Healing the working class

Submitted by Sleeper on January 2, 2016

I've put this in general because I can't see where else to post it.

In the UK the working class has been split, broken even. This occured as a deliberate policy by the ruling class and enacted by the conservative party in the 1970's in the uk, after having been used to divide the working class in the us in a similar way by us politicians. They created this term- the underclass, and the capitalist media embraced it. It's simply a term to describe the poorest amongst us, those made unemployed for economic reasons. Marx had a term for it as well. He called it the reserve army of labour.

It has now been used to discredit and divide the working class worldwide, forcing a division between what the capitalists would have you believe is the deserving and undeserving poor, the deserving and undeserving working class.

If there is one thing that anarchists and other libertarian socialists/communists have to do it is to heal this divide amongst our class. By doing this we make ourselves stronger and we also remove another obstacle to a lovely social revolution and working class self management :-)

Psuedonym

8 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Psuedonym on January 2, 2016

I thought Marx called them the lumpen proletariat?

Anyway, that's beside the point. Years or racism, sexism, homophobia and looking down at people on benefits &c. have caused an enourmous and engrained feeling of devision in the working class. We must strive to fight all forms of division, for they all harmt he working class.

Fleur

8 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Fleur on January 2, 2016

It has now been used to discredit and divide the working class worldwide, forcing a division between what the capitalists would have you believe is the deserving and undeserving poor, the deserving and undeserving working class.

When has this ever not been the case? You should try reading some history. This is nothing new.

Scallywag

8 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Scallywag on January 2, 2016

I find this really worrying in combination with a few other things mainly what seems like attempts to establish a permanent security state by inciting constant fear towards refuges and Muslims, as well as the attention people like Katy Hopkins and Donald Trump receive. It seems like this is a strategy to move mainstream politics far to the right.

Sleeper

8 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sleeper on January 2, 2016

You could well be right but he also called us the reserve army of labour in regards to political economy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserve_army_of_labour.

Well that kept me going in some dark times...

First and foremost we have to bring our class together again. That means destroying their idea of an underclass.

Psuedonym

I thought Marx called them the lumpen proletariat?

Anyway, that's beside the point. Years or racism, sexism, homophobia and looking down at people on benefits &c. have caused an enourmous and engrained feeling of devision in the working class. We must strive to fight all forms of division, for they all harmt he working class.

Sleeper

8 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sleeper on January 2, 2016

I have read some history and apologise if you couldn't see that.

So what are we going to do about it then comrade?

Fleur

It has now been used to discredit and divide the working class worldwide, forcing a division between what the capitalists would have you believe is the deserving and undeserving poor, the deserving and undeserving working class.

When has this ever not been the case? You should try reading some history. This is nothing new.

Sleeper

8 years 11 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sleeper on January 2, 2016

Well orwells 1984 was about a totalitarian communist state. Now we have a permanent yet changing war against an ever changing enemy. More than that we have to get ourselves together and create an international working class that understands The Communist Manifesto. And beyond that a society that serves all our interests.

Scallywag

I find this really worrying in combination with a few other things mainly what seems like attempts to establish a permanent security state by inciting constant fear towards refuges and Muslims, as well as the attention people like Katy Hopkins and Donald Trump receive. It seems like this is a strategy to move mainstream politics far to the right.

XirmiX

8 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by XirmiX on January 7, 2016

Psuedonym

I thought Marx called them the lumpen proletariat?

Anyway, that's beside the point. Years or racism, sexism, homophobia and looking down at people on benefits &c. have caused an enourmous and engrained feeling of devision in the working class. We must strive to fight all forms of division, for they all harmt he working class.

By all division do you mean in terms of privilege, wealth, power etc. or also including individuality as a human being?

Fai1937

And beyond that a society that serves all our interests.

Don't you mean needs?

Psuedonym

8 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Psuedonym on January 17, 2016

Certainly including privilege, wealth and power. I don't quite understand what you mean by divisions in individuality.

jojo

8 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by jojo on January 18, 2016

Sleeper said that Orwell's 1984 was about a communist state!!! It certainly wasn't. It was about a Dictatorial capitalist state that presented itself as communist to confuse the working class which it screwed mercilessly. There will never be a communist state anyway. If or when communism was finally established world wide, all states and all forms of unnecessary domination will have been overcome.

The Pigeon

8 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by The Pigeon on January 19, 2016

You can have a communist state; on a political and economic level, even though not on the social, the collectivism of a geopolitical group can break down capitalism without eliminating it. Communism has been extremely political since the18th century, it deals with power almost more than it does with civil society.

Sleeper

8 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sleeper on January 30, 2016

Yes I do mean needs. In that I envisage a society where the needs of those involved can be met. However I do also mean interests in that I envisage a society, an anarchist society, where however we choose to live we have a common interest in maintaining and defending ourselves against capitalists or anyone else who would try to destroy our needs based society.

XirmiX

Psuedonym

I thought Marx called them the lumpen proletariat?

Anyway, that's beside the point. Years or racism, sexism, homophobia and looking down at people on benefits &c. have caused an enourmous and engrained feeling of devision in the working class. We must strive to fight all forms of division, for they all harmt he working class.

By all division do you mean in terms of privilege, wealth, power etc. or also including individuality as a human being?

Fai1937

And beyond that a society that serves all our interests.

Don't you mean needs?

Sleeper

8 years 10 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Sleeper on January 30, 2016

Hi jojo I was playing with words. It was written about a totalitarian state, which given the time it was written was probably about Russia or the USSR as it was known. Big Brother was Stalin complete with mussy.

Here's to self management.

jojo

Sleeper said that Orwell's 1984 was about a communist state!!! It certainly wasn't. It was about a Dictatorial capitalist state that presented itself as communist to confuse the working class which it screwed mercilessly. There will never be a communist state anyway. If or when communism was finally established world wide, all states and all forms of unnecessary domination will have been overcome.