Every effort was directed to making residence in this place of terror so
undurable that only utmost necessity would drive human beings to seek in it alast refuge. For that was the real purpose of the new poor law...the new law sawto it that cheap labour was at the command of management and with it thepossibility of constantly forcing wages lower - Rudolf Rocker ---- In 1834British parliament instituted what would be called the new 'Poor Law'. These lawswere set down to replace the 'old Poor Law' which had been established in the17th century in order to provide charitable support for the poor. While the oldpoor laws were based on the notion that people in poverty were unfortunatevictims of fate deserving of help from society, the new poor laws would be of amuch harsher variety.The new Poor Law was a nightmarish horror for the young working-class. Povertywas now deemed a crime, with the fault resting solely on the indulgent failingsof the individual. Unemployment was now to be dealt with through punishment andbrutality as the State sought to discipline the newly emerging working-class tobetter suit the needs of industrial capitalism.The legacy of the 'Poor Law of 1834' lives on today in Australia through theJobActive system, soon to be re-christened 'WorkForces'. While on the surface ourmodern set of Poor Laws may seem to be of a kinder variety, the lack of overtviolence doesn't lessen their systematic brutality or change their fundamentalrole in capitalist society - disciplining the working-class and weakening thebargaining power of the labour movement.As much as capitalists and politicians justify the brutalities of the welfaresystem by pointing to 'dole bludgers', 'welfare dependents' and 'systemscammers', the reality is that capitalism relies on the existence of a mass ofworkers who are unable to find employment at any one time.During situations of zero (or close to zero) unemployment the worker's strengthrises significantly against capital. The threat of withdrawing labour becomesmuch stronger and the threat of scabs more insignificant. Overall the bargainingpower of the workers greatly increases. This is why the 1970s was a period ofhigh militancy, high wages and low unemployment.It has been well known since the 19th century that capital relies on a reservearmy of labour (i.e. the unemployed) to function properly and to maximiseprofits. A pool of unemployed workers desperate for employment provides a meansfor capitalists to keep wages and conditions low, to set workers against eachother in competition and to ensure a ready pool of scab labour in times ofindustrial dispute.Since the 1980s the ruling classes have attempted to collaborate to ensure thatthe unemployment rate stays at the level they deem optimal for capital. Whilethis may spiral out of control during a depression, it can be guaranteed it willnever be allowed to drop to zero unless through concessions won through workersstruggle.No one needs to be unemployed in Australia - that is a choice made by our rulingclasses. Despite this being a choice made by others and imposed on us from above,the same ruling class then sees fit to punish us with poverty level wages,punitive and coercive treatment and bureaucratic madness.By making the experience of unemployment as dehumanising and unendurable aspossible the ruling class uses welfare as an attack on the strength of theworking class.When unemployment is considered as an utter last resort, workers are pressured toaccept employment no matter the wages or conditions, gradually pushing them down.When unemployment is considered unbearable workers are much more likely to enduremistreatment and abuse at work and to avoid the risks that come with rocking theboat, lest they return to the dole queue. When the experience of being unemployedmeans leaving your family starving and your spirit broken, then no matter yourdisgust at it, suddenly scabbing on a picket line becomes an understandable prospect.To return to the quote at the beginning of this article we can see that just likein 1834, the purpose of the 21st century 'Poor Law' is to ensure "that cheaplabour[is]at the command of management and with it the possibility of constantlyforcing wages lower".If the labour movement is to make progress in this country it is essential thatthis point is understood. For far too long, talk of the 'plight of theunemployed' has been met with scepticism in union spaces, which often regard itas a problem for unemployed people to solve themselves. It is not uncommon tocome across dismissive comments of it 'not being our problem' or even that theunemployed deserve what they're getting as they're nothing more than 'scabs inwaiting'.Such rhetoric would make every boss smile if they heard it and politicians clapwith glee. It means that all their propaganda efforts have not been in vain andthat we've drunk the kool-aid of 'welfare dependency' to our own detriment. 'I'vegot mine' attitudes are the complete antithesis of the workers' movement andachieve nothing but serving the bosses' agenda.If we're to fight for higher wages and better conditions, a fundamental startingpoint must be the understanding that the conditions of all workers - bothemployed and unemployed - are tightly intertwined. We cannot win better workingconditions without simultaneously conquering better conditions for theunemployed, but by winning better conditions for the unemployed our capacity towin better working conditions increases.Australia's current welfare system is an attack on every worker. It should befought against in the interests of every worker. While the incoming Laborgovernment has announced the scrapping of the Cashless Welfare Card, they haveremained adamant that they will not be reviewing the rate of the dole, whichremains under the poverty level. The interests of the Australian Labor party laywith capital and we can guarantee that they will not be making changes to thepunitive unemployment system against the wishes of capital. If we wish to seegenuine welfare reform it will have to be conquered by our own self-activity andstruggle.Working-class people must realise that their interests are fundamentallyintertwined against those of the bosses. A militant and united working-class is astrong working-class. We cannot separate the conditions of the unemployed fromworkers in work. To end with a famous union slogan that shouldn't be forgotten -touch one, touch all.https://www.acmeanjin.org/articles/australias-21st-century-poor-law_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten