Thursday, January 22, 2009

Thought For Today

• "The workers must organise for their emancipation. They can do this, and only they can do it. I cannot do this for you and I want to be frank enough to say I would not, if I could. For, if I could do it for you somebody else could undo it for you. But, when you do it yourselves, it will be done for ever -and until you do it, you have got to pay the penalty of your ignorance, indifference and neglect." (Eugene Debbs)

2 comments:

Jock said...

Makes you think about the army of professional politicians.
I was arguing with my wife recently that the "middle class" was really a flawed idea. She asked what class the career politicians belonged to. I guess mostly working class but many of them in politics primarily to feather their owns nests. Any thoughts on the career politicians?

Matthew Culbert said...

Hi Jock , while it is true some, or many, are in politics for expedient ,selfish reasons,many are not and these consider their work a public service.

Those are decent individuals, perhaps motivated to make changes, in incremental fashion to the big picture.they are in politics to make a difference ,bringing their values to bear upon the body politic.Seeing themselves as realistic as capitalism is the only show available.

If you think of welfare reformers,people interested in alleviating the penal system, trying to improve poorer childrens access to education and so on.Sadly the nature of reformism means their projects,even when 'successful' ,will be will be unpicked in the interest of profit.

Socialists in the SPGB don't impugn the personal integrity of individual reformers,but rather point to the inevitability of the dilution of succesful reforms and generally, overall ,the inconclusive if not useless,results of the pursuit of them.

Then of course, the others,the 'parcel of rogues' and scoundrels, are the placemen and women,hoping to gain personal advancement from their participation in being members of 'winning' political parties.The landed wealthy who see the 'Commons' as a Club where they are blooded before going onto the other place.

It is often difficult to distinguish between them all as they toe the Party lines,but the Socialist Standard ,Greasy Pole page 23, makes a good fist of it most months.

Cheers.
Matt