It also implies a new economic egalitarianism, which starts from the recognition that the economy should exist to serve and empower people as a whole. Instead of capital being used to exploit, demean and disempower labour, the challenge is to build an economy in which labour exploits capital for the benefit of all; an...
Democratic politics and the state
In this there is an essential role for the democratic State, which can and must be a force for safeguarding democratic structures and practices and for meeting those needs not met by the market in a socialist economy. The democratic socialist sees this State as the guardian of rights and freedoms, as well as...
The democratic potential
Nevertheless, we in the ILP still want to stress the link between the status, condition and experience of people and the fortunes of democratic socialism; to underline the significance of the political-economic consciousness that can be encouraged amongst people who are economically disenfranchised or oppressed in other ways, and to emphasise the vital importance...
The democratic socialist party
Independent Labour Publications encourages membership of the Labour Party and sees the future of democratic socialism bound up in the fortunes of the Labour Party. Clause IV of the Party describes Labour as a democratic socialist party, committed to:- a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many...
Democratic practice
We in the ILP see it as a duty of Labour Party membership to seek to help the Party grow and develop through discussion and debate. To that end we are also committed to work to defend and develop member participation, democratic practices and a constitution which, in many respects, prefigure the democratic socialist...
The temptation of honest mutuality
DAVID BYRNE examines the recommodification of the welfare state, and says mutuals must decide which side they are for – corporate capital or socialism. “He who sups with the devil had best use a long spoon.” (Traditional) We are at a crisis point in the trajectory of welfare capitalism. It is worth dwelling for...
About Democratic Socialist
Democratic Socialist is the bulletin of the ILP Friends’ Network, a loose organisation of democratic socialists who wish to discuss ideas and learn from each other as a means of creating a living political community. See Introduction to the ILP for further information. It is published three or four times a year by Independent...
An integrated future?
Integrated education is vital to the future of a non-sectarian Northern Ireland, says Gary Kent There was a time when Northern Ireland barely made any impact on mainland and mainstream British politics. It was, to use a phrase popularised by the Sunday Times, John Bull’s slum. After partition in 1921, which Britain accepted rather...
Beggars belief
Ben Turley examines the implications of new laws to tackle religious discrimination The purpose of this article is to look at the new civil legislation and case law around religious discrimination. I am not qualified to comment on the criminal law and therefore have little to say about the controversial incitement to religious hatred...
No quick fix
Can Live8, G8 and all those promises really make poverty history? WILL BROWN examines the recent period of unprecedented attention on Africa’s development. The London bombings in July quickly shifted Africa, and debates on debt, trade and aid, away from their unfamiliar position on the front pages. However, there is still a need to...
There is an alternative
Carl Davidson shares his thoughts on reading After Capitalism by David Schweickart In this short book, building on his earlier work, Against Capitalism, David Schweickart has given us an excellent breakthrough in finding the road to a new socialism for the 21st century. Using both practical and ethical arguments, his main objective is to...
Lowick school forced to close
Matthew Brown reports on the demise of the country’s only co-operative school Lowick New School, the tiny Lake District primary which became the first co-operative school in the country last year, has been forced to close. After a three-year fight against closure and a year of striving to survive without state support, the 16-pupil...