05) TRUTH FROM LIARS

People's Voice Editorial

     There are no Marxists in British PM David Cameron's government, but his "adviser on enterprise" has shown that the ruling class has a good understanding of economics. The UK Observer reports that Lord Young, who was a cabinet minister under the late Baroness Thatcher, argues that the economic downturn is a great time to slash wages and boost profits.

     As Lord Young wrote in a brief to Cameron's cabinet: "The rise in the number of businesses in recent years shows that a recession can be an excellent time to start a business. Competitors who fall by the wayside enable well‑run firms to expand and increase market share. Factors of production such as premises and labour can be cheaper and higher quality, meaning that return on investment can be greater."

     With 2.5 million people officially jobless in Britain, Young's message is clear. High unemployment is great for those corporations which lead the pack in cutting pay rates and forcing employees to work more intensively, for longer hours.

     Karl Marx analysed this process extensively over a century ago, drawing the conclusion that there is no "fairness" for workers under capitalism. Competition among corporations to maximise profits pushes the bosses to seize every opportunity to extract more surplus value from workers, precisely as Lord Young proclaims.

     Not surprisingly, such "truth outbreaks" are a public relations disaster for the corporate elite, since these admissions confirm the validity of Marxism and encourage workers to resist increased exploitation. The Cameron government sputters that Lord Young's words are being "misrepresented" by the labour movement, but his statements need no elaboration. In fact, Lord Young has done workers a favour, by reminding the world that we have no interests in common with the ruling class.

(The above article is from the May 16-31, 2013, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)