politics | Terry Bell Writes

Browsing All posts tagged under »politics«

Land & outlandish promises in SA

April 24, 2019

Land and its expropriation remains a common theme, along with the need to amend Section 25 of the Bill of Rights, as South Africa heads toward its sixth non-racial parliamentary election. But this is flawed sloganising: Section 25 allows for the expropriation of ANY PROPERTY, provided it is "in the public interest", for "a public purpose" and to provide "equitable access to the country's natural resources". Property, the section notes, "is not limited to land". The only proviso is that expropriation should be "just and equitable".

Let’s ditch myths about ANC’s glorious past

April 15, 2019

Accusations about the manipulation of ANC election lists are nothing new. Nor, for that matter, is evidence of corruption, nepotism and the existence of patronage networks. Because the "broad church" of this liberation movement made unity of the good, the bad and the ugly the priority. Continuing to cling to, and propagate, myths may only ensure that the disasters of the past will continue to be repeated.

Time to shun the financial kakistocracy

April 9, 2019

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

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.

Democracy & ‘Father Christmas socialism’

March 22, 2019

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”.

SONA 2019: Mbeki without the poetry

February 9, 2019

Hard questions now need to be asked and hard facts faced as politicians continue to make extravagant promises that, on even cursory examination, ignore reality. And that does not even mean looking ahead to the consequences of the fourth industrial revolution that the world has already embarked on.

A citizens’ path to true democrcy

February 2, 2019

Without democratic control over, and the right to recall, elected representatives — these being the “basics” early anti-apartheid unions strove for — the corrupting and monied minorities will continue to have a relatively free hand in manipulating and controlling society.

Davos & the spectre of populism

January 26, 2019

Populism was a spectre haunting the super rich when they met in Davos, Switzerland. this past week. But while this emergence of nationalist, protectionist sentiment does pose a threat to global corporations, it does not threaten the system based on competition and the exploitation of labour. It also carries with it the poison of zenophobia.