Cape Town - In his last Labour Wrap of 2014, Terry Bell looks back over what he maintains was perhaps the most turbulent and taxing year in the past 20. Looked at objectively, both nationally and globally, he argues that there is little to be optimistic about as this year draws to a close.
It is a time, he says, when the dictum: exercise pessimism of the intellect, but optimism of the will, seems singularly appropriate. This implies analysing honestly the circumstances we find ourselves in - it results in a pessimistic outlook - while dedicating ourselves to do all that we can to change things for the better.
Throughout history, he notes, there have been many instances where, faced with the grimmest of outlooks, people have rallied and rolled back the dark clouds of pessimism. And, says Bell, there are signs that this is happening now; that there are discernible silver linings to the gloom.
He admits that the global economic crisis is ongoing, household debt here and elsewhere is at dangerous levels, while cold war imperialism is again rearing its bloody head along with barbarism cloaked in fundamentalist religion. At the same time, around the world, he says, the working and workless poor are increasingly raising their voices to call for change.
Even some leading financiers are now admitting that business as usual is no longer possible; that the system is clearly disfunctional. However, so far there is little clarity of purpose, although starts have been made, led in many instances by the labour movement with groups such as Union Solidarity international (USi), Global Union International and IndustriALL.
Here, says Bell, are the silver linings that could, in time, grow to drive the dark clouds of exploitation, oppression and war beyond the horizon, hopefully for good. That would truly be the will of the majority of people — and it can be done.
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- Terry Bell is a political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.