Mindful socialism: green and democratic
soundcloud.com/radio-skid-row/don-sutherland-discusses-actu-congress-2018-6-july-2018
Last Friday Caroline Pryor and I, on “Workers Radio”, discussed the forthcoming ACTU Congress. We focussed on the “Change the Rules” Campaign and, in particular, the “right to strike”. In doing so we reviewed the success of a recent enterprise bargaining strike by Downers workers in the Hunter Valley that quadrupled union membership.
This story in the Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/23/greece-solidarity-movement-cooperatives-syriza describes the community solidarity side of SYRIZA’s politics as it reaches the final days pof the elction campaign.
The story describes the re-definition of politics as an interdependence between macro economic reform – that is, real reform – and practical solidarity organising that challenges the dictates of charity as a solution to poverty.
Just one of several aspects of the story I liked is the explanation of how neoliberal capitalism shows no respect for individuals, especially the individuals who make up the majority. On the other hand, practical solidarity shows full commitment to each individual it touches and, encourages the fuller flowering of each individual’s personality and personal commitment to solidarity.
In Australia, the interactive political economy of the Abbott government and the Business Council of Australia, promotes individualism as self centredness and greed driven by the freedom to exploit the majority and the environment. In doing so, these social forces of the 1% constrict, deny and destroy the unique potentials of most people.