The Case for Solidarity

by Stella Baker

“Solidarity is necessary to prevent social fragmentation and to ensure that nobody in society goes hungry, becomes needy, is without a home, without medical care or without hope of a better future...”

Pope John Paul II 'Solicitudo Rei Solidaris'

I'm of the sincere belief that many of the things you learn in life and remember come from your disappointments, failures, mistakes and your adversaries. For years the political right, particularly in the West have been more than willing to present us with Lech Walesa the hero, the man who helped bring down communism, and he himself believes he was the central figure. Closer to the truth was that he was a leader in the right place at the right time and part of a collective of people who worked together to inspire millions to struggle for and achieve political change.

But there were two figures with ideas which formed the basis of Polish Solidarity and gave it the foundation necessary for it to succeed. The first was the Solicitudo Rei Solidaris Catholic social teachings of Pope John Paul II, who in the final years of his life also strongly opposed the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The second was a suggestion made by Polish philosopher and historian of ideas Leszek Kolakowski. The suggestion was made in an essay he wrote in the 1970's 'Theses on Hope and Hopelessness' (banned by the former communist regime) in which he wrote 'the totalitarian regime can be overthrown by many different self-organized groups working collectively towards a common objective.'

The major political parties in this country have made much of the belief that it is good to be 'aspiring' and 'hard working' and in the words of David Cameron 'to do the right thing'. But there are many people in this country who know from their own personal experience that quite often aspiration, hard work, and doing the right thing can amount to very little and can often be seen as lesser than more important social factors which determines people's social position and quality of life. Here I am referring specifically to the immutable social markers such as ethnicity, skin colour, background, social class, disability, gender, gender identity, and for those who have come to live in this country even your birthplace, citizenship and the passport you hold.

This is partly because we're living in a two tier society which has evolved out of our class system and the upper tier are people who enjoy a lifestyle of relative freedom and social privilege, who can aspire and work hard to get on if they choose to do so. Many don't, not necessarily because they are lazy, but because as a society with rapidly developing technology and a market based on free market principles they are constantly being sold comfort, pleasure, convenience, instant gratification, either to promote consumer spending for profit or to promote debt and living beyond one's means, which is the only way those at the top have of controlling society – through money and debt.

Unlike those held back by a lack of social privilege or through marginalization, social stigma or 'othering' these people can only be controlled if they are seduced into a cycle of personal debt and wage enslavement. They are usually unaware of the sheer level of inequality in our society, they are quite often blind to matters such as discrimination. Inequality is maintained through a constant campaign of social stigmatization carried out by the media aimed at subduing the minorities and keeping them in their place.

We are living in times of uncertainty and what seems to be inevitable change. Just like in the former Eastern Europe we are living under a totalitarian system, not political totalitarianism (though this can be debated), but an economic totalitarian system which maintains control through shortages, fractional reserve banking, quantative easing, monetarism, and social inequality. Furthermore the political right is organizing through UKIP adopting a distinctly divisive approach.

It seems that the major parties are happy to gamble the future of our society and economy in the banking and corporate casinos of Europe and America.

If there is anything we need less of, it is division, whether it be social division, community division, economic division, or for that matter a division between our politicians and the people. We are a country rich in culture and full of ideas, a country which if given the opportunity everybody can have a place, have a future, and be a part of society.

But can something like the success of Polish Solidarity happen again in this country? I believe it can. We have a bigger population than Poland, a greater ethnic diversity, a stronger feel for equality and fairness. We simply need the courage to stand up, the commitment to our communities and our society, a solid belief in a peaceful, non-violent, inclusive approach, and to work independently within our own communities and social groups but towards one common objective – political change. The Respect Party which stands for peace, justice and equality is the ideal platform.

It will not be easy. It will be hard work. We need to meet the challenge of addressing people who are expecting change through the existing sham of a democracy and unwilling to do anything more than vote for what is available. We need to meet the challenge of addressing people who support one party and believe that party is right and the other parties are wrong.

But to meet these challenges we need to address our biggest challenge of all – we need to become the party of solution, not the party of struggle, not the party of conflict, but the party with the solution.

We also need to become the party of solidarity, a party which stands shoulder to shoulder with the disabled, the marginalized, the poor, the exploited, the destitute, the homeless. We need to stand up and become the first class party for the second class citizens in this country. If we are prepared to stand in solidarity and shoulder to shoulder with such people, surely they will with us, and surely others will join us in that solidarity.

But if we don't try we will never find out, we will never learn, and we will never succeed. 

Education; class warfare at its most potent!

By Brent Johnston

It was recently announced that Germany has abolished tuition fees which was met with great applause from the German youth, but in Britain this has caused a lot of speculation over why we are the standout country for all the wrong reasons when it comes to education!

Countless times we have heard politicians say that education is the key to the development of our lives that when we come out the other end we are equipped for life and have something to give society, fantastic but why then are the government punishing prospective students from going to university? 

The United Kingdom broke records when we increased tuition fees to a nauseating £9,000 a year! Demonstrations erupted all over the country and hundreds of thousands of students from all parts of Britain walked out of class and onto the streets to fight for their future. Many of this current government who went to university paid not one single penny towards their education yet here we are in the 21^st century and they are denying that opportunity for this generation of prospective students.

This government just like every government before it was given a budget and with the deficit now on their hands they had a drastically reduced budget and had to make certain cuts, but why the students, why the youth, why the workers of tomorrow? I believe that this is class warfare at its strongest!

I’ll break down the finances from someone who had to juggle £10 a week for food and transport for my first year; the lower working class students are given grants which entitle them to more money than the average maintenance loan of roughly £4,000 - £5,000, the grant is not repayable but is crucial. Upper middle class families are the only ones who can afford it out right without a second thought, many of these students have attended private school (paid for!). Which then leaves the upper working class and lower middle class who don’t qualify for help (including myself) we take the loans and the debt that comes with it, which for many of my friends and students around the UK was just too big a reason not to go, a great shame! Once again therefore the Conservatives revert back to type and punish the working class for the mistakes of previous politicians.

With the Germans announcing their decision, the Scottish who already have free education across the board and the Welsh who have massively subsidised fees it is about time that the government started giving us a chance to show what we have to offer. Apprenticeships are great if you want a vocational/manual job but what about those who want to become teachers, are they going to loosen the restrictions so university isn’t the preferred route? There will always be a niche section of teenagers and adults (mature students) who want to go to university but many will always be deterred by the frustratingly high fees!

Studying in the UK is no longer about what university offers the best course but which university offers the best deal, money, money, money! I guess the Conservatives got the money conscious youth they wanted! Writing this I had the song ‘Another brick in the wall’ by Pink Floyd in my head that song sums up the attitude of this country’s view on education perfectly!

Unless something changes radically in the next few years, less and less working class students are going to attend university and with the experiences they have as well as countless talent, it will be the United Kingdom who suffers!

That is one of the reasons why I have joined the Respect Party who will destroy tuition fees forever, they have the foresight to punish those who did wrong and pave the way for all of our generation to achieve to the highest standard.  Maybe you’ll join too?

‘The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth’ – John F. Kennedy

Twitter: @Che_Brent 

Equality starts with a capital 'C'

by Stella Baker

  Starting the word equality with a letter it doesn't contain might seem strange. But the letter 'C' I have in mind is no ordinary letter C. This letter C is one which determines the nature and quality of our life. It shapes our identity, our thinking, our behaviour, influences the way we communicate and interact with others, and colours our aspirations, hopes and dreams. It also gives us a sense of the world around us, makes it clear what is permissible and acceptable, and what isn't, and exists on many different levels in society.

  The C in question is culture. Culture is something which exists on many different levels in society. We often talk about national culture, international culture, but culture is the shared awareness, understanding and knowledge common to all members of any social group. Entire continents and countries have their own culture, so too do cities and towns, and so too do individual families, workplaces and friendships. Sometimes different cultures are similar – for example rural culture doesn't vary much throughout the world, but sometimes they are different.

  The development of culture in a community or society is no less important than the striving for equality. Like equality and technology, investment and development in culture brings numerous tangible benefits to people and their lives. If you care to stop and think about the things which benefit you in your life, chances are that it will come from some development of either culture or technology – your computer, your smartphone, your DVD player, your mp3 playlist, your books.

  Culture is also the necessary interface for equality. The Equality Act 2010 would make Britain a world leader when it comes to diversity and equality, but passing legislation alone is not enough to promote equality in society. It also has to become part of culture and through this part of everybody's mindset, influencing their thinking when it comes to others. Through culture people can become more aware, less ignorant, and develop a greater understanding of what makes people different and why.

  Development of culture is also very important to maintain cohesion in the community and society. Britain is a part of English language culture, a culture which is dominant throughout the world which the whole world wants to share and be a part of. Much of what becomes English language culture comes out of poverty and struggle. Much of what forms the basis of modern music came out of the struggles of slavery and racial segregation in the Deep South in the US, Hollywood was born out of the Great Depression, and when culture is sufficiently developed it can promote not just social cohesion but also inspire opportunities which create jobs, livelihoods and economic prosperity.

  However culture can also go into decline, particularly when it is neglected or left to private enterprise to develop. Periods of cultural decline bring about moral decline and social fragmentation, promoting social division, inequality, crime, and many of the social issues we know of today, such as unemployment, poverty, homelessness, political extremism and bigotry. This can be seen particularly on both sides of the Atlantic when cultural development was abandoned in favour of a war on terrorism and military intervention in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

  Investment in culture and the promotion of cultural development is something which is not only very important and necessary for society, but is also completely sustainable. Every single human being alive on this planet today is capable of some form of creative activity, each and every one of us has a need to interact with others, we have our own ideas, interests and abilities, and we all need the acknowledgment, recognition and to be valued by others.

  I personally feel that investment in culture and cultural development should be one of the responsibilities of the government and public sector. Culture can play an essential role in education, local communities and even welfare and social security to create the basis for a fairer and much more equal society, one which can promote social cohesion and provide opportunities, and benefits to everyone in society.

  I also feel that by exporting culture to other countries and helping them to promote and develop their own culture is a key step towards resolving Third World poverty and would make for a safer, more peaceful world.