In that case I'll stay at home.
On Tue, 23 Nov 1999 17:03:18 GMT Hillary Shaw
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 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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