My political views

[Blog of Reason]

Discussion thread for the blog entry "My political views" by Laurens.

Permalink: http://blog.leagueofreason.org.uk/political/mypoliticalviews/

 

[Prolescum]

What's really weird about this post is that earlier on today, I came across a term I hadn't previously been aware of, euthenics.

 

[Laurens]

What's really weird about this post is that earlier on today, I came across a term I hadn't previously been aware of, euthenics.

Interesting. I'd never heard that term before either, I'd be a bit scared of using it in case people misinterpret me as having said "eugenics"

 

[Vivre]

Interesting. I'd never heard that term before either, I'd be a bit scared of using it in case people misinterpret me as having said "eugenics"

DITO!
To me it was also new and I misread it on first glance, but it also made me stumble to affirm if that could have been right. Maybe a stronger emphasising can help to minimize a mistaken when using this term.

 

[PAB]

In essence my political focus would be to raise the floor of our society and culture by greatly improving education and opportunities.

I think this focus is a correct and admirable aim, but as you yourself hint at naive regards the existing political-economy. The essence, from my personal interpretation of your focus is essentially reformism. I.e. reform the existing political system to focus on education and job opportunities which will have a knock on effect. Reforms certainly can have benefits for example extending education to the majority of society means people can participate better in a democratic society, a literate worker can read the news and educate themselves. But the problem of reformism is evident in history. In the UK the education system was reformed which extended higher education to the majority of people by making it free. This was withdrawn, just as today the NHS is under pressure not just from the Tories but the existing global capitalist economy to open up to market forces and withdraw free universal health care.

The general rule for reforms appears to be that they can be granted in times of plenty, when the economy is in boom. But when capitalism hits the fan they come into antagonism with the needs of capitalism. (another example is the welfare state and benefits to the most needy, are being chipped away by the government-to which the so called workers party Labour..say they will not reverse..why?...because if you accept capitalism and market forces you have to accept austerity.

The solution of more education and more opportunities is one thing but what exactly was the essential problem, of which this is the solution ?

Even with a universal free education system , whereby anyone who has the appropriate secondary qualifications can go to university, this can have the problem of creating a educated workforce whereby there are no job opportunities. This issue is a current one, in Greece there are many unemployed graduates even in the UK there are PHD graduates working in post offices.

Opportunities for work are dependent on the state of the economy, whether its growing or not. And we are still within a crises of capitalism, which is not an anomaly but a necessary organic crises of an economic system based on private profit. In the last great crises - the great depression- Jobs were created by the state e.g The New Deal, at the expense of the government. However that is not a realistic option this time around, state deficit and all and going against the IMF is bad for business.

In summary, what i believe is limiting the floor of our society and culture is an economic system based on private profit, and without tackling the root problem, such reforms as mentioned (NHS, Free Education) will come continually into conflict with the Political Economy we have. To achieve free education jobs for all and also democracy in economic life , socialism is need.

Since you have Socialist tendencies, im intrigued as to your reservations about socialism ?