The Tories say that the nationalised indostries are inefficient because they nationalised. The facts show otherwise.
LET EITHE between 1958 and 1968 output per person rose by 4 per cent in British manufacturing as a whole. In the nationalised railways it rose by 4.6 per cent, in the mines by 6 per cent, in electricity by 7.5 per cent. and in the nationalised airlines by 10 percent.
One of the reasons why the Tories have not tried to de-nationalise the MRS, Tall industries is that private ownership would be incapable of generating the long ten investment necessary to maintain these industries — and they In the private sector investment is left to the anarchy of private probit -If the profits don't warrunt the risk, then no investment.
Benn Is right in saying that the nationalised induscries have been run suppor capitalism. Subsidy Firstlythey provide cheap services to private industry. ICI has a contract which they receive gas worth E110 million a year to ordinary consumers for E30 million a year.
Berween 1947 and 1957 the sale of coal to private industry at lower prices than to the domestic consumer them a subsidy of t2000 milkon.
Secondly, they provide a fixed and ready market for goods. In 1974-5 the Post Office bought E800 million of telecommunications equipment from firms like GEC - whose average profits are 15 per cent.
Thirdly, they pay compensation to former owners. The old rail owners get about £50 million a year, turning ny profit into a loss for the railways lo see that they are run in the interests of capitalism their controlling boards were filled with reliable "commercial gentlemen start. Of the directors on the boards of the nationalised industries in 19:50 only 12 percent had apy connection with the labour movement Today the National Enterprise Board is beaded by a majority of company directors or directors.
Yet even run capitalist lines, the industries have proved themselves more efficient than the private sector.
Saving captain das nor ce much for those that work in the industries. Tens of thousands of jobs Socialist Challenge 14 Jane 1979 freezes and productivity deals.
support system. them?
ago as 1912, a group of miners wrote in the Miners Next Step that 'as they feel the increasing pressures we shall be bringing on their profits, they will loudiy cry for nabsonalisation, We shalland must oppose this." mining Workers Control Unfortunacely, however, result is massive closures and lay-orts.
Mass unemployment
for again.
the bosses if they cannot provide jobs.
. like George Ward, they refuse to give profit:
of firms creating redundancy gave private sector's, must beserved.
The previous owners been living off the backs years.
order to improve week.
sector, the WOT CIS SULLISI directly elected representatives. Victory former aloDg totally nationalised is tremendously