I'm a fan of the 'A Very Short Introduction' series which are many and varied and I've just finished the 162 page one on 'Socialism' by Michael Newman.
This gave a very good summary of socialism from the rapid economic and social changes, associsted with urbanization and indusrialization, in early 19th century Europe through to the break down of communism in Russia with the fall of the Berlin Wall and ending with some final thoughts of its future in the 21st century.
In outlining the Socialist Traditions in chapter one he covers Utopians, Anarchism, Marxism, Social Democracy and Communism.
I wrote about Anarchism back in August and so I was struck by the comment in this book that anarchists are critical of hierarchical organisations and provide a perpetual warning for all movements:-
"Beware the trappings of power, beware bureaucracy, and ensure that authoriy is always distrusted."
Apart from its vision of decentralized self-governing organisations, this was its essential contribution to socialism.
It is for the above reason that our movement will never become a party and is the danger that all new parties fall into so well typified by UKIP, the Brexit Party and I suspect will be the future of Fox's Reclaim Party.
For The Harrogate Agenda to succeed it has to become a mass people's movement aimed at restoring the inherent sovereignty of the people while being beware of the trappings of power, bureaucracy and ensuring authority is always distrusted.
If you want to revolutionise the status quo you don't join it.
I don't see how it can become a mass people's movement. An agenda should be a plan of action but TFA is a description of an imaginary state of affairs.
ReplyDeleteSurely history teaches us that the plan of action happens after the acceptance by the people that the state of affairs needs correcting.
ReplyDeleteIt is said that politics is the art of the possible. What the people think may well be governed by what is seen as possible, versus pie in the sky. Making a plan of action would require exploration of what is possible.
ReplyDeleteI don't deny we have an Everest to climb but our demands are possible and in history much more has been achieved by determined people.
ReplyDeleteYou sir are too negative and I'm surprise you bother to get up in the morning!!
My intention was to suggest that a plan of action should be put forward now rather than leaving it until whenever. I don't see what is negative about that. That said, it is only because I believe in God that I get up in the morning.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm glad you do and as to our plan you need an audience to announce a plan to and THA doesn't yet have one worthy of that name. All I'm currently doing is keeping THA pilot light going.
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