Handheld users: view this page better on http://m.socialistparty.org.uk

Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/705/13814

From The Socialist newspaper, 15 February 2012

Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy...

Fight Austerity

...in Britain, build for united strike action on 28 March

Part of the PCS contingent on the massive 26 March TUC demonstration, photo Senan

Part of the PCS contingent on the massive 26 March TUC demonstration, photo Senan   (Click to enlarge)

Hannah Sell, Socialist Party deputy general secretary

The misery facing the Greek people is summed up by the human tragedy of hundreds of families giving up their children because they can no longer afford to feed them. And yet the hated 'troika' - the big business institutions of the IMF, EU and ECB - demand even more pain.

The latest austerity package will mean a lowering of the minimum wage by 20%, and the cutting of more public sector jobs. The Greek prime minister - an unelected banker - and the main big business parties voted to inflict this unimaginable misery on the population of Greece. They were met with a mass revolt.

The Greek working class has shown relentless determination to stop their mass impoverishment by the vultures of the global markets and their representatives. Even the police union has joined in, threatening to arrest the troika!

On 10-11 February Greek workers took their 16th general strike action in two years, this time for 48 hours. Across the country workplaces and 20 local council chambers are under workers' occupation. But the only way for the workers to halt the misery is to take power themselves.

A workers' government would need to refuse to accept the dictatorship of the world financial markets. This would mean an immediate refusal to pay the debt.

It would mean the nationalisation, under democratic workers' control, of the banks and financial sector, as well as the resources and key sectors of the economy.

This would allow the development of an emergency plan to invest in the mass creation of jobs and restoration of living standards. Any workers' government that acted in this way would very quickly win massive support from the working class across Europe.

For us in Britain it is not too difficult to imagine what it is like to be living in Greece. Here too we have a government for the billionaires. Here too we are told the only 'solution' to the economic crisis is a decade or more of austerity for the 99%.

So far the cuts in Britain are not as severe as in Greece: but less than 10% of them have been carried out. If we do not show the same determination as the Greeks to fight back, there is no doubt that Greek-style misery will be our future.

But a mass anti-cuts movement could force this government into retreat. The next key step is campaigning for united strike action on 28 March against the Con-Dems' attack on public sector pensions .

As in Greece, we must link this to the fight for a different society. Capitalism is not capable of providing us with the basics of a decent life - a reasonably paid job, a living pension, a home, a free education.

Only the fight for a democratic socialist society can guarantee these fundamental rights for all. If you agree - join the Socialist Party.

Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.


In The Socialist 15 February 2012:


Fighting the cuts

Fight Austerity

Building the battle for pensions

Update: pensions battle - Build for the biggest possible action on 28 March

Students to walk out 14 March


International socialist news and analysis

Greece erupts as government and 'Troika' impose new savage cuts

Syria: Anti-regime protesters facing ferocious repression

Kazakhstan: Workers' leaders under threat of abduction or arrest


Socialist Party review

Another attempt to assassinate the legacy of Leon Trotsky?


NHS campaigning

Private hands off our NHS!

We can save our NHS

Llanelli marches to save hospital


Socialist Party news and analysis

More murky doings in Murdochland

Them & Us


Socialist history

The battle of Saltley Gates


Socialist Party workplace news

Stagecoach South Yorkshire - management getting desperate

Workplace news in brief


Readers' comments

Should socialists support the Green Party?


Socialist Party reports and campaigns

Socialist councillor leads fight to restore EMA

Racism in football back in the headlines

TUSC


 

Home   |   The Socialist 15 February 2012   |   Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe   |   Donate   |   Bookshop






Join the Socialist Party Join us today!

Printable version Printable version

email to friend email to friend

Facebook   Twitter

Related links:

Greece:

triangleReading Socialist Party: What's happening in Greece?

triangleLeeds North West Socialist Party: Greece and the Eurozone crisis

triangleWe stand 100% with the Greek workers

triangleBristol East Socialist Party: Solidarity with Greek workers

triangleSolidarity with Greek workers

triangleGreece: Political earthquake sees pro-austerity parties' support collapse

Britain:

triangleThe boss exploiting China (and Britain)

triangleThe Queen's Speech - What readers thought

triangleThe phone-hacking scandal: profits, power and corruption

triangleMPs find Murdoch "not fit" to run media empire

Public sector:

triangleCome to the 6th annual NSSN conference!

triangleWorkplace news in brief

triangleKick out the Con-Dems and end austerity

Anti-cuts:

triangleThe Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition's five point anti-cuts pledge

triangleFor councils that fight the cuts!

triangleLondon Waltham Forest anti-cuts union meeting

News and socialist analysis

News and socialist analysis

25/5/12

Global

UN reports rise in global youth unemployment

23/5/12

Children

Con-Dems' hypocrisy over children's care

23/5/12

PCS

PCS conference votes for more joint action against cuts

23/5/12

NHS

Hospital jobs scandal - Action now to save the NHS!

23/5/12

Far right

Rochdale: far right attempts to exploit tragedy of abuse

23/5/12

Poverty

Them & Us

22/5/12

TUC

Mass TUC demonstration in London on 20 October

16/5/12

Prison officers

Why prison officers joined the protests

16/5/12

Government

The Queen's Speech - What readers thought

16/5/12

Rupert Murdoch

The phone-hacking scandal: profits, power and corruption

16/5/12

Teachers

10 May sees united strike - but teacher unions shirk their responsibilities

16/5/12

News International

Rebekah Brooks reveals Murdoch's reach into the heart of government

16/5/12

Economy

JP Morgan: banksters at it again

16/5/12

Gas

Them & Us

16/5/12

Pensions

The battle to defend pensions continues

triangleMore News and socialist analysis articles...

triangle23 May Disabled people's organisations condemn views of Tory minister IDS

Greek workers protest outside parliament

triangle23 May We stand 100% with the Greek workers

Mass boycott of the household tax in Ireland, photo by Socialist Party Ireland

triangle23 May Ireland: 31 May referendum

March to save the NHS, 17 May 2011 , photo Paul Mattsson

triangle23 May Hospital jobs scandal - Action now to save the NHS!

Come to National Shop Stewards Network Conference 2012

triangle22 May Come to the 6th annual NSSN conference!

Chester Library protest - 12th May 2012, photo by Anna Vickery

triangle17 May Council workers in Cheshire strike against attacks on pay

Unite members at St Thomas' Hospital on strike 10 May 2012 as part of the nationwide strike of workers in the public sector against attacks on pensions , photo Paul Mattsson

triangle16 May It's our NHS - Let's fight for it!

More ...

triangle29 May Bristol Socialist Party: The Surveillance State

triangle29 May Leeds North West Socialist Party: Greece and the Eurozone crisis

triangle30 May Salford Socialist Party: Campaign Kazakhstan

More ...

Archive

Categories

1-9 

1-9 


Select articles from month:

May 2012

April 2012

March 2012

February 2012

January 2012

December 2011

November 2011

October 2011

September 2011

August 2011

July 2011

June 2011

May 2011

April 2011

March 2011

February 2011

January 2011

December 2010

November 2010

October 2010

September 2010

August 2010

July 2010

June 2010

May 2010

April 2010

March 2010

February 2010

January 2010

December 2009

November 2009

October 2009

September 2009

August 2009

July 2009

June 2009

May 2009

April 2009

March 2009

February 2009

January 2009

December 2008

November 2008

October 2008

September 2008

August 2008

July 2008

June 2008

May 2008

April 2008

March 2008

February 2008

January 2008

December 2007

November 2007

October 2007

September 2007

August 2007

July 2007

June 2007

May 2007

April 2007

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

December 2006

November 2006

October 2006

September 2006

August 2006

July 2006

June 2006

May 2006

April 2006

March 2006

February 2006

January 2006

December 2005

November 2005

October 2005

September 2005

August 2005

July 2005

June 2005

May 2005

April 2005

March 2005

February 2005

January 2005

December 2004

November 2004

October 2004

September 2004

August 2004

July 2004

June 2004

May 2004

April 2004

March 2004

February 2004

January 2004

December 2003

November 2003

October 2003

September 2003

August 2003

July 2003

June 2003

May 2003

April 2003

March 2003

December 2001

November 2001

October 2001

September 2001

August 2001

July 2001

June 2001

May 2001

April 2001

March 2001

February 2001

January 2001

December 2000

November 2000

October 2000

September 2000

August 2000

July 2000

June 2000

May 2000

April 2000

March 2000

February 2000

January 2000

December 1999