tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post6876728807860395498..comments2024-03-27T09:14:27.496+00:00Comments on All That Is Solid ...: Coronavirus and the End of NeoliberalismPhilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-52737581093734265082020-04-10T13:09:11.692+01:002020-04-10T13:09:11.692+01:00Two points in response to 'Anonymous'. Fir...Two points in response to 'Anonymous'. First, there is plenty of evidence (it's available on the web) that unions of the key workers in the current crisis (for example IWGB, CWU, FBU, USDAW, PCS, RCN) are currently organising, engaged and fighting very hard. Secondly, there is of course a political dimension to this, in terms of education as well as of mobilisation. Change does not occur automatically. The role of the Labour Party is going to be crucial here: seizing the moment created by the crisis to transform the political agenda will very quickly become the first big test of the Starmer leadership - and one of historic significance. Prof Scott Newtonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-60004366907465853942020-04-10T12:25:02.175+01:002020-04-10T12:25:02.175+01:00“Given a 1 per cent mortality rate”
If we measure...“Given a 1 per cent mortality rate”<br /><br />If we measure the mortality rate as we do FLU then the rate is closer to 10% than 1%.<br /><br />“There were leaks which suggested that senior advisers were prepared to let the disease circulate within the population in order to achieve a level of 'herd immunity', which would minimise its impact until a vaccine could be found.”<br /><br />I suspect these were misinterpreted. My understanding is that the strategy all along was to control the infection in phases in order that the health system was not overwhelmed. So flattening the curve as it has become known. There is no contradiction between this and herd immunity. Though being a new virus scientists have no idea if people who have been infected will be immune in say 6 months time. So the whole idea of herd immunity may be flawed. Ultimately and historically the only way to get herd immunity is through the development of vaccines.<br /><br />“when rapidly rising number of cases suggested Britain was on a path to the worst case scenario and likely to follow the example of Italy “<br /><br />Italy does not represent the worst case scenario and neither does Britain. The worst case scenario would have been no lockdown whatsoever and no incremental measures. Italy and Britain both implemented incremental lockdowns as part of a phased strategy. Incidentally Germany did this too, for example they banned gatherings of more than 2 people a full 4 days before the British did.<br /><br />Nations like Sweden are similar to those criminals who decide to flout the rules around staying at home. These scumbags can do this in relative safety only because the rest of us are following the rules. So Sweden can avoid full lockdown measures because everyone that surrounds them is imposing lockdowns! Saddam was invaded for less than this! Though in their case and with death rates rising the Swedish arrogance seems to be backfiring!<br /><br />But yes this is the mother of all crises, not just of neo liberalism but markets in general.<br /><br /><br />The best argument the neo liberals have is that this crisis is preventing an army of fruit picking slaves coming to the UK in order that they can pick the fruit we consume, this is like crying over the fact that Duke of Devonshire’s gardeners can’t attend to the pear trees!<br /><br />Marx was once asked by a journalist who will clean the streets under communism and Marx replied to the journalist, ‘You will!’<br /><br />This is a lesson to be learned, fruit picking is work that should be done communally by everyone! This is why we should start to see beyond capitalism and think of the working week as split between hours spent on your core ability, a certain number of hours spent on ‘community work’ such as fruit picking and a voluntary portion of work where you can tap into a limited social market.<br /><br />But in this society the market would be reduced to an absolute minimum.<br /><br />The motto should be, we are all fruit pickers now!<br />Love The Lockdown Hate the Virusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-64778849500714409652020-04-09T23:32:59.563+01:002020-04-09T23:32:59.563+01:00A superb article.
I have a question though. The w...A superb article.<br /><br />I have a question though. The writer asserts that "the new working class... radicalised and empowered by the crisis, is capable of leading society away from austerity towards social democracy and possibly beyond, to a system of production for use and not for profit; in short, in the direction of socialism."<br /><br />I would love for this to be true but I don't know if it is. Can anyone back it up with evidence?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4486641877026778105.post-79047991130390162032020-04-09T10:09:09.580+01:002020-04-09T10:09:09.580+01:00Is it true that Members of Parliament are being of...Is it true that Members of Parliament are being offered an extra 10k in expenses to help them set themselves up for remote working from home? <br /><br />Surely not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com