Austerity Continues

A future Conservative government would freeze benefits paid to people of working age for two years and would come into effect in 2016, if the Tories win the next election. About 10 million households would be affected, roughly half of which are working and would include Job-seeker's Allowance, Income Support, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, Child Benefit and Employment Support Allowance, paid to those judged capable of work.  The government is also to introduce pre-paid benefit cards  that could only be used for some items in some stores which will act as a "last-stop deterrent" to those living off the state with no intention of working.

Enriching the 1% at everyone else’s expense is what capitalism does.  The main job of the state in capitalist societies — and therefore of those who lead states — is to make capitalism flourish. Within the confines of normal capitalist politics it is therefore inevitable that Osborne and Cameron would preside over a regime in which inequality becomes worse, and in which austerity becomes the order of the day. Increasing inequality is a worldwide phenomenon – afflicting all developed capitalist countries. The labour movement and the welfare state are under attack everywhere; and everywhere people are worse off as a result. Until the basic economic structure is transformed, the underlying causes of the problems affecting us will remain – and so will the problems themselves. The only solution is revolution.  No matter which party is next elected, the most the vast majority can hope for are a few woefully inadequate palliative changes at the margins. Supporters of the Labour Party should realise that the views advanced by Miliband may make them look good compared to the Tories, but pertain to issues about which governments can do very little.