Socialism in Theory and Practice; S. Bozarth

My conviction is based on a rela tionship to which I can find no ex ception, either currently or histori cally. It is this: When private own ership and the profit-motivated market economy disappear, human freedom disappears at the same time. , Socialism in Theory and Practice As seen through the eyes of a U.S. exchange student in Britain ENGLAND is a hotbed of radicalism these days, mostly socialist and fre quently violent. I was introduced to this brand of revolutionary socialism through one of my profes sors, an admitted Marxist who was sympathetic to the Socialist Work ers' Party. His argument was simple: (tThe capitalist system is flawed. Capital ists overproduce, rob the workers for the sake of profit and reduce them to paupers. Faced with increasing misery, the worker must sell himself to earn money for food. He has no lib erty. He spends his life at a job and has no say as to his work condi tions. When will this degradation end? When the working class rises up and controls the workplace."

I also observed the rising up of the working class that fall and winter of 1978-1979. A wildcat strike of 33 toolmakers at a British Leyland fac tory in Birmingham was sustained, without punishment, when the 1980 SOCIALISM IN THEORY AND PRACTICE 357 other 3,000 workers in the plant threatened to strike in support of the 33. And this type of industrial action was not unusual in many unionized plants. The London Times stopped printing because workers refused to accept modem machinery that might have enabled the news paper to earn a profit while meeting wage demands. There were signs of a general strike by early 1979. Lorry drivers walked off the job. Soon there were shortages of food, especially milk for children. Dock workers struck and beat up fellow workers forced by financial necessity to try to cross picket lines. Some who did cross were subsequently expelled from the union and thus virtually barred from continuing their trade after the strike. Car bombings were· re ported. One newspaper was discour aged from publishing articles criti cal of union tactics because the newsprint union threatened to strike.

In Liverpool the morgue was closed by a strike of 12 gravediggers. London ambulance drivers struck for higher wages, leaving emer gency patients to fend for them selves until the government called on the Army Medical Corps for help. Several London hospitals were so hit by walkouts of medical personnel that sick patients, including chil dren, were unattended for hours. Striking union employees voted to search school children for sandwiches, hoping the hungry youngsters would then force their parents to persuade the schools to settle. The strikes and ugliness subsided in March. But I had seen enough of Socialism to realize the emptiness of the promise of liberty and prosperity. for the workers. Putting socialist theory into practice involves vio lence against persons, destruction of property, censorship of· ideas, and suffering for everyone concerned. , IDEAS ON UBERTY Sylvester Petro CORRUPrION and disguised anarchy will characterize both the state and voluntary associations when they have confused their respective roles.

While their services to society are of the highest order of importance when confined properly in accordance with the principles of the free society, private associations and the state become the worst and most vicious enemies of man's freedom when they confuse their nature and function. The result of such confusion is not really ttsociety";it is the war of all against all.