Feeling the Moment

Demonstrations of all kinds have blossomed with the growth of alternative political movements inspired by universal suffrage, freedoms of speech and collective resistance to hegemonic power. Issues such as tuition fees for those poor souls who live in England, G20 summit, environmental issues and Iraq have ignited some strong political sentiment. The only problem I have is that it is great that people are making the effort, but it doesn't seem to make any difference to the outcome, if anything it highlights a politically minded liberal/socialist elite and that's about it. Things are only going to get better when it is too late and the earth is ruined or irreversibly changed. For instance, the financial crisis has forced the government to save reckless banks but only because it put the masses at risk - raising the danger of anarchy. The 'precipice' appears to be the point at which intervention becomes pallatable, and that is very dangerous. Jonathan Sacks has brilliantly drawn together a very good article in the Times today along these lines:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article5946941.ece

Shock and Awe Blues

Will Hutton has written an excellent article in today's Observer in response to the 'Wilkinson thesis', an analysis of shortfalls in the Anglo-Saxon model of capitalism and human development. I know, you might be thinking that is an exhausted area of academia, but it really has not been tackled thoroughly or boldly. For starters, I agree that economic inquality is at the heart of society's problems, specifically in the UK and USA. Secondly, the current government have not done near enough to tackle child poverty. We know no society is perfect and sociological explanations of atomisation of social bonds is more palatable than political gesturing, because political thinking is genuinely confusing at best and often does not provide remedies to basic human needs at worst. Hutton's use of the "Water babies" as a metaphor for this unfairness is palpable. One issue that does need addressing in addition to the argument regarding inequality is that the state is geared towards those who have researched their entitlements. A lot of families entitled to benefits such as tax credit are missing it and a lot of money really isn't going to people who desperately need it. There is one solution to this, and that is to force them to take the benefit by forcing them to have their income assessed by their local authority for the purpose of supplying supplementary benefits. If the state was less competitive in reinforcing these inequalities then we would not having the damaging barriers highlighted in the article in the Guardian last week. We are witnessing the complete overhaul of the banking industry and the state is genuinely taking a role in supporting rich bankers! The structure of postmodern capitalism has demanded this injustice take place whilst many of us are on the breadline, bringing to our full attention the shocking inequality of the neo-liberal era. I think that the solution to this simple, stop selling financial products to the poor that they don't need and let the state take over. Regulate the lending industry that keeps millions in debt poverty.

Buffallo Bill shoots to kill, Never missed nor he never will

Anger in Northern Ireland is unsurprising, Belfast is the most political city I have ever visited. The contemporary scene is evidently complex, and as I see it the 'peace process' is an active one, involving the formerly antagonistic parties to war. My interpretation of events is that this is a new phase of nationalism, violence has shifted to a new set of actors acting within the political framework of the now relatively respectable Sinn Fein. It is amazing how the media portray this part of Ireland as being 'fixed', when the problem is evidently so much more mind-bogglingly complex and immersed is historical representations of grievance that bubble over into the gloom of depression. I do hope that the militant republican movement realise that their best hope of a united republic is in the full functioning of a devolved parliament and the cessation of violence on all fronts. Roy Hettersley wrote a very engaging piece in the Guardian on this, and I felt the need to revive it quickly: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/aug/01/northernireland.northernireland2

"I bear no hate to a living thing, But love my country beyond the king". (Ulysses, James Joyce).

I want to remember all of those who have suffered this political conflict in Northern Ireland. I have seen the film 'hunger' and was moved deeply by the passion and sadness of Bobby Sands. I cannot understand the full extent of the political grievance of the Irish people, but I hope no more lives are blighted by this dreadful bloodshed.