There is no road to a cooperative commonwealth in England that does not run through the reform of the institutions of organised labour - the trade unions, the Labour Party and the cooperative movement itself.
By all means seek to reform the Labour Party. But without a democratically vibrant and well informed labour and cooperative movement the Party will have little or no space to pursue a radical agenda *even if it wanted to.*
Limiting ourselves to electoral competition within these institutions is a recipe for exhaustion in defeat or corruption in victory. We must take control of these organisations *in order to transform them.* And that means developing a constitutional model and implementing it.
There is only so much that individuals and small groups can do. But if our goal is a cooperative commonwealth we have to apply what little power we have to that end. It's frustrating and difficult work and if we are successful we won't get any credit for it.
But taking power from the worthless and inept few and giving it to the kind and thoughtful many is the only thing that is ever worth a damn. So ask yourself what you can do, and do that. Talk to others, calmly. If you can see something worth doing together, do that, too.
But please don't be gulled into thinking that change isn't possible, just yet, because of this or that supposed threat or emergency, or because it will inconvenience someone in office who says things we like. We can't afford to be naive or trusting. There just isn't time.
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