Following the terrible disaster at Grenfell Tower,
North Kensington, London, there has been much criticism and anger about the
inadequate response of Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council and the national
Government in helping the victims of the fire. A fire in residential quarters on
this scale is unprecedented so it is not surprising that the local council's
response has been rather inadequate especially given the severe cuts there have
been in public services in recent years. However, there is also a very positive
side to this tragedy and that is the response of the local people to dealing
with their immediate problems.
The surviving residents of Grenfell Tower and other
local people did not wait for local council officials to act but
immediately started to organise themselves to provide food, shelter, clothing
and other necessities for those affected by the disaster. People outside of the
immediate area and across the country donated a vast amount of money, food,
clothing, bedding and other items for the relief effort. In fact, vastly more
donations have been received than can be immediately used. As the local organisation has developed an attitude
of resentment and opposition to both local and national government officials has
developed for their
shortcomings.
SELF-ORGANISATION
What has been very clearly demonstrated in the area
around Grenfell Tower is the capacity of ordinary people to get organised to
take care of themselves. Local and national government are rightly being
criticised for their failures over many years to put in place effective building
and fire regulations. At the same time the creative capacity the local people
have shown in helping themselves shows that we do not really need highly paid
and privileged officials and politicians to tell us what to do, to “manage” our
lives for us. We are quite capable of getting our own act together.
INTERNATIONALISM
The multi-ethnic and multi-national character of the
residents of Grenfell Tower and the surrounding area is very noticeable. Many
are refugees from conflicts in countries where British imperialism has played a
part in creating disorder and chaos, e.g. Syria. This in no way prevented these
people working together with white British people to relieve the suffering. This
instance shows that the efforts of racists and fascists (including Islamic
fundamentalists) to stir up hatred between
different ethnic and national groups in Britain will ultimately fail.
Human beings have a natural affinity to
co-operate with each other but this is often disrupted by reactionary elements
acting in their own interests.
TOWARDS SOCIALISM
In the capitalist system in which we live the energy
and creativity of most people is severely limited by the oppressive and
exploitative structures in which we are trapped. Both in work and in the wider
society we are constrained by complicated bureaucratic organisations whereby
sizeable layers of “managers” try to control us so as to maximise our economic
exploitation for the benefit of the tiny capitalist ruling class. The apologists
for capitalism claim that society would descend into chaos if it were not for
the efforts of the directors and managers to keep our noses to the grindstone.
The people's response to the Grenfell Tower incident
shows that this claim is a lie and that we are perfectly capable of leading our
lives effectively and efficiently without a lot of bosses telling us what to.
Tragic as it is, the people's response to this disaster shows that socialism
leading on to communism is not some unrealistic fantasy but a real possibility
arising out of the everyday capacity of human beings to freely work together in
ways which enhance our lives.
POWER TO THE
PEOPLE!
REVOLUTIONARY PRAXIS
revolutionarypraxis.org
June 2017
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