Current Affairs The Labour Party

[davek]

Just curious. But who are the working class these days? Like, it was obvious when the Labour Party was formed, just not so sure these days.

And how do the markets attack them?

Class is always the same. The working class are those that have only their labour to sell to make their way in life. Anything else is sociological claptrap.

 

[roydo]

Class is always the same. The working class are those that have only their labour to sell to make their way in life. Anything else is sociological claptrap.

How do you make your way in life without selling your labour?

Like I did deliveries for best part of 5 years; hardly a skill set, just a choice I made.

And without a market, what or who could I sell my labour to?

 

[Methuselah]

What was what?

If you lived before 1980 you knew what it was like.

Yes, 1970, the worst decade for the economy in living memory. Started by Edward Heath, carried on by Harold Wilson and finished (almost) by Callaghan. Strikes, unemployment, inflation, mega interest rates, bailouts by the IMF.

 

[roydo]

Yes, 1970, the worst decade for the economy in living memory. Started by Edward Heath, carried on by Harold Wilson and finished (almost) by Callaghan. Strikes, unemployment, inflation, mega interest rates, bailouts by the IMF.

I remember it as a kid. It just seemed that nothing ever worked, nothing got done, (weeks and weeks for a GPO phone), but the music was sound.

Oh, doing homework by candle light as well.

 

[davek]

How do you make your way in life without selling your labour?

Like I did deliveries for best part of 5 years; hardly a skill set, just a choice I made.

And without a market, what or who could I sell my labour to?

Some people start out with capital.

The market needs tethering; that's the issue.

 

[davek]

Yes, 1970, the worst decade for the economy in living memory. Started by Edward Heath, carried on by Harold Wilson and finished (almost) by Callaghan. Strikes, unemployment, inflation, mega interest rates, bailouts by the IMF.

That's one way of looking at it...through the prism of the ruling class.

 

[Methuselah]

I remember it as a kid. It just seemed that nothing ever worked, nothing got done, (weeks and weeks for a GPO phone), but the music was sound.

Oh, doing homework by candle light as well.

I was computer manager at the time and we installed a large Caterpillar generator to run the computer. The computer centre lights were blazing 24/7 and the local people were writing to the local paper complaining about it.

 

[roydo]

Some people start out with capital.

The market needs tethering; that's the issue.

I didnt.

But sold my labour for 30 plus years. Not really sure what is wrong with that.

 

[roydo]

I was computer manager at the time and we installed a large Caterpillar generator to run the computer. The computer centre lights were blazing 24/7 and the local people were writing to the local paper complaining about it.

It must have been massive, with a fraction of the brain power that a modern phone has!

 

[davek]

I didnt.

But sold my labour for 30 plus years. Not really sure what is wrong with that.

Who's saying there is anything wrong with it?

 

[Methuselah]

I didnt.

But sold my labour for 30 plus years. Not really sure what is wrong with that.

I left school at 15 and sold my labour up to retirement. Never had any 'start-up' capital. Done all right, bit of hard work does wonders.

 

[davek]

I was computer manager at the time and we installed a large Caterpillar generator to run the computer. The computer centre lights were blazing 24/7 and the local people were writing to the local paper complaining about it.

...and so they should have.

 

[roydo]

Who's saying there is anything wrong with it?

You implied that by selling my labour it was in some way bad, or exploitative. And the markets were attacking me.

Without a market, I couldnt deliver much.

 

[Methuselah]

It must have been massive, with a fraction of the brain power that a modern phone has!

We had an IBM 360 with 32k of storage. (You can buy a watch with more power than that these days.) We had a big Central Processor, Magnetic tapes, Disks, Sorter, Collator and Printer. 10 Punched card machines and 10 Verifiers. All operating in an air-conditioned environment. 3 x 8 hour shifts 6 days a week.

 

[davek]

You implied that by selling my labour it was in some way bad, or exploitative. And the markets were attacking me.

Without a market, I couldnt deliver much.

I didn't imply that at all. I said the people running the LP now are apostles of the market, whereas the original intention of the LP was to blunt the market, to bring it to heel.

Unless you have a planned economy (only really workable with the world's resourses and cooperation of the world's population) you have to have the market. It then becomes a case of not being completely exploited by the market and surrendering your labour power for a hand full of beans.