“Taxpayers fund radical anti-election lobby group” read the shock horror headline in the Times (12 April). It was an article by two journalists about the Sortition Foundation that campaigns (as you might have guessed if you were familiar with the meaning of the word “sortition”) for political decisions to be made by people chosen by lot rather than by elections. This is something that is accepted by governments for at least advising them on some matters. Such “citizens’ assemblies” are chosen by lot in the same sort of way that juries are in court cases. It was also practised in Ancient Athens. As such, it has as much democratic legitimacy as elections, despite what the article suggests. 

The Sortition Foundation wants MPs to be chosen in this way. Which would of course eliminate the professional politician. A book by one of the Foundation’s founders, Brett Hennig, is called The End of Politicians. Naturally this wouldn’t be welcomed by the politicians. The journalists pointed out to one of the stupidest MPs, failed Tory leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith, that the foundation had been paid by the government to organise some citizens’ assemblies and got him to protest:

“How could they award contracts and award contracts and pay money over to such an organisation that wants to get rid of politicians.”

Getting rid of politicians might be considered a good idea by many. Being a career politician is a particular unsavoury profession — trading on problems people face and making a career out of making pie-crust promises to solve them. However, getting rid of them won’t solve those problems.

The Sortition Foundation argues that getting rid of politicians would make for better decision-making. “By removing elections,” one of its researchers is quoted as writing, “we remove the need for our representatives to court those with wealth and resources”. It wouldn’t, however, remove those with wealth and resources or their need to court political decision-makers.

The Foundation is assuming that in present-day society there is a common interest that a national citizens’ assembly — a “House of Citizens” — would be better able to identify. But, under capitalism, there is no common social interest. Capitalism is a society divided into two basic classes — those who own the places where the wealth of society is produced and the rest who can only get a living by selling their ability to work for a wage or salary— with antagonistic and irreconcilable interests. In addition, different sections of the owning class have different and conflicting interests. MPs chosen by lot would still be subject to lobbying and influence by these sections and would not be able to overcome the antagonism of interests between the owners and the wage-working majority. Capitalist economic reality would give them no choice but to take decisions that gave priority to profit making and taking.

Choosing MPs by election is a better system for capitalism. It enables the support for differing sections of the owning class to be measured and for the section with the most support to have its way. As long as capitalism is in existence, it is also better from the socialist point of view since it enables the socialist movement to send its delegates to the law-making assembly that is the key to controlling political power. Sortition would get in the way of this as there is no guarantee that a Parliament chosen by lot would reflect the degree of support for socialism amongst the population or a majority for socialism.

This said, in socialism, where would be a common social interest, there would be a wide opportunity to fill some posts by lot, maybe entire local councils, as one aspect of the participatory democracy that will be an essential part of socialism. But under capitalism it wouldn’t, and couldn’t, work as intended.

 “Taxpayers fund radical anti-election lobby group” read the shock horror headline in the Times (12 April). It was an article by two journalists about the Sortition Foundation that campaigns (as you might have guessed if you were familiar with the meaning of the word “sortition”) for political decisions to be made by people chosen by lot rather than by elections. This is something that is accepted by governments for at least advising them on some matters. Such “citizens’ assemblies” are chosen by lot in the same sort of way that juries are in court cases. It was also practised in Ancient Athens. As such, it has as much democratic legitimacy as elections, despite what the article suggests. 

The Sortition Foundation wants MPs to be chosen in this way. Which would of course eliminate the professional politician. A book by one of the Foundation’s founders, Brett Hennig, is called The End of Politicians. Naturally this wouldn’t be welcomed by the politicians. The journalists pointed out to one of the stupidest MPs, failed Tory leader Sir Ian Duncan Smith, that the foundation had been paid by the government to organise some citizens’ assemblies and got him to protest:

“How could they award contracts and award contracts and pay money over to such an organisation that wants to get rid of politicians.”

Getting rid of politicians might be considered a good idea by many. Being a career politician is a particular unsavoury profession — trading on problems people face and making a career out of making pie-crust promises to solve them. However, getting rid of them won’t solve those problems.

The Sortition Foundation argues that getting rid of politicians would make for better decision-making. “By removing elections,” one of its researchers is quoted as writing, “we remove the need for our representatives to court those with wealth and resources”. It wouldn’t, however, remove those with wealth and resources or their need to court political decision-makers.

The Foundation is assuming that in present-day society there is a common interest that a national citizens’ assembly — a “House of Citizens” — would be better able to identify. But, under capitalism, there is no common social interest. Capitalism is a society divided into two basic classes — those who own the places where the wealth of society is produced and the rest who can only get a living by selling their ability to work for a wage or salary— with antagonistic and irreconcilable interests. In addition, different sections of the owning class have different and conflicting interests. MPs chosen by lot would still be subject to lobbying and influence by these sections and would not be able to overcome the antagonism of interests between the owners and the wage-working majority. Capitalist economic reality would give them no choice but to take decisions that gave priority to profit making and taking.

Choosing MPs by election is a better system for capitalism. It enables the support for differing sections of the owning class to be measured and for the section with the most support to have its way. As long as capitalism is in existence, it is also better from the socialist point of view since it enables the socialist movement to send its delegates to the law-making assembly that is the key to controlling political power. Sortition would get in the way of this as there is no guarantee that a Parliament chosen by lot would reflect the degree of support for socialism amongst the population or a majority for socialism.

This said, in socialism, where would be a common social interest, there would be a wide opportunity to fill some posts by lot, maybe entire local councils, as one aspect of the participatory democracy that will be an essential part of socialism. But under capitalism it wouldn’t, and couldn’t, work as intended.

The Scottish DailyMail has an article which seems designed to ‘frighten the horses,’ and voters of the constituents of that particular paper. Some  appear not to be wholly in favour of ‘free’ money saying  ‘some may “milk the system”, “that it could reduce motivation to work”, and give “freedom to make bad choices”.

Perhaps anyone enamoured of the capitalist system might find it more profitable, and fulfilling, to learn about the only viable alternative.

The Socialist Party of Great Britain has branches in Scotland (contact details available from https://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/contact/ )

“A Scottish Government spokesman told the Mail on Sunday: “Everyone in Scotland deserves to live healthy, financially secure, fulfilling lives and a Minimum Income Guarantee is an important step towards that.”

A SPBG spokesperson commented, everyone in the world deserves to live healthy, secure, fulfilling lives and Socialism is the way to achieve that goal.

There isn’t a ‘communism lite.’ If there isn’t a money-free, class-free, produce for use not profit society, then there’s not socialism/communism.

“Taxpayers in Scotland face footing the bill for an SNP benefits free-for-all which could see every adult in Scotland paid at least £25,000 a year.

Under the plans for a Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), billions of pounds would be handed to the jobless and lower earners to ensure everyone has a “dignified” quality of life.

Supporters of the proposal – dubbed ‘Communism Lite‘ – say it would help fight poverty and tackle health inequalities and they are clear that it should be funded by massively raising taxes on medium and high earners.”

 https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/politics/scots-face-huge-tax-hikes-29723060

ScottishDailyMail 16/4/23

DC

 Food prices surged 18% globally last year, including a 21% rise in the cost of grain, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) estimated in its Global Trade Outlook published on Wednesday.

According to the organisation, fertiliser prices saw an even larger increase of 63% year-on-year. 

The WTO noted that, in theory, higher food costs “should encourage more agricultural production, resulting in greater availability and lower prices for food in the future,” but warned that move expensive fertilisers could lead to reduced crop yields and, ultimately, new price spikes.

The organisation also noted that food prices fluctuated strongly in 2022, first jumping 19% between January and May, following the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, and then dropping 15% between May and December.

Overall, while “global food supplies are less precarious than many had feared” in connection with the Ukraine crisis, they “remain a cause for concern,” WTO warned. According to its calculations, the volume of world wheat trade, for instance, fell by roughly 7.5% since 2021, which leaves “little margin for error if a major producer suffers a crop failure or climate-related natural disaster.”

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Wednesday called on developed economies to be vigilant to signs of the food crisis triggering hunger in poorer nations. She reiterated her earlier calls for lifting export restrictions on food and fertilisers, noting that as of April 2023, some 67 countries have such curbs. 

She also warned that global trade is likely to “remain under pressure from external factors in 2023.” According to her, these include the crisis in Ukraine and other geopolitical tensions, inflation, and the impact of tightening monetary policy.

“This makes it even more important for governments to avoid trade fragmentation and refrain from introducing obstacles to trade. Investing in multilateral cooperation on trade… would bolster economic growth and people’s living standards over the long term,” she concluded.

RT 8/4/23

DC

 Over 50 people have reportedly been killed and nearly 600 injured in fierce clashes between rival factions in Sudan, as the country’s army and Rapid Support Forces continue to accuse each other of sparking the bloodshed, while making conflicting claims on their gains.

According to the latest estimates by the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, cited by Reuters, at least 56 people had been killed and another 595 wounded as of Sunday morning. Another medical union, the Sudan Doctor’s Syndicate, previously told AP it was unclear how many of the victims were civilians, and warned that the death toll could rise due to “many uncounted casualties” in various parts of the country.  

The row over how the RSF should be integrated into the military, and which authority should oversee the process, erupted in bloodshed on Saturday morning, with gunfire and explosions heard across the capital throughout the day and into the night.

Both sides used armoured vehicles and pick-up trucks with mounted machine guns in battles in and around Khartoum, according to dramatic videos. Witnesses also reported seeing tanks and jets, as the military said it launched several airstrikes against RSF positions.

The paramilitary unit claimed to have seized the presidential palace, state TV station, multiple airports and the army chief’s residence, and said it had inflicted heavy casualties on the Sudanese army. The leader of RSF claimed his forces are in control of 90% of strategic sites in the capital, Khartoum.

The military insists that all strategic facilities in the capital and across the country are still under its control. The military ruled out negotiations with the RSF, calling it a “rebellious militia” that must be dissolved.

The rivalry dates back to the rule of President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in April 2019. Sudan has since been in a state of political crisis. The country is currently led by the Transitional Sovereign Council. Its president – and de facto ruler of the nation – is army Chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, is the deputy chairman.

The exact power balance and the situation on the ground remains unclear, with the international community in unison calling for a ceasefire. The United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League have all urged the parties to return to negotiations.

China urged talks between the warring sides to “prevent the situation from escalating,” while the US urged “all actors to stop the violence immediately and avoid further escalations or troop mobilisations.” 

Moscow expressed hope that the conflict will “exit the military armed phase and turn into negotiations between the warring sides” as soon as possible, while urging Russian citizens currently in Sudan to stay at home.

RT 16/4/23

DC

 French President Emmanuel Macron has signed a bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 years. The reform has sparked nationwide unrest, with the political opposition and unions vowing continue contesting it.

The amendments were published in France’s Official Journal early on Saturday.

“The Social Security Code is thus amended… In the first paragraph, the word: ‘sixty-two’ is replaced by the word: ‘sixty-four’,” the statement reads.

The retirement age will be incrementally raised by three months at a time, starting from September, until it reaches 64 in September 2030.

On Friday, France’s highest constitutional authority gave the green light to most of the amendments proposed by the president. The Constitutional Council also shot down a request for a referendum, filed by left-wing politicians.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne described the decision on Friday as the “end of the institutional and democratic journey.”

The opposition and unions, however, refused to back down, with a decision on a second request for a plebiscite expected early next month.

Marine Le Pen, leader of the right-wing National Rally, predicted that the signing of the bill would “mark the final break between the French people and Emmanuel Macron.”

That sentiment was echoed by the First Secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, who expressed doubt as to whether the president “will be able to govern” after his decision. Faure also pledged to “continue democratic harassment to roll back the president and his government.”

Veteran left-wing politician Jean-Luc Melenchon called for unity among those opposing the reform, and denounced France’s trajectory toward a “presidential monarchy.”

Meanwhile, unions have called on the French to rally on May 1 as part of “exceptional and popular mobilisation.”

Ahead of the Council’s decision, hundreds of thousands of protesters poured onto the streets of French cities and towns on Thursday.

In Paris, rioters vandalised several buildings, with police bludgeoning protesters with batons and firing tear gas into the crowds.

President Macron insists that the reform is necessary to prop up France’s ailing retirement system.

However, much of the French public has objected to the amendments being rammed through by Macron without allowing a vote in the lower House of Parliament. Opposition legislators twice tabled no-confidence motions against the government, ultimately losing both.

RT  15/4/23

DC

Annual urban inflation in Egypt jumped to 32.7% in March, its highest level since 2017, data from the national statistics agency CAPMAS showed on Monday. The increase has been driven by a sharp rise in food prices and the devaluation of the Egyptian pound.   

While consumer prices grew less than economists expected, inflation was still higher than the 31.9% recorded in February, led by a 62.9% rise in food and beverage costs.   

On a monthly basis, urban inflation growth slowed to 2.7% in March, down from 6.5% in February and 4.7% in January.  

Soaring prices are attributed to a plunge in the national currency following a series of devaluations over the last year. Surging seasonal demand during the month of Ramadan, high fuel prices and a shortage of raw materials, as well as a lack of foreign currency were also blamed for soaring consumer prices.  

A major importer of commodities, Egypt has devalued its currency three times since last March, further lifting the costs of most foreign goods.    

Skyrocketing inflation has also dealt a blow to Egyptian households as half of its 104 million people are now living near or below the poverty line.  

In an effort to contain prices, the Egyptian central bank raised interest rates in March by 200 basis points, although analysts have doubted that the measure will bring immediate relief.  

As pressure on the country’s financial system mounts, authorities are seeking ways to boost foreign investment, including plans to sell stakes in a number of domestic companies.

RT 10/4/2

DC

 The cost of eating at restaurants in the US outpaced grocery prices on a 12-month basis in March for the first time since mid-2021, Labor Department data showed on Wednesday.

According to the calculations, restaurant prices have risen 8.8% over the last 12 months, surging for the third consecutive month and up by 0.6% from February. Meanwhile, grocery, or ‘food at home’, inflation has risen by 8.4% year-on-year, dropping 0.3% from February.

The data may be a bad sign for the American restaurant industry, analysts say, which has already been struggling as consumers cut back on eating out in an attempt to save money amid the cost-of-living crisis. According to CNBC, many restaurants have recently been hiking prices to avoid a drop in their profit margins, forcing consumers to further limit their restaurant visits or spend less when they eat out.

However, Bruce Grindy, the chief economist from the National Restaurant Association, said the statistics may have been distorted by the increase in food prices at schools due to the expiry of free lunch programs that were set up during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As a result, this price index rose sharply in recent months, which is putting upward pressure on the overall food-away-from-home index,” he wrote in a blog post on Wednesday, as cited by CNBC. He noted that he expected this index to continue muddling the overall food-away-from-home readings until the fourth quarter of the year.

RT 15/4/23

DC

The number of bankruptcies in the Netherlands has more than doubled in the first quarter of 2023, the NL Times portal reported on Sunday, citing data by Faillissements Dossier.

According to the report, cafes, restaurants, retail shops and online retailers have been the most affected businesses.

Some 781 companies and institutions reportedly went bankrupt in the country from January to March, compared to 506 a year earlier. The number of bankrupt cafes and restaurants nearly tripled to 54, the data showed.

The report attributed the growing number of insolvencies in the Eurozone’s fifth-largest economy to a sharp increase in energy prices and high inflation levels.

The Statistics Netherlands agency (CBS) said last month it would change the way it measures energy prices paid by consumers in order to improve estimates of inflation. According to CBS, it will start using transaction data from energy suppliers to determine the real costs for consumers.

Credit insurer Atradius earlier forecast that more than 4,000 companies in the Netherlands could go bankrupt in 2023 due to high energy costs, rising interest rates, and high wage demands.

RT 11/4/23

DC

 UK consumers slashed spending on luxuries and dining out in March as household incomes continue to suffer amid stubborn double-digit inflation, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing Barclays data.   

More than half of Barclays cardholders cut spending on luxury items and one-off treats, while six in ten trimmed expenses on eating out and purchases of new clothes, the bank said after analysing data on credit and debit card transactions.   

According to the lender, overall consumer spending grew 4% last month from a year earlier, with expenses in supermarkets climbing 7.8% – well below the rate of increase in prices for food and non-alcoholic drinks.  

Overall inflation for food and non-alcoholic beverages surged to 18% in February, the highest level since 1977.

The data indicates that British consumers are increasingly changing their shopping habits to save money amid the worsening cost-of-living crisis. Cash-strapped households are becoming more exposed as wage growth fails to keep pace with the biggest jump in prices in 40 years.

Annual inflation unexpectedly rose to 10.4% in February, marking the sixth straight month in double digits and placing further pressure on UK households.

RT 12/4/23

DC