Glasgow Day School

Glasgow Day School

Saturday, 2^nd May

1-5 pm

Hillhead Library,

Byers Road.

The world has a million or so multimillionaires with disposable wealth of over $7 million each. About 100,000 people have assets of over $50 million. A fifth of the UK population say they can barely get by financially. There is no difficulty in producing enough food for everyone on the planet and bad harvests are not the reason people go hungry.

The General Election: More Worthless Promises

Well, it’s Jackanory Time again, and politicians will be trying to outdo one another in the telling of tall tales. Most will publish more or less fanciful wish lists which are designed to encourage you to believe that they have the interests of “the people” at heart. But what people?You might ask? Most Politicians will say that they wish to serve the British people, but other will say that they wish to serve the Scottish people.

The truth is that whichever of these storytelling charlatans you vote for, it is the capitalist class whose interests will be served. You will not be served. Quite the opposite: you will continue to be wheedled, cajoled, herded and bullied into the labour market where you will continue to be enslaved so that your masters may continue to enjoy the fruits of your labour. That’s all capitalism can offer you!

Speaker: John Cumming, Glasgow Branch

Two Cheers for Democracy

Is one vote every five years really enough? What are the barriers to a real, participative democracy? How could decision-making be made genuinely democratic? And can we really cope without the market making decisions for us? We discuss some of the options from history, from around the world, and from deepest cyberspace. Those who benefit from the present system would have you believe there is no alternative. It helps them if you believe it - although it does nothing for you.

Speaker: Brian Gardner, Glasgow Branch

Why just fight austerity?

Consider the following: It was recently reported that the richest 85 people on the planet together control as much wealth as the poorest half of the world's population (which would be over three and a half billion people). This astonishing statistic reveals the extent of global inequality, which turns out to be even more extensive than most people realise. In this talk we shall look at how such inequality comes about and, making use of Wilkinson and Pickett's book The Spirit Level, on the social consequences of inequality. We shall also ask whether a more egalitarian form of capitalism is worth struggling for, and what the idea of equality in a classless Socialist world would involve.

Speaker: Paul Bennett, Manchester Branch

Admission Free. Questions and Discussion Welcome. Refreshments will be available during all intervals