Comments on: Crisis! What crisis? http://chriswhiteonline.org/2009/02/crisis-what-crisis/ Blogging from a life-long unionist Mon, 21 May 2012 06:27:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alexander White http://chriswhiteonline.org/2009/02/crisis-what-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-339 Alexander White Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:24:00 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=1047#comment-339 I'm not convinced that Socialist Grouplets are even the tiniest bit relevant to a critique of the GFC. In fact, their relative focus on topics such as the Bolshevik Revolution is probably more useful than their ultra-left positions on more important issues. Cheers Alex I’m not convinced that Socialist Grouplets are even the tiniest bit relevant to a critique of the GFC. In fact, their relative focus on topics such as the Bolshevik Revolution is probably more useful than their ultra-left positions on more important issues.

Cheers
Alex

]]> By: Wombo http://chriswhiteonline.org/2009/02/crisis-what-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-338 Wombo Mon, 16 Feb 2009 03:31:35 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=1047#comment-338 Liz is right, Socialist Alternative (if the posters in Newtown are anything to go by), has been holding plenty of meetings on the crisis. The Socialist Alliance website also has several statements on the crisis (dating back some time), GLW is full of articles on it, Resistance Books just published a new pamphlet on the crisis, and the DSP/ Resistance are organising a major conference in Sydney at Easter which will have an entire stream on the economics meltdown, the mechanisms behind it, and the solutions. And I'm sure the other groups are, and have been, talking about it for some time. So I'm not sure what Humphrey's getting at, unless he's suggesting we all go picket the stock exchange and only write about the economic crisis. There are plenty of existing campaigns where the left can be - and is - actively involved while also introducing a criticism of capitalism (Gaza, climate change, energy and prison privatisation, the teachers, ABCC, etc, etc). These are the things to which most workers relate, and it's where Marxists should be (and are), rather than simply banging on the one drum. Liz is right, Socialist Alternative (if the posters in Newtown are anything to go by), has been holding plenty of meetings on the crisis.

The Socialist Alliance website also has several statements on the crisis (dating back some time), GLW is full of articles on it, Resistance Books just published a new pamphlet on the crisis, and the DSP/ Resistance are organising a major conference in Sydney at Easter which will have an entire stream on the economics meltdown, the mechanisms behind it, and the solutions.

And I’m sure the other groups are, and have been, talking about it for some time.

So I’m not sure what Humphrey’s getting at, unless he’s suggesting we all go picket the stock exchange and only write about the economic crisis.

There are plenty of existing campaigns where the left can be – and is – actively involved while also introducing a criticism of capitalism (Gaza, climate change, energy and prison privatisation, the teachers, ABCC, etc, etc).

These are the things to which most workers relate, and it’s where Marxists should be (and are), rather than simply banging on the one drum.

]]> By: Wombo http://chriswhiteonline.org/2009/02/crisis-what-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-335 Wombo Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:12:06 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=1047#comment-335 With all due respect to Humphrey, I think he's lost among the wildebeest on this one. I can't talk for SAlt or the other groups, but a quick search on the GLW website finds: http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/783/40317 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/783/40340 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/771/39758 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/775/39993 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/749/38711 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/780/40200 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/777/40069 http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/781/40249 On the Socialist Alliance site: http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=793 http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=758 http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=821 http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=795 It also appears that Resistance books has published a pamphlet on the crisis, and the DSP/ Resistance are organising a stream of workshops at their Easter conference on the economic crisis: http://www.worldatacrossroads.org/ In addition, there's a swathe of information organised on the LINKS website:http://links.org.au/taxonomy/term/137 All in all, I'm not sure what Humphrey's on about. The global economic crisis hasn't yet hit Australia with its full force, when one might expect a broader response, including from the unions. Other than that, the DSP and Socialist Alliance are involved in the real campaigns that exist. This includes significantly more than Gaza and aboriginal rights. It also includes playing an important role in the campaign against the energy privatisation in NSW, and other public sector and union struggles. That is, the areas where - when the crisis hits - any meaningful response will come from (as opposed to several hundred socialists protesting the stock exchange). Furthermore, there is a vital structural connection between the climate change crisis and the crisis in capitalism, and anyone who doesn't think that working people worry about the environment needs his head checked. The only proposal I can even vaguely interpret from the article above is that the left should be engaging in vast amounts of propagandism, to the detriment of other activity, a proposal I disagree with, but Humphrey could at least state it openly. With all due respect to Humphrey, I think he’s lost among the wildebeest on this one.

I can’t talk for SAlt or the other groups, but a quick search on the GLW website finds:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/783/40317
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/783/40340
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/771/39758
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/775/39993
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/749/38711
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/780/40200
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/777/40069
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/781/40249

On the Socialist Alliance site:
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=793
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=758
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=821
http://www.socialist-alliance.org/page.php?page=795

It also appears that Resistance books has published a pamphlet on the crisis, and the DSP/ Resistance are organising a stream of workshops at their Easter conference on the economic crisis: http://www.worldatacrossroads.org/

In addition, there’s a swathe of information organised on the LINKS website:http://links.org.au/taxonomy/term/137

All in all, I’m not sure what Humphrey’s on about. The global economic crisis hasn’t yet hit Australia with its full force, when one might expect a broader response, including from the unions.

Other than that, the DSP and Socialist Alliance are involved in the real campaigns that exist. This includes significantly more than Gaza and aboriginal rights. It also includes playing an important role in the campaign against the energy privatisation in NSW, and other public sector and union struggles. That is, the areas where – when the crisis hits – any meaningful response will come from (as opposed to several hundred socialists protesting the stock exchange).

Furthermore, there is a vital structural connection between the climate change crisis and the crisis in capitalism, and anyone who doesn’t think that working people worry about the environment needs his head checked.

The only proposal I can even vaguely interpret from the article above is that the left should be engaging in vast amounts of propagandism, to the detriment of other activity, a proposal I disagree with, but Humphrey could at least state it openly.

]]> By: Liz Ross http://chriswhiteonline.org/2009/02/crisis-what-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-334 Liz Ross Sat, 14 Feb 2009 01:02:06 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=1047#comment-334 Despite Humphrey's asserttions, Socialist Alternative has beem taking the crisis seriously. We have had regular meetings, 2nd items in meetings for well over a year, frequent articles in our magazine (not to mention the front cover), discussion at our conference. We also run educationals for our members and one of our best selling books is "Explaining the Crisis" by Chris Harman, a long time economics commentator from the British Socialist Worker, we've just published a book on the crisis (Sandra Bloodworth: A crime beyond denunciation. A Marxist analysis of Capitalist Crisis)and some members are just about to launch an online journal that contains articles on crisis and capitalism, amongst others. Our members have also been active in their unions fighting for better wages and conditions, fighting off the attempts of the bosses (including State Labor governemnts)to make workers pay for the crisis. One thing we think is important is that it is the system as a whole that is in crisis. So we argue that all the struggles around the world - Greece, Italy, France, the Middle East - are important in the overall struggle against the system. That's why we're trying to arm our members with the theory (as I've outlined above in all our meetings and publications) and back it up with the action - on the streets over Gaza, NT Intervention, YRAW, teachers. That's why we don't just focus on one thing at our Conference over Easter. Come along and see for yourself. In solidarity Liz Ross Despite Humphrey’s asserttions, Socialist Alternative has beem taking the crisis seriously. We have had regular meetings, 2nd items in meetings for well over a year, frequent articles in our magazine (not to mention the front cover), discussion at our conference. We also run educationals for our members and one of our best selling books is “Explaining the Crisis” by Chris Harman, a long time economics commentator from the British Socialist Worker, we’ve just published a book on the crisis (Sandra Bloodworth: A crime beyond denunciation. A Marxist analysis of Capitalist Crisis)and some members are just about to launch an online journal that contains articles on crisis and capitalism, amongst others.

Our members have also been active in their unions fighting for better wages and conditions, fighting off the attempts of the bosses (including State Labor governemnts)to make workers pay for the crisis.

One thing we think is important is that it is the system as a whole that is in crisis. So we argue that all the struggles around the world – Greece, Italy, France, the Middle East – are important in the overall struggle against the system. That’s why we’re trying to arm our members with the theory (as I’ve outlined above in all our meetings and publications) and back it up with the action – on the streets over Gaza, NT Intervention, YRAW, teachers.

That’s why we don’t just focus on one thing at our Conference over Easter. Come along and see for yourself. In solidarity Liz Ross

]]> By: GlenWriter http://chriswhiteonline.org/2009/02/crisis-what-crisis/comment-page-1/#comment-333 GlenWriter Fri, 13 Feb 2009 23:52:51 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=1047#comment-333 Three questions and a statement: Did Ludwig work with the Wright brothers? Was it a T-model Ford that Ludwig drove? Where is this town Distraction? When a rhinoceros is in a room there is not much room for anything else. Three questions and a statement:
Did Ludwig work with the Wright brothers?
Was it a T-model Ford that Ludwig drove?
Where is this town Distraction?
When a rhinoceros is in a room there is not much room for anything else.

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