From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Mon Aug 22 2005 - 17:04:07 BST
Anthony opined:
> [Arlo then jumped in with an hilarious remark]
>
> Hey Platt, the 1890s called, they want their “progressive” ideas back. ;-)
> I’ve asked them why turning back the clock is being touted as trying
> something “new”, and they had no answer... you?
The answer is in Ant's commentary below in which he extols the virtues of
Marxist theory that had it's origin in 1848 with the publication of The
Communist Manifesto and Christ's teachings that had its origins 2000
thousand years ago. The irony of touting something new by turning back the
clock to those two "progressives" escapes both Ant and Arlo.
To see how Ant's ideal "socialist" world would work in practice, may I
recommend one of my favorite novels which illustrates it absolutely
starkly. This is Any Rand's "Atlas Shrugged."
Platt
> Ant McWatt comments:
>
> Arlo, Platt,
>
> To see how Platt’s ideal “conservative” world would work in practice, may I
> recommend one of my favourite novels which illustrates it absolutely
> starkly. This is Robert Tressell’s “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists”
> which was written in the early 1900s and is a proto-ZMM in many ways.
> Tressell (who was a cyclist and has been termed the “thinking cyclist”) was
> very much concerned with a better quality of life for all. His novel is
> clear, straightforward and eminently readable and, in spite of its length,
> has become extremely successful in its own right. Like ZMM, it covers some
> difficult ideas (it’s not customary for a novel to offer explanations of
> key points of Marxist theory but Tressell does this) and is also based on
> actual events. In his original preface, Tressell states: ’I have invented
> nothing. There are no scenes or incidents in the story that I have not
> either witnessed myself or had conclusive evidence of.’
>
> “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists” is a passionate and compassionate
> denunciation of socially dominated capitalism and covers such issues as
> exploitative employment when the only safety nets were charity and the
> workhouse i.e. no welfare system, Platt! Following the fortunes of a group
> of painters and decorators and their families, and the self educated
> visionary Owen (who attempts to rouse their political will), the book is
> both a highly entertaining story and a passionate appeal for a fairer way
> of life. It asks questions of an unenlightened workforce, who give away
> their rights and aspirations to a decent life so freely.
>
> “The present system means joyless drudgery, semi-starvation, rags and
> premature death; and they vote for it and uphold it.”
>
> Doesn't sound like a better world to me! Anyway, Tressell examines the
> structure of the Edwardian capitalist system that creates those hardships
> and suggests that all workers should work together for a better future;
> that all should be treated as equals and that no one should exploit others
> for their own gain. It also exposes self serving politicians and the
> hypocrisy of ‘Christians’ who take no heed of the central core of Christ’s
> teachings. “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists” recommends cooperative
> values and their continued relevance in a world where war, famine, poverty,
> racism and oppression are still permanent features of life. Yet Tressell
> disagrees that the latter has to be the case and leaves the future open for
> those of us who want to change it. George Orwell called it ‘a wonderful
> book’ and like ZMM it is described as a book that can change your life.
> BTW, one of the issues that Tressell covers is vouchers for the poor and
> how badly (especially for the poor) these work in practice!
>
> If you want to read more about Tressell’s life, the Robert Tressell Centre
> (based in England) has a website at:
>
> http://www.1066.net/tressell/contents.htm
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Anthony.
>
>
> “As Owen thought of his child’s future, there sprang up within him a
> feeling of hatred and fury against his fellow workmen. They were the enemy
> - those ragged-trousered philanthropists, who not only quietly submitted
> like so many cattle to their miserable slavery for the benefit of others,
> but defended it and opposed and ridiculed any suggestion of reform. They
> were the real oppressors - the men who spoke of themselves as ‘the likes of
> us’ who, having lived in poverty all their lives, considered that what had
> been good enough for them was good enough for their children.”
>
> (Robert Tressell, “The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists”)
>
>
>
>
> .
>
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