the Carnival of Socialism

It had to happen - picking up the baton from Wombat , this edition of the Carnival is presented to you by a member of the Socialist Party (i.e., not them or them!).

I had to think a bit before accepting the task because the SPGB is, of course, well known for its clause 7 and views that stand in direct contrast to most left politics, such as: workers shouldn't vote Labour; leninism isn't a development of marxism; state ownership is state capitalism; and Russia et al did not establish socialism nor were/are they "degenerate workers' states". However, I did promise PhilBC that I would refrain from calling everybody else a bunch of non-socialist reformists. So I shalln't!

Naturally, whilst disagreeing with so much, there are nonetheless interesting posts on the left blogosphere that do catch one's eye as they invariably are about my weird interests and tastes. Apologies to those who do not get a mention; there are only so many hours in the day for blog reading and some of you haven't blogged at all this month (which renders a fortnightly round up rather hard to do). Please, please do use the comment box if there is something you think is worthy of attention.

I will do shameless plugs first though. So there is Darren - he is always good for bad SPGB jokes and insights into Glasgow Celtic. The Socialist Party blog is Socialism or Your Money Back, which has your present reviewer and Alan on the team. (It is also the name of a book which was published in 2004 to mark 100 years of the Socialist Party.)

Apropos Scots who love their football, Kevin blogs about an old passion of mine: astronomy. I shalln't say a word about the Hibees result against Gillingham's old rivals Preston.

I want to point you - if you don't know him already - in the direction of anarchist Andy from Australia. He has been blogging about the far right (down under) for absolutely ages and is thus an important resource for activists. Besides, any person who likes Napalm Death cannot be at all bad!

Vulgar Marxism will raise a few knowing smiles amongst the Leftist Trainspotters out there.

Another anarchist, whom the SPGB debated not so long ago, is Ian Bone; he remembers a forgotten fighter from the Spanish Civil War.

Humour is of course a great way to fight the far right - (via River's Edge) the Nick Griffin Diaries exposé.

Phil takes a look at Twitter and the recent attacks on the NHS. (New technologies and the political process is an important topic for sure as the Iranian demonstrations showed. Although not a blogger, this guy will get a mention anyway.) Shiraz mentions another aspect of the NHS affair. Since it has been a hot topic of the week, here's Dave Semple too.

American Commie reminds us of other matters.

Another Dave gets an obligatory mention - here is a post/comments which I enjoyed. However, the kid in question might want to check out what Splintered Sunrise had to say about leftist personality cults.

Hakmao answers a question I have wondered about.

Prof. David Harvey (of City University New York) gave a lecture at the SWP's major event Marxism this year. A video of this is posted on his website (blog?!). He seems to be a convivial fella, always willing to give his take on Marx, Capital and Capitalism - after all, he has even agreed to be interviewed by me next week!

I have been fascinated by art history so take a gander at Swuppie John Molyneux's blog and a lengthy, but interesting, look at Michelangelo

Liam has a slightly lighter posting on art here as well as a discussion on anarchists and the Spanish Civil War here.

I love the movies too so I look at what people write about films. Harpymarx's latest post is on releases in 1999. I can't believe Harpy was gripped by the Blair Witch Project though.... John Hughes is remembered (erm, perhaps) at The Soul of Man Under Capitalism. The quote/scene there sums up that idiot Ben Stein pretty well, me thinks.

Finally, Climate and Capitalism post on Peterloo. These words from Shelley

Rise like Lions after slumber

In unvanquishable number,

Shake your chains to earth like dew

Which in sleep had fallen on you -

Ye are many – they are few.

and Adam Ford's reflections on recent struggles seem like a stirring and apt way to close this carnival. Don't forget Louis Proyect's blog since that is where the next carnival will be in a fortnight's time.

the Carnival of Socialism

I shall be hosting the Carnival of Socialism on the 16th August.

No doubt there will be a collective cry of "oh no!" from the Left at the thought of what a Socialist Party of Great Britain member will do with it. Never fear - I will abjure from point scoring or petty stuff.

Hosting the Carnival will also mean doing something I haven't done and ought to: spend time surfing blogland. I have always intended reading more blogs so this should give me the motivation to get around to that.

Phil BC is the latest host.

Brian Moore's Head

Brian Moore's Head (Looks Uncannily Like London Planetarium) is the thing to read if you're interested in the Gills.

It started life as a fanzine but ceased printing a couple of years ago, preferring the bold new age of the Internet instead. Brian Moore is the only celebrity to have supported the club, hence the name. (The rest is taken from a Half Man Half Biscuit song.)

Anyway, this is what BMH had to say about the Shrewsbury game

Just when you thought it was safe to open your eyes….getting dicked 6-0 at Wolves in the Championship was one of those things you were prepared to put up with given our unprecedented lofty status; getting gubbed 6-0 at Ashton Gate in League One was bloody annoying but hardly out of character in those days of kamikaze defending and an utter lack of confidence as we slid through the division on a tide of reckless hidings. But, but, how do I put it? Some wise old crows once sung that they’d “been done seen about everything when I see an elephant fly” - well those wise old crows got to see Dumbo take to the air but they sure hadn’t seen everything. I really never thought the day would come when I witnessed GIllingham equal their record margin of defeat in a sleepy Shropshire market town.

the rest is here

Where Were You When...?

As Darren mentions, there is this Blog Meme started by Ian Dale. (I altered its order for obvious reasons.)

Princess Diana's death - 31 August 1997
I was in bed asleep. I went to the dorm kitchen when I woke to make my usual morning cup of tea. One of the girls asked me if I had heard "the terrible news". I was relieved when she told me Diana was dead - for that split second I thought someone I knew had had an accident.

The Town Hall in Århus had a makeshift shrine to Diana (a photo, candles and heaps of flowers) for a while.

Margaret Thatcher's resignation - 22 November 1990
I was at Danish Language School and only found out when I got home and turned on BBC news in the afternoon.

It was a bit weird to think she wouldn't be at Nr.10 as she had been the PM I grew up with. I was a true Blue Conservative as a kid, whereas by 1988 I was a member of the Socialist Party and she seemed to embody all that was wrong about the Capitalist system.

England's World Cup Semi Final v Germany in - 4 July 1990
I was celebrating my birthday. I lived at my uncle's house. I rented a basement room, he lived on the first floor, and the top floor was rented by a German who was stationed at the NATO airbase in nearby Karup.

The penalty shoot out started a bad trend.... The German guy couldn't help but laugh and be rude about it all.

President Kennedy's Assassination - 22 November 1963
I wasn't born then.

A fantasy answer would be: I was waiting for the brand new adventure series Doctor Who on BBC 1. It was rescheduled to the next day.

Attack on the twin towers - 11 September 2001
I was at home and turned on CNN. They were reporting a plane had crashed into one of the towers. I thought an awful accident must have happened and nothing else of it and phoned my then girlfriend - we had had a right old argument the day before.

As we talked the other tower was hit. It was obvious by then this was no accident. I do not remember what it was we had argued about, it just didn't matter anymore.

She came over and we watched in stunned silence. It was when the Towers collapsed that our silence stopped. We held each other in tears at what was happening. I also felt scared. I knew this would mean war.

SPGB Lectures on Economics

Inveresk Street Ingrate (one of my fav. blogs) has posted a series of lectures by the late E. Hardcastle on aspects of marxian economics. Darren provides the details.