Socialist Society: How do we get it...?

In 1945, with a landslide victory in the General Election, a Labour Government was elected with a Socialist Agenda. The Electricity, Gas, Coal, Steel and Railways Industries were all nationalised - taken into Public Ownership, to be run as part of a Planned Economy for the benefit of the People. And, the National Health Service was set up, as a service for all, free at the point of use. Education was reorganised to provide different kinds of instruction, with places allocated solely upon the basis of ability alone.

BUT, the Wealth still remained substantially in the hands of the Owning Class! They were even given substantial Compensation Payments for their now Nationalised Industries, which actually made them even richer in terms of actual spendable money.

And, they still owned the whole printed Media Industry - the Newspapers and Magazines, and the Book Publishing Organisations. 

In addition, all their Private Schools and Charitable Foundations and "Research Organisations" continued to provide privileged education to their children, and energetically peddle their views totally unrestricted. Generous donations to like-thinking organisations, and even individuals with political ambitions, actually increased.

So, ranged against the Labour Government, attempting to build Socialism out of the Ruins and Debts of the Second World War, were the still very well-heeled rich, totally determined that Labour should fail, and they would regain their property, their wealth and their power.

And they succeeded in just 5 years! 

The Tories were back in power after only a single Labour Administration, despite the fact that Clement Attlee's Labour government had been elected with the largest swing ever achieved in the country.

In other papers in this series, the myths of supposed Democracy have been spelled out, to make very clear that a great deal more than just "The Vote" is required to establish a truly Democratic State. Money will always undermine true democracy.

Now, Corbyn's Labour Party is ready-once-more with a somewhat similar agenda to 1945! But, after years of Blairite degeneration, he has a Party apparatus saddled with anti-socialist neoliberals and pro-capitalist elites. Yet, by a successful recruiting drive, he and his colleagues have established a pro-socialist majority within the rank-and-file.

So, without the victory of that majority, inside the Party, that Socialist Agenda will be betrayed from within!

Clearly, both the lessons of 1945, and the transformation of the Party simply MUST be achieved, or the next Labour Government and the People that elected them will again be defeated.

Are you clear what must be done?

For example:

• What are the important lessons of 1945?

• Do we give the rich any compensation?

• Can we leave the Media in the hands of the Ruling Class?

• And, if not, who should take on that vital responsibility?

• Can we leave the Banks in private hands?

Now, these questions should clarify why these papers have been about:

Achieving Real Socialism!

For, without true Socialist Democracy at every level, the 1945 mistakes such as both Socialism-from-above, as well as leaving the Enemy Class adequately equipped to reverse any gains made, will undoubtedly re-occur.

Can you see what will be necessary?

And, will the Capitalist Class ever allow it?

I am sure you can guess the answers to these questions! Remember what happened with the Slump of 1929-1939? Will those solutions be tried again?

What to do with Stately Homes?

How can these 'country houses' be made to serve the People?

Currently, the media are overflowing with programmes on the buying and selling of antiques, which always seem to centre around the magnificent palaces of the very rich - either as venues for "Valuation Extravaganzas", or as valuable sources for Antique Dealers, turning unwanted heirlooms into cash, by returning them to those who can both appreciate and afford them!

"Because", we are informed, "these Stately Homes cost absolute fortunes to maintain", you know, "so the hard-pressed owners have grave difficulties in trying to keep their palaces in the state to which they have become accustomed!"

They even have to open their House and Estate to the paying public on special days to help to maintain their required standards.

And, the diverse sub plots, woven into these various celebrations of Grandeur, are purposely included to entrance and con the watchers and the visitors.

"This is what success can deliver for you!"

I lived for a decade within yards of a busy auctioneers, and quickly learned how they fitted in to an overall scheme. On the one hand, they were to extract unrealised treasures from their uninformed owners, at the lowest possible prices, while on the other, the object was to achieve the highest possible prices from those who could afford them, to further boost one "stately" home or another.

These programmes are among the commonest on TV, and even infer that you might be able to even do better than the emerging celebrities, who all seem to appear on a whole range of different offerings, but with the very same purposes.

It has become like the football pools of the past, when it is added to all the above, and to the increasing number of Betting Companies selling their wares over the Internet, the impression is projected that, "the next big winner could be you!"

I'm afraid not.

No.

Its all a necessary myth, so that you come to admire rather than loath the super rich.

But, what a colossal waste!

Such 20, 50 or even 100 room palaces sitting close to so many villages, could become The Property of The People, and be used as Schools, Hospitals, parts of a University, Clinics, Old Peoples' Retirement Homes, Social Centres, Research Centres, and all the rest.

And the Estate Grounds instead of serving a tiny already over-privileged family, could be Public or Country Parks and Sports Venues, or whatever the People need!

2018! Where Next?

What must be next?

Where are the Revolutionaries?

So, within the British Labour Party there has been a major swing to the Left, energised by the Youth, and led by committed Socialists. Good - it was essential!

But, this has happened before. I know because I was part of it in the 1960s, we also appealed to the Youth. We played a major role in getting a Labour victory in 1964. But, within months we, who led that surge, were all expelled!

Why?

It was because we were revolutionaries, and we wanted the End of Capitalism! The old Left did not demur: they didn't want to be expelled too. And other left groups did the very same. But what will the present influx do after a Labour Victory? It mustn't be allowed to happen again...

Watered down slogans on marches are wrong! The Revolutionary Left has to say what has to be done.

Look at what these tories are doing. Do you really think that a Labour Government, without touching the Wealth and Power of the Capitalist Class will suffice? IT WON'T! It never has.

The heroic Labour Government of 1945 Nationalised the Heights of the Economy, but left the Wealth and Power STILL in the enemy's hands: and even paid many millions in compensation to the ex-owners. BUT that was not only insufficient, it actually equipped the enemy to respond. It took only a handful of years for the Tories to win again.

Not a Penny in Compensation!

No State Capitalism! 

The real Revolutionaries must make their Essential Programme clear. Hand-in-Hand we will strive as comrades with all Left tendencies. BUT NOT at the cost of watering down what we know to be necessary!

Those who insist that we must dilute what we demand, are not for the necessary Revolution, but for a version of the status quo - inequality and exploitation! It is true that the People, getting only the lies of the Media and the Tories will not immediately agree with what we say is necessary. But, they will!

Time, a continuing fight, and the best Transitional Demands will do it!

Forward to the End of Capitalism in a Socialist Revolution!

Why me must save the NHS!

Michael Sheen speaks on protecting the NHS - Bedwellty Park

Why Socialism III: Why Nationalisation Failed

When I was a boy, I went to school in the centre of Manchester there and back by train. It was both cheap and efficient and along with other “socialised services” like the local authority bus and tram services in my city, I could get anywhere I wanted to go very easily. And, of course, by then, the Labour government had nationalised all the Railway Companies, along with the Coal Industry and many other cornerstones of the U.K. Economy.

It was to be, according to Social Democracy to be a new Golden Age. Everything could be integrated for service to the whole community of our country, and without the profit motive could be directed for maximal and total service with great efficiency saving and the best possible combined use.

So, when I got off my train at London Road Station (Now Piccadilly) I was surrounded by this nationalised industry, and I could not but notice how this organisation handled freight.

Beneath the high-level station were extensive freight facilities, where tricycle tractors were attached to trailored loads from the trains, and constantly poured forth to deliver by road to the prescribed recipients. The goods came off the trains onto the roads in an integrated system. Why would that excellent system fail, and be replaced by multiple private companies all intent only on maximising their own individual profits?

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