Deep crises; false directions.

Since nearly a century gone by, the West has fought two world wars and accepted the rise of the USA, but has never seen the political and the economic convulsion that is being experienced today. The West is facing the possibility of losing its dominance, including the wider US world-wide leadership. Recessions and inflations are now regularly widespread across the West. Well before Putin's upheaval, there has been deep political shifts in the West. As a result, there are eruptions among the previous, traditional western political parties. They are dwindling or changing themselves, moving in favour for surface novelties, battling as dominant leaders, rather than connecting to large-scale, party memberships. Traditional politics is only playing with what it used to be - with the normal, albeit minimal, 'democracy'. And to top it all, the West is now fiddling with a war with Russia. 

Leaders, like the almost certainly dumped Prime Minister Truss in the UK, or the more solid President Macron in France, are continually offering apparently new brilliant but actually empty approaches, as a result of what is becoming yesterday's capitalism. In reality Macron (and most of the others) have already failed to deal with the beginning decline of twenty years of globalisation. Most capitalist major processes still continually remain out of the hands of many western countries - with the main exception of the US. Globalisation is not at all entirely gone. But now, various desperate efforts are being tried to establish national initiatives to rebuild more local capitalist developments, based on the nation’s creations of wealth - as try Truss did. 

The most immediately, half-baked idiocy was to be seen was the Truss's demand for local 'growth, growth and growth' (planned by possible alliances through Singapore and the South Eastern nations.) Truss nearly smashed the UK's economy when she started her first day 'growth' campaign. The UK is still wobbling. With her eyes on the labour conditions of Asia, Truss's so-called growth-based ideas remains old and dead. The UK is still failing regarding Truss's mini-imperialist efforts and the pretence that she could still win the failing glories of Ronald Reagan was always frankly fatuous. We wait to see if the likely next new UK PM and the already new Chancellor Hunt are properly kneeling to the market. This will increase the further decline of health and welfare, of education and benefits etc., as he did before the 2019s when he was minister of health.

The desperate conditions of the billions of people in the South continues. China is currently the major force for development in Africa. The US now mainly focuses on South America and, as much as they are able, to determine the Far East. But as life in the West gets more and more difficult, it means that what used to be the 'normal' traditional politics just doesn't work anymore - whether it's Macron or Truss or Italy, Scandinavia or even Germany. Traditional politics are breaking down. The failure of these connotations inevitably push new movements and actions, sometimes direct responses, that involve immediate anger towards the 'old status quo's, shaking the traditional Parties. In the UK (supposedly with the unchallenged political history) there have been four Tory PMs and two General Elections in five years. Two PMs failed in months and the last is likely to fall very soon, if not now! The UK population (and others) have never been more concerned and worried about their politics but have never been more angry because of the failures of politicians.

The empty, proud and swollen-headed PM Truss, is a clear example of all the decline of the pompous notions that rulers and leaders, particularly in Britain, as they imagined their dominance in their own nation. A handful of mainly old Tories thought Truss was a Thatcher part two and put her in as the UK's leader. This tiny rich group creating an enormous folly, which now shouts to the world of the desperate failure of the UKs democracy. Meanwhile the UK’s economic and political failures are found across the whole West, from Hungary to the US. The characters and conditions vary from parliaments to executives, but the wealth and power of the capitalist system continually blocks any requirements for essential change. Wealth and then its power smothers almost all that any real possible politics and real required democracy. 

What is a genuine democracy that will change the peoples’ anger, now rising across the working classes? It is the action of the people who are already pushing against the status quo. The total assumptions of the Truss's and the millionaires like Hunt, which are happily preparing the removal of the growing trade union strikes, are now going to clash with true democracy. The battle to come is an example of the creation of the possibility of a new democracy, when democratic workers are trying to vote for their wages and conditions. 

Then there comes the real barrier. Capitalism 'works' only for ruling classes. Its object is more and more obviously wealth and private possession. When Tory MPs will vote against strikes, the rich MPs are 'defending' their bit of capitalism. Despite the fact that they are a small minority in the country, they are already wealthy and they are frightened of the workers, in that they could lose their general domination. The battle with the strikes inevitably faces up to the possibility of real democracy. 

This direct moment is the coming-clash against classes in society in the UK. But it also could be the beginnings of a real democracy. The workers who are collectively organising to achieve better wages and conditions could further invite the same discussion and make the decisions regarding how, for example, with the utilities, that could be used, developed and widened, in the general public's ownership. This would be a clash of dramatic consequences. Moving on, small businesses ownerships, an immense proportion of UK labour, can equally build collective management and distributions. 

More widely, the core of capitalism in the UK, the banks and the trusts, will inevitably have to be broken down as more and more of workers, youth, the poorer, continue to fight back. The growing disaster of UK's capitalism - increasingly felt to different aspects across the West - has only one answer. Their answer is to do anything possible that ensures holding up the UK's capital and pushes down most of the population. 

The centuries of the UK's imperialism, of slavery, of class and wealth etc etc., is one particular of an example, of a very obvious example, across the whole declining West. Capitalism in the West is getting sharper and sharper. Societies are in trouble and some are already breaking down in the destruction of what was already the normal, minimal, democratic activity. The new actions and battles, marches and organisations, are the platform for the new democracy. 

Problems and Solutions 6

26 September

Problem 

It's now well known that Prime Minister Truss and Chancellor Kwarteng, among others, wrote a book, published in 2012 and called 'Britannia Unchanged'. Truss and Kwarteng said 'The British are among the worst idlers in the world. We work among the lowest hours, we retire early and our productivity is poor.' 

They are tricking us. What Truss and Kwarteng are doing is pretending that workers and small business people are the reason for the UK's 'poor productivity'. The reality is that big British corporations do not send their profits to pay for new developments, they spend them. They have been doing this since 1950 on and off - in order to gather their own, personal wealth. And the core of this 'system' is London banking and its tax-free attached nations.

Most daily work in the UK today has two aspects. First, there is the rise of small businesses, which now provides 3/5ths of all work. Second, small businesses and the workers who work in the public and private sectors, have had their wages and earnings mainly reduced for decades. 

Worse. T and W are actually planning to raise their productivity by using a Singapore version of work in the UK. This means removing and selling private organisations, applying drastic work- times, reducing wages and conditions for workers. (The average wage in Singapore in 2022 decreased. There are no minimum wages. Most workers live on £650 per month. Food etc is described as expensive compared with SE Asia in general.) Grinding work for millions is to be the secret for the TW version of productivity. 

Solution

Nothing can be done until this shaky government is thrown away or crashes. When T and K are dumped in the bin, to get productivity in the UK (and it is worse than most western countries) is to go public. The failure of privatisation is as plain to plain to see. The mighty corporations need to start by a legally set-up, 50% to 50% with the new government. Productivity therefore grows automatically in such alliances. If refused, our corporation and its wealth will be sequestered. Fully public, either by the genuine democratic government or by democratic overseen state capitalism, can push development to a dramatic result. Other contexts in the worlds' nations are already using such examples, and that is without the push that a new and collective democracy would propel forward a society with the benefits of a Western state. 

Brian Heron  

Problem and Solution 5

 Problem 5

21 September 

A block of continuous, eastern Ukrainian regions will now be setting up dubius elections under Russia's command, pulling together four intended would-be Russian sectors; Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia. The four easten sectors are combined wedges that are facing Russia in the East. They will hold 'referendums' to become a total and complete part of Russia, following the elections between September 23-27. 

Western nations have condemned Moscow's plans. But most of the Western comments focus on the vast Russian military movement, which Putin has decided to launch. The absence of full mobilisation is undoubtedly required to ensure that it is the military that will manage Putin's objectives. The full and total armies of Russia, pretending versions of the WW2 and the Nazi's, would raise the question of Putin's sanity.

But the equally stupid responses in the rest of the West, particularly those of Biden and Truss to this new context, has not yet been understood.

Putin will decide the election results, in order to state that the four combined sectors are now a part of the nation of Russia. This new part of the nation will be fighting for the nation of Russia. Not bits of Crimea. This is now the part of the Russian nation, defending its whole existence.

 Solution

When Kennedy 'won' his battle with Kruschev's missiles about to land in Cuba, it was not a victory. Kruschev wanted Turkey's US missiles entirely out of Russia's domain. A couple of months later, as with Cuba, they were all gone. 

The war in Ukraine cannot be won with the West's armaments. The deaths and destruction are  increasing, enjoyed only by building up stupendous weapons. Equally, Russia cannot control most of Ukraine. India and China are not jumping. It is NOT a world war. 

A silent offer on both sides, NATO and Russia, (hopefully noisier and noisier as the battles get more and more hideous) can accept the Russian plan, after their votes. An agreement where both sides commit for no nukes once again. An agreement for re-building across the whole of Ukraine; an agreement combined that both countries would seek common goals. 

Oh yes, Boris was a mini warmonger. Now get Truss out. 

Brian Heron

Problems and solutions 4

Problems and Solutions 4

Problem

15 September

Hundreds of thousands in the UK are actively focussed on the death of Queen Elizabeth. The Queen was a foremost person of wealth and her privileges were, together with her family, uniquely unavailable to every other UK citizen. She was nice to Corgis and enjoyed Horse Racing. She cried when she lost her yacht Britannia. PM Blair had to hastily dig out the Queen when another million went on the streets to laud Diana after her death. Otherwise, she enjoyed being treated as the lords and ladies, chatting down with the public, and the great banquets with the top knobs. 

The most important political importance of the Queen (and now the King) is the connection of the Royal Family to the Parliament, the Lords and the rest of the State. 

Solution

The royalty's history is mainly foul, stinking through its centuries of Empire. Today it still remains the largest single block to democracy. Not only do they have many of their own laws and rules over vast private lands for example, but Parliaments and the State often directly use royalty. A particular example is UK sales, offered by UK royalty, for weapons used by many other royals or/and dictators. As today, with our desperate conditions for millions who are short of heat, light and food, are smothered by hymns, soldiery, fake history, all to avoid the UK's real crisis. Another 'Brexit' might be in order now. 

At any point let this fatuous farce end. And now the current nonsense can start a direct response. In many parts of the UK they are desperate for their own democracy, that will decide for a rapid change regardless of any royalty. But for those who still feel a sentiment, an interim royal family that goes to work, that lives in houses that they pay for and that do not have a cincilla of a connection with state and governments, might enjoy bicycle tourism. 

Brian Heron

Problems and solutions - times 3

Problem 1 and Solution 1

28 August 2022

Here is problem 1. 

It’s clear that a class battle is immediately ahead, starting from the new Tory leaders’ attacks against the campaigns of the trade unions. The unions are ‘defensive’ which doesn’t at all mean that they are willing to fall back. ‘Defensive’ in this case means that the goals of the unions are designed to increase workers wages and defend or increase worker’s conditions. For example, although a General Strike has been raised when the new Tories set up their new terrible anti union laws, the TUC for one will do its best to smother any direct action. And the union leaders could split.

We are all aware that a real crisis of capitalism is developing fast, especially in the UK. And that there will be a major clash between workers and the government that will be supporting the government in different ways by the employers and major owners. 

Solution 1

At the moment most workers and the poor, even many middle class people, are supporting the unions and their claims. But this rackety government will decide that the central issue is to defeat the unions. Despite their weakness this is how they will try to do it: ‘the trade unionists are already reasonably well off .... they are taking their increases away from the real poor ... with our £billions of hand-outs, we are the ones who are fighting for the poor, not unions!

The step that has to be made as quickly as possible is the building of a mass coalition in society, centred by the fighting unions and all those who are struggling with day to day existence, really trying to push back poverty. Organisations like ‘Enough is Enough, and the People’s Assembly urgently need a conference or conferences to unite. The organisations above and others can bring together the new Ideas and charters that have already been spelled out -  how to redistribute wealth and the reorganisation of key companies whose vast profits block the real progress for the future and all the people. 

It is essential to act now. Otherwise the battle will be longer and harder. 

Problem 2 and solution 2

2 September 2022

Problem 2 and Solution 2 starts with the Trade Union Congress in September 11th.As we know the TUC is a policy-making body that votes and decides the motions that delegates offer to the Congress. Meanwhile the likely PM Truss has a set of drastic anti union laws, prepared very quickly. In reality this is the main policy for the Tory government - to destroy all organised movements fighting independently against all types of poverty. The TUC needs to be act decisively.

Solution  2
There are also two options emerging in the TUC. The first is the clear decision to reject the new Tory Union laws. They are already the worst in most of Europe. The second is attached to the views of the Labour leader, barrister Starmer, trying to use legal arguments to stop or mellow the new laws. This would be also done with a TUC panel, designed to put pressure on the Tories. No deal. A mix up pretending both arguments won’t work. It will break up the growing movements that are uniting and changing our rotten, weak government towards a real democracy.

Our solution is to support action both inside and outside the TUC. Unions lead for now. And they must carry on with the whole peoples‘ rights - the rights that most of us will need in the months to come.

Problem 3 and solution 3

10 September 2022

Prime Minister Truss is increasing heat and light costs in all households upto £2500 over 2 years - so long as you stay 'cool'. If you increase the light because you are getting blind, or it's a cold winter, the costs will go up in your house. If more money is needed you will lose your credit score - permanently. Truss thinks there should be costs at her certain level, which she decides for you. Meanwhile, a £2500 hike is already a disaster for a million or so. And increasing payment for food is not even mentioned.

The £100 to £150 billion will come from the State. But every penny will be taken back from the State and paid from the ordinary people over years.Truss does not believe in taxes used for the poor. That means a UK with a less NHS (if any at all), a less public education, the decline of all wages and many salaries - and the further drop of huge welfare needs.

The staggering increases of profit that have been made through both the Covid period in the West and now the Russian/West war, wrenches away all possibilities of UK social needs for years to come.

Solution 3

Prime Minister Truss, with 81,326 votes of Tory members, has to go as soon as possible. Instead we desperately need a new election and a new government. The answer to the Truss crises is for a new  government to take away the main private corporations that are bubbling up their incredible profits. Then the profits could be generally spread across us all. 

Many Tories see the coming debacle as a sort of renewal of Churchill, of 'pulling together' and of the marvelous British middle class family. It could not be more ridiculous. Although now is not (yet) in a direct war danger, as in 1939, the UK does indeed need drastic change. 

Basic food needs free rationing for all, available in supermarkets, free instead of the shameful food parcels. Meanwhile the expensive foods available will pay the costs to provide money for free rationing. Health and welfare come first to overthrow the utter mess of the current government. Key utilities, now speculating from their vast profits, need to be the first step in the making of new public industries.

To get here we need to combine the many so far separate organisations and movements to lead the way. 

UK collapse

The ridiculous bing/bang between the UK's would-be Prime Ministers is the biggest farce in the UK's politics, economics and Prime Ministers since the 1938 'Peace in Our Time'. On one side Truss says she will reduce taxes to prevent stagnation (increasing inflation). The other hand, Sunak will increase taxes to prevent inflation (increasing stagnation). Neither of them have any grip on the real UK's worst condition in comparison to all other of the West richer nations. Both of them are going to fail pretty quickly. Meanwhile millions will suffer.

Alas, the Labour leadership, who lost 91,000 members last year, are pretending that a universal six month 'gift' to the rich and poor for their heating will turn away the UK's woes. The next Tory leader will probably do the same with a different name as the popular fury rises. And this will continue, just the same as Labour's 'great' offer, to spin and crash. 

The waning structures of the UK's failings were already close to the most of the declining G7/8 nations well before 2010. (Russia got into the G8 in 1998, then was kicked out in 2014.) The UK has been wobbling for some time near the bottom of the G7. Now it dramatically stands out. 

Today's weakness of western capitalism in the UK context had been once its historical strength. However the UK's Slavery and its Empire were eventually defeated and then it drizzled away over a hundred years - except for the UK's banking centre of the capitalist world. London's web in the world-wide secrets of banking has the nation's main Gross Domestic Product (GDP), telling us our richness in the country. The UK's actual richness is almost the opposite of its real development. The UK's money does not have and rarely ever has been created by real new developments, except, marginally, like the building industry. Wealth in the UK comes mainly from the vast trade of money itself. Creation of new industries, of profits that provide development, rarely works in the UK. Globalisation was never a creation of world wide 'things' for the UK. In the UK it was and remains the worldwide sale of the use of money. Any particular steps that do pop up, as with the internet cartoons industry for example, are rapidly sold outside the UK for individual profit' for wealth. The international UK is dramatically and insanely and personally rich.

Many of the G7 countries are pulling back as the result of the current break-up of globalisation. This leads into smaller national constructions for local profit, using increasing potential for development in their own hands or in connection with specific local close nations to reorganise profit. These ideas do not resolve the breaking down of globalisation in the medium term. But as the G7 shows, the UK is the most vulnerable because it does not and cannot change their profits into major local development.

Truss, Sunak and Starmer are desperate to get going with the UK's over-dominated capitalism. But the UK is the west's weakest link that has failed continually in the last 12 decades. No UK Prime Minister has changed capitalist GDP into national and local development (except in WW2). And the new three would-be leaders are the worst yet.

Two giant steps are urgently needed. 

The dynamic and direct shift of the economy and politics are the only means to break through real development, dumping the GDP that simply increases the rich squeeze and the increasing wealthy. That enormous fact will need all major institutions, from water to heating to travel and to the banks and their associates, organising the requirements for the mass of the people.

Second, there has to be a growing movement of millions of people that simply and directly and united insisting, by action and by discussion, to begin the means of the new development in society. There are many shifts in the coming days and weeks that will open the road. Parties and movements fighting for particular demands need to join an independent unity as the first priority. The People's Assembly conference on November the 6th could be a good start. The most immediate danger as the Tories fail is the sectarian approach of most of the Labour leaders, whose main aim is to change the name of the Prime Minister in number 10. Most people, even those who see the need to stop the Tories, already see very well how the Labour leaders are definitely not the answer. There will be a clash with that particular pending movement no doubt so a new unity can be resolved.