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THE TUC AND LEADERSHIP
The Communist, No 60, March 1973
'The TUC and "left" have abdicated the leadership of the working class to the Conservative Party, the Heath Government and the CBI, because these have proved the only conscious elements in the society who are dealing with the changes in the economy.'
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Keynes and full employment - how the government juggles tax and borrowing to ensure a reasonably consistent level of consumption and therefore of production.
Uncompetitive production When production no longer responds to social need eg when the money available for consumption goes into buying cheaper or better imported goods.
Whiskey and tourism - one possible solution to a nation's economic problems
What is a viable national economy? Can the nine member EEC form a viable economic unit?
The British working class and the productive forces The shopfloor expertise of the working class used to regulate the conditions of production
The British working class and full employment The use of 'public money' to preserve the working conditions of the strongest elements in the working class
The conscious regulation of wages - 'The alternative to conscious regulation of wages is to let only that labour produce which is profitable ... But, we have seen that the criterion of profitability alone means that a substantial sector of the working class is unemployed for indefinite periods of time depending on the cyclical behaviour of capitalist production.'
What the Government was offering and the TUC's reply Heath was offering a permanent role in the management of the economy. The TUC turned the offer down
What would the change mean? and are the TUC leaders, or are they representatives? In turning down the Government's proposals the TUC is not betraying the working class, merely reflecting the current state of its consciousness
The practice of the working class: have they followed their leaders? Nor are the working class willing to follow the "left" in a revolutionary challenge to the existing order
"Left" and "right" positions within the trade union movement - with Joe Gormley arguing they should either accept what the Government is proposing or call a general strike
Sitting on a powder keg The danger of working class disllusionment with its own institutions