An Open Letter to Compass: The Problem with the British State Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, January 12th 2011 After Neal Lawson and John Harris wrote a call for ‘New Socialism’ in the ‘New Statesman’ (1) I responded (2). Now Neal has posted a note about what I said (3). He feels that I am being uncomradely and this upsets him as I have long been complementary of Compass’ work and have collaborated with them in a number of ways. I consider myself a friend and admirer of Compass and its work. In these challenging times they are one of the

Continue Reading An Open Letter to Compass: The Problem with the British State

Fear of a Red Planet: The World in 2050 Today! Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, January 8th 2011 The future is going to work out fine. Beyond the crash, uncertainties and ‘unknown unknowns’. We have it from no less an authority than HSBC and their ‘The World in 2050’. It is going to be alright for the world, for the West and Britain, which is despite all the problems and competition still going to be a Top Nation in 2050! Forty years on world economic output will have tripled, food and water scarcity will be avoided and Malthusian predictions proved wrong

Continue Reading Fear of a Red Planet: The World in 2050 Today!

Psychologists of the World Unite: You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Guilt! Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, January 1st 2011 Once upon a time how we saw the world was filled with certainty: economics, class and collectives. Now we live in a more uncertain, fluid age shaped by individualism, change and seeing ourselves as consumers. Along with this shift has come a new mantra – one signed up to by both New Labour and the Cameroon Conservatives: the power of psychology. Psychology as the new zeitgeist has been a long time coming. One can go back to the rise of

Continue Reading Psychologists of the World Unite: You Have Nothing to Lose But Your Guilt!

The End of the Revolutionary Line: The Demise of Tommy Sheridan Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, December 24th 2010 The jury in the Glasgow High Court has found Tommy Sheridan guilty of perjury. His political career and hopes, whatever his rhetoric, lie in ruins, as does the party he helped found – the Scottish Socialist Party – which he briefly made a semi-potent electoral force. This is the end of a long journey for a revolutionary dream, illusion and fantasy – in which Scotland for a period had the world’s most electorally successful Trotskyite party. It has been three years since

Continue Reading The End of the Revolutionary Line: The Demise of Tommy Sheridan

After New Labour, the Limits of the New Socialism and the Need for a Radical Politics Gerry Hassan Compass, December 20th 2010 British politics are in a strange place – one where while some of the landscape remains the same so much is different. All of the three main parties have been disorientated by the result of the election and coalition along with the scale of the crisis. One response to this from parts of the left is to retreat into the hoary old slogans of opposition and struggle, of shouting ‘Tory cuts’ without strategy or the need for rethinking.

Continue Reading After New Labour, the Limits of the New Socialism and the Need for a Radical Politics

Ed Miliband and the Limits of the New Socialism Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, December 18th 2010 The Westminster chattering class view is that Ed Miliband has failed as Labour leader. He is seen as indecisive, lacking in political strategy and viewed as taking Labour back into its old comfort zones. Then there are the opinion polls. Labour may be cheered by the polls – and in most it is at or above 40% - but Miliband’s ratings – are so critics allege – the lowest for any new leader apart from Michael Foot, William Hague and Nick Clegg; Neil Kinnock,

Continue Reading Ed Miliband and the Limits of the New Socialism

The New Sound of the Streets Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, December 11th 2010 Protest and rebellion are in the air. Those well-known songs of radical chic, ‘Revolution’ and ‘Power to the People’ have been regularly played on radio and TV; at the same time, red flags, anarchist slogans and student occupations have suddenly appeared on streets and university campuses. The first marked the 30^th anniversary of John Lennon’s assassination, which happened this Wednesday past; the second saw the emergence of a mass student protest movement against tuition fees. Some of this may evoke John Lennon and 1968, but the more

Continue Reading The New Sound of the Streets

That Sinking Feeling: England against the World Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, December 4th 2010 The backlash has now begun in earnest about England not getting the World Cup in 2018. This tells us much about our southern neighbours, how they see themselves and the world, and are in turn seen. And about how the new global order of the 21^st century is evolving. First things first. I had wanted England to win the right to host the World Cup because I recognise that England – like Scotland is a nation with deep footballing traditions. I also have impatience with knee

Continue Reading That Sinking Feeling: England against the World

The Strange State of Undemocracy: Calman and the Scottish and British Questions Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, December 1st 2010 The Calman Commission proposals and their enshrinement in the paper, ‘Strengthening Scotland’s Future’ (1) and the Scotland Bill – are meant to be a moment of history and importance: the narrative of ‘the evolution of devolution’, of ‘devolution as a process’, and other questionable clichés. These proposals are important for both Scotland and Britain, revealing a political class and media which mostly does not understand the detail of what is being put forward or the resulting consequences. This is – leaving

Continue Reading The Strange State of Undemocracy: Calman and the Scottish and British Questions

The Beautiful Game No More Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, November 27th 2010 I love Scotland. I love football. With all its imperfections and limitations I am fascinated by football in Scotland: its passions, history, traditions and why it matters so much. The emotional spasm which has gripped Scottish football would be comic, were it not so serious, revealing some of the sore wounds and faultlines of Scottish society. This whole affair, like ‘the tartan tax’ stushie shows part of Scotland loves getting things completely out of proportion. And an even larger section cannot engage in a

Continue Reading The Beautiful Game No More