"Here in Britain the Socialist movement is struggling to establish a Socialist state and is confronted with a form of centralized capitalism; which shows quite remarkable signs of vitality. This apparent vitality of British capitalism; has discouraged many Socialists, who point with derision at the present concentrated and over- dictatorial form of the trade unions, and ask us if we ever hope to create a Socialist state with such an implement as the contemporary Trade Union movement. But this certainly is no time for despair. British capitalism; is as fragile as any other capitalism;, and it is only showing signs of life now, firstly because it has more places in which it can distribute its surplus goods than has any other capitalism;, and secondly, because of the artificial stimulus the rearmament boom has given to the heavy industries. British capitalism; cannot possibly remain as it is, any more than Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy can continue as they are to-day. Nor can the British trade unions for long suppress their Left Wing."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Socialists from EnglandPacifistsLabour Party (UK) politiciansFeminists from EnglandSocial justice activists
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
As quoted from a pamphlet Lansbury wrote entitled Why socialists must be pacifists (1937), p. 43-44
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_Lansbury
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
George Lansbury
George Lansbury (22 February 1859 – 7 May 1940) was a British politician and social reformer who was leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1935. He served as Leader of the Opposition against Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald's National Government during the Great Depression, but later had to resign in favor of Clement Attlee because of his opposition to British re-armament.
32 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by George Lansbury →
Related Quotes
"Liberalism would progress just as far as the great money bags of capitalism would allow it to progress, and so I took…"
"The workers of all countries have no quarrel. They are ... exploited in times of peace and sent out to be massacred i…"
"The workers must be given tangible proof that Labour administration means something different from capitalist adminis…"
"A few centuries ago one King who stood up against the common people of that day lost his head—lost it really. (Laught…"
"There is only one way to peace, and it is to be found in the words, "Throw down your arms.""
"I object altogether to the idea of teaching children that the British Empire is something which ought to be preserved…"
"[F]or years I worshipped at the political shrine of Mr. Gladstone."
"'You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' was the basis of policy where jobs and contracts were concerned ... the …"
"I want the Church to say in a clear language that it is against God's Law that in the midst of abundance there should…"
"The time has arrived for the working classes to seize political power and use it to overthrow the competitive system …"