The
crisis of Greek capitalism is clear for all to see. The bosses want
draconian economic policies to be implemented, but the workers have
already given more than they can afford to give. Bosses and workers are
on a collision course as the call for a 24-hour general strike on
February 24 clearly demonstrates.
Monopolisation of big
business is endemic to the capitalist system. Big business has become
wealthier and more powerful today than ever before.The revolving doors between government and industry has ensured the
continued domination of big business over parliament and state. Capitalist economists constantly argue that
privately run industry driven by pursuit of profit is the best way for
an economy to function. But, even a cursory look at the world around us
tells a very different story. Far from being efficient, capitalism is
riddled with contradictions and crisis. You could write multiple
volumes, as Karl Marx did, on the inadequacies of capitalism, but here,
in this limited space, we shall deal with just a few.
When the economy was booming the euro was seen as a source of strength
for those countries that had adopted the new currency. Now it is
transforming into its opposite, as the crisis in Greece demonstrates.
The Marxists warned about this long ago.
Unison has continued its witch hunt by banning Alan Docherty,
Darlington LG’ s Branch Secretary, for 3 years from office. His crime
was defending himself from attack from Unison Northern Region’s
leadership for his involvement in the National Shop Stewards Network
(NSSN) as the Tees Valley Secretary of the NESSN (North East Shop
Stewards Network).
The
discipline that is imposed on the worker through the capitalist system
— through wage labour, through the division of labour and the
development of manufacturing — is the very same discipline that the
workers turn against the bosses through organisation into trade unions
and political parties of labour. Therefore what effect does the theory
and practice of Anarchism have in the attempts by the workers to forge
fighting organisations?
Ireland faces the biggest crisis in
world capitalism since the 1930’s and for that reason there’s never been more
need for a socialist response to solve the problems workers face. With that in
mind, how do the Labour leadership stand up to scrutiny?
Greece, like all the other capitalist
countries afflicted by the recession, is running a big deficit on its
government budget. Tax revenues have
collapsed and more benefits are having to be paid out to the unemployed.
Deficits for the European Union countries as a whole tripled from 2.3% to 6.9%
from 2008 to 2009 because of the slump.
‘Ethical consumption’ and other capitalist ‘solutions’ to the climate crisis are a blind alley. We need a socialist alternative.
In the previous few months, we have attempted to show how capitalist ‘solutions’ to climate change, such as market-based methods like carbon trading, are not able to combat the environmental problems facing humanity and our planet. Similarly, international treaties that attempt to operate within the confines of capitalism are also doomed to failure, as was seen in Copenhagen last year. Capitalism cannot solve these problems – capitalism is the problem.
Greek capitalism is in a deep crisis.
It is the weak link in the chain and it is beginning to break. The
country risks defaulting on its debt repayments, posing a serious
threat to the stability of the euro. Severe austerity measures are
being imposed and these are provoking a working class backlash.
Paul Holmes is standing for election as General Secretary of UNISON.
Paul has been active in the union for 36 years, he’s branch secretary
of Kirklees Branch in Yorkshire. The branch has over 10,000 members and
an 80% membership density. Paul agreed to be interviewed for Fightback
which is the Journal of the International Marxist Tendency in Ireland and we are pleased to reproduce that interview here.
Steve Acheson, blacklisted electrician from Manchester, was nearly arrested recently on his picket at Fiddler’s Ferry power station. Steve was dismissed in December 2009 and has held a peaceful picket outside the site ever since. His tribunal for unfair dismissal will not be heard until October this year.