The Socialist Party of Canada

Secretary’s Report for February 1, 2014

Email Report

–           WSPNZ GAC minutes for January received with thanks.

Good Of The Movement

–           The Spring edition of Imagine is in the planning stages. If you have comments, suggestions, articles, please send them in to jayers4@cogeco.ca.

–           Coffee shop discussion meeting held in Toronto. We were pleased to

welcome SPGB secretary, Oliver Bond.

–           Two introductory packages sent out.

–           Please send in your dues ($25) to The Socialist Party of Canada, Box 4280, Victoria, BC V8X 3X8.

Finances

–           Secretary’s expenses for January, $13.77

Karl’s Quotes

–           On the exploitation of labour, Marx writes, “ What is a working day? What is the length of time during which capital may consume the labour-power whose daily value it has paid for? How far may the working day be extended beyond the amount of labour-time necessary for the reproduction of labour-power itself? We have seen that capital’s reply to these questions is this: the working day contains the full 24 hours, with the deduction of the few hours of rest without which labour-power is absolutely incapable of renewing its services. Hence it is self-evident that the worker is nothing other than labour-power for the duration of his whole life, and that therefore all his disposable time is by nature and by right labour-time, to be devoted to the self-valorization of capital. Time for education, for intellectual development, for the fulfillment of social functions, for social intercourse, for the free play of the vital forces of his body and mind, even the rest time of Sunday (and that in a country of Sabbatarians!) – what foolishness! But in its blind and measureless drive, its insatiable appetite for surplus labour, capital oversteps not only the moral but even the merely physical limits of the working day. It usurps the time for growth, development and healthy maintenance of the body. It steals the time required for fresh air and sunlight. It haggles over the meal times, where possible incorporating them into the production process itself, as coal is supplied to the boiler, and grease and oil to the machinery.” (Capital Volume III, pages 375/ 376). Marx continues in this vein with some damning and important points – worth reading. If anyone tells you that the worker is not explited, perhaps you can quote from these pages and point out that the vile conditions are still alive and well around the world and heading back in that direction in the ‘rich’ countries!

Food For Thought

–           As most of us are painfully aware, the ice storm that hit most of eastern North America, December 21/22, created havoc. Thirty hours of freezing rain meant downed power lines with loss of electricity, heat, and spoiled food in refrigerators and freezers. Public transit was at a standstill as was almost everything else. All of this could be avoided if the power lines were buried underground. However the simple fact is, as usual, it is too expensive and that, under capitalism, people’s well-being comes second to shoveling profits in the direction of the owning class.

–           The Asian garment industry is in the news again. This time it’s Cambodia’s turn as five hundred factories came out on strike for higher wages. The government replied predictably with police opening fire with their AK47s killing three workers. The industry, like Bangladesh and Viet Nam, is the country’s largest exporter. The workers are asking for $160 per month (less than $1 per hour) and the government has offered $100. No wonder the greedy clothing retailers are licking their lips at the prospects of large profits in Asia! Toronto Star, 4/Jan/2014).

–           Several Canadian firms have been targeted as culprits in the garment Industry shame league, such as Reitmans who consigned more than $13 million worth of goods from Cambodia in 2012, and The Hudson’s Bay Company, who commented, “ The safety of the workers is our top concern…” Sure, you just happened to farm your work out to low paying, low safety law areas by accident! Profit was never a big concern, right?

–           As bad as the ‘garment countries’ appear to be, there is always someone worse off, luckily for the capitalist class. In a study released by the UK based Legatum Institute and its Prosperity (?) Index, Bangladesh ranks 103^rd out of 142 countries whereas India, that darling of the world’s expanding economies, comes in at 106^th. and falling. Apparently, if you live in Bangladesh you will live 3.4 years longer, you will be less likely to be undernourished, or die in infancy, and have better access to sanitation. Just don’t take a job in the garment industry!

–           On December 26, scientists announced that eighteen million tons of methane gas had been discovered near the Siberian arctic coast that, owing to global warming, was being leaked into the atmosphere. What will be done? Nothing! Why? Because global warming is a direct result of capitalism’s mad dash for profits at any cost. Isn’t it logical to stop harmful activities?  Yes, but logic and capitalism are not compatible. The only real logic is to organize and stop capitalism.

–           And here is how logic works in capitalism. The Toronto Star wrote that the state of Florida is set to boom as its population will very soon overtake that of New York State with its attendant increase in economic expansion without thought. Florida’s prime source of water comes from the Florida Aquifer that is replenished by rainwater soaking into the ground. The more you pave over driveways, parking lots, and other structures, the less water seepage you get. Logical, eh? Can you predict the result? Capital cannot!

–           In March a new law will take effect in Michigan that has been called Rape Insurance! It will force women covered by public or private health plans to pay extra for fear they may suffer an unintended pregnancy, including one that threatens their lives and well-being. This is the latest move by the Michigan’s House and Senate to restrict abortion for poor women, whereas rich women do not need insurance plans. This bill is hardly the most democratic one considering only one third of voters support it. Senate minority leader, Gretchen Whitmer, “ Requiring Michigan women to plan ahead for an unplanned pregnancy is not only illogical (there’s that word again!), it is one of the most mysogynistic proposals I’ve seen in the legislature.” Two aspects of this are crystal clear, life for the poor gets harder everyday and life under capitalism gets crazier.

–           Another grim statistic goes to prove that killing humans is not a natural Activity. Since 1995, 238 Canadian troops have committed suicide, averaging ten per year until 2007 and seventeen per year thereafter. We spend $20 billion on so-called defence. Never was so much wasted on something so stupid!

–           A horrifying article in the Toronto Star of December 28 focused on the mutilation and sale of albinos’ body parts in Tanzania, “In Tanzania’s black market, black magic is for sale. Witch doctors offer bits of albinos’ bodies; arms, legs, hair, genitals, and blood. They are used for potions that the sellers promise will bestow health, wealth, and happiness.” It is shocking that in today’s world where so much knowledge is available that such incredible superstition exists – an incentive to work for truth and scientific knowledge for the whole world in a socialist society.

–           The December issue of The Socialist Standard, the journal of our Companion party in the UK, included an article in which British comedian Russell Brand aired his views. Though he made some comments no socialist would disagree with, he showed his limitations by his comments on politicians, “ They are all dishonest and self-serving…Like most people, I regard politicians as frauds and liars.” Contrary to what Brand thinks, some are well meaning but, once elected, find themselves trying to administer a crazy and constricted system that forces them to do things they had no intention of doing (see the article under Wage Slave News on our web site re Mandela). In other words, it’s the system that creates the conditions or man makes his own history but not under circumstances of his own choosing!

–           For those people who think that third world, nineteenth century factory conditions of work can never come back to the ‘First’ world, the New York Times reported (15/12.13) a garment factory fire in Prato, Italy. The building did not have emergency exits and windows were barred. The fire was likely caused by a camp stove used for preparing meals. Seven Chinese workers died in the blaze. This low-cost business model has developed over the last twenty years. Officials said that a tragedy was always around the corner but were apparently powerless to do anything about it. So much for government of and by the people.

–           The Toronto Star’s editorial of Dec 14, 2013 was about ‘Saving Our Safety Net’. It focused mainly on the death by a thousand cuts of the current Tory government. For example, it was found that just 37.2% of unemployed workers qualified for benefits compared to 46.6% when the Harper government came to power in 2006. (All workers pay into the fund). That the low figure of 46.6% was the worker of former Liberal finance minister, Paul Martin, just shows that all those who get to power are on the same page, “How to keep the profits flowing to the capitalist class”.

–           Seems like more and more workers are getting the picture. In an EKOS Research poll printed in the Toronto Star, more people identified themselves as poor or working class in 2012 compared with 2006 – 28% to 44%. It is, of course, becoming increasingly obvious that there is downward pressure on wages in the ‘rich’ world. Rather than increase wages of the poor third world it appears wages will simply descend to survival levels – unless we get rid of the wages system altogether.

–           The death of a welder in Toronto when a roof he was working on collapsed, highlighted two things. One, unlike the death of a policeman or firefighter, he will not get a public parade with workers from around North America in attendance (the jingoism factor); two, the number of worker deaths – in 2012 seventy- three in Ontario alone from accidents and 367 including those succumbing to occupational diseases acquired on the job. In fact, in a recent list of the most dangerous jobs, the top 10 was dominated by, not surprisingly, blue collar jobs such as construction, farming, electrical, trucking, refuse collecting, roofing, logging, and fishing. Police and firefighters did not figure in the top 10. Police and firefighters are workers too and we do not begrudge them due respect for performing the dangerous aspects of their jobs, but it is obvious that work place deaths and injuries are kept below the radar for obvious reasons.

For socialism, John

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