – and approvingly from the Guardian with regard new wealth can only be created by the to the Spanish Mondragon Cooperative this miracle concoction is, in reality, a application of human labour to materials Corporation, whose worker-owners have super-diluted form of arsenic trioxide. that originally come from nature, not ‘learned to think like the shareholders of Not only is the compound known to be by speculating on the stock exchange any other global business.’ Exploitation of fatal if improperly used, but there’s also or planning take-over bids. Their social labour as the basis of profit accounts for no evidence to suggest it works on the role is purely parasitic - a mosquito that the merciless drive of capitalists to extend coronavirus, or any other condition for banks the blood it extracts, part of the the working day, so as to suck out every that matter. If it weren’t for the Dalai wealth created by the rest of us. This is last drop of surplus value. Lama recently telling his followers to chant the system which AOC and Shapiro, with a mantra as protection, India’s purported more or less governmental intervention, Do no homeopathy tips to fend off the coronavirus might support, and which only a majority of us Capitalism is parasitic, seeking out profit be the least effective advice offered yet. can end. wherever it can be made and leaving war Now, the two will have to battle for that and want in its wake. There is potential top spot, and India’s ministry of AYUSH profit in the coronavirus. ‘The virus (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani,

ISSN 0037 8259 Published by the Socialist Party, 52 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UN Tel: 0207 622 3811 24 Email: [email protected] Website: www.worldsocialism.org/spgb Blog: http://socialismoryourmoneyback.blogspot.com/ Socialist Standard March 2020