Kilts and Tartan: Perspectives Comes Over All Scott-Ish Radical Feminist Green
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Kilts and tartan: Perspectives comes over all Scott-ish radical feminist green No 41 | SUMMER 2015 | £3 Greece and the euro Policing the polis Why Scotland can flourish Women for independence The ugly side of the beautiful game SKETCHES FROM A SMALL WORLD TIM HAIGH’S SURREAL MURDER MYSTERY TREVOR ROYLE IS THE HAT ISSN 2041-3629 REVIEWS •BRIAN COX’S 07 HUMAN UNIVERSE •GRAMSCI’S EARLY WRITINGS •BIG-SCREEN FILTH 9772041362010 MAGAZINE OF SCOTLAND’S DEMOCRATIC LEFT Editorial “His name was The Labour Party, sir. Looks as though he Perspectives No 41, summer 2015 was mugged. Beaten savagely about the credibility with a blunt instrument.” – Tim Haigh on page 33 Contents 3 Sketches from a small Paying the price of no PR world Eurig Scandrett he return of a majority 2012, conveniently ignoring the Conservative government in fact that AV (as observed in the The general election 5 TMay’s general election has article “Two cheers for AV ”, and after: can Labour demonstrated, to an even greater Perspectives 28) is not a form of survive? degree than previously, the proportional representation. David Purdy dysfunctional character of the Of course, no-one expects the system used to elect the Tories to go for PR at Westminster The Greek crisis and the 8 Westminster parliament. elections when the current system crisis of the euro Consider: the Tories win an gifts them a majority of seats on Pat Devine absolute majority on the basis of just over one-third of the votes, the support of little over one third but Labour, who to their discredit Policing the polis 11 (36.8%) of voters; the SNP take 95% have supported (and similarly John Finnie of the seats in Scotland on 50% of benefitted from) first-past-the- the vote; and Ukip on 12.6% and post in the past, would do well to Wee white blossom – 14 the Greens on 3.7% take just one become advocates of some form why Scotland can seat each. of PR . flourish Fair? Hardly! But I remember e British public are badly Lesley Riddoch one senior Tory trying to kick the n Letters and served by the current electoral electoral reform ball into the long contributions system and it is the poorest in our Women for 16 grass when confronted with these (which we may society who will, quite literally, independence: figures on the radio a few days edit) are welcome pay the greatest price for a the what next? after the election. He told the and should be Conservative government most of Marsha Scott interviewer that this issue had sent to the the electorate did not vote for. been resolved by the referendum editor – contact Sean Feeny The ugly side of the 17 on the alternative vote held in details below Editor beautiful game Stephen Morrow FUTURE PERSPECTIVES 20 Sir Walter Scott and the As we publish this 41st edition of Perspectives , the magazine of Democratic Left Scotland kilting and tartaning of and now well over 10 years into its current format, we should apologise for the nine- Scotland month gap since issue 40. While we aim to print four issues a year, we rely to a very large Neil Davidson degree on the mainly unpaid input of a small number of people. Inevitably, this arrange - ment can cause problems, especially where the demands of paid employment overlap 25 Review: Alone … in an with the production schedules of the magazine. uncaring universe Democratic Left Scotland will be discussing what it can do: whether print production Ken Macleod should cease; if there are other possibilities in, for example, an enhanced website; or whether the two might exist in complementary roles. 27 Review: A great and We will let subscribers and DLS members know after full discussions and a decision is terrible world taken. If you have any feelings about this please contact us with your thoughts. Andy Pearmain 30 Review: Irvine Welsh – Perspectives is published by wallowing in his own Democratic Left Scotland, Number Ten, 10 Constitution Road, Dundee DD1 1LL Tel: 01382 201622 / e: [email protected] / www.democraticleftscotland.org.uk Filth? Willy Maley ISSN 2041-3629 Editor: Sean Feeny / Depute editor: Davie Laing / Circulation and promotions manager: David Purdy 33 We’re the Sweeney, son Articles in Perspectives are copyright. Requests to reproduce any part of the magazine should be Tim Haigh addressed to the editor. For further information on Perspectives or to submit articles or letters, contact: 34 Diary Trevor Royle is The Editor, Perspectives, Democratic Left Scotland, Number Ten, 10 Constitution Road, Dundee DD1 1LL The Hat e: [email protected] Printed by Hampden Advertising Ltd, 70 Stanley Street, Glasgow G41 1JB. 2 | SUMMER 2015 | PERSPECTIVES 41 Eurig Scandrett Eurig is an environmental activist and a member of Democratic Left Scotland Sketches from a small world ast December saw the 30th anniversary of the The legal India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently Bhopal disaster – 30 years of a community’s pursuing an inward investment campaign across the struggle for justice from transnational system has world to “Make in India”. Survivors’ groups have corporations Union Carbide, Dow and others, consistently angrily highlighted the contrast between the red and their state collaborators. I was in Bhopal let the carpet treatment recently given to Barack Obama in Lfor the commemorations, with a delegation of trade India to attract US capital in the future, and the union activists from Scotland (and one from Wales). survivors negligence at pursuing justice for the victims of US Along with joining angry protests and visiting down, investment in the past. Modi’s aggressive neo- grassroots rehabilitation centres, delegates attended especially in liberalism is not unique but its pace is breathtaking. the opening of the Bhopal holocaust museum. is He is dismantling safety and environmental immensely powerful memorial is the brainchild of the USA regulations, weakening institutions of justice such as journalist and curator Rama Lakshmi and was where green tribunals, and clearing away social protection developed in collaboration with the survivors and enforcement in the interests of global capital. Campaigners have campaigners in Bhopal. It contains artefacts, suggested his approach might be more appropriately reflections, photographs, banners and objects agencies have called “Make more Bhopals in India”. donated by the Bhopal survivors and those who have refused to stood alongside them, representing the horrors of co -operate hilst in India, the delegation also met trade “that night” and the 30 year struggle for dignity and with Indian union activists in Mumbai and Delhi. Indian justice. e museum also represents a political act of Wlabour is highly fragmented, with 80% of defiance of the state of Madhya Pradesh whose courts workers in casualised employment. e trade unions official intention is to establish their own museum, are largely small and organised into a number of where the public presentation of memory can be congresses and centres, mostly affiliated with controlled. political parties ranging from the BJP far right (Modi’s Trade unions have played an important role in the party) to the Maoists on the left and a great deal of Bhopal struggle. e union representing workers at sectarian divisions result. Nonetheless, alliances do the Union Carbide factory raised concerns about form around class mobilisation and militant action in health and safety several years before the disaster and certain areas. In Mumbai, the activists we met were mounted protests following the death in 1982 of a drawn from different unions and left traditions yet worker in the factory. A trade union relief committee work together as the Mumbai trade union solidarity was also established in Mumbai immediately after the committee. In Delhi we met Gautam Mody, the disaster and conducted important assessments and General Secretary of the New Trade Union Initiative, information gathering. ere has been support for the fourth largest trade union centre in India and the the survivors’ demands from unions in India and only significant non-party affiliated trade union across the world. Over the past year there has been a congress, with particular strengths in metal workers, series of solidarity statements from Scottish Trades extractive industries and construction. Where Union Congress sectoral conferences and this year organised workers collaborate in India, there are the delegates brought the issue to the STUC . real opportunities for trade union solidarity Trade Union Friends of Bhopal has been with trade unions and workers’ established to support solidarity organisations in Scotland. initiatives. Trade union action is an e Bhopali groups welcomed essential component of the our solidarity and emphasise that campaign for justice. In March “we all live in Bhopal” – nowhere 2015, Dow again did not show up is immune from the toxic to a court hearing after being chemical capitalism. Wherever summonsed, the second time in trade unions, along with six months. e legal system has environmentalists and consistently let the survivors community activists, are down, especially in the USA where campaigning to defend the health, enforcement agencies have refused to safety and dignity of workers and co -operate with Indian courts and have their communities, we act in solidarity always taken the side of the corporations. with Bhopal. PERSPECTIVES 41 | SUMMER 2015 | 3 People and politics In Scotland, as in the rest of Britain, there is widespread disillusionment with politics. There’s The mainstream parties have lost touch with ordinary people and issues are trivialised and distorted by the media. We are continually told that “there is no alternative” to global capitalism. Yet this is more doing untold damage to our environment, our communities and the quality of our to lives, while millions of people remain poor and powerless because the market politics dominates our society and we do too little to protect and empower them.