I find myself currently in a rather curious "Groundhog Day" situation. After 22 years as a journalist ( which I hope to continue) I am back part-time teaching, which I last did 24 years ago under ILEA (Inner London Education Authority) .
And it's great. Why? Because actually it's a serious positive to have the adrenaline rush of being kept on my intellectual toes and , to use the modern phrase ,"engaging" young people and challenging them.
And, after a lot of years going down the pragmatist route politically, I firmly believe that the left now has to stop apologising and start explaining why the solutions some of us embraced when we were young are still the best ones possible.
I'm no longer interested in conniving to instigate dodgy "deals" with those who remain determined to cosy up to the business community. As socialists, we should stand firm and take no prisoners. That means standing up for the working-class, defending trade union rights, and ultimately deciding which side we are on in the fight against capitalism. A plague on the neo-cons, we should be 100 per cent against globalisation and its wicked consequences,.Most of which are about to become apparent in the first worldwide slump for many a long year.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I was lucky to benefit from a vaguely social democrat world in which kids like me were able to get a decent education, live an independent life and not have to worry about mountainous amounts of debt which had to be paid back because the Govt would not tax those that could afford it.
So don't ask me to be enthusiastic about a New Labour Government, don't ask me to water down my beliefs. The only way in which we are really going to bring back a younger generation uncowed by 20 years of Thatcherism is, yes, to be idealistic, not to be kow-towing to the CBI, stand firm and yes to be embracing values of peace, social justice, and universal welfare care for all those that need it. In short, socialism.
Those are the values which inspired my parents and grandparents in times a damn sight harder for working people than they are now. And God knows they are still hard enough for millions in this country.
If anyone asks me what truly matters then what we have to do is start addressing what kind of world we want for the generations which follow us .That means re-building the left - not diluting it.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
RIGHT BACK WHERE I STARTED FROM ........
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2 comments:
I'm not sure globalisation per se is a bad thing: we grew rich through trade, as did most wealthy countries. Of course, we didn't do it through free-market trade - we protected our infant industries, which the IMF etc no longer allow. But I can't see an alternative way for the developing world to catch up: aid is never going to bring in as much money as trade. It's not about stopping globalisation, it's about shaping it: promoting trade unions where there are sweatshops etc. We in the UK will undoubtedly be subject to difficulties due to globalisation - the key is to provide the safety-nets and community strength to ensure that these ruptures do not harm people's welfare. We're not doing that at present. However, the growth of apprenticeships in skilled jobs is good here - though the lack of good unskilled jobs is clearly problematic. Other than that, I agree with you.
I trust that you will be keeping your political views to yourself whilst teaching.
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