From: potter@movies.enet.dec.com (Alan T Potter)
Subject: Re: Why wait 5 years?
Organisation: VMS Engineering, DEC, Scotland
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 08:05:54 GMT


In article <STEVEW.92Apr13120006@mushroom.cs.man.ac.uk>, stevew@cs.man.ac.uk (Steve Wallis) writes...
>After Labour's disastrous election defeat, the British people have to wait
>another 5 years to get rid of the Tories, and the Scottish people have to
>wait another 5 years for devolution.  Or do they?

Unfortunately, the Tories appear to be wavering in their committment to keep
us free of unnecessary, expensive, extra layers of government.

>It proposes to use protests, civil disobedience and possibly
>industrial action.  

Inaction, you mean...

>With the obvious strength of feeling against the Tories,
>and against the Labour leadership for betraying their aspirations (wait for
>the election and everything will be alright), this campaign has the potential
>to become an unstoppable movement to achieve Scottish home rule.

Aye, and the moon's made of green cheese.

>Obviously, an effective strategy has to be worked out (I don't know what form
>of civil disobedience is being proposed), but I will make the point that the
>Scottish working class 

I've asked before, Steve, and I'll ask again.  Please define `working class' in
simple, straightforward terms that I can use to work out whether I qualify.
You didn't bother last time - is it that you don't understand, or what?

>has the power to force the Tories to give in, if they
>decide to use it.  If nobody (or perhaps only the 25% who voted Tory) works,
>then the country would be brought to a standstill.

Oh, brilliant.  No hospitals, no public services, no electricity.  Yes, I'm
sure the country would be brought to a standstill if enough people were stupid
enough to strike for it.  And you'd be comfortable enough in Manchester.  Pity
you don't give a shit for the people of Scotland who would suffer.  Did I
mention the word hypocrisy?

>If (or when) the struggle takes off in Scotland, it could spread to England
>and Wales.  The Tories also have little support in Wales, and they don't even
>have majority support in England.  

The struggle?  Oh gawd, I thought Socialism died a couple of years back.  Don't
tell me we're getting into all thie peurile `struggle' mentality again?

>With Labour almost certain to adopt
>proportional representation, many people will come to the conclusion that the
>Tories don't have a mandate here either.  

Erm - what?  I don't think I'm up to the intellectual pressure of this
statement.


>So why wait until 1997 to ditch the
>Tories when they shouldn't be in power now?

Because that's the difference between democracy and anarchy.

>In the industrial field too, workers will rapidly come into conflict with the
>Tories and the bosses.  

That was tried in the 1970s.  Remember?  When Labour was chucked out of power
by the British people.

>Workers will learn from their experiences - we didn't have to wait for a
>Labour government to force the Tories to ditch the poll tax.  It seems likely
>that non-payment figures for the council tax will be similarly high.  There
>are turbulent times ahead!  Forward to a socialist society...

Ah - is that what a socialist society is?  Where people don't contribute to
their community, simply take things and pay nothing in return.  Where Mob rule
overturns government?  Where people who are honest and law-abiding get screwed
by others who are greedy and unwilling to take part in society?

Just what the hell do you want from your `Socialist society', Steve?  So far,
all you have done is expressed a wish for conflict -- your policies (bring the
country to its knees) all hit the poor and feeble, while leaving the well off
and powerful quite happy (rich folk can afford electricity generators, poor
people freeze).

In fact, you seem more intent on hurting people than helping them.  Just what
do you stand for?

regards,
/atp

>--
>  /    / / \    / /            --------------------------------------------
>  \/\ /\ \/ \  / \\/      /    |    Steve Wallis (stevew@cs.man.ac.uk)    |
>    /   \ \/ \/   \\//\  /     | Mail me if you want to join the struggle |
>                   \/  \/      --------- for a socialist society. ---------

Is Albania connected to the network, Steve?  Just wondering...

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| potter@movies.enet.dec.com | My opinions are my own, not DEC's. 0506 423307 |
|   Alan T Potter - GM7GLJ   |   VMS Engineering, Livingston, UK, EH54 6AG    |
+----Hand me the wine and the dice, while I have thirst and lust for living---+
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british