I have found myself described as far left, quite often recently. I find this rather puzzling. I would not even describe myself as a socialist. Economically, I wish to see much greater worker share ownership, limitations on extreme pay differentials between management and staff, and strong regulation of casino banking with a far smaller, taxed and regulated derivatives market. I support state ownership of natural monopolies, such as rail, roads, and public utilities. I support state welfare provision and excellent state health and education services. But that is as far as it goes. I do not advocate central planning and in general prefer to keep the state out of commercial activity – which is why I support the EU so strongly in removing barriers to the mobility of all factors of production. I am not a socialist.
This blog is read by many people who have known me since university, some even earlier. I think I am right in saying that my beliefs have not changed in any fundamental way over 40 years. What I outline above was what I believed in 1976. I stand open to confirmation or correction.
Yet in 1976 I was a Liberal, and politically centre or only slightly left of centre. My views were absolutely mainstream and were voiced in mainstream media every day.
While standing still, I now find myself far left as the mainstream political spectrum rushed rightwards past me.
Is this because the Thatcherite revolution, carried on so enthusiastically by Blair and New Labour, proved wildly successful? Is it because deregulation and privatisation has brought prosperity, harmony and an inarguably better society?
No, not at all. The new right wing consensus has been a disaster. It led directly to the great crash of 2008 and the resulting austerity, which will dog us for another two decades at this rate. It led to massive, astonishing inequality of wealth and a society in which it is considered normal for top executives of an organisation to be paid 100 times more than the lowest employee. It led to hedge fund managers owning our politicians, and to Russian mafia owning our football clubs. It led to a world where Save the Children can pay its chief executive £375,000 a year of donation money yet nobody pukes. It led to collapse in manufacturing and to vast areas of blight and hopelessness, to a generation who will never afford a house while buy to let multi millionaires abound, to QE transferring yet more money straight to financial institutions.
The great right wing experiment has been a disaster for the country. Outwith the economic field, we have seen a massive attack on civil liberties, the growth of the 100% surveillance state, and end of respect for international law including the invasion of Iraq and the programme of torture and extraordinary rendition.
Yet although the disastrous failure of Britain’s forty year far right experiment is evident all around us, public opinion continued to move inexorably ever more to the right. It did so because the sheer propaganda power of the corporate media, led by the BBC, pushed it in that direction and had the power to do so. Dissident voices were excluded from the airwaves. The positions I agree with and which I heard regularly on the airwaves forty years ago no longer get airtime, even where they retain majority public support, such as nationalisation of the railways.
Some of my views have become more radical, and they relate to the need to break up the institutions of the right wing state. I believed in Scottish independence forty years ago, but it is much more central to my thinking now. Forty years ago I would have been shocked by the idea that the BBC should be utterly destroyed, but now that seems to me the only sensible approach.
I am not without hope. There is no doubt that the Sanders/SNP/Corbyn phenomenon represents a reaction to the dreadful inequality of society and all the evils which I have described. But I would also argue that this reaction has only been practical because of the new maturity of social media, weakening the grip of corporate media on the popular field of debate and the popular imagination.
Perhaps then, without moving, I became revolutionary just in time.
“What matters is that they’re reformed so that they can no longer do the damage they have been doing.”
On that I might agree – though I suspect the nature of the reform that I might propose would be rather different.
I think you will find that villains are capable of being villains without someone pulling their strings. The capacity for evil is not confined just to one group, as you may like to think – even though you are totally incapable of producing any analysis or evidence as to why this may be the case.
Hmmm. When I was at th Uni of Dundee I am tolerably sure that you were implacably opposed to ScoTtish independence. You wanted a Federal UK. I know that I was drunk most of of the time but I wasn’t so drunk that I have forgotten that bit!
Maybe the third time history repeats itself it’s as fiction.
Republicofscotland,
I have lots of underwater video and still photography taken with a big camera in a plastic bag
the plastic bag cost me about £150…but it was guaranteed – and to my amazement – when after 3 years – it started to leak a bit…
The German company apologised and sent me another brand new one…
but its all on tape – HD Yes…but tape…
Yes, I do have a Firewire connection
I have got to do it again…but it won’t be the same unless my kids come too.
Tony
“As a socialist, let me say that the SNP are right wing xenophobes and no friends of ours.”
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Tell me Chris, if that is/were the case, why are the SNP advocating taking a decent quota of refugees, whilst the Westminster government opposes any such move?
Infact I’m reasonably sure the British government had a hand in demolishing the camp known as the “Jungle” at Calais. Causing more untold hardship in the process.
Yes, Res Diss.
Why do you focus so much on the minor villains, rather than bankers without whose funding these minor villains would not exist.
You’re trying to distract aren’t you.
What explanation are you offering?
It is difficult to avoid pragmatic conclusions that by and large people figure out or used to correctly figure out the group they belong to or aspire to and shape their views accordingly, and their group’s outlook is determined by the status of the group. Sounds cynical but nonetheless there is room for every individual to be selfless and caring and compassionate within his allotted or chosen role and group and when he sees wrong to stand up and call it out.
It doesn’t matter if we are left or right if we have a moral compass. The drift to the right seems to be because everyone identifies with the market and materialism. That must be an irrational choice for many because they do not gain from it even on a material level. Its as if many have been tricked into thinking that they share the elite idea and values because they are heading there …hhmm
You’re a distractor aren’t you Res Diss – an ad hominem laden distractor. Might it be time to come clean?
“Strange Fred, how you can so quickly judge without taking into consideration both sides of the matter at hand. It says to me that you’re not open to persuasion, no matter how logical the arguments may be pity that.”
I know what the white paper said and I know what GERS says and the White Paper was a bigger pack of lies than Brian Souter’s tax returns.
Republicofscotland
““I get the impression from your post at 18h40 that you believe that story posted by Rehmat.
Is that right?
A simple yes or no will do, Ros.”
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It’s the prinicple that counts Habb, Rehmats site may indeed, be shall we say be economical with the truth, but that doesn’t mean that Kempes site is any more factual3
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Classic whataboutery, RoS. 🙂
Never mind about Kempe’s website, RoS – we’re talking about Rehmat’s post.
So – do YOU believe Rehmat’s story, yes or no?
Herbie
“Your long lists of derivative comedy villains, but no mention of who’s pulling their strings.
You’re a fraud!”
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He’s got a long way to go before he overtakes you in the fraudster stakes.
One line gnomic “comments” are no substitute for thoughtful, factual posts, Herbie.
Make no mistake about it.
You’re as bad as yourself.
Even the peeps have woken up to the fact.
Craig, pull your head out, and listen to this old man (he died last year – but he was well into his 80’s)
Do you remember his voice???
Was it The Cadbury’s Flake voice over – before The Americans bought Cadbury’s and fired everyone in Bournville..??
don’t you see a trend here??
“WTC 7 — “This Is An Orange” (by Anthony Lawson)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9u1xGeitPk
Tony
Chris Jones
“You’re a distractor aren’t you Res Diss – an ad hominem laden distractor. Might it be time to come clean?”
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I find that Resident Dissident is not a distractor. Rather, others (like yourself) rush to change the argument when they look as if they’re losing it (ie, it is you and they who attempt to distract).
Shouldn’t you come clean about it yourself?
“You’re a distractor aren’t you Res Diss”
I see myself more as a debunker of garbage and Dissenter to the prevailing views on this blog – you of course see that as a distraction from the one world view.
@ Resident Dissident. I have reviewed my post at 1418 hours and am satisfied that my further post at 1703 is an accurate and complete summation of the observations made at 1418 hours with regard to Russia.
Thus the latter post does not constitute “a set of more limited observations” and that there is no selective quotation, and hence no basis to your charge.
To be clear when I said “no one cares about human rights, unless it serves some other agenda” I was referring not to the individual but to the powerful, and those charged with administering society in the interests of the powerful. I had hoped that this would be clear from the observations offered with regard to Saudi Arabia and the very different media treatment afforded to gassed Kurds and murdered South Africans.
“According to Jean-Claude Trichet, former governor of the Banque de France and the European Central Bank, “today, we have a virtual consensus across the political spectrum in government on at least three points: our public spending must diminish, our economy still has too much inflexibility and we aren’t competitive enough”
That sort of meddling with the economy is the problem, crude, cruel central planning on behalf of corporate interests.
“I know what the white paper said and I know what GERS says and the White Paper was a bigger pack of lies than Brian Souter’s tax returns”
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Fred the SNP’s White Paper, gave a reasonable prediction on oil receipts, as did the OBR and the ONS, so in reality taking into account other departments forecasts the margins were acceptable.
As for Brian Souter, at least he pays tax, unlike George Osborne’s family business, which hasn’t paid any corporation tax since 2008.
“Classic whataboutery, RoS. 🙂
Never mind about Kempe’s website, RoS – we’re talking about Rehmat’s post.
So – do YOU believe Rehmat’s story, yes or no?”
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Habb.
I find it rather intriguing, that you the “elusive pimpernel” who can’t or more to the point, won’t be nailed down, trying to nail someone else down.
Principal Habb, principal.
What neofascist consensus? There has never been a democratically-elected government so there has never been a consensus among the majority where it can exist but among the boss class, always a minority in non-anarchist societies.
Loony
what about “Hence the prize of Russia is the ultimate end game.” ?
“Fred the SNP’s White Paper, gave a reasonable prediction on oil receipts,”
No it didn’t, it gave a complete load of bollocks as history has proven.
So when the SNP start claiming nobody told them that the price of oil might fall they look stupid as well as incompetent.
What would have happened if more people had been daft enough to believe them and voted for independence? Scotland would be on their own from the end of March with a deficit more than double that of Greece.
“As for Brian Souter, at least he pays tax, unlike George Osborne’s family business, which hasn’t paid any corporation tax since 2008.”
They haven’t just been taken to court and found guilty of tax avoidance like the SNP’s main donor though.
Still not much real news yet…but he did text us and said what time is Tea?
The poor kid has only slept for about 4 hours since Thursday…
Thursday’s child has far to go,
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for a living,
But the child who is born on the Sabbath day
Is fair and wise and good in every way.
Monday’s Child has a Serious Hangover – and Might go Paranoid
A lot of Americans don’t like this English kid
They think he is The Beast – and we say no that’s the other guy in Iron Maiden who also flies us home, when the tour company goes bust…
“Black Sabbath Live in Paris 1970 (Full Show)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yZA4TC_pt4
They didn’t know they were going to be famous…but thought that learning to play guitar and sing – may be a slight improvement from working in the abattoir (and machine shop) in Birmingham…Tony cut the tips of his fingers off whist operating the machine…and looked at them – and thought how the hell can I ever play guitar again?
Tony
Plenty of Irish people who supported a version of federalism (Home Rule) and opposed independence in 1911 changed their minds and came to support independence in the following decade. People do learn from experience.
Barry Chamish reported on the Israeli Channel 10 show about the irradiation of the Sephardic children. . It seems unlikely that he would have reported this if the show had not run.
@ Resident Dissident. You have been accused of being a “distractor” There would appear to be merit to this charge. You write:
“Anyone who thinks that Putin and his oligarch friends or the Chinese Communist Party should be supported as bulwarks against capitalism etc.etc. clearly has abandoned the realm of rational economic discussion.”
How can anyone or anything act as a bulwark against capitalism, when capitalism does not exist? Free or negatively priced money is not capitalism. Propping up insolvent institutions by legal and illegal means is not capitalism. The suppression of price discovery is not capitalism. All of this is obvious and entirely non contentious.
Formerly capitalist or market economies now seem set on the destruction of the entire planet. Look at the consequences of the assaults against Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. That these societies have been substantially destroyed by western intervention is surely not contentious.
Western powers are quite open regarding their desire to visit the same fate on Syria. For the time being their cult of destruction is being held in check by Russia. Russia is seeking to mount a defense against the entirely lawless banditry of the west, whose undisguised aim is to pillage the entire world.
It has nothing to do with economics and everything to do with global pillage and the exercise of raw power. Given the policies of western central banks there is no longer any realm of rational economic discussion. Since it does not exist it cannot be abandoned.
Barry Chamish: Zionists Poisoned/Radiated
100k Jewish Children.
See that the Archbishop of Canterbury just took time out to call Craig Murray’s racist, anti-British March 11 post outrageous.
Bravo Archie.
@Resident Dissident. What about “Hence the prize of Russia is the ultimate end game.” What about it? It is not a comment about Russia it is a comment about western policy toward Russia.
It links to the substantive comments about Russia that (i) Russia has a lot of resources and (ii) Russia is able to defend itself. Comments that you agree with.
“So when the SNP start claiming nobody told them that the price of oil might fall they look stupid as well as incompetent.”
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Fred, that’s a rather flippant comment, very few could’ve predicted such a steep drop in the price of a barrel of oil.
Thankfully Scotland’s economy isn’t based on oil revenue.
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“What would have happened if more people had been daft enough to believe them and voted for independence? Scotland would be on their own from the end of March with a deficit more than double that of Greece.”
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I doubt the veracity in your above statement, though yes Scotland would’ve ran a higher deficit, like most other nations in the world, are they comparable to Greece?
That however could’ve been eased by the full control of fiscal levers which would’ve allowed the Scotland government leeway.
Independence would also have allowed a far greater slice of revenue from oil and gas, regardless of how low the price per barrel, it’s still an asset, that most countries would love to have. Though to listen to a pessimistic unionist, oil and gas are a terrible burden.
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“They haven’t just been taken to court and found guilty of tax avoidance like the SNP’s main donor though.”
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I agree Fred tax avoidance should be prosecuted, how would you handle Ian Taylor, and his £1million pound donation to Better Together. Mr Taylor, and his firm Vitoil had dealings with genocide committer warlord Arkan, yet Better Together still accepted their biggest donation from him.
https://nationalcollective1.wordpress.com
It makes Brian Souters tax avoidance seem petty.
The machinations of the British government, compared to Holyroods are utterly incomparable.
“Plenty of Irish people who supported a version of federalism (Home Rule) and opposed independence in 1911 changed their minds and came to support independence in the following decade. People do learn from experience.”
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Especially when you tie a seriously injured captives to a chair and execute him.
Not long now to St Patrick’s day.
The British government’s reaction to the Easter Rising did play a big role in the change in Irish opinion, but so did the British government’s foot-dragging in implementing Home Rule, and the government’s apparently serious efforts to impose conscription on Ireland in 1917-18. And that’s ignoring what happened after the parliamentary election of 1918, where the Irish felt their expressed wishes were being ignored.