Time to shun the financial kakistocracy

April 9, 2019

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Institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, the ratings agencies and such private influence peddlers such as the World Economic Forum are often seen as a global financial aristocracy. A more correct term would be kakistocracy since the solutions they offer merely compound the problems created by the system they exist to support.

Labour, socialism & the search for a party

April 5, 2019

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History stalks us and the labour movement, especially, would do well to pay heed to what lessons it provides as South Africa heads toward it May 8 national and provincial elections faced with a confusion of 48 parties. Two, in particular, contain echoes of the ideological battles that raged in the labour movement for decades.

Evasion & the potential of taxes

March 27, 2019

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We live with endemic corruption, along with to obscene wealth on one hand and equally obscene poverty on the other. Much of this is the result of capital flows into private pockets — theft through tax evasion — by rich individuals and corporates around the world. Church-based tax justice groups are now trying to end this practice.

Democracy & ‘Father Christmas socialism’

March 22, 2019

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It t is time to take stock of where we are and where we, in nation states everywhere, may be going. This should apply in particular to trade unions and various political groups outside of Brazil and Venezuela, that have, in recent years, touted those countries, under Chavez and Lula, as models of “socialist alternatives”.

A union investment dream revisited

March 10, 2019

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In South Africa, an innovative investment scheme rejected by Cosatu 27 years ago as “too capitalistic” is again being discussed as austerity bites still harder. It involved settling up a co-operative bank using union pension and provident funds to be invested in residential property, so providing decent homes for workers and breaking down residential apartheid while providing a non-exploitative return on capital.

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Election 2019 & back to basics

March 10, 2019

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Increasingly, it seems, South Africa's proclaimed democracy is being seen domestically as a sham, with current political parties regarded as mere vehicles for self enrichment. But getting back to basics — a slogan initially adopted by Cosatu — is very much on union minds as austerity threatens to bite still harder. These “basics” also extend well beyond the “nine wasted [Zuma] years” mentioned by President Cyril Ramaphosa, back, in fact.to 1991.

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Unions.bureaucrats & investment companies

February 24, 2019

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via Unions.bureaucrats & investment companies

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Unions.bureaucrats & investment companies

February 24, 2019

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Was a cut-price share deal in a controversial company that was given to the general secretary of South Afica's Federation of Unions (Fedusa) a potential bribe or a welcome contribution to another — and still-to-be-established — trade union investment company? And was it in order for Fedusa general secretary Dennis George to become a dirctor of the same company? TAnswers to these questions should be available on Tuesday.