Letters: Essential services for the many, not the few

Dear Editor

In the medical field funding for research is being directed into preventing disease and ill health. It must seem to most people an obvious and sensible thing to do and will benefit everyone in many different ways.

In the economic field, research and study have been made by many, particularly into the capitalist system under which we all live today.

Capitalism as a system has been greatly aided by new technology developed over two hundred years, enabling almost complete control over the workforce by  a few people. This control is needed to maintain the sytem.

Many improvements to people’s lives have been won through struggles by the workforce but the capitalist system is incapable of working in a progressive, continuous way. It creates slumps, mini booms and further slumps: each slump gets more severe, sometimes leading to terrible wars between countries.

Detailed studies of capitalism show it is confrontational with the workforce to extract the maximum profit from it’s work. This profit is in the form of goods made to be sold, but if the buying ability of the workforce here and abroad are restricted a slump will occur with all the poverty and hardships that follow.

So what is it possible to do?

To start, the major industries essential for everyone’s survival: the energy utilities and bus, rail and tram passenger transport should be taken into public ownership: this would ensure the whole population benefits, not the few.

These actions are political and need laws passed to proceed – only the Labour Party have said they will do it.

But first every Labour candidate for election must make building maximum unity on these issues a priority, and, when elected, act in the declared interests of their constituents by supporting the required legislation.

It can be done; changes can be made to benefit everyone.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens