What do we believe and why?

By Mike Stallard

“Labour should remain for pragmatic socialism, to quote Ed Miliband “there are some things we value more than the markets”. This is a view shared by the grassroots of the Party, a section of the Party that Labour must once again learn to respect.”

Robert Jenkins, on What is Labour for?

Vicky is 30 but looks older. She works from time to time as a carer or even, sometimes, in a pub. But the main purpose of her life is to have a good time. She is a hedonist. She does use the internet for online gambling, but she likes the Jazz Bar much better. There she can listen to music and meet her many friends. She really appreciates the atmosphere. In the small town where she lives, Vicky seems to know everyone. She seems to be a very happy person.

But she looks tired.

Nine years ago she made a small mistake and her son Harry was born. She never really wanted him: he just happened. Harry’s father is now a distant memory. If you ask Vicky, she will indignantly say that of course she loves Harry. But when it comes down to it, she does find he interferes with her many holidays and week-ends away. She also likes, from time to time, to bring a new boyfriend back home with her.

And she finds, now, that she is spending more and more time on the internet. And, let’s be honest, she does like a drink and a smoke. Harry is in the way then too.

Vicky is not rich. Luckily her house was left her by her parents, both now dead. But she doesn’t have much to live off and so Harry’s birthday present was, actually, a new bed with which he seemed very pleased. They usually get their meals out of a tin or out of the microwave. Their clothes come from the charity shop.

Harry hangs around the street a lot now he is eight. He has found that other children live too far away and they soon get fed up with the fact that Harry hasn’t got any toys to share. At school, his teachers say he is a quiet child who is no trouble. But he doesn’t seem to join in much. He doesn’t look neglected. He isn’t often ill, although he is sometimes bruised. He doesn’t laugh a lot either. He sits on his own.

Marx, who was faithfully married to the same woman all his life, foresaw the end of marriage as early as the Communist Manifesto. Early Socialists foreshadowed the age of Aquarius as the University of Cambridge spawned the Bloomsbury Group.

Do you know any Vickys yourself? I know lots of them. Do you know any Harry’s yourself? So do I.

But now for my question: are Vicky and Harry really what Socialism is about?