Poor in Scotland Worse Again

Scots in the poorest areas are most likely to be severely ill with and die from Covid-19 than those in wealthier areas, a study has suggested.

Researchers looked at all of Scotland's critical care units and found patients from the most disadvantaged areas also had a higher chance of ICU admission. It found that units in these areas were also more likely to be over capacity.

Researchers found that of the 735 patients with Covid admitted to ICU, about a quarter were from the most deprived quintile compared with 13% from the least deprived quintile. After 30 days, death rates were "significantly higher", researchers said, in patients from the most deprived places in Scotland, after accounting for other factors such as age and sex.

Covid in Scotland: Poverty linked to higher risk of death from virus - BBC News

The Earth Must Belong To All

 

Our object is the economic freedom of the producing class. This will mean the end of the present capitalist competitive system and the introduction of its successor, the cooperative commonwealth. We campaign for the end of the private ownership of the means of production The capitalist class owns the machinery of production, they don’t use it. The wage-working class use it, but they don’t own it. The capitalist class demands that they reap the profits. The greater the wage, the smaller the profit; the smaller the wage, the greater the profit. The capitalist system, with its extreme wealth upon the one hand, its abject and widespread poverty on the other; and its political corruption, is industrial slavery. In the present system capitalists must buy labour-power as cheaply as possible. Whipped into subservience by their poverty they are forced into the industrial servitude. They stand at the machine and feed it; they become cogs in the revolving wheels. The capitalists’ prosperity is built upon broken lives.

The Socialist Party not interested in the idea of violence. We are not insurrectionists. We are realists.  We have never advocated the use of violence. Our movement is worldwide because it is born of and follows the development of the capitalist system, which in its operation is confined to no country, but by its agencies of production, exchange, communication, and transportation, has leapt all national frontiers and made the world as a whole the arena of its activities. All the peoples of the planet must be drawn into relations of cooperation, to be the economic and social basis of human harmony. We produce by our toil all the wealth of the world. We have little or nothing to show for it. We build all the palaces and live in slums and shacks. We produce everything and possess practically nothing. Someone who controls and owns the means that sustain our lives, owns and controls us. We are his slave and in no sense free. So long as the workers are divided, economically and politically, they will remain in subjection, exploited of what they produce and treated with contempt by the parasites who live off our sweat.

The government oppress and suppress us. The political parties stand for the capitalist system, for the private ownership of the means of wealth production and the operation of industry in the interest of the capitalist class. They are committed to the perpetuation of wage-slavery, and whether one or the other wins, you always lose. It ought not to be difficult for  working people to decide which of these parties act in our interests. Unfortunately a great many workers do not know. Many are opposed to socialism. You still think there is still opportunities for upward mobility under capitalism and you fear that the socialists will take what little you have and divide it among the shiftless and thriftless. It will be the capitalists who will lay you off, push you into debt, who will bankrupt you, drive you into destitution. You will be stripped of whatever meagre wealth you own.

The Socialist Party is the only party that does not want a vote unless the person who casts that vote has the intelligence to know what he or she is voting for. The Socialist Party is the party of the whole working class — men and women.. The Socialist Party proposes that all shall be economically free. The Socialist Party is the party of the workers, organised to express in political terms their determination to break their fetters and rise to the dignity of free men and women. Fellow-workers must unite and develop their political power to conquer and abolish the capitalist political state and clear the way for industrial and social democracy.

We live in the most favoured times in all history. We have resources in  abundance, the most productive technology the world has ever known, and  eager and educated workers ready and willing to apply their knowledge and skills. The  unity of the workers must first be effected before there can be any progress toward emancipation.

 In the competitive capitalist system we are pitted against each other. We make war upon each other. We know that our fellow-workers are in an economic condition in which they are compelled to fight other fellow-workers. The Socialist Party is concerned with the environment. We do not propose a mere change of party — we propose a change of system. We are not reformers — we are revolutionists.  We do not support any other party, and we would never compromise political principle for electoral gain. We are looking forward to that time when there is no master and no slave. Capitalism is war. With socialism comes peace. Technology will be our servant. At the touch of a button, flick of a switch, automation will produce in abundance for all. What work men and women will engage in will be joy. Every one will have leisure.

The Socialist Party's Resolution for 2021

The Socialist Party aim is socialism where all oppression and exploitation of men and women, where all class-differences  vanish.  

Our party strives with peaceful means for the interests of the working people. Our campaign is a campaign of education for socialism. We must show why every other party is wrong and cannot solve the problems of the working class. We must distinguish ourselves from those parties that claim to represent the interests of the working class as well as those parties that are openly against the idea of socialism. 

Our party is a party of revolution. All our work must lead towards revolution. The revolutionary principles to which we are committed put upon us responsibilities and duties which cannot be shifted or evaded if we are to live up to our conception of a socialist party.  We have to stand up for the true interests of the working class as a whole. Our party is a party of revolutionary struggle against capitalism and all its works. We are not left-wing progressives, but revolutionists. 

We were determined that a definite working class outlook should permeate every aspect of the class struggle. We openly admitted that all education is of necessity biased, especially that which deals with social, economic, and political problems. Ours is biased in favour of our fellow-workers. We make no pretensions to that hypocritical impartiality which more often than not conceals a fear to express a firm opinion and a strong view.

Capitalism, a system of class exploitation and production for profit.  Only those who have a program for ending the class war in the name of the working people, for constructing a new world order – only they can guarantee peace and prosperity.  Until the community as a whole has been weaned from the ideas that are crystallised into the institutional behaviour that supports the private ownership of the means of production and the incentive to private profit, not merely the working-class will continue to be where it now is but society at large will be in danger of dissolution. Socialism is possible but not inevitable. 

The Socialist Party scorns to hide its aims. Under capitalist society it exists to fight against the exploitation of those who toil by hand and brain, and to lead the struggle to improve the working and living conditions of the toiling masses, to strengthen the working-class organisation and political understanding of the need of ending capitalism and establishing socialism. We have no consciousness of impotence, no consciousness of smallness, for we belong to the single greatest political force in the world, the working class. We represent the future. We represent the conception of socialism of the future. We stand for the end of impoverishment and seek to win the earth from the fear of hunger. We seek a world in which the exploitation of man by man shall cease, when the evolution of human society to new and higher forms shall become possible to all mankind, when socialism and peace shall be enjoyed by all.

Capitalism produces misery. It is the capitalist system which produces the disasters. We hate its exploiters, its parasites

 Our tasks are of global significance. That is why we are counting on world collaboration. We began our work with modest means and forces but with an unshakable faith in the future. We are never more optimistic, never more certain, never more determined to achieve the goal of socialism than we are on this day as the year 2020 draws to an end.

Against all obstacles and in spite of all difficulties, we shall carry on our work into the new year.

Capitalism's Crazy Contradictions.

 On Nov.26, ABC aired The Wonderful World of Disney; A Magical Holiday Celebration. 

This was a look at highlights from past years of performances from the Disney Parks in California and Florida. The idea behind all the hoopla was to remind every viewer of the happiness the Disney Company has brought into people’s lives. 

The very same day the Disney Company let go 32,000 employees.

S.P.C. Members.

Solve This Problem Within Capitalism? Some Joke!

An article in the Toronto Star of Nov.21 focused on how criminal elements, (the illegal as opposed to the legal ones), have been able to profit from the effects of the pandemic. To quote, ''Crime tends to be a first mover, sussing out new opportunities when a crisis like COVID-19 arises.''

 The mob in Canada haven't been slow in this respect, whether it be drugs, loan sharking, fraud and human trafficking. Sexual exploitation, including webcam sex trafficking, has shot up during the pandemic, feeding off poverty, isolation and desperation. Though it’s harder to cross borders now, nevertheless most human trafficking in Canada is domestic. 

Lock-down measures have contributed to a surge in online child exploitation in Canada through webcams. 

The Star's ''experts'' leave us with this pearl of wisdom: ''Much more robust efforts need to be taken to prevent this criminal conduct which can cause long term trauma for the victims'' – meaning, we can solve this problem within capitalism - What a joke!

S.P.C. Members.

Socialism - The Solidarity Economy

 

Humanity appears to be incapable of living together in peace and harmony. Wars and criminal violence plague the planet. So some argue that human beings are inherently brutal, but there are others who say that we are conditioned into violence by the way we are raised, nurtured and the type of conditions and surroundings we are exposed to. People vary and we are all unique individuals – different yet the same – within each and every human being the potential for tremendous good exists (routinely demonstrated in times of need), as does the propensity towards great cruelty. The environment in which we all live,  the values and beliefs, these influence us and determine which behaviour traits dominate.

Capitalist conditioning is far the most damaging, as it divides and creates a false and distorted view of others fostering competition and nationalism , creating barriers between us, fuelling rivalries, facilitating conflicts. It is a socially unjust society.  Everyone is seen as a commodity to be bought and sold. It’s time for humanity to reject all that divides us and to unite to build a socialist cooperative commonwealth.

§ Everyone is socially equal with no classes.

§ There is an abundance of goods which are freely circulated.

§ Political rule is not dictatorial.

§ All competition has ended.

§ There are no exchange nor markets.

§ People are working together, collectively and creatively.

§ The state has withered away.

Capitalists accuse working people of generally being stupid and selfish and it is only the few, risk-taking entrepreneur capitalists who show ingenuity. But capitalists pay no heed to the fact that workers will engage in all manner of leisure activities such as sport and practice their hobbies. Capitalists also ignore the fact that in cases when workers have control of what, how and when they produce – as in worker self-management or worker cooperative experiments – they have higher rates of motivation leading to more productivity than they do when employed by a capitalist.

If it were true that people had unlimited individual wants and needs and the market only exists to satisfy them all there would be no need for mass advertising to create artificial desires. Many actual wants are neglected if the profit on them is too low. Planned obsolescence makes sure that purchases don’t last  long. Products are manufactured to be throw-away and irreparable.

The wealth of capitalists does not trickle-down to the workers. Living standards appear to be better than in the past, higher levels of home-ownership, more consumer goods. But now it takes more than one bread-winner in the home to pay all the bills. Working hours are now longer, with overtime a necessity for many. The amount and burden of debt has increased to keep up with the cost of living. Capitalism has kept people in relative poverty. Capitalism works only for a small minority. The vast majority of people have not benefited from capitalism.

 Capitalists use competition for jobs to divide-and-conquer, pitting white against black, native-born against newcomers, using racism and immigration to suppress wages. Unemployment is a necessary part of the capitalist system. An unemployed army of workers is necessary to keep workers from working together and joining unions to raise wages and better their working conditions. Many workers are in poverty, not because they “choose” to stay home, watch TV and drink beer. The “choice” of workers is between working at various kinds of low wage job or starving.

Capitalism is a global system that is far more powerful than any individual nation-state. Capitalism constantly needs new markets and exploits weaker countries for cheap land, natural resources and labour. Nation-states are interdependent. Many of these colonised nations are in debt and beholden to the IMF and World Bank for loans. These banks do not want colonized countries to develop. They were given loans for the support of the tourist industry, growing of cash crops rather than for subsistence or taking care to develop industries that were most efficient in developing the natural resources of their own country.

Another Crazy Situation.

The Hudson's Bay Company, considered by many to be a Canadian institution, is in financial trouble, owing millions in unpaid rent. 

Like most retailers the Bay has been hit hard by the pandemic lockdown, but unlike most has adopted a policy of stiffing its landlords across the country. In the eight months since the shutdown it hasn't paid rent to eight landlords in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia, all of whom have taken legal proceedings against them.

 In Quebec, their landlord, Cominar Real Estate, have filed three eviction notices. The Bay has leases valued at $20 million a month across 21 locations in North America.

 If the Bay declares bankruptcy it will make 2 thousands of workers unemployed. 

Another crazy situation thrown up by capitalism in which the working class are the losers.

S.P.C. Members.

Profits! The Death Blood Of Capitalism.

Wild weather is wreaking havoc on crops all over the world, which is sending prices soaring. 

On wheat farms in the U.S. and Russia it’s drought that is ruining harvests. The soybean fields of Brazil are bone dry. In Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, Torrential downpours are causing flooding in rice fields and the stand of oil palm trees. As prices rise from sugar to cooking oil, millions of working class families are getting deeper in debt. 

The Bloomberg Agriculture Spot Index, a gauge of nine crop prices, has risen 28 per cent since April, its highest in four years. Wheat is at its most expensive since 2014. 

The wild weather is a result of global warming, itself a result of the mad scramble for profits, the very death blood of capitalism.

S.P.C. Members.

Vaccine Nationalism

  Rich countries have been on a vaccine shopping spree for months. A continuously updated database compiled by the Duke Global Health Innovation Center shows bilateral deals worth billions of dollars by a handful of countries for emerging vaccines. The Canadian government alone has secured enough inoculations to vaccinate their citizens five or even six times over. Canada's Minister of International Development Karina Gould said her country needed to hedge its bets because most vaccines are still in development and thus only theoretical.

 Money can't buy vaccines that have already been sold.

Dr. Richard Mihingo, the coordinator of Immunization and Vaccine Development at the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa region, said he understood that countries needed to ensure that their own citizens get vaccinated. He called the bilateral deals a "sad reality."

"It is one thing to raise money, it is another to get access to the product. The funding is not enough if there is no supply. This complicates the situation," he said. "Until everybody is protected, nobody can be safe. We are living in an interconnected world and even if those countries can protect themselves, they will be living on an island. We need a world where we can interact. Not just socially, but economically," Mihingo said.

Several countries and regional blocks have preordered vaccines that could cover far more than their entire populations.  Wealthy nations have bought enough Covid-19 vaccine doses to immunize their populations three times over.  It is a harsh reminder that the race to end this deadly pandemic will separate the world's haves and the have-nots.

"It is disappointing that despite the intent to get equity across the globe, that vaccine nationalism rules supreme," said the University of Cape Town's Professor Gregory Hussey, who is on the ministerial committee to advise the South African government on access to a Covid-19 vaccine.

The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention John Nkengasong said the inability for poorer countries to access vaccines would be "catastrophic."

"The moment that we have all talked about, of global solidarity and global cooperation, is now. The litmus test is actually now. It makes absolutely no moral sense to have excess doses of vaccines in certain countries and absolutely no doses of vaccines in other areas of the world." 

Hussey believes that the Covid-19 vaccine debate will revive these painful memories. "This is not a new phenomenon. It has played itself out many times in the past," he said.

African public health officials and scientists still remember the years-long tooth-and-nail fight to access life-saving drugs to combat HIV/Aids long after they were available in the West. More recently, despite similar talk of solidarity, the H1N1 flu vaccine arrived on the continent months after the peak of the epidemic in 2009. There are numerous other historical and contemporary examples of life-saving drugs made available to the wealthy but not to the poor.

As rich countries vaccinate their citizens, it is likely that vaccine passports will become necessary for travel, study and commerce. This has already been tested by the Australian airline Qantas. It would be just one way that developing countries could be locked out as the rest of the world opens up.

 "It reminds me of the old apartheid days where a black African needed a pass to get out of his ghetto and get into the city. The notion of no one left behind, it is a lot of balderdash at the end of the day," Hussey, the University of Cape Town's professor, said.

Despite promises of solidarity on Covid-19, rich countries are snapping up the supply of promising vaccines - CNN