Tag: letters

Letters: Something better change

Dear Editor

capitalism

For too long the working population has been told that decision-making on investment is the province of the wealthy and very well off, and it is they who create the nation’s wealth. The arrogance and stupidity of such a claim shows the value they place on the working population’s contribution to that wealth.

Listed below are a few respective contributions:

Investors: It takes minimum effort and little time of one day to move money around through financial markets seeking a higher rate of profit.

Workers: If employed full-time, spend the best part of one whole day working and getting to and from work.

Investors:  Their investment is usually short-term, then switching to maximise profit.

Workers: Their investment is life-long commitment to work.

Investors: Having the power of decision-making to hire and fire and even closing down places of work, showing no responsibility for workers or country.

Workers: Have lifetime commitment to home and provision for the family in all respects.

Investors: Employ tax lawyers to seek ways of reducing amounts due; alternatively hide their money in offshore tax havens avoiding tax altogether.

Workers: Income tax is taken from their wage packets, VAT on products and services.

Further, the political representatives of the wealthy have continued to starve local councils of funds to maintain community life, forcing savage cuts to all services. They now have the audacity to tell local councils to sell public assets of all kinds, buildings and land. This is where investors will step in to make a killing out of the people who created and paid for their public services, buildings and land, maintenance of parks, gardens, sports areas and open spaces.

Can all this be justified? The answer can only be NO, the way things are done must change, because if not there will be no end to the endless cycle of unemployment, hardship and unhappiness.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: a decent life for all

global-world

Dear Editor

Throughout history, systems under which people worked and lived have changed not automatically, but after long struggles.

The capitalist system, under which we now live, has changed from a national to an international one, where massive amounts of money are moved around the world daily, seeking the highest rate of profit, closing down industries regardless of where they are and the devastating effect on peoples’ lives.

International investors owe allegiance to no one, people or the planet: both are suffering in the name of ‘free markets’ (which is their slogan for ‘we are free to do what we like, anywhere we like’.) This global capitalism is incapable of solving problems; it is greedy and selfish, working only for the benefit of already wealthy people.

There is no law or rule that says things can never change: history has shown only people of nations can do that.

We here in the UK have made efforts over many years to show there is a better way, where the resources – both material and human – are used not to create wealthy individuals here or abroad but to create a decent life for all, and to leave a guaranteed future for coming generations.

Socialism can replace capitalism, because it is a system that works for all people, not just the few.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens

 

 

Letters: Saving our public services

Dear Editor

letter (2)

Local authorities are elected to operate a wide variety of services in their areas, services that keep the community functioning. The trend now is to cut back on what is thought not to be necessary, to offload some to private contractors or to get the community itself to be the provider. Continue reading Letters: Saving our public services

Letters: Developing a discussion

Dear Editor

There are many schemes, plans and ideas on how, why and what development should take place in Edinburgh, particularly North Edinburgh; some are official, others from private investors.

Although these us some attempt at public consultation it is mostly: ‘do you wish to suggest amendments to the plan?’ There is little intention to start, as it should, to find out the needs and concerns of the people first.

Official boards are on display in many places advertising areas of land set aside for business or other ‘strategic’ development. One does not see official boards setting aside areas of land for the community to use for leisure and pleasure!

If the rate of development continues as outlined in official plans and schemes there will be little open space left in which to relax and take pleasure in visiting. New plan will follow new plan; a developers’ paradise – Edinburgh must not become a city of buildings and traffic congestion.

A. Delahoy 

 

Letter: Why Politics Matters

Dear Editor

We work through a Parliament or a Council to change things, so it is crucial to know whom the Members represent and why.

Throughout history there have been many changes in how society works – but not without struggle. Those resisting change stood to benefit from the old system: it is the same today.

The system of Capitalism under which we live is not a stable one; it exists in crisis, followed by a mini-boom, followed by another crisis. The result is unemployment, restricted wages for most people and cuts in public services of all kinds.

The system cannot be stable if the main aim of the owners of industries is private profit making; Capitalism as a system can no longer cope and poses a danger to all. It is time to be replaced by a Socialist sytem, where increasingly industry will operate for the benefit of all, not the few.

This means a struggle, as in the past, with those resisting change. The areas of struggle must be decided by the needs of the people. This will arouse the wrath of the resisters, taking many forms: diverting attention in various ways, pitting one section of people against another to disrupt unity of purpose nationally and internationally.

Throughout history there have been many changes in how society operates: the present society of Capitalism will change but must be replaced by a fairer system called Socialism – that operates for the benefit of ALL.

A.Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letter: People Matter

Dear Editor

Information available through newspapers, television and radio have contributed to the disillusion beu#ing felt about politics. I believe it is confusion caused by the similarity of party programmes, in effect making people pay for the debts caused by banks and investors, also having many public services cut and cut again.

Without making changes in the system there is no guarantee this will not happen again. Confusion will lessen and a high level of unity could be had around an initial programme of taking back services from private investors: services that are absolutely essential to be run for the benefit of everyone.

The obvious ones on which we all depend include electricity, gas, water and sewerage and the rail network.

Real hope would be established that, at last, PEOPLE MATTER!

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens 

Letter: Time expired

Dear Editor

The system of capitalism under which we live – where resources are mined, extracted, made or grown – are mainly owned by private investors; they even claim ownership of the land itself.

To realise profit on these materials they need the labour of the wage-earning population to turn these resources into items to sell or use. The cheaper this can be done – by keeping wages and conditions of work as low as possible – the more profits are made.

The lives and poverty of the wage-earning population throughout history, including today, shows capitalism is a failed system for the majority, by it’s nature of seeking maximum profit for the few – even to the extent of closing industries if profit is considered not enough, regardless of the devastating effect on workers and their families.

This is why generations of people – men and women – have struggled in their various ways to change the system to one where the wealth of resources and labour power is used for the benefit of all. These generations called the new system Socialism.

The system was, and is, heavily weighed against them in many way. Communication is the only way to start to convince people of the necessity for change, but how to do this when most channels of communication are owned by private companies or individuals? The sheer volume of their support for capitalism blurs the truth and can shape people’s minds. The working population, by contrast, has limited access to alternative socialist communications, they have limited means to promote it – and have limited time to do so.

The working population can make lives better if they seek maximum unity to right glaring wrongs, such as privately-owned essentials for everyday living. These should be publicly owned – electricity, gas, water and sewerage. Rail and bus transport to get to work and/or leisure. These are essential to all, as is the National Health Service.

A. Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens 

 

Letters: A not so cunning plan

Baldrick

Dear Editor

The worldwide financial crisis started in the USA, creating huge debts everywhere. These were not caused by working people.

The Conservative Party’s leading spokesperson Chancellor Osborne repeatedly told us over the last five years he ‘had a plan.’ If you were not sure about the objective of the plan then, you cannot now be unaware.

The working population is not only to pay the debt, public services will be cut again and again and there will be further selling of public property to private investors.

The Conservatives now see no need to hold back in carrying out their ‘Plan’ and feel safe in doing so.

The Tories now have the audacity to claim they are now the party for the working person – this they can never be!

The partial support at the general election must be falling away now that they are putting into practice their real intentions: that support must haunt those who voted for them.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letters: Capitalism or Socialism?

letter4

Dear Editor

It would seem that in some quarters there is glee with the situation the Labour Party and Labour movement is in, overlooking the fact it is a setback for most people in their struggle to make society work in their interests.

For many decades the focus of the labour movement was the transforming of the capitalist system into a socialist society: not an easy job to do, but great strides were made after the war from 1945 with the introduction of universal services such as the NHS, nationalisation of the rail system, the electricity and gas suppliers and the coal mines – may other welfare services were also initiated.

A frequent criticism if the labour movement is that it did not go far enough to curb the power of the rich, so for today’s ‘flag carriers’ the following article, written many, many years ago is worthwhile reading and worth pondering on:

Socialism v Capitalism

How long will we continue to tinker and patch at an inherently rotten system; every attempt to remedy it’s defects will shed light on the real way forward.

When socialism becomes better understood, when it’s aims are seen not only to be beneficial but possible of accomplishment it will attract men and women to take the path of reconstruction and regeneration of society.

Cooperative management would become a well-defined system and lead to an organisation of society which would take over the present system of fierce competition and selfish class interest to secure the welfare of all, to realise in time the best of humanity.

Men shall be brothers yet, and a’ that.

Tony Delahoy

Letters: Living

Dear Editor

As an individual or a family member, having secure employment paying a decent living wage is a must for the majority of people. This does not mean that work is all that matters: interests, activities, leisure time and facilities add quality to life.

Playing fields, bowling greens, libraries, swimming pools, leisure centres, clubs, parks and gardens, seafront enjoyment or just walking in green spaces give that relaxing, good feeling we all need.

A local organisation, Granton Improvement Society, is engaged in adding to that quality of life in proposing a three-part scheme to reclaim unused land in the waterfront area of North Edinburgh. The land is currently held by the city of Edinburgh.

The scheme:

  1. To create a Garden Festival in and around the historic walled garden in the heart of North Edinburgh for both citizens of Edinburgh and international visitors to enjoy.

  2. To create an area facing the sea to further interest in painting, arts and crafts in general. A suitable working and storage complex will be created.

  3. A complex of swimming pool, changing rooms and cafe with easy access to the beach.

Granton Improvement Society will seek funding from the Lottery Fund to realise this important project of regenrating derilict land into a valuable community-owned asset in North Edinburgh.

You can help by joining the Society. Membership forms and further information is available by email: info@grantonimprovementsociety.org

Website:  https://grantonimprovementsociety.wordpress.org

Tony Delahoy