The lull before the coming storm

In Britain today it may appear relatively quiet on the class struggle front there has been little in the way of mass action by workers so far this year and you’d be forgiven for thinking workers are just keeping their heads down to avoid attacks. Of course this will not last and mass social explosions can erupt at anytime be it next week, next month or next year we as Marxists know that struggle will break out again on a mass scale what form it comes in we cannot predict. If no lead is given by the labour movement or the union bureaucracy and the right wing in the unions are seen as a block on workers taking action we could see mass social explosions in all sorts of different way we can’t even rule out riots again in our inner cities where people’s anger is burning up with rage. What is clear to me is that in 2012 it was the year that the Tories were exposed as a government for the rich of the rich and the gulf in wealth from the top 10% and the bottom 10% had become glaringly obvious to many. Many ask why people are not fighting back. We have to remember people’s consciousness always lags behind the reality of the current situation. Just having mass planned poverty which in affect is austerity’s true name does not necessarily equal mass resistance. Only the disappointments in people’s expectations encourage them to take another route to venting their frustrations and mass struggle can break out then. The trade unions are seen by many as not relevant to their situations, many are not even aware of trade unions still and secondly do not know what a trade union can do for them. The unions themselves do not help this by constantly selling their members out barring a few fighting left unions such as the PCS and the RMT for example. Unions need to appeal to people and fight for them. It’s no coincidence that union membership increased around N30 when workers were seeing a lead being given and felt encouraged to get involved and fight back. Since the sell out by Dave Prentice and other right wing trade union leaders people have understandably felt demoralised. This will not last and new issues even small ones can spark a mass response. I mean a small local campaign to save the Lewisham A and E drew in mass numbers just imagine if a national demonstration on a weekend was called by the trade unions to save the NHS it could be massive. What is clear though is that although things may seem quiet in Britain right now and things appear calm things are bubbling away under the surface cuts have not stopped raining down on the working class and the anger is still there if not heightened due to the lack of an outlet as yet. This will change it has to a dam will break if an unsustainable amount of pressure exists behind it this will be the Sam in the coming period. We as socialists and Marxists must be aware to these changes coming and be prepared to run to catch up as when the working class moves it can move frighteningly quickly if we have the correct perspectives and ideas we can be in the best position to give a clear direction for the overall victory of struggles. For the overall direction to change society on a socialist basis to meet the needs of the many not just the few.