tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post843709266441630895..comments2024-03-27T09:14:27.496+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: Osborne's Class War StatementPhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-84853002813661995562014-12-04T10:55:45.797+00:002014-12-04T10:55:45.797+00:00I don't understand what the issue is? The Tory...I don't understand what the issue is? The Tory agenda seemed to me to have been transparent from the start, to use austerity as a hammer to beat down that portion of value accrued to the wage slaves and increase the surplus value accrued to the capitalist class, it's not rocket science and has been a conscious strategy not an ideology or a conspiracy, though they had to form a coalition to legitimise their agenda. They are able to act so blatantly in their own self interest because their is no opposition prepared to take on finance capital and privatisation; new labour has nothing to do with socialism being totally compromised and part of the problem. The self determination/empowerment and self conscious action of the working class as a class in defence of the post war gains is now on the agenda as the clock is turned back to 1930's levels of public sector spending. With a million public sector job losses pending, I foresee the nature driven necessity of resistance building on the very near horizon, the forms it takes are yet to be defined but are already taking shape. We have nothing to lose but our chains.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-22255217655332639072013-01-03T19:26:21.049+00:002013-01-03T19:26:21.049+00:00Gary,
I went to Cuba a few years ago. Some of th...Gary,<br /><br />I went to Cuba a few years ago. Some of the better paid workes work in the tourist sector. When you get there they rush around trying to do any kind of job for you so as to earn a few bits of change. One of the things they prize the most is soap!<br /><br />The standard of living is appallingly low, and the economy is very inefficient as all Stalinised economies have been. As with all the others there is widespread disguised unemployment and under employment. On top of that of course is the lack of political freedom.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-9104925267291626282012-12-10T18:40:52.049+00:002012-12-10T18:40:52.049+00:00If Cuba gets it wrong, then how come everyone has ...If Cuba gets it wrong, then how come everyone has a job, home, food and pensions? <br />How come they lead the world in health and literacy and export surplusses?<br /><br />Gary Elsbynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-42746210092911343222012-12-10T17:53:55.523+00:002012-12-10T17:53:55.523+00:00I would like to know where the WJ got it's fig...I would like to know where the WJ got it's figures from and how the calculation was made and on what figure (original figure or revised figure). I have heard figures from 12% implemented to 50%. But no one seems to provide the evidence.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-81656968560901185192012-12-07T16:43:36.729+00:002012-12-07T16:43:36.729+00:00Just to add to the above. This is from the Wall S...Just to add to the above. This is from the Wall Street Journal.<br /><br />"At the moment the U.K. is less than two years into the seven year program and the vast majority of the spending cuts are yet to happen–so far only 12% have been instigated."<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2012/02/01/sheer-scale-of-u-k-austerity-measures-revealed/" rel="nofollow">WSJ</a>Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-23194385974705318672012-12-07T15:31:33.191+00:002012-12-07T15:31:33.191+00:00The fact that the Government have only implemented...The fact that the Government have only implemented a small fraction of their planned austerity measures has been widely reported. Cuts to Local Government budgets form only a small portion of the total austerity package. The bulk comes in cuts to welfare, in Tax Credits, and other such measures.<br /><br />Many sections of Capital have called for a different approach, including the British Chambers of Commerce, the US Government, and State, the IMF, the OECD, Standard & Poor's etc.<br /><br />The reality is that Keynesian stimulus has been implemented and is working in the inbterests of US Capital, in the UK Misean austerity is not.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-12289249990243477782012-12-06T18:03:33.420+00:002012-12-06T18:03:33.420+00:00Another avalanche of cryptic craziness. Another avalanche of cryptic craziness. Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-49857158553384840262012-12-06T18:01:17.459+00:002012-12-06T18:01:17.459+00:00I am not sure where Boffy has got his figures from...I am not sure where Boffy has got his figures from.<br /><br />From the perspective of local governments the cuts have not been delayed or back loaded. The cuts are being fully implemented and are <b>front loaded</b>. If we refresh people’s memories the ConDem gov’t introduced budget cuts immediately in their October 2010 ‘emergency budget’. This amounted to approx 6% of cash limits and was met with universal approval from all sections of capital.<br /><br />Then they introduced a planned series of cuts from 2010/11 to 2013/14. Approx 70% of the cuts fell in years 2010/11 to 2011/12. I.e they were <b>front loaded</b>. Another 15% were introduced in this financial year. This leaves approx 15% of the original planned cuts yet to be implemented. Again this was met with widespread approval among all sections of the capitalist class.<br /><br />But, as we know, things have not gone according to plan. Firstly, the cuts have been deeper than anticipated due to demographic/legislative changes and austerity is now to be extended to who knows when. So we should expect to see cuts into 2017/2018.<br /><br />To conclude, the Condems have not slowed down the cuts, just extended them and made them deeper. As Ed Balls rightly concluded, the ConDems are pursuing plan A despite everything. A clear sign that it was an ideological project from the beginning.<br /><br />Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-80313957488541140892012-12-06T14:37:56.608+00:002012-12-06T14:37:56.608+00:00Of course Cuba got it wrong!Of course Cuba got it wrong!Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-15103367628701773072012-12-06T13:21:39.957+00:002012-12-06T13:21:39.957+00:00Looks like Cuba got it wrong then.
On the subject...Looks like Cuba got it wrong then.<br /><br />On the subject of the minimum wage. What if you had a Council (like Stoke) who wish to offload pensioners into the private sector, but the private sector only offer the minimum wage for the newly redundant council care workers?<br /><br />(Here's the hidden Pervez bit Phil)<br /><br />You inform any new bidders for old people that they will only win a contract if you offer the 'living wage' (a few bob more).<br /><br />It's called conscience money but reality, it is another load of shite out of Sandwell.<br /><br />One MP, one ex Mayor and two gophers, all sent to stoke to screw the natural membership.<br />Oops, forgot the mistresses cum cabinet members.<br />Who ran elections when no one did nothing, Phil?<br /><br />Gary Elsbynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-35030244272866041232012-12-06T13:17:51.392+00:002012-12-06T13:17:51.392+00:00It's all very well getting high and mighty Gar...It's all very well getting high and mighty Gary, but not once have you offered any sort of alternative. Despite being asked numerous times, you have avoided elaborating your plan b. Why? Because you haven't got one.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-85493031130005050672012-12-06T12:26:32.973+00:002012-12-06T12:26:32.973+00:00On the question of welfare Benefits, as I set out ...On the question of welfare Benefits, as I set out <a href="http://boffyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-zombies-are-coming-part-3.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>, Marx opposed Welfarism, State Aid and other forms of Protectionism, because they hold back development of the productive forces, and undermine workers independence.<br /><br />In work Benefits are in reality subsidies to bad, low paying employers, and Housing benefit is in addition a subsidy to Landlords. They are subsidies to Capital from better off workers out of their taxes.<br /><br />Workers, in work should not need such additions to make up a normal wage, and employers that can't pay such a wage should go out of business. A decent level of Minimum Wage would facilitate that.<br /><br />But, workers also need a high level of Benefit in conditions where they are made unemployed, so they do not get forced into low paid employment. The Capitalist State will not provide that. As marx and the First International argued, workers need to develop their own Social Insurance Scheme, to cover unemployment, sickness, and retirement.Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-89082364188122513222012-12-06T12:17:14.951+00:002012-12-06T12:17:14.951+00:00Phil,
You are right that the Liberal-Tories have ...Phil,<br /><br />You are right that the Liberal-Tories have pursued a policy in the interests of sections of Capital rather than Capital in General. It is Money Capital i.e. the banks, and finance houses, rather than Finance Capital (which has a special meaning in Marxist Theory), but it is also the small capitalists who make up the core membership and support for the Tories.<br /><br />I'm not convinced they have yet abandoned that, though they are under pressure from the State at national and international level to do so in the interests of Big Capital. The reality of the proposals on Capital Spending is they keep talking about it, but not doing it. Things like finance for lending and so on, or the money for regional development simply does not get out into the economy. That's why Labour can keep asking how many of these projects have you done?<br /><br />The fact is, as I pointed out two years ago, is that it reflects their incompetence. They backloaded the majority of the cuts - they have only implemented between 6-10% of the cuts - but from the beginning talked down the economy with ridiculous comments about Britain being in the same position as Greece! <br /><br />Had they not done that, its likely they could have avoided the economy stalling. Now they have stalled the economy, with still the majority of the Cuts to be implemented! <br /><br /><br /><br />Boffyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08157650969929097569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-31188608889034170482012-12-06T11:01:18.895+00:002012-12-06T11:01:18.895+00:00But the choice of Labour Councils iunder pressure ...But the choice of Labour Councils iunder pressure from Tory Governments is what it wants to cut.<br /><br />The notion of what it has to cut is a myth.<br /><br />Putting a Tory Chief Executive in charge of a City and then asking him what he wishes (wants) to cut is like asking a kid if it wants some sweets.<br /><br />Now add into the frame a set of failed Elected mayors (and a few mistresses) and voila-the perfect storm.<br /><br />A set of closures with no hint of a willingness to divert finances to vital services.<br /><br />Blame the Tories?<br />No, not for cutting vital services.<br />Blame them for being Tories, that is easy and requires no logicaL socialist thinking in the slightest.<br /><br />Test your local councillor with the folowing puzzle: For every closure they wish to implement, ask them what plan B is for each closure.<br /><br />If they answer: There isn't one.<br />Laugh.Gary Elsbynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-22182665756758279532012-12-05T22:26:29.489+00:002012-12-05T22:26:29.489+00:00A classic Tory budget, cut to the bone, give the r...A classic Tory budget, cut to the bone, give the rich lots of freebies yet somehow make it appear to be tax cut for all.<br /><br />Playing with income tax is clever because those in jobs will see increases in their pay when the change comes in. They won't realise the money just goes out from elsewhere and that in the grand scheme of inflation it means nothing. What's even more clever is that people are being invited to believe that the money in their pay packets has come directly from those hoards of plasma-telly-owning benefits bingers who apparently hide warm and well fed behind closed luxury curtains in their millions across the land.<br /><br />We always underestimate the Tories ability to appeal to society's basest instincts and it is this that lost Labour so many elections in the 80s and 90s. However immoral it gets, if they can convince enough of those who remain in work that they are better off than the phantom millions gorging on mythical endless benefits, they will win the next election, and probably the one after that. By then, there will be so little left to defend, it won't matter anyway.<br /><br />It, of course, doesn't help matters when you have a Labour Party front bench nodding like synchronised dogs when Osborne demonises benefit claimants.<br /><br />Alex Dawsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14197211489381075789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-17822590945081809022012-12-05T20:02:37.407+00:002012-12-05T20:02:37.407+00:00There's nothing wrong per se with capital spen...There's nothing wrong per se with capital spending, but it's always a question of how you go about it. What Gideon didn't go into was the detail of his new son-of-PFI scheme that will be used for public building projects like schools and FE colleges. I'm not surprised really, because new PFI is the same as old PFI.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-55641913646473014752012-12-05T17:49:15.186+00:002012-12-05T17:49:15.186+00:00The Tories have committed to increase spending on ...The Tories have committed to increase spending on capital projects but further reduce spending on revenue projects.<br /><br />The distinction to be made here is that capital projects are almost wholly carried out by the private sector, while revenue is day to day public sector work. Therefore the Tories are handing public money to the private sector while at the same time drastically cutting services and benefits.<br /><br />Same old Tories!Chrisnoreply@blogger.com