This is the second part of our discussion of the concept of economic democracy (See part 1). Why is such a discussion necessary? Neo-liberalism is in crisis, yet the left has failed to provide any kind of alternative economic model. Indeed it cannot. The staples of left economic thinking – social democracy and state socialism/Leninism – have both failed, and have failed the working class most of all: theoretically, economically, socially and politically. As a consequence of clinging to these failed ideas, the right has been visibly winning the argument for decades, and will continue to do so until our side ups its game. This is our attempt to contribute to the mapping out of a pro-working class alternative economic model. Discussion and criticism is welcomed. Read the rest of this entry »

Inequalities in premature death are as high as they have ever been in this country, and this is before the cuts. The Lib-Con coalition thinks that deep, swingeing spending cuts are the only way to get this country out of its economic hole, but is there any justification for that view? Or is there another agenda at work? Read the rest of this entry »

A critical take on identity politics by the American think tank New Labor Forum provides a sober debunking of the myths surrounding this pernicious ideology and shows how focusing on inter-ethnic income differences, at the expense of class income differences, only serves the neo-liberal preference for greater overall inequalities. Read the rest of this entry »

With 563,000 votes the BNP has conclusively surpassed its predecessor the National Front but the Labour-oriented left are politically incapable of recognising this, let alone responding to it.

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Two articles on the BBC website (‘Slum landlord hit squad proposed‘, ‘MSPs hear slum housing concerns‘) earlier this month drew attention to the issue of slum housing in the Govanhill district of Glasgow, an area that has one of the severest housing problems in the UK.

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