Browsing All posts tagged under »economics«

The role of unions — and threats they face

July 10, 2011

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The labour movement has always professed — and has the potential — to be the bulwark against authoritarianism, a standard bearer of such concepts as liberty and social justice. Unfortunately, there are many instances where these goals have been subverted, where governments, political parties and organised crime, sometimes as overlapping entities, have dominated, corrupting or badly weakening organised labour.

Seeking union relevance in a world in turmoil

June 30, 2011

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With the global economy in turmoil, the labour movement everywhere is having to adapt to changed — and changing — circumstances while avoiding the bribes, blandishments and bullying of governments, political parties and business. It could be a question of: adapt, fragment or fade away to irrelevance.

Resistance grows as the political edges fray

April 3, 2011

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Trade unions around the world are being forced to fight back as a consequence of what many bankers claim is the “gradual recovery” of the word’s “fragile economy”. But, as the unions tend to point out, such improvements are paid for largely by the unemployed and working poor. “We are paying for their crisis,” is a common labour movement cry.

Time to both walk and talk the talk

January 25, 2011

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A new bout of verbiage concerning labour brokers and the nature of jobs erupted as the country got back to work after the new year break. And the confusion it created was compounded by proposed changes to the labour laws produced last month by the government. According to one set of interpretations, the ANC has […]

An economy riddled with a legacy of contradictions

January 20, 2011

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This chapter on the South African economy was written and submitted on August 3, 2007 for a proposed book. It was not published and the chapter was not submitted or published elsewhere. However, given developments to date this text may be of some interest to anyone concerned about economic developments in South Africa.

Voodoo economics, journalism & human rights

January 7, 2011

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It is time we all stopped bowing down at the altar of voodoo economics and acknowledged that our world is in crisis. And that this crisis is a consequence of adherence to an almost religious belief that “the market” is some sort of sane and sensible mechanism; that the mystical “invisible hand” mentioned by Adam Smith is a reality.

Voodoo economics, journalism & human rights

January 1, 2011

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(First published:  February, 2006) It is time we all stopped bowing down at the altar of voodoo economics and acknowledged that our world is in crisis.  And that this crisis — not of shortages, but of gluts — is a consequence of adherence to an almost religious belief that “the market” is some sort of […]

Some food for thought in 2011

December 17, 2010

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This is the last Inside Labour column for 2010. So I want to take this opportunity not only to wish all readers the best for the season and the coming year, but also to touch on some of the baggage — on a micro and macro level — being carried forward into 2011. At a […]