Common Ownership - the only solution to world problems

On this day in 1957 the Common Market was established by the agreement of six west European countries. The editorial in the March Socialist Standard of that year drew a parallel with the gradual formation of the German Customs Union over a century earlier and scoffed at the notion of a united Europe leading to a warless, united world.

An article titled Britain on the Brink in the November 1961 edition of the same journal commented amusingly:
"British capitalism has decided to take its chance with the Common Market. After shivering at the water's edge for a long, long time it has at last ventured as far as the end of the diving-board. It even shows signs this time that it is really going to take the plunge..."
Well, those signs were misleading: British capitalism did join, but not until January 1973 after two attempts to do so were vetoed. However, the very same article did point out correctly that "..the motive force of the Common Market and the events now associated with is economic interest - the drive for profit. The task of the working-class, whether Britain joins or not, will still be to get rid of the system that generates this drive for profit. And in setting about that task the workers of Britain and the Common Market do have a common interest."

The Socialist Standard of May 1975 posed the question 'The Common Market In or out - does it matter?' and stated clearly that the issue was (is) of no concern to our class.
The related article did not fail to mention the infamous butter mountains and wine lakes and concluded by stating: "Away with all the trappings of capitalism - tariffs, customs duties, monetary union, competition, buying, selling etc. Vote for nothing but Common Ownership."