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News & Views by Terry Bell
Browsing All posts tagged under »politics«
Greed, capitalism and human nature
During social and economic crises over the past century and more, the same old argument about greed being the source of human ills has been trundled out.
The threat of South Africa’s Info Bill
October 8, 2011
(First published September 23, 2011) Journalists think they are something special; that they should have more rights than other citizens and that the media somehow sees itself as above the law. These views have been expressed by a number of ANC members of parliament. They have been aired in defence of the Protection of State […]
Back to the future: workers & ‘optimisation’
September 17, 2011
From an employer and business perspective there is one major problem with workers: they are human. This is not a moral judgement, and to use a term generally ascribed to the pampered aristocracy of yesteryear, workers are “a necessary evil”.
Old lessons yet to be learned
September 10, 2011
Little more than a year ago, it was discovered, to clucks of disapproval and widespread expressions of horror, that even those most South African of all sporting noise makers, the vuvuzelas, had been imported from China. Now the same discovery regarding World Cup rugby memorabilia, has been made. But instead of tackling the real issues, trade unions and others continue banging the drum of patriotism.
Home-grown SA fascism emerges
September 2, 2011
The first, loud, trumpet calls to fascism in modern South Africa have been sounded. They emanate from Julius Malema and the ANC Youth League (ANCYL). It may seem melodramatic to write this, but only because fascism is a little understood, ill-defined term that sends shivers of apprehension through most minds.
A strike that could be a tactical blunder
September 2, 2011
If South Africa's major trade union federation, Cosatu, goes ahead with its planned one-day national strike on October 5 it could prove to be a major tactical blunder that will weaken, rather than strengthen, the labour movement.
Libya: battles won, a war still simmers
August 30, 2011
Twice over the past week following the claimed fall of Tripoli to rebel forces, Muammar Gaddafi has broadcast on radio calling for his loyalists to rise up against the “rats”. He has vowed "martyrdom or victory" and death certainly seems to await him given the solemn pledges by rebel fighters to "cut him to pieces" if and when he is found.
Nationalisation, socialisation & worker control
August 12, 2011
To nationalise or not to nationalise? That is the question — and increasingly so in South Africa today. But what does this mean? And what about socialisation? Or real, democratic, worker control?
Terry Bell Writes 
October 21, 2011
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