politics | Terry Bell Writes

Browsing All posts tagged under »politics«

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?

Technology and the race to the bottom

July 24, 2011

The labour movement is under concerted attack, globally, with capital now trying to play the role of defenders of the poor and unemployed. At least, thanks to modern communications, the facts will out and the real arguments can be aired, perhaps providing solutions to this crisis-ridden system.

The role of unions — and threats they face

July 10, 2011

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

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.

Defining workers and the working class

March 18, 2011

Who is a worker? And what constitutes the working class? These questions were thrown into sharp relief last month by a Cape Town reader, Tim Anderson. In a letter to the editor he asked me to explain the criteria that distinguishes someone as a worker. And he introduced the element of trade unions, organisations that […]

Playing the race card as polls loom

March 18, 2011

(First published 11 March, 2011) Whenever an election looms, the rumour mills tend to grind away, often fuelled by ill-considered comments by politicians. It’s the same the world over, compounded by media manipulation, distortions of fact and outright falsification being all too often the order of the days leading up to polling time. But there […]

Egypt: a new tomorrow dawns

February 17, 2011

Eva Haroun, who was in Tahrir Square on January 25 and on February 11 to witness both the start and the climax of Egypt’s popular uprising, reports from Cairo on the euphoria of the moment and the hopes and concerns for the future.

U2 and THAT SA struggle song

February 15, 2011

Given the latest furore in South Africa about an ANC struggle song, triggered by comments of Bono of U2, I thought it appropriate to again publish something of the background and lyrics and the manner in which these have been distorted and abused, by racist remnants of apartheid and by modern ANC demagogues. First published […]