ethical-capitalism : Message: Report on October 21 Convention of the Left meeting in Manchester

The following is a report on last night's meeting that I've just emailed to Peter Manson, the Weekly Worker editor, for publication tomorrow (on http://www.cpgb.org.uk). I'll post a more substantial message on democratisation of the banks soon, when I've written a new Foundation for Proportional Representation-based Socialism newsletter...

In the September 25 issue of the Weekly Worker, an article by Chris Strafford (http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/738/leftdoesnt.html) had the headline "Left doesn’t unite", talking about the Convention of the Left counter-conference at the time of Labour’s conference in September. In reality, the left inside and outside the Labour Party is continuing to unite; there is a recall conference on Saturday November 29 (at the Friends' Meeting House, Manchester, see www.conventionoftheleft.org for details) and I went to a local Convention meeting attended by 30 people to plan for that recall conference, and discuss the political situation and what we will do about it locally (in Manchester) last night (October 21).

Some speakers at last night's meeting advocated the Convention uniting around a series of demands, although they didn’t make it clear whether they would like transitional ones (like that of the Socialist Party, formerly the Militant Tendency, that cannot all be implemented under capitalism but raising them is intended to lead to a socialist revolution) or reformist ones like those of the SWP's People Before Profit Charter.

I opposed this approach, instead arguing that we should point out the need for a sudden thorough change of society (a revolution even if some don't think we should use that word) to achieve socialism, and put forward ideas on how a socialist society should be run. New Labour has already borrowed £37.6 billion in six months (about the same amount borrowed in twelve months in recent years) excluding the nationalisation of Northern Rock, Bradford & Bingley and the recent £500 billion banking bailout (the latter averaging £16,500 for every taxpayer in the UK). With the Tories and Lib Dems proposing similar levels of spending to New Labour, socialists should avoid the trap of simply calling for even greater public spending (and hence greater borrowing) but instead argue for a socialist revolution! If we do propose reforms, simultaneously arguing for the need for socialism, then we should not neglect the opportunities presented by the recent/upcoming bank nationalisations.

Others had argued for activities around the nationalised (or party nationalised) banks, opposing repossessions – raising the possibility of the state via the banks acquiring homes of people in financial difficulties and renting them back. I suggested also calling for the democratisation of the banks – applied specifically to the nationalised ones, although similar measures could be taken with building societies (which I had previously raised through my Campaign for Nationwide Democracy) and privately owned banks which we could argue should also be nationalised (with compensation only to pension schemes, I'd suggest) and run in the interests of ordinary people. I'd argue for the majority control of such banks/building societies in the hands of savers and borrowers, but also with representatives of bank workers via trade unions and the government on the board. I'd also argue that the whole of the board should be up for re-election every year - instead of just a third as happens with the Nationwide at present, like with many councils including Manchester's, which limits change (due to the impossibility of radically transforming the board without representatives from your group/party already on it). I've also argued for referenda of members if the board is split on a particular issue, such as whether to pass on changes in interest rates by the Bank of England.

We didn't have time to agree positions on such democratisation, but we arranged to meet on the third Monday of every month (7pm at the Friends Meeting House), and will discuss this and other issues (including further planning for the recall conference) at the next local Convention meeting on November 17 (probably booked under the name Socialist Unity like last night's meeting). I will produce a new Foundation for PR-based Socialism newsletter, focusing on democratising the banks, publicising these events. [I will probably finish writing the newsletter and put it on-line on Friday - any comments on this subject would be appreciated (emailed to me personally or posted on the PR-based Socialism discussion list).]

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Steve Wallis (Manchester, England)
Preferred email address: revolutionarysocialiststeve@...
Blogs: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steve-wallis-socialist-blog,
http://blog.myspace.com/galaxiasteve
My socialist website: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk
My pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1038291480, MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/galaxiasteve and Bebo:
http://www.bebo.com/SteveW519
Founder, Good Intentions Network: http://www.goodintentionsnetwork.org
Founder, Ethical Capitalism Network: http://www.ethicalcapitalism.net
Founder, Foundation for PR-based Socialism: http://www.PRsocialism.org
Founder, Revolutionary Platform Network: http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net
My revolutionary socialist band, Galaxia: http://www.galaxiamusic.net, http://www.myspace.com/galaxiamusic, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Galaxia-a-revolutionary-socialist-band/84310120180, http://www.bebo.com/galaxiamusic.
My socialist band, Red Day: http://www.red-day.net, http://www.myspace.com/reddayband, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Day/27468311341
Author, "Revolution Destroyed? Have I ensured that a world socialist revolution will never happen?": http://www.revolutiondestroyed.net
For discussion of the credit crunch, go to
http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=156
For discussion of 9/11 conspiracy theories, go to http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=89

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