Interesting to see all these demos against capitalism, all across
Britain. But is this the best way forward against the capitalist
ethos that for sure is causing great damage, socially environmentally
etc etc w/wide. Remember the miners srtike of 1984/5, the one where
the miners eventually ,lost and Thatcer got revenge for the Heath
strike in the 1970s. Do we remember the flashpoint at Orgreave, a
coking works near Sheffield. The stage piece miners vs police demos,
huge nos on both sides etc etc. Then reecntly i saw a documentary
about the 1984/5 strike; apparently Orgreave was primarily a coke
supplier to a large local steelworks, important sure enough but not
so vital as say coal to the power stas. Yet Orgreave assumed a vital
significance in the minds of the public, the police and the miners
themselves. Neither side could be seen to lose the Battle of
Orgreave. Why?? It struck me that it suited the govt of Thatcher
quite well to let Orgreave assume such significance, in the media
and elsewhere, as this quite well diverted miners/pickets energy from
coal going other places more important to the UK economy - a
steelworks or two without power was not as threatening as power stas
without the stuff.
Likewise now street demos against capitalism are very much the
fashion Again we have set piece battles on the various financial
centres of the UK, police vs demo-ers. A few stockbrokers cant get to
work. A few £1000s of damage is done to doors etc of banks. So what?
The public largely forgets in a few months, People do their jobs as
before. The only long lasting effect is the govt gets an excuse for
more intrusive surveilance, more curtailing of civil liberties, for
the innocent too! Thes enew powers, new laws, new technology for the
police, are the only thing that lives on after these street demos. I
woulf bet that a quasi right wing govt like T Blair's, actually quite
loikks forward to these demos, just as much ats thatcher would have.
Capitalism can be better fought - no actually not fought, under
control it can be useful for production, encouraging innovation etc -
but it can better be curbed by quiter methods, eg switching
purchases away from the big cos like the suoperstores, disney, mc
donalds, towrads corner shops, local cafes, local guest houses etc.
Not so spectacular - no excuses for govt overreaction there then.
Hillary Shaw, P/G Geography, University of Leeds.
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