UC25 December 1977 January 1987 by Christopher Squire

Number 25

December 1977-January 1978

INSIDE: Emotional Plague rn Findhorn 0 The Patchwork Mouse rn Positive Sabotage rn Compost .&.Communismrn Water Power rn Antur Aelhaearn rn Australian Community Radio 0 Sydney Spooks rn Punk Rock 0 Insulation rn Green Cars. . . and more

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Available from: 1 2 South Street, Uley, Dursley, Gloucestershire.

Radical Technology b y Godfrey Boyle. Peter Harper & Undercurrents, 304pp A4 illustrated, Â£3.5 including p & p. ,

...oruers must be prepaid.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFER: Buy now at the old price! From January 1 1978 we will be increasing the price o f Radical Technology to Â£4.2 in line with the recent increase announced by the publishers, Wildwood House, from Â£3.2 to Â£3.95 All orders received before then will be filled at the old price. Bulk order discount for 10 or more copies: Â£3.0 (Â£3.7 after January 1).

Practical L\,- =.

by L John Fry. Â£3.5 including p&p.

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This i s generally acknowledged t o be the best book on small-scale methane plants yet written. As the result o f an arrange ment with the publisher, the book i s available to Undercurrents readers at this special price. Contents includes Building a vertical drum digester; a top-loader digester; a full-scale digester; scum accumulation; gas holders; biology o f digestion; =.+. ~ y ; raw materials; use of gas and sludge; safety precaution; glossary and bibliography. Anyone interested i n the conversion ,";y<;, .,.!..- 5 -., of organic waste into a clean, useful fuel will find Practical Methane invaluable.

edited by Herbert Girardet, 1 4 4 illustrated, ~ ~ Â£1.4 including p&p A manual of radical land reform. Topics covered include food resources, self-sufficiency, enclosures, clearances and the Diggers, Highland landlords, lessons of resettlement, land reform and revoluti the countryside. 'It is essential reading for readers of Undercurrents and all th crisis we are facing.'

BACK ISSUES

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We like t o think that Undercurrents is not so much a periodical as a growing collection o f useful information, most o f which retains its value long after publication. The following back-issues are still available at 50p f o r one copy and 25p for each extra copy, and there's a form at the bottom o f page 48 for ordering. Undercurrents 8 undercurrents 16 Special Habitat Issue COMTEK/National AT Centre/Organic Gardening/Free Radii/Rammed Garden VillagesJWood Food GuideIDlY New Towns/S Earth/Windmill Theory/Hermeticism Solar Terraces/Lifespan/By-passingthe Planners/Citizens' Band Undacuirents 9 Specid Nuden Power IMW U ts 17 Inner Technology Iaue DIY A-Bomb D W K i d d i e s Guide to Nuclear PowerIEnergy Analysis/ Hunt/DowseIt-Your*If/Kirlii Photogaphy/Chris. Co= Uranium Supply/Solar Collectors/Nature et Rogres/Grow Your Own topher Wren's BeehiveISaving Your Own SeedIWomen & AT/

Vegetables

Undarcimmts 10 Joint h n e with Renngence DLY Solar Collector Design/Sward Gardeninn/Anarchut Cities/Future of AT/Land for the PeopleIGenera) Systems Theory/Nternative Culture: Put 1 Underc-ts 11 DIY Widcharger Dcsign/Bcekecping/Lcy HuntingIRammed Earth/ Autonomous House/Mnd Expansion/Aiternative Culture: Part 2 Underciments 12 Lucas Acrospace/Biofcedback/Community Technology/Comtek/ Altenutive MedicineWi Power Part 2/Alternative Culture: Put 3 Undercuuents 13 Diggers/Energy & Food Production/Industry, the Community & AT/ Alternative England & Wales Supplement/Planning/JohnFry o n Methane/Alternative Culture: Part 4 Undcicunents 14 Jack MundeyIAT Round the World/Building With Natural Energy/ Insulation DIY Insulation/AT in India/Brachi on BRAD/AT & Industry Conference Report Undercunents 15 'Who Nee& Nukes?' Icu* Insulation vs. Nucleu Power/Towards a Non-nuclear FutureIAT & Job Creation/Roduction for Need/Biodvnamic GardenidRadical Techno. -logyIInvertor Design

Undercurrents 18 Intennedite Technology Issue IT & the Third World/Chinese Science/IT & Second Class Capitall Supennacker Cartoon/Lcyhunting: the Linear Dream

Undercurrents 24 .~Eawsdre~rs/DIY/Alternative Energy/Cheese& Cider/Compost & ^Comm$&qflForetry/Magic Mushrooms/Planning 9~

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Undercurrents 19 Health Issue Limits to Medicine / P o l W a f Self-Help / Babes in the Ward / Guide to Alternative Medicine / Findhom / National Centre for AT Undercurrents 20 Fifth AnniveiMly blue Tony Benn on the Diggers / Farming: 'chemicals' or organic:? / Mike Cooley / David Dickson / CTT interview 1 Solar Energy Report / Pape Making / Broadcasting / Canals Undercurrents 21 -a * -+ um&3. The Fascist Counterculture / Motorway Madness / Nuclear Policy / Orgone Energy / Free Broadcasting /Good Squat Guide / Iron Age Farming / Laurieston Gardening / Print / Sailing Ships. Undeicunents 22 Paranoia power / Windscale background / Crofting / Food Co-ops / Stonehenge / Fischkiieg / Primal therapy / Free radio / Methane / Fmh. farming / Socialist Environment & Resources Association. Undercutrents 23 Seabrook demo / Nuclear power & Trade Unions / Herman Kahn / DIY Woodstove / Charles Fort / Solar collector design / A small-scale transmitter / Citizens' Band / Paranoia & Conspiracy

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EODIES : News From Everywhere;

LETTERS : Strife and controversy, verbal GBH, literary Kung Fu, sardonic observations and helpful hints.

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9 ' WHAT'S ON/WHATIS WHAT : Events and things that you'll probably want to know about. .

M@TRIBUTION: 'iritidiIdea: Publication*Distribution Co-opWive, 27 Clerkenwell Clow, London EClR >ATsteL (H 251 4976. Jnittd States: Carrier Pigeon,88 Fisher Ave., loxton, Maw 02120; tei. (617) 4459380; kHstnIiK Book People of Austniia, 5 9 A* Boutkc S t , Melbmune 3000, teL i7$249. ? m ~ eLibrairie : Alternative, 36

Rue des I~~~KIoM~U, 75001 fuw teL 222 0840. &e Nethaitan& Bu Moreel, Nobelweg 108, VÃ§geningenBTW Kode Ul60241 V t s t Germany ft Austria: Pro ~ e d i <1 leilffl36, Postfach 162; tel. (030) 618 1258. Iublin: Prank Barnbrick, 120 Stannaway Rd., hbBn 12; tel. 508 293. lie Rest of the WorId: please ad@ess all u6iness enquiries to Chrig Hutton Squire .tour Editorial Office. Don't miss this xciting budnesa opportunity: only 144 Mritoriw irft!

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EMOTIONAL PLAGUE : Why do so many collective and co-operative projects collapse into bitter disagreement and disillusionment? I s it when emotional plague infects the group psychodynamics?

.A PERSONAL VIEW : Phil Brachi, one of the founder member: of the short-lived BRAD community, gives his response to 'Emotional Plague'. FINDHORN REVEALED: perha& the most publicised mysterious community in the world . . what does it do? how is it run? ,. what is the money spent on?

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A PATCHWORK MOUSE I: The prevailing image of the scientist i s the detached, selfless seeker after truth. I s it viable any more? Read about fraud and deception i n the quest for a cancer cure.'

COMPOST & COMMUNISM PART 2 : Ifthe president of the United States can read Small is Beautiful, then perhaps there's something wrong with it after all. It might be a big mistake to ignore the rest of the world white seeking relief in the microcosm. ,

POSITIVE SABOTAGE : Instead of simply putting the boot into capitalist industry, why not try to undermine the superstructure of the market while keeping the wheels turning?

WATER WORKS! One of Britain's greatest natural assets tumbles unnoticed down hillsides day after day, and uselessly out t o sea. Does hydr4ower have ij future?

SONNEL: [Tie motley crew responsible for Undercurrents .ncludes Barbara Kern, Chris Hutton Squire, Dave Elliott, Dave Kanner, Dave Smith, Dun:an Campbell, Godfrey Boyle, Herbie Girarlet, John Southgate, Joyce Evans, Martin ince, Martyn Partridge, Pat Coyne, Pete llass, Peter Bonnici, Peter Cockerton, Richard Elen, Rosemary Randall, Sally Boyle, Fony Durham and Vicky Hutchings. There lie also many other folk who help out here md there, whose only reward is anonymity. Many thanks to them. I :over &sign by Frances Tomlinson.

EDITORIAL MEETINGS: Undercurrents is cooked up at weekly meetings at our editorial office on Wednesday evenings, starting at 7 p.m. Anyone who wants to d o more than simply read the magazine is welcome t o come along. CONTACT: To get in contact with us a t other times please phone 01-26 1 6774 during working hours and ask for Chris Hutton Squire. There will not usually be anyone at our editorial office but if you want t o buy copies of the magazine (and back numbers) you can get them from the PDC at the same address. They also stock a wide range of other radical publications WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS Undercurrents delights in unsolicited contributions, and publishes a large proportion of the ones received, in line with our aim of being an open forum for alternative ideas. If possible things sent to us should be typed, doublespaced, and on only one side of the paper. COPY RIGHT The entire contents of Undercurrents is the joint copyright of Undercurrents Ltd and the respective authors. But don't be frightened - that'sjust to discourage exploiters and rip-off merchants of one sort or another. Permission to reprint will be joyfully given t o non-commercial folk w h o apply in writing.

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.ANTUR AELHAERN : How a small Welsh community responded to the threat of slow extinction. COMMUNITY RADIO I N AUSTRALIA : Australia, land of contrasts, as they probably say in the travel brochures. W-here an embryonic network of free radio: stations exists cheek by jowl with an increasingly reactionary state.

SYDNEY SPOOKS : It's one thing to have your phone tapped by the security services, but it comes to something when you're asked to pay for the privilege.

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SPITTING I N THE WIND : The race to co-opt punk rock i s on . . . will the left beat capitalism to it?Or i s "rt a profound gutreaction beyond all control?

THAI DILEMMAS : Thailand, the next South East Asian domino, is a state in permanent crisis. And a growing imbalance between the get-richquick development of its industrial regiona and the vast exploited hinterland.

SAVING IT : It's cheaper to save a watt than to make a watt, something which nuclear enthusiasts can't imagine. This submission to the Windscale enquiry explains the options.

GREEN CARS : White bikes come of age. At any given moment most cars aren't being used, which is an enormous waste of resources. Sharing is the obvious answer.

IN THE MAKING ' Alternative projects that need people, and vice versa.

REVIEWS : This i s the traditional time of the year for new books. We review some of the ones that have come our way.

SMALL ADS & SUBSCRIPTION FORM : The only way to make absolutely certain of your copy of Undercurrents i s by taking out an annual subscription. We also have a special offer gift subscription for your friends.

Undercurrent!

AT for England

Kalkar Windscale Energy Show

CB for Australia The end for CTT

50 000 AT KALKAR BREEDER PROTEST tci assemble the groups of demonstrators region by region, town by town, so that they would eventually converge on Kalkar as a body, one line approaching from the north, one from the south. The hope was that the numbers would intimidate the authorities. This merely made their task simpler. In Berlin, Hamburg and Frankf u r t thousands of demonstrators were prevented from leaving their towns without searches. Some got away eventually and arrived at Kalkar; many failed t o get there in time. As i t was, the demo, scheduled for 11.30, started at 5.00 p m after waiting for those who had been held up, and they

marched off, still under the six helicopters that had been hovering over the town all the way. 60,000 strong (how many would there have been if there had been free access?) they marched t o the field adjacent t o the site of the reactor, defended by a ten f o o t concrete wall (with holes i n i t for police weapons) and four f o o t deep water-filled moat. Neither side, one cautious and the other disarmed, was looking for trouble. The rest of the event passed off without incidents. All the 150 arrests took place before the march started. PHS/Liberation

Arrests in US The forces of order in West Germany were well prepared to avoid another Malville (report : U n d e r currents 24) when 60,000 anti-nuclear demonsrators arrived a t Kalkar, the site of an uncompleted JOG megawatt fast breeder reactor, on Sunday 25th September. I n what was probably the biggest security "iperation of i t s kind in Europe, 7,500 police surroundled he site (inWestphalia, about 8 miles from the Dutch lorder), 2,000 occupied that site itself and 4.000 wait n reserve in D u s s e l d o r f , On the border, the motorways, nd roads throughout West Geriany, searches and checks were arried out w i t h extraordinary fficiency. I n the end, every emonstrator had been through ve or six checks or searches efore the march assembled under the surveillance of police cameras. After the police had issued receipts for helmets, :arves, bottles, plastic macs, ellingtons and other formidable weapons, the demonstrators made their way t o Kalkar under the constant noise of helicopters. In this huge display of force, every effort was made b y the uthorities t o delav the arrival f the demonstrators, wherever ley might have been coming -om. Searches of cars and coaches t the borders with France and Holind reduced traffic t o a trickle fhile the police took their time ~ e c k i n gand re-checking docutents, as well as carrying out !arches. Dutch demonstrators riving in cars were kept waiting : the wheel while the police delanded payment of a tax; they id not accept Dutch money. ,fter 8 hours of waiting the drivers

were told they could go no furtht since they had been at the wheel for longer than the legal l i m i t !

Unreported i n the European press, which prefers the violent demonstrations in France and Germany, the various US antinuclear groups have been staging a series of non-violent actions against planned and existing nukes. I n August more than f o r t y arouos in over 100 different locales staged independentlyorganised balloon releases (identifying likely fall-out paths) rallies, film shows, speeches, demonstrations and occupations at nuclear power plants and weapons facilities all across the continent. Following the tactics of the Clamshell Alliance on the east coast (Undercurrents 231, 5 0 members of the Abalone

Alliance peacefully occupied the site of the part completed twin reactor at San Luis Obispo, California - and were then arrested. 80 members of the Trojan Decommissioning Alliance staged a peaceful occupation outside the gates of the Trojan nuke in Rainier, Oregon - and were arrested. In July 700 members of the Crabshell Alliance staged a Peaceful demonstration a t Elma. Washington, close t o the site of the proposed SATSOP plant. Demonstrations and pickets have continued at the site of the Seabrook nuke i n New Hampshire - four people were arrested recently for subversive tree planting on the site.

Paratroopers The train t o Kalkar was stooo in the middle of the countryside by 8 helicopters which disgorged paratroopers who surrounded the train, machine guns at the ready. Everyone was searched, identifiec and had their belonqinqs confiscated before h a v i n g t o b a l k the rest of the way t o Kalkar. Many French demonstrators failed t o penetrate the French border at all; having first tried at Aix-la-Chi elle, they tried again further nortl and failed again. Frustration exploded once at a Dutch border post when some demonstrators Delted the German oolice with stones. The Dutch border guards avoided a confrontation bv stow ping the German baton charge ktiich followed.

Water-filled Moat The prouiems of the German clemonstrato~sinemselves wvre n( fewer. C - r ~ o ~ s l ivh. ~ Bi.rqer.nit:a ! I vc!n IC tt/L'rls Act on1 committee wnn organ sco 1171: inarcn. ucc dec

' ~ i gBrother' at Hinkley Friends of the Earth (Somerwtl and Nuclear Reactor Vigilantes recently attended an Open Day at Hinkley Point 'B' Advanced Gascooled Reactor. They planned t o further the "public debate" requested by Tony Benn, b y handing o u t leaflets which questioned nuclear power. Security personnel swiftly p u t an end t o this by escorting the leafletters off their premises. They took ohotouraohs and videotaoe whilst attempting t o discover the names and addresses of those involved. Friends of the Earth (Somerset) pose the following questions: How 'open' is the 'public debate' on nuclear power when those expressing concern end u p i n the Security files? Can one blame for-

ward thinkina i n d i v ~ l r a l snot he.' coming involved i n nuclear issues when they risk getting tangled with the nuclear o o l ~ c eand other estab. lishment security forces? Put ;I,'-'-. inctly - who will say N O i n th nuclear debate when Big Broth is watching you? Despite the intimidating security measures. FOE and ,", managed t o distribute over 500 leaflets t o members of the pub1 and Hinkley employees. They also gave out bags lavelled 'radii active waste' t o the public leaving Hinkley Point, asking them t o bury them i n their gardens and guard them for 100,000 years! Each bag represented a family's share of Britain's nuclear waste. ~

Dust settles Windscale m*

Vindscale Inquiry is now over and Justice arKer has retired to consider his report, no lean task considering the vast pile of evidence that has collected up in the Civic Centre at Whitehaven. But the dust won't be allowed to settle for long - BBC TV, who were denied access for film during the hearings are using the transcripts to re-enact some of the more celebrated --(changes that occurred, using actors. No doubt amongst those will the session when Walt Patterson >m Friends of the Earth was interrogated about his political affiliations and asked 'what cards he carried'. He replied at length, b y going through his wallet, itemizing his Library Card, Bank Card. jazz club card and so on. The Socialist Environment and Resources Association was subject t o similar treatment when it oresented its evidence i n October. SERA pointed out that the Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ600 investment would create only 1000 jobs, and that only about 500 of these would involve local oeoole on a oermanent basis. ~ a v e ~ l l i o t ' drew t anention t o a number of studies which suggested that a larger number of jobs could be created in a wider range of skills and locations if alternative enerqv qenerating and conserving technologies were developed, while Judy - irtlett outlined some specific :ernatives suited t o the Cumbria ?a.

ational Security

SERA expressed alarm that the ~ a t u r eof the industry - in particular the national security aspects -could p u t severe restrictions on th& workers' ability t o organise effectively. For example, the disclosure of information provisions in the Emolovment Protection and Health and safety Acts (which provide for techn~ca.oaia to oe made available t o shop stewards and safety representatives) might not be operable - o n grounds of security. Recruitment and dismissalsprocedures were similarly affected. Furthermore the seven week strike, and associated picket, at Windscale earlier this year was broken, following veiled threats 6i themse of troops - deemed necessary on safety grounds a threat which would perhaps have received more media atteni n if it had t o be made in the ntext of film processing rather = nuclear fuel reprocessing. RA's contention that nuclear l o g y was ultimately incomtible with conventional trade iionish brought a sharp response am Mr P. Adams, of the eleccians union (EEPTUI who is airman of the Trade Union side the BNFL Joint Industrial iuncil. BNFL was,, he said, in any respects an exemplary em-

ployer. I t was wrong t o Suggest that safety in the nuclear industry was at risk because workers were likely t o strike. SERA'S industrial relations witness, Roy Lewis, in reply made i t clear that this was not what SERA was suggesting but rather that the logic of the technology would force unions t o accept an infringement on their legally backed right t o organise and obtain necessary information.

Secrecy or Safety? Indeed. the TUC. i n ifs own submission t o the Inquiry had pointed out that 'restriction on trade union riahts of disclosure of information and the accompany. ing security and secrecy arrangements already exist for the trade unionists i n U K A E A and B N F L sites'. For example, 'Under Regulation 71212 of the forthcoming Safety Representatives and safety Committee Regulations, trade union-appointed safety representatives would not be allowed access t o health and safety information or details of hazards and accidents or t o their members' workplaces if the disclosures of these would be against the interests of national security'. I t is not clear precisely how the TUC expect this problem t o be resolved. I n a somewhat opaque sentence they suggest that 'trade union safety representatives aooointed under the Safetv Regulations having met relevant security requirements should have access t o health and safety information details of hazards and accidents and access t o their members' workplaces.' Does this mean special screening of the safety reps before they are appointed? Or is the TUC simply pointing out that all workers at B N F L are vetted when appointed in any case? As regards strikes the TUC felt that the unions and B N F L should discuss and agree on 'steps which must be taken t o protect the plant and the community if a dispute develops', through the Joint Industrial Council. I t remains t o be seen whether agreement can be arrived at that would preserve nuclear workers' rights t o strike and picket effectively or whether, as one witness at the inquiry advocated, thev will ultimately be denied such rights, as are the police anckarmed services.

Plutonium finishing at Windscale. Must his job hazards remain a national secret?

AT centre planned for England New Age Access, the Hexham, Northumberland, Alternative Technology group have found a site for what they hope will become England's first A T Centre; i t is a former isolation hospital at Wooley, five miles south of Hexham, now for sale with 15 acres of garden, orchard and forest. I n an area unsuitable for agribusiness (much of i t is down t o forest) and o f f the tourist track, the price is reasonable, v e t the site is much easier t o g e t t o than the A T Centre at Machynlleth; indeed the local tourist board, hoping no doubt t o match the Quarry's 50,000 visitors a year, have promised grants for capital expenditure. The local Health Authority. , whose task i t is t o p u t the property out t o tender, is dragging its feet somewhat, b u t New Age are confident that no-one else is interested i n usinq the buildings, so that they have only t o bid a b i t more than the agricultural value of the land t o get it. Local people have offered t o help with materials and labour, and the council is sympathetic. The Centre w.ll emphas.se the DIY, self-reliance aspect of A T rather than simply display commercial hardware: i t will include a

larae oraanic aarden t o show the possibilities of such techniques as companion planting and bio-dynamic methods. Later thev intend t o establish craft workshops and organise lectures and courses. The group is already working on several development projects, some for the Byker City Farm i n Newcastle, a welcome link with 'real life' as most DeoDle exoerience it. New Age Access are now haro at work raising money two local charities have a reaay promised 10 n ~ l p dnd . o t h ~ r smay follow wnen New Age Access themselves arcfinally approved by the Charity Commissioners. They will then be able t o run lotteries t o boost their funds. Offers of help, chques and general enquiries should be addressed to: New Age Access, TO Box 4, Hexham, Northumberland.

Artist's impression of England's A T centre as i t might be.

eddies

Undercurrents 25

Little enthusiasm

This self-inflating, 80ft long, > ilastic cloud was built by Graham mans, a designer of water beds ind inflatable play structures. The ilack surfaces absorb the heat of he sun which re-radiated, warms *" -ir in the tubes and the whole gracefully takes off. Desert 1, a film about the possibilities

inherent in the idea (for example in influencing desert micro-climates by causing water t o condense on the cool underside) was shown at the exhibition and is for hire from Graham at 55 Colebrooke Row, London N1. (Picture supplied, this time for free, by Graham Stevens.)

There they were, straight in front of you, the familiar cheery red sailsof the Centre of Alternative Technology's Cretan windmill, welcoming you to another AT jamboree - no, not the late, lamented COMTEK people's festival risen from the ashes, but the Energy Show at Olympia (September 8-18th). Almost every aspect of energy generation and w n senation was touched on at the exhibition - everything from geothermal district heating to blown air curtains to cut heat-losses in factories when the doors are left open; and, if you wanted a gadget for making beakers out of bottles, you could buy one. Several oil-companies were there, basking in the reflected glory of North Sea oil,while the Gas Board ware verging on the ecstatic about natural gas from the same olace isn't nature wonderful? Even humble old king coal couldn't resist a chance to do a bit of chest-beating. One of the biggest, most prominent stands belonged t o the cosy consortium of British Nuclear Fuels, the Nuclear Power company, and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority who were doing their damned& to make good nuclear power's tarnished image. But what about alternative technology? Well, you could feast your eyes on dozens of almost identical solar collectors displayad by dozens of almost identical firms;marvel at the model of the severn Barrage tidal-oower itation, (only the modelhasbeen built so far); thrrll t b doubleglazing; or warm t o the J#tuI woodstove that is all the rage now that open fires are considered not only inefficient, but positively pass6 as well. Harold Bate had driven his methane-powered Land Rover up from Devon for the event, and was looking in fine form.

This unusual wiling-., o m p e with P r i ~ t o Win al-ax* furlable sails, may be he lignal for the return ol cargo riling ships. Sails are normally rimmed by sheets and braces. a11 f which require man-power. knwver with Christopher Hook's lotnail design,this trimming is b w by ~ the wind itself through downwind air rudder, d ~ tic pilot with the air a ingle 'Aeolui' line passing up tie centre of the single mast. The -'IT up-wind air vane increases

part from of control and igh manoeuvrabili this rig hm' n m b a of nthÃ§advanin- ~udlng nuking full use of g@% f wind became iuuih tilt diahtk into the wind. Than still problemsto be ironed out before the Rotnail can be applied on a large wale for cargo d carrying, but an. 18%ft type la r than the bo is already operational. ~

company, Farm Gas, were display ing their 400 gallon methane dine ter for the small-holder - a mawe of simplicity at Â£58 that wold heat enough hot water for a bath a day and the washing-up. They a now installing a 75,000 gallon capacity'digaster on a battery pig farm. Fed with the slurry from 350 oigs and 200 dairy cows. it is exp&ied to produce enough. methane to generate 40 kw of electricity continuously, and cost

Â£15,000

Entrants i n the Shell competition to build a powered vehicle that gave the highest miles per gallon (mpg) were displaying thei! threeibicycle-wheeled craft. A team from Lucas had taken part in the competition. The winning vehicle did wen over 1000 mpg at an average of 10 miles oar hour evert he less, the windmills attracted the most attention. Some oeoole watched them with the son of look you normally see directed towards turrtble-dryers in the laundrette. watchinn them go round and round and round. The influence of the trickle of money from the government for AT research has already paid dividends in the form of a protowoe variable neometrv, vertical axis windmill.lt has b e i n develop ad at Reading University, and by 40 methane a novel mechanism the inclination 'of the blades is automatically However, there was quite a controlled to reduce stress in high lot t o be seen that was new. One

ids. The National Research velopment Corporation is t o speed its commercial cture. 'Â¥c-?-A

LUCAS

Sack threat fades

Nevertheless the Burnley management's support for the heat pump project clearly represents a precedent, which worker*: in other Lucas plants can pain1 to. The Birmingham stewards felt that many middle and technical managers - some of whom were in the audience - were likely t o sympathise w i t h the ideals of the Corporate Plan: after all their jdbs were also at stake.

D-I-Y - ~ ~ y ~ y ~ - $ ? F ~ As a summary of what's up in world the exhibition was thought-provoking,and comprehensive. Even the Rotasail I idea was represented (see picture). Unfortunately, there was an almost complete absence of companies catering for the do-it-yourself market. and of anv stands highlighting connections between A T and social change, A few of the oioneer companies we know so well, like Conservation Tools and Technology. were absent, but there were lots of newcomers t o f i l l the gaps. These included Shell Oil of South Africa. disolavina a novel blistershaped coliecior,who evidently thought it was worth sending a representative 6,000 miles specially for the show. So perhaps all the enterprising publishers, from the editors of Heating a n d Ventilation News (announcing a special solar supplement from January '781. t o Peter Williams, publisher of Coin magazine, hoping t o bring out Solar World (also January '78, monthly, Â£1 for a year's subscription), are on t o a good thing. However, this strange cross between a trade exhibition, a curiosity shop, a state-corporation public relations exercise, and Tomorrow's World never really caught the public eye i n the way that the organisers had hoped. The people came, but about 50,000 and n o t the hundred thousand that the organisers had hoped for. Apparently the press's concern w i t h energy still far outstrips that of the majority of the public. The time may not yet be right for A T magazines and hardware t o flood the market, but i t seems t o be drawing hearer. ! energy

Dave Smith

(Farm Gas Limited are at Heath Workshop, Lydham, Bishops Castle. Salop SY9 5HB.) Fickle things, carp, they just won't breed if the temperature's not right. Which means that i n chilly Britain they sometimes miss a whole vear. (Don't k n o w how they manage). Even i n a hot year, by the time the fingerlings have hatched it's almost the end of their first growing season, and so you can wait t w o or more years before they're table-ready. So it might make a lot of sense t o heat the water i n your fishpond. And that's just what the Built Envionment Research Group at the Polytechnic of Central London have been doing. Though beset b y practical problems, intial results are promising. Also, they are experimenting w i t h hatching carp eggs i n heated tanks i n November, i n the expectation of producing table-ready carp i n a year and a half. The photograph shows their solar panels and fish ponds covered by plastic greenhouses, at Calverton, Notts.

The threat of mass redundancies at Lucas seems to have passed. The solidarity shown by the Lucas Aerospace workers during the recent wave of lockouts and strikes, coupled with the firm stand by the Combine Committee over redundancies, seems to have changed the company's mind with regard to the 1,100 redundancies that were predicted as likely earlier in the year. But this does not mean that the Lucas campaign is over - there is still considerable interest in the corporate plan, since most people recognise that the company is likely to seek redundancies at some stage.

Birmingham Shop stewards at Lucas Aerospace Birmingham organised a highly successful 'teach in' o n the alternative Corporate Plan i n September which attracted some 200 Lucas workers together w i t h representatives of local political and communi t y organisations. The sookesman of the Birminuhai combine Liaison committee outlined the mini plan that had been developed for the Birmingham factories t o meet the threat of redundancies. The plan suggested that existinu involvement with gas turbines should be widened, for use in power plants for examole. as a matter of urgency - since there- could well be a k 5 i p.a. market for such products. I n the medium term the shop stewards suggested that the Company develop a range of medical technologies, like artificial arm control units, electric thermometers and invalid cars. I n the longer term the stewards felt that firms like Lucas could, in conjunction with companies such as Vickers, make a significant contribution in the field of oceanics - e.g. submersible vehicles for oil rig maintenance, sea bed nodule collection, marine agriculture and so on. Lucas Birminaham's electrical plant would have an obvious role in the control engineering field - both i n medical electronics, and in remote control (telechirict systems.

Burnley The stewards from Birmingham were followed bv Mick Coonev from Lucas ~ u r n l e y who , reported on their own campaign for new products. As reported i n Undercurrents, the stewards had negotiated with local management, following their own very successful 'teach in' on the plan, for the introduction of a heat pump project. This project was progressing Well, and prototypes should be ready sometime next year, when thev will be test-bedded in Milton Keynes Cooney pointed out that the basic design specification for the natural gas-powered heat pump had been drawn up b y the Energy Research Group of the Open University - Lucas has simply provided the engineering and fitting expertise. Although there would obviously be a large market for such systems, Caoney

----MSK^W-,^. .

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was not convinced that Lucas management were really interested i n it: he felt that the current project might be discontinued when the prototypes were complete.

Worldwide interest in the Lucas campaign is mounting a Swedish T V crew filmed the Birminaham meetinu. a oaoerback book o n the ~ u c a cams paign has recently been publisheo in Sweden and mere has been extensive media coverage in Australia, the USA, France. Germany. Italv and ~ o r w a v Maybe . one day the British media will ta<e an interest.

Takeover fears

A t the teach i n o n the Lucas Alternative Plan held at Luton, on Oct. 13th, shop stewards told the 100 or so workers present that the company was negotiating with another f i r m for a possible take over. The Luton plant produces special windsh;elds for aircraft using a patented process, much envied b v other firms. The stewards feared that once the factory had been taken over. the technology would be transferred elsewhere and the plant closed, with a consequent loss of 300 jobs. Consequently they planned t o resist take-over, a n d f i g h t for the retention of the existing products. A t the same time they would develop a mini-Corporate Plan outlining other products that could be adopted. Solar

collectors come readilv t o mind - Particularly the complex cy. lindrical type developed oy Philips. The workers were incensed at not oeing allowed t o know if, when and t o whom thev will be sold. After all. as one o f the shop stewards put it. it was their skills and knowledge that had led t o the develoomentof the new techniaues -- - -. urgent representations had been made t o local MP's and the shoo stewards olanned t o build uo a major defence campaign involving the local community The Lucas Aerospace Combine Shoo . Stewards committee Secretary - Ernie Scarbrow -0romised the Luton workers the full'supwrt of the 14,000-strong combine in their fight -so that things could really be hotting up at Lucas soon.

The road-rail vehicle, one Â of the products outlined i n the Original Corporate Plan, is t o

at optimum efficiency, fuel consumption is cut b y 50% and pollution is reduced. I t is planned t o test the power pack i n a vehicle shortly.

be tested o n British Rail's high speed (120 mph) track. Working with Richard Fletcher of North East London Polytechnic, Lucas workers heloed develoo a orototype which was successfuliy tested on a disused railway line. Now come the high speed tests. The rubber-wheeled vehicle is unique i n being able t o ride o n both rail and road. I t would be most useful i n rural areas and i n the third world.

The h y b r i d diesel-electric

Âpower pack, also proposed in the Corporate Plan, is being developed in conjunction w i t h Queen Mary College, London. It uses a conventional diesel enaine to continuously charge batteries. These provide traction power through an electric motov. Since the diesel engine operates always

A Centre for Alternative Â Industrial and Technolmicat ~ y s t e m s i sbeing set up b y the

Lucas workers and North East London Polytechnic. It is funded by a charitable trust. It will provide technical support for the Lucas Combine Committees ant other workers engaged i n simila actions. A t the same time the centre will assist i n the establish ment of small-scale co-operativf workshops and community industries. The introductory sectior of the Lucas Alternative Coroorate Plan. has now been published as a pamphlet by the Institute for Workers Control. Gamble Street, Nottingham. Price 30p.

u r n

LJ for CTT

The sudden collapse of the porn market and the strain of fighting (and winning) an obscenity bust for their paper Libertine have pushed Paperchain Ltd.,vne-time distributors of Undercurrents, and other small mags, into bankruptcy. But all is not lost: while the company's proprietor, Colin Johnson has left London in a hurry to start a new life as welder in a South Wales co-op, three ex-employees are starting a new distribution co-op, Phoenix, financed by Job Creation money. Phoenix is already distributing the new I T and the alternative rock paper Zigzag. It also handles several other small music papers, such as Dark Star. Impetus and Way Ahead, and hill have the second number of Homegrown, the British dope paper, just as soon as the editors can turn into money old copies of Oz they got from Paperchain i n payment for the first. Meanwhile at the other end of Carey Street the Monopolies Commission is dozilv investioatina they confessed that they had failed t o make contact with the alternative press or heard of the Publications Distribution Co-operative: 'we advertised in the

Times and Financial Times, but no-one replied': nor were they concerned with the racketeering tactics of the porn mafia as they fight for survival in a shrinking market. Perhaps it will require the failure of Moore Harness, whose mainstay Private Eye has now set up i t s own distributor, to stir them out of their iethargy. Moore Harness are desperately trying t o mortgage their North London warehouse for Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ100,00 but the feelinq is that unless business, they will follow Paperchain into ruin. Phoenix are at 118 Talbot Road, London W11, the same address as IT. Tel. 01-221 7422.

Australia: CB legalized Tens of thousands of radio 'pirates' i n Australia have been given a chance t o go legal. 'Citizens Band' enthusiasts who had illegally helped themselves t o the 27 megahertz band have been told they can keep it - t i l l 1982. The price of legality is $A20 for a oneyear licence. The news came soon after an article predicting legalisation had gone t o press i n Undercurrents 23. To avoid interference with other radio services, only 1 8 channels have been allotted for CB in the 27MHz band. 23-channel rigs imported f r o m the US and Japan will now be modified t o 18 channels before sale. Owners of existing 23-channel equipment will just have t o control their fingers. For example US channel 10, the truckers' channel, doesn't appear in the new Australian system, so Ocker truckers have been told t o move t o an adjacent frequency. Further confusion will arise because the US and Australian channels are numbered differently. 40 more channels have been allotted in the U H F band between 476.425 and 477.400 MHz. These frequencies are n o t served b y imported US-type CB rigs, and the

move satisfies pressure from Australian electronics manufacturers, wh.0 see U H F rigs as a new product they can make without foreign competition. CBers have been t o l d they must stop using 27MHz b y 1982, and mnve entirelv o UHF. How~..., t.. -.. ever it remains t o be seen whether they will co-operate, n o w that thev have successfullv led the government by the nose once already. ~

A nice surprise n o w beina experienced b y many ~ m e r i c a n sis the computer which rings you up and tells you t o buy something. Apparently i t doesn't disconnect and call up its next victim, until you have hung u p your phone. So anyone who receives one of these calls, and proceeds t o leave the phone o f f the hook all night, not only clobbers the system b u t costs i t a l o t of money if the call happens t o be long-distance. It's hard t o believe such a loophole would b e left open for long.

A L T E R N A T I V E TECHNOLOGY is the title of a 30 week course at Watford College. Students are required t o fill places on project teams involved w i t h heat pumps windmills, hydroponics and others. The course takes place o n Thursday evenings 7-9 p m at the Greatham Road Annexe, so if you are interested and want t o know more phone Jim McNally on Watford 29232 or Kings Langley 64525 for deta The only qualifications needed, apparer ly, are interest and enthusiasm!

Conservation Tools and Technology (originally Low Impact Technology), pioneers amongst the new wave of alternative technology merchants, went out of business earlier this year. The trouble seems t o have been that they had too many staff answering too many letters for information for free; and then there was the odd product failure, like the Swiss 10kw Elektro windgenerator with sub-standard blades. To bale them out, Hugh Sharman in charge of the old firm, brought in a financier (Norman Housley). but in the confused situation which followed, Housley certainly did not save the company Hugh Sharman is

now in Spain starting up a solai energy company. CTT went into liquidation, but outstanding debts were settled by realising their assets. Then a new company, called the National Energy Centre (NEC), was formed b y Keuno Tichatfchek, technical director of CTT, with an injection of capital f r o m Bell Investment Trust, who own various firms including a publishing company. All CTT's responsibilities have been taken over by NEC, who are selling an extended range of A T hardware. Perhaps the fates will be kinder this time. (NEC are at 161 Clarence Stref Kingston-upon-Tharnes, Surrey).

Crops replace concrete I n 1837 five thousand people were evicted from farmland and small-holdings around St. Pancras in London, t o make way for the coming of the railways. 140 yea!?, later 25 families from the Agar Grove Estate have returned t o the now derelict railway land and ai\! digging u p the concrete t o make way for allotments. Earlier this year, Stella Small, a Life Sciences student at ~ " I G Polytechnic of Central Loncon, wrote to Camden Council i . s .h : f temporary use could be mc-.ni of the land which is scheduleo for housing development 'at some point in the future'. Their response was positive and she was given two acres of ground. Since the middle of September, she and the 25 families, many of

whom have never before had a garden or allotment, nave been working every weekend,clearing the oround and olantina winter vegetables. ~ n t h u s i a s m i sstrong andJthere is a high level of knowledge about gardening and ecology In Stella's own words: 'Food i s the new form of power.' She emphasizes the need for the A T move ment to get more in contact with ordinary people and relate t o their concerns. She hopes that projects such as hers can help effe( this. Any offers of garden furniture, Qardeninatools or informed know iedge about keeping bees and chick ens would be gratefully received. Stella can be contacted c/o Undercurrents.

The people f r o m the tower block are beginning t o cultivate this land.

YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION (formerly the Schools Eco-Action Group) has a new co-ordinator and a permanent address. F r o m October, the group can be contacted via Stephen Joseph at 173 Archway Road, London N.6 (Tel. 01-348-3030). YEA hopes t o expand its activities i n the next year, b y setting u p new groups in schools (it already co-ordinates and helps the activities of several around the country), and b y getting youth groups and clubs interested. Groups can get from YEA b o t h general help and advice and information (including YEA'S own Action Theme series) o n likely campaigns, speakers, and a regular newsletter. Those interested, whether "youth", or adults, are invited t o get in touch.

SCIENCE and SOCIALISM is the title of a series of informal discussion meetings on Mondays at 6.30 p m at the Northumberland Arms, Kings Cross Road, London WC1. The next two are Brian Hurwitz o n Medical Training (November 28) and Mike Hales on Industrial Work i n Operational Research (December 121.

FREE-WHEEL CYCLE CLUB starts its next r u n from Clifton Rise. New Cross o n Sunday 27 November at 10 a.m., for Sbrieham in Kent. A l l anarchistslsocialists are welcome. For more details of club activity, contact Roger Tullet, 01-653 7359.

THE NEW ARCHITECTURE MOVE. TI~~~~~~J~~ATNU~GJLEA~~BEBAW.

nes of FourSaturday conferences, ^yimsed by the University of Birnyngham

D p t of Extra-Mural Studies, in colbboraIfion with the Department of Industry. 'Friends of the ~ & h and , the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The focus will be on the year 2025 (only 50 years 'tence!)and the perspective will be the world. %e.conference held on October 29 was entitled 'Eneigy-Needs and Resources', and '.HSÃ next one will be on November 26 when t&e.subject will be 'Pollution and Risks! The Sther two will be in late January, and ^ebruam/March. and these will be on

MENT is holding its 3rd annual congress at

Hull School of Architecture on November 25-27,1977. They hope to review the advances that have been made over the last . year and to discussand initiate future directions for the movement. Workshops will include the following topics: NAM and ARCUK; NAM's role in the unions, wmmunity architecture/National Design ' Service. The congress fee is Â£5.<M)and accommodation for 2 nights is Â£2.5 per night and can be arranged. Further details from: The Secretary, NAM, 9 Poland Street, London Wl.

- FLtbe+h.ssciaiAwaeratwiid ewn*

: pfagoiatic radicals among our &deb should ' hotfoof it round to Westminster on Wednesday Nevembel16 for ENERGY 2000 (YORK , SHIRE)'s FarliamentatyLobby (2 p.m. l o 6 p.m. in the Grand Committee Room, House of Commons). They aim to show the Government that there is a strong body of opinion totally opposed to the expansion of nuclear power and in favour of the urgent developmen of alternatives. Should be a right good do, tea and buns on the terrace and all that, and a grandchance to buttonhole your own MP and bend their ear with details of your pet project to exploit ley energy or whatever. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the PDC Publications Distribution Co-operative, in case you didn't already know). They are celebrating their first anniversary and theu new Autumn Catalogue is now available from ttem'at 27 Clerkenwell Ctose, London EC1R OAT.

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safety record of the nuclear fuel reprocessing works at La Hague. Technical failures NEWS RELEASL in ute relaunch of have bedevilled the plant, exposing the workers to the risk of irradiation. SERA are ease's newsletter. The first issue contains distributing the film in Britain and will on the confusion over cannabis leave.+ DetaihfrOm 800" be showing it in legality, the treatment of drug addicts, police SERA, 9 Poland Stteet, Londonwl. Tel: (mis)be~a&ur, etc. A -supporter*ssubscription439 3749. and gets you four issues (Release, CRADLEWELL BOOKS in Newcastle 9 Elgin Avenue, London W9). sav thev are the best-stacked alternative THENEWSREEL COLLECTIVE is a bookshop between York and Edinburgh, Ã ‡ Ã ˆ Uof f i workers who have been working (go and see whether or not this is true if 'together shce 1974 making films about the yon doubt fhw word) and they WY a daily lives and struggles of working people. wide range of periodbfa,papers and* . !Titles include An Egg is not a Chicken (about -publication% abortion), Honsey-Housey (squatting, rent +. TheshopisnowrunonacaBefSre , strikes, etc.), EGA Stays OK (the struggle to decision-making basis and i s trying hard to .saw tire Garret Anderson Hospital) and expand stock, and areas of contact/mterest. '^St@ Together - Grunwicks My 11, The . 'j'hey are a contact centre for local groups including Tyneside Socialist Centre, the filmscan be hired from the Other Cinema, Newcastle Women's Group, New Age i 12 Little Newport Street, London WC2and Access, Mandate Wholefoods and other local the group can be reached at 489 Ferntower happenings including the theatre group 'Skin Rd., Lonon N5. and Bones'. They hope to become more The NATIONAL CONSERVATION CORPS involved in community action,and have a .are lookittg for volunteers for their work procoffee room and a converted garage - usejects this winter. The tasksrangefrom repairful for exhibitions, recitals etc. ing a sea-wallon the Ide of Wight to converting Cradlewell Books live at 235 Jesmond ..an old pump house into a bid hide in LanmRoad Newcastle upon Tyne 2, so pay them Ate. You pay Â£ membership fee and 50p a visit and see what's h a p p e d there. ÃˆdÃ for food and accommodation There is AT INFORMATION GROUP A smaU group even a task planned over Christmas for to of public and special librarians interested in appeal to thosewho have no family to join this field has recently been ast no. The aim of (OEwho can't stand their families!). For f details of these and other tasks write with , the group is to improve information flow and sue to: NCC. ~ o o h & &Gardens.~esent!fsSu- the useof AT literature and we would like to . involve anyone who is interested in the topic. London NW14RY. . It is oarticularlv hoped that h i s with a If you are interested in helping to start personal interest AT, as well as those wotka DESIGN CO-OPERATIVE, Richard Chading in the field willjoin us. wick and athersare in to process of setting Work is in progress on a directory and one up. He and Mike Tycer are establishing bibliography of basic information sources and :contacts with sympathetic designers and rn&Fngs are held quarterly (at present in craftsmen across the country. The scheme London). has grown out of a group of designers who Anyone interested please contact Charmain are tiredof working through the current Larke. Librarian at the Office of Fair Trading, estab1ished 6esign set-up, and who wish to Field House, Breams Buildings, London EC4. something to change this. Tel: 01-242 2858. They hope to be rurally based as they STATE RESEARCH is organising a believe that in that way they can achieve a series of seminars which will be held at 9, more relaxed, ampler and satisfying lifestyle, Poland Street, London Wl. On Friday, mQ)Ãˆi harmony with nature. Thewish to be creative and effective, stimulated, not November 18 the subject is The Reform of the Official Secrets Act', on December, repressed by their surroundings, and also 7, it is 'National Association for Freedom' encouraged by b e i with people of a and on January 17 it will be 'Civil Defence similar attitude either on a working or social or Internal Defence?" Meetinas will start bash. at 6.30 pm. For more info on these, or on want to learn more about the the activities of State ReÃ§eaictwrite 1 them at 9Poland Street. London Wl. ' ' phone 01-7'34 S W .

groups of all kinds that have in common the self help ethos (e.g. Lift/(aftercare for psychiatric patients), Depressives Associated, Breakthrough Trust (Deaf-hearing group), etc.) In the US there are estimated to be half a million such groups and as the Welfare STate collapses under its burden of administrators a rapid growth may beexpected over here. For details and a copy of their First Newsletter write with saw to Yvonne Robinson, 170Kingston Rd. London SW19.

REDESIGN is a recently formed collective of graphic designers who a k interested in workingwith voluntary, community and campaigning groups. The idea is to produce posters, leaflets and handbooks to a high technical standard at considerably less than prevailing commercial rates. Any radical group who need help in editing, typesetting, picture research, design or printing - any part of the publishing process - should write to REDESIGN at 1 1 Harcourt Road, London N1,or phone 01-359 5324. What Woes of solar hot water systems have developed by do-it-yourself enthusiasts? What types of collector panelshave been made? What ate the economics of home made collector systems?Do people adjust theu bet water consumption to "live with the - Sun"? If so, what effect does this have on system efficiency? How efficiently does the collector system described in UC 23 work? These are just some of the questions that Vincent Ronche will be trying to answer over the next six months. But to do so, he weds your help to try and track down as many different how made solar systems as possible. Most published information seems t< deal with commercial collectors in idealised situations Mid where hot water demand is regular. Vincent wants to look at the variations that have been pursued and the practical problems involved. So if-yon can help pilose write to V i n t Rouehe, Departn of Archilecture, Gloucester@re C of Art and Design,Pittville,Cheltennai

Undercurrents 25

r--

Undercurrents ~

-S-r

27 Clerkenwell Close London EC4

E& 5i%3%5

A MINOR MISUNDERSTANDING Thanks t o you and Dave Elliott for the review of my recent opus The Fissile Society (Undercurrents 24). I wonder if I might correct a minor misunderstanding which may be the fault of my original text? Dave paraphrases the final paragraph of my chapter o n 'Power to the powerful' thus:

SEX AND CELIBACY

NOT SO SIMPLE!

LOW COST HOUSING We've received an enquiry from one of our contacts in Africa. Given the large supply of leather skins - and a severe shortage of 'conventional' building materials - our contact i s studying the possibility of building Permanent or semi-permanent houses from leather skins. Although we d o a l o t of work with other building materials (earth, crop residues, etc.), none 0 our volunteer experts knows anything about the use o f leather skins for housing. I though you might know of someone who has done work in

Robert A, de J. Hart (no.*23 conflates several issues about cedbacy. Psychic powers that have lain dormant in us may well be awakened and come to consciousness in a sexual context; in this sense it is true that they are promoted by the practice of sex. I t is also true that sexual energy is a particularly accessible fund of psychic energy in us. The power may deliberately he awakened by sexual stimulation. When it is awakened it is then available f o r magical (as f o r other) use. When it is n o longer needed it can indeed bv dispersed bv arriving a t a sexual climax: however the osvchic lessons learned in its

to h e a r i n g f r o m you.

George Codrea t Technical Assistance Co-or dinator f o r Eastern & Southern Africa VITA Information Services. 3706 Rhode Island Ave., Mt. Rainier, Maryland USA 20822.

done in order t o convince u s of his last point requires a skilful transmutationindeed! I fear that i n his enthusiasm he has fallen victim to the more extreme RH-Path propaganda. Walt Patterson 10 Chesham Road

Prudence Jones

16 Sleaford Street Cambridge.

MNVOY MYSTERY (UC 24) MAGIC MUSHROOMS

You are what you eat it true not only of p&pla but of whole locietii. Thin year's diary on the politic* of food a h o w why. It s h o w food being used to corrupt, to manipulate whole countriet; it Â¥ho food providingthe uibtanc* of fantasy and the tuff of ideology. It i n c h d n . HIrd, '*wid Prow, Patrick KiniMnty,"Pood Dangmua to Your Hwhh'; and Charile Chitterbuck, 'The Chemical FeÃ‘tÃ‡i 'Agribudnex'.

Chrittophef

A regular M4 user.

TIME TO ACT

7 CMcot Road, LondonNwlfLH

Rob Bell J.W.

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01-7x4 on1

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Undercurrents 25

M L E , DOPE AND SEX

!ssential functionine o f each. if ie hopes f o r positive and benefica1 f u t u r e experience and mitigai o n of the incredibly disoriented iisintegrated and disequilibrated o n d i t i o n s and relationships withn this svstem which his. hereto'ore, only short-rangingvision and mmediately advantaging actions lave brought t o pass. On such a n xientation and c o m m i t m e n t ,eems t o hinge any further conAnuation of his very existence. Upon reading recently of y o u r ifforts t o develop and herald a world-encompassing vision a n d o u r work in providing tools t o :hape, a t last. a humane people md environment, I wanted t o exr e s s a cohort's admiration a n d r a t i t u d e and t o apprize y o u o f m y

GROSS BIAS I recently heard of your publication in Science for Peopli I would like t o k n o w if you've ever d o n e anything o n the topic of bias in sexual reware- i.e. that t h e c o m m o n .)ror'eJure when something goes mane with a woman's sexual rrgan; is t o remove p a r t o r all, whercas elaborate techniques liave been developed t o preserve t ~ s t i c l e sintact, although removal mav objectively be t h e simplest solution. This is an area of great concern t o me as a feminist and as a woman. I've seen one o r two doctors admit ti,is gross bias in print and . v,,uld like more concrete discussion.

.lane Stapleton

Ireland. Otherwise within t h e confines of a 'how t o d o it' article. he

I would be deli ted t o apply hese journalistic skills in approm a t e technology research and relorting. I have also been a n avid ndependent student and researchr a n d may be able t o assist i n iriginal projects, particularly hose relating t o low-cost rural lousing and selection and adaptai o n of salvage materials f o r milding construction. If you know >f any opportunities please cona c t me. I n any case, I wish y o u 'leaf and abiding good f o r t u n e in o u r vital endeavours.

BEE'DAY

ASTROf.OGICAL Bith Charts and Pfrstinal Analysis Basic Â£3.50Df cassette Â£8.50 Send Date, Time, Birth Place t o : J o h n Willmott, Knockan, Bunessan. Mull, Argyll. REHEARSAL F O R THE YEAR 2000 by Alan Beam. an eye-witness account of the Alternative Society since 1966. 247pp f o r 21.95 plus 5 0 P~& P f r o m Revelaction Press, Basement, 6 5 Edith Grove. London SW10.

Randell Busch

CUT FUEL BILLS with the Woodburning Book. Illustrated details of over 1 0 0 woodheaters, cookers, boilers in the UK. Finding, preparing and storing wood. Â£1.1 from Small Scale Supplies, Department UC, Widdington, Saffron Walden, Essex.

PLANNED GENOCIDE

f y o u 3 0 come. R o b Mitdtell 3 3 1 Ormeau Road Belfast 7.

John McClaugliry Concrod. VT USA

CRYSTAL CLEAR I have long believed that twentieth century man must recall the organic foundations o f his being and environment. He m u s t comprehend that his future evolution must be based o n the development o f his awareness o f t h e omni-i<nteraccommodative reactions o f elements in t h e system o f time and space that make his experience possible. He must bend his whole devotion t o an epic adventure in harmonisins and balancing these reactionary forces and factors t o enhance the

POLITICALLY BIASED I will n u t he renewing my subscription as I feel the magazine is now much t o o politically biased t o he o f interest t o me.

R. H o l b ~ a c hSt Johns Spalding Lines.

Nicholls

FREE ELECTRICITY, Gas and Telephone for only Â£11A t last a practical and cheap 'alternative' technology. Â £ 1 will b u y you 4 5 back issues o f TAP and used wisely will pay for itself many times over. TAP is a t R 4 1 8 W42 St. New York NY 10036, USA. XS: The information exchange magazine. For current issue, send 30p to: Alternative Title. 1 9 Martin Close. Whitwick, Leics.

64A Montagu R d Cambridge.

125 6 t h NW. Suite 6 Ylbuquerque Â¥Je Mexico

In Undercurrents No. '20 a ong article appeared b y Malo l n ~Caldwell "Cambodia, Can f o u Spare a bime?" The point of the article was o explain the reasons behind the ~ r c e d'evacuation of Phnom Penh ollowing the Khmer Rouge "libration" of Cambodia f r o m t h e kmerican-hacked Lon No1 govÂ¥rnmentThe evacuation was lescribed as a necessary response ,o actions previously taken in Nashington t o "destabilise ,he country." Though Mr. Caldveil admitted that there was 'great suffering" involved in ,he evacuation he f o u n d t h e lolicies of t h e Khmer Rouge 'orthy o f "praise n o t execration" In the t w o and a half Years ince t h e Khmer Rouge "lib:ration3' of Cambodia a great ieal of information h a s seeped aut t o t h e outside world. T h a t information is exhaustively prerented in the book by J o h n Barren and Anthony Paul Murder ,f a Gentle Land. We now know that well over one million Camloaians nave died since April 17 1 9 7 5 as a result o f t h e ~ ~ m ~eb ru g epolicies - a 3loodhath unequalled anywhere JI the world outside o f Mao's ,hina) in modern time? T h e arutahty with which this camaaign of planned genocide was iccomplished must sicken any l e c e n t person - particularly those who dream o f The Free Land of Albion." A s a devoted reader of y o u r magazine I would h o p e t h a t you wouid have the conscience to print this letter. a n d perhaps to comment o n Mr. Caldwcll's article in retrospect.

PUBLICATIONS

John

T. Haines.

46 Westhaven Crescent, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lanes. L39 5BW.

ANY ANSWERS?

girden. t o practice self-sufficiency

and alternative technology un-

hindered. Preferably just beyond the edge of a t o w n leoarate h u t not c u c o f f , and p r e f e r a b l y n e a r ~ Loughborough. The problem is, we cannot afford t o buy a place, having little cash between us. Is there any way around this? We assume that the

J o h n Hayward and Carol 1 0 6 Maple Road Loughborough Leics L E I 1 2 J R Things we'd like t o know Mechthild Taylor would like t o know the names of industrial villages in Wales which have been deserted when the quarries which supported them failed and whether there have been a t t e m p t s to repopulate them by using agriculture rather t h a n industry as a means of support. Mrs. M. Taylor 3 0 Broughton Road South ~ h i e l d s ,Tync & we&.

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WHY DO collectives and co-ops, ( U f @ w & hbeing no exception), . tear themselves apart with bitter internal wrangles? Rosemary Randall and John Southgate believe the answer is to be found in some neglected ideas of Withelm Reich. Whatwe suffer from is the Emotional Plague; the cure we need is Work Democracy.

our analysis of organisations and that many o f the processes can take place over many years or even decades. Our description is of the process in its more extreme form. The symptoms we describe may take place sporadically and without the group dissolving. It is also true that many groups operate successfully for long periods w'thout suffering from any -f these manifestations. You may have experienced this process I a political or social group, in a co-0pe-rlive or collective, a commune or at work. #.)deedyou may have experienced this in a family group when you were you% & more recently where a couple relationship

involved is some rationale theory or technical knowledge. This can be overt andcomplex like the scientific theory of a political organisation or an implied oody of knowledge like woodworking skills. Finally, and in many cases importantly, there is some kind o f generalised goal like 'to achieve socialism', 'build the party', 'promote the co-operative mwemerit'. 'combat homelessness', 'relieve Poverty among adolescents'. these examples in way connected freedom to be free from ftw@do-s-thingI t i s from ash YOUPS, *re these kinds of generdfsed ' goals are important, that we win take

insiders want to stay. Everyone feels z+ ' that the group is the result of their own effort and production. They have given birth to a new livingentity; it is, in am' analogous way, 'our baby'. Very often tfit founders identity very strongly with 'their baby' although members frequently do so as well.

Plague To save repetition, we will introduceReich's short-hand term, the emotional plague, here. You will probably recognise the description because it is a common experience in groups and oth relations. The central feature is

s$& it k n ' t feel at all like the Ă&#x201A;ÂĽti phase of good humoured conflict e'&tterness, defensiveness, or CtericaF support for factions will have walftv all of its own. To an ouahter will'appear problematic. DO they 31v have some oassionate disaree&?Is it aboutsome real issue in the

.quite often the task or work seems to become rigidified, and over-simpli-Red. The effort and energy required for development seems to be replaced by platitudinous and dogmatic attitudes where you don't have to think - everything can be sorted t spontaneously, without effort. Let us return to the first phase where everyone Fs committed to the drgaimation's goals and methods. Some event, like for example a prop&. al-to appoint a full-timer or to exp t . tKe organisation, can appear to precipitate an explosion of the em-^. *tional plague symptoms. A sub-group may claim that 'the baby' is being i betrayed by the founders whilst : ariofher sub-group demands support fiy'them. Some people are very upset :or frightened by the process and - withdraw psychologically or literally leave. Factions may form to protect, - change, ctaim or attack 'the baby'. In spite o f the turmoil, most people : stilt think 'the baby' is 0K.They just disagree over how the baby ten best grow. Maybe factions split off and ^-und their own groups with a new

original goals. ~ t & time the whole proewsicqstartagain. One'other . long term possibility is for a routinised, bureaucratic institution to arise. Central in.the process will be certain mdivid&s who seem to possess chsa-ir matic dualities. Peottle feel inescaoablv . . drawn them and they &pear to havean important symbolic function, becoming invested with.pwerful qualm ities even though the person concerned does not wish it or is unawarfof the fact The eople may be the original founders (who incidentally generally possess charismatic qualities of some kind) or leaders o f subgroups or factits. Dependingon the state of the gtwip at the tine different iddividuals wilt be preferre& The common factor is that they are all sett~how perceived as being able to 'save the group and the 'baby'. Members react by supporting, attacking or withdrawing from such figures. Where factions have arisen, battles between their competing leaders may come t o symbolise battles about principles or events. In order to consic(er the causes of this depressing process we need to consider some fundamental dynamics of the way people relate to each other and the effects of the kinds of character structures individuals develop in this society.

Invasion notion we want to intro, duceTheis first that of invasion. (The term

comes from Paulo Freire). Invasion i s a process where we feel threatened or attacked by the emotional, bodily or intellectual communications o f -. others. One person seems to treat the other as an object or container to be filled up with words,iftfonnatton, feeling* or &mmds. Little accountis really taken of who or what they are. One example is the setter o f political

constant demand for compliance or attention. Yet another is on the body itself. There i s the obvious case where you are literally punched up. * Less obvious but equally invading is the unwanted handshake or

' I n a sense this is a banal description of everyday experilence. There are two points we would-draw attention'to however. The first is the universality of the processithe second is that it is generally unintentional or unconscious. On the day you read t h i s paper you have probably unwittingly invaded somone's mind, feelings or body. At somripoint, your enthusiasm for an idea, person or thing (maybe unbeknownJo you) made that person feel invaded. It i s ourcontention that we live in an invading and competitive culture , and as a consequence we inherit, through no fault o f our own, an invading psychology (i.e. what we call character structure). Moreover this process is a very ancient one where fathers invade mothers who invade children who grow up to be father! and mothers and so on ad nauseam. Furthermore, this process i s largely unconscious. As a rule, when we are challenged about some invading scene we are hurt and surprised. 'They' are invading, 'we' are n o t We are 'normal'. It is of course a process which alienates, and a process which starts very young. In its less extreme forms it produces individuals who can function effectively in the nexus of the nuclear family orgroup and are efficient units in the capitalist system of production and reproduction. I n its more extreme forms the result in the individual is what is usually termed madness, neurosis or psych&.* Depending upon the historical process and circumstances, as adults we rationalise our invasion. A mediaeval priest would have been astonished to be told he was 'invading' his flock with his vision of hell. Similarly many liberal w i a l workers would be surprised to find that their clients feel invaded by sensible advice. v The effect of group interaction i s often to stir early patterns o f defence against invasion which will be irrational in terms of thecurrent situation but extremely powerful in their effect on the group. These defences are the same phenomena which we earlier referred to as the 'emotional plague'. As these symptoms emerge the group will try to 'bind' or 'contain' the threatening

.-..."-. -.

Illation in one o f a i ays. This i s not due to the (01 tent of individuals but'to the ,,,wv. group process. This 'containing* or inding' process is not usually effective. increases the flight from the group's iginal task, prevents development id eventually promotes splits, divi3ns and paranoia with a search f o meo one to blarfte. In our experience there are two isic solutions to this problemr~he Â¥s is that o f bredticracy and airthoritian control, the solution of most aditional organisations in capialist ciety. Here the 'containing' or inding' process of the group is tsie&&; bntained and made safe by a rigid t y ^ stem of rules, roles, alienation a n @ % ithority which corresponds to the$% dividual's early and continuinr .perience of invasion. Creative ~~5 welopment becomes the prerogativt the few. The submissive and confollowers are 'safe'.

$ .;!

ialogue

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The alternative andmore difficult solution is that of 'work democracy'. This is dependent on the process Freire refers to as dialogue. Dialogue i s equally common and banal and yet has profound and contradictory consequences. To anticipate': we are working towards arguing that all intellectual, emotional and bodily pathology is traceable to invasion and that all intellectual, emotional and bodjiy creativity is traceable to dialogue (with persons or objects). Dialogue isa genuine two way communication which takes accoun of both people's ideas, feelings and total situations. The relation of the subject and object is that o f a sp?ralliag interaction in which both cgn change. As with invasion, dialogue can be a bodily, emotional or intellectual process. A few examples - Perhaps the most common and beautiful dialogue * is that of mother and baby - cooing and reflecting, joy in relating. We argue elsewhere that the origin o f severe madness is often the lack of dialogue and reflection in very early life. Sexual and emotional dialogue i s something we . all desire but which often proves difficult in this culture. Sexual relations often become invasion, counterinvasion or otherwise alienating. .

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of invasiqp-versus Dialogue is, we -me, a ftindamtntal factor ?n personal and 'social life. We argue that any social relations can, in the final analysis, be reduced to these two factors. Lack o f space means that we now omit part of our analysis in order tomake this short article comprehensive enough to be of practical use. The detailed analysis would end up with a conclusfon somewhat as follows: because of invadingsodal relations that weexperience *rough We, (from for example the repression o f infantile sexuality through an equally repressive ,adokscence t o compulsive marriage) itions, groups then in certain c k i may ufICp%?&dY of p H i - f t g 6 in f&tac ng to relieve anxiety or &feat or to reas*fance, and which 'trigger' these early patterns and produce various forms of the 'emotional plague'.

goals &.,v set up arealistic primary task. See the enthusiastic reporf('Early :. ~ i t h Daze') ~ n where the AT venture is swinging along. In t h i s case we would haveqredicted that the chances of the Emotional Plague symptoms becoming dominant were fairly low. The two articles (in the same issue) report a dramatic change, 'before' and 'after'. Clearly some qualitative change tookplace in BRAD which led to a sitw , tionto be described below. we have information on t h i s specific exampie. However, our experience, and the. analysis in the earlier part of the article would suggest that a growing gap , emerged between the goals and desires of nwnfeiets and the reality of the y ~ * s ip themrid. Usually, people get a co-operative together to perform some task to which they are committed. A t the same time there are desires and hopes which kopli have in addition; some of these are The Origins of the Plague conscious and may include matters We have found that all these processthat range from saving the world,* es take place in mosfgroups from time relatively mundane goals. Then there . are a host of unconscious desires - for to time. The crucial question, however, love, friendship, sexual relations (and , is what is the origin of Jhe emotional in Freudian terms many of these will plague?Why is that in co-operatives and be repressed infantile needs from the similar groups, things go very well for a earliest periods of life). More mundane long time until outbursts of veritable are the conscious or unconscious needs" paranoia seem to arise? for glory, ambition, domination or We have a number of answers to this success. The common feature can [but question. In this article we propose to need not necessarily be) a lack of conconcentrate on the one we see as nection between all of these needs and central: the emergence of the ~motiokal the harsh and mundane reality of the Plague depends on whether the overall ,group's goal as it actually is in the primary goal, or primary task i s based world. The brilliant and moving accouni on illusion or reality. Before we illus: trate this, let us introduce acouple of , by Philip Brachi in Undercurrents 74 is well worth rereading. It illustrates technical terms for clarity. Most much o f our analysis. For example: 'Freedom' groups have what ws (.all a meta-goal'. @is is ahighly generalised 'We each entered the commune with asentiment wdesmd d J i k'building fantasy; not in the sense of mad deluthe alternative or 'combatting sions, but a well worked out scenario of homelessnea*. By itself it does not , expectations. For a time you project, suggest any action. A generalised but superimposing your fantasy upon un(^.practical proposed action like 'to set folding reality; until the scene diverges up a political branch' or 'found a charity dramatically from one's personal script: ' *to campaign for Gypsies' we call a your wife walks out; the newborn calf primary-task.-Therecan be very specific dies, the windmill fails to work, your primary tasks like calling a public . husband sleeps with the woman downmeeting or getting funds for the office stairs; the barley crop rots. Then you machinery. So, we have a meta-god, either freak out completely, adjust General Primary task, andspecific prim- . your fantasy, or draw a deep breath aiy task. "and begin-to grow tip. In suchit situation the commune's- First we will illustrate where there is, \-^ areality connection between the me*." founder, probably by definition the

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"wiillustrates. In normal times when

non-task reasons described above, nor does it guarantee a reality-connection rather than an illusional one. The link, Reich argued, that closes the gap between illusion and reality i s the natural scientific method - thought of broadly as encompassing psychological, sociological, economic and 'natural' sciences - the goal being to penetrate the mysteries of nature (including human nature). Rei& recognised that illusion was often necessary because knowledge was not available, or not acceptable.

there is no threat from inside or outside the group there may be little difference

+pparently, between- the 'illusionary' and 'reality' based groups (except that the latter is more likely to make real practical links with the world). It i s in times of crisis that the processes reveal themselves though in more complex d contradictory forms that we have scribed.

ation we are not short of empirical

idence about this process. The analysis ggests that most commercial organisains, large firms and bureaucracies i d inevitably to a split between the eta-goal and the primary task since ost people engaged on the primary sk do not share the meta-goal and odd quickly take themselves off if ey won the pools. There is a large erature on the alienation of peopleorking in this sector and we, like ost people have experienced such ienation ourselves. Even in schools, ~iversitiesand colleges, many teachers mply earn a living and do not care lout the primary task white their udents study things ih pursuit o f a ireer that does not interest them. milarly, many scientists and researchs aremore concerned with glory and iccess than i n the content of their In voluntary and co-operative isations this can also hold as we tvehscribed. Of course it is no-one's [ult - in the sense that these pro:sses arise from the social system. One solution that is often held out that of formal democracy where it apparently possible for rational illective decisions to be made with ie participation of all concerned. lany 'freedom' organisations, particudv those whose meta-goals are director indirectly political, adopt a ructure of this kind. They are often irmally democratic and have members ho show, sometimes, a passionate mcern for the meta-goal. However here the connectionwith reality is usional, the Emotional Plague mptoms appear t o operatewith a ingeance. We discuss elsewhere this ,menon i n K e Trotskyite move-

...

Work Democracy Reich repeatedly faced these'problems in his life and by 1944 he posed the possibility of 'Work Democracy.'. Essentially he tried to set up a federation where people join autonomous sub groups on the basis of work or scientific practical interests. Experienced members defined their work-and people only make decisions or discuss matters about which they have practical knowledge. The problems in this are considerableand Reich himself did not succeed in answering them satisfactorily. There are however some deductions that can be made that might be useful forra collective or co-operative. We pose these as a series of questions:

all-

1. The Emotional flaque as an 'indicator' (a) I s there an illusional element in the link with reality? (This will probably be almost impossible to see if you are in the centre of the precess). (b) Is some innovation being resisted? (c) Are people becoming leaders who ordinarily wouldn't either want the role or be offered it?

I s there some hidden disagreement u t the primary task?

2 Some possible actions

-3--

(b) Can you arrange for decisions/ organisation to be based wpeople wi ~racticalknowledge? (c) Can you get someone from outside -to talk to all concerned as individuals and the report to the group? (d) tf all else fails i s it better t o split

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side in this article, so to redress the balance we will say a few words about the creative side o f good co-operative work-groups. Everybne knows how enjoyable this experience can be. We have noticed that a particular cycle often arises:(1) a phase of preparation and planning where people 'nurture' each other emotiohally or with information and data; (2) a very energising phase of increasing activity culminating in a 'peak' - as. forexample, at the final curtain call during a successful theatre product!. , and (3) a relaxation phdse (often in the form of parties or enjoyable chat). You may note that these phases are similar t o the orgasmic cycle in sexual relations. It is our view that orgasmic and creative activities are closely related, but it would take at least another article to explore th-is theme. he essential message of this article is that AT by itself i s only half the s h r of scientific endeavour, of achieving what both Marx and Freud talked abou waking humanity from its long dream. There has to be alternative social science. Perhaps Brachi put it-well at the end of his analysis of the BRAQ community: 'These are tentative thoughts, for we have barely begun. But the essential message from here seems to be that building a solar roof, one's own house even, is child's play compared with close, honest, open communal living . therein'. Undercurrents 14, pp39. Rosemary Randall John Southgate

1 Important overview of Reich's work in W e l m Reich. The Evolution of His Work, David Boadella. 1973. Vision Press Education' 'nte Practice of Freedom Paulo Freire 1973, Writers and Readers Publishing 4 Unpublished MS by David L. Smith 1 Character-AnalysisSeminal. 5 If you are new to psychoanalytic thinkjnf try the cartoon book The Barefoot Psych4 analyst, John Southgate and Rosemary Randall, 1 9 6 W H P C . AvaBable from Compendium Bookshop, Camden High Street, NW1. Follow with Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, S. Freud, or more information contact Professor GUI iggin, Department of Continuing Managem

- M

WORK DEMOCRACY and the Emotional P -. . by Philip Brachi.

the path to lead an initial encounter

*personal canwent - ,

weekend. We djickeped out; you need

not . ~ h e irffct^& h not really about groups, but about the in<rwfdaais whose hang-ups ,nrf r i idMesat6 (an iWeak for myself k e m L t h - r n o & d&@y$xposed and.if other mem+rskfit-take the plunge, &re esafi baled artdsrowr beyond wh'ile living and'k&@rg$Iogethe So we're talking about personal growth. Whe-re 'conceptafl f r y n e q k s and abstract analyses are pot otrfyfl avoidance; bu t simpty miss W-giabi p~qomma,*at * q ~

->. t:

I'VE MIXED FEELINGS aboot be&

en a page to respond to such quotatioft d praise; pleasure from theego-msage

. ns through, though!~ ufort anyone who's sertous about fills subject and for me it%the most exhilarating, demandihg, subversive, in-ifying, liberating, load-sharingufimately sane and inwardly peaceful ~ t hI've found in thirty p l ! ~ s- may suggest a far more travelled guide? Try ritz Perks, whose UGroportsd Bantam. w r b a c k is widely available. {Now, ton't use 'therapy' as the excuse for avoidance, and turn the page; that's what BRAD did.) Fritz didn't write heavy textbooks; ~ewas too honest, aware of the ego-trip find trip-laying involved. There's another* reason too: of i t s essence, this i s m area of human activity that can never be Properiy illuminated by any form of safe, itanced, academic study, however rceptive. Such efforts are, I feel, not only unhelpful, but, by trusting the head over the heart, thought and intellect over feeting and experience, they a tive cop-out for overly cerebfkf fbtkflke myself: another obstacle added the cultural and personal ones which, all to0 often, 1 allow to prevent me experiencing self-awareness. It's a tacit, ~~-0bablY unconscious conspiracy shared by writer and reader alike; in a word, an u v o i d m of feeling.

with'trfp-layingi'and,a~$nute'-s htonest introspqction eonf~~ms that it's r w a n t Rigbtly, they define it wtdetyi for the same refusalftrily aidconsciaasly to acknowtedge<ate~8s unique individu.& underlies b many nasties. -Tryidtayning .' a M d wfttiouttnvasion:

1 do my thing, gndyou do your thin@-

h-worfd2~ toh yourexpectations f@mim$

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Andyo</a& m t i n &swo,$d& up to mine. YW are you, w d / ^ ~ 1 ~ - 1 , And if by chance,-WtfifMfeech 0th';it3 beoutifuf. If Hot, It can't be fie/ped.

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momen!?* choices, fflou1^my41fci are verf msuSf~rer-~Ã‡fcnow fasw-%anftwg(*t-gutÂ¥nwtioB^fea19g Jetted ant cwoi-ettbefore-! ta^MSU^Â¥^^Wt much what's expected of me. -Btere are those weird notionsabout manhood and physique, picked up or laid on along N ~ to & -, ~-,.~h'.; GwOrk(temOcracy' the way, fossilised until lately and-fwi, like the &rink\ technolor,ical speaking unconsciousv&mes'frodt-ai f i x choosing to ignore underlying causes. cocked-,mmutrJe-sfnictiiream< h$m 'Dialogue' though, central to work demopose. &&, festered b y the yearsof welcracy apparently, is the antidote to income SRASMktkp,,, from TV and varion, and &very much,.wkas, la~.titi UMefewrents, the vicarious and-tbe curious - there was my fantasy of the wt to% 'aÃˆeof~mtcafts&s image I was projecting to the rest of Ld^iWEform.weitier lesson of BRAD; creation: I'lljust say it corresponded t h greupkfÃˆte_wa largely the consequence imperfectly with what any wif-awifeperson ertcountering me could easily of individuals lacking theexistential choice to even consider such matters. And - perceivet of course G a t & 'work'-only works when 1 get a flash o f Mick jagger sinsins one' works at it wiilingk! Hardly a paragon . G~mmeFeedback. I don't man howling on evolved humanity myself, Iwas at the arnpiifiersor systems theory; I'mWOBtime stilt sending my every press cutting dering why Iwas form tong so s e d to m y mother - and not stricttyat her of honest feedback from those around f me. And why I'm uptight still aboutgvi request! Stuck in the Elephantshit it to others. So precious and essential Re-reading the August '75 piece for growth, yet so utferiy taboo in oUK, which John and Rosemary wrote, I'm With his organic metaphors, Fritz culture; and I include 'the alternative'. , faintly embarassed. I n innerturmoil, put it like this: there's chickenshit, bullI'd written nothing.since n i% It's not C?an't,hhpe itall on capitalism jar 'the =hitand elephantshit Chickenshit is that i'wthmgwi my views, bu t rather + W ~ ' @ M .@at's another avoiften&, Hello, how are you? Good *see you", that thosfe same views-arenOw fdt and ' I*? sure. ' and the meaningless handshake. Buthh~t known, rather than merely held, betk~ed. Lastly, Vdbetter preempt the <I& is the synthetic rotes, Hie "Gxme~People of 'self& cop-out' from threatened Written from the head and not the heart," Play". And elephantshit i s the attempt to analyse and head-trip a way through t h e i t was self-deceit: I'd not allowed m y s l f readers: it's'the crucial first&! of fully to experience events, altough careavoidance {rife at BRAD) and I'M used first two. Denying and avoiding the . ful prose gave another impression. People - it i n my time. I f john and R ~ r n a r y , ~ primacy o f feeling, the oneness o f body, change. Needing t o know why Iand get away with a quote for their ending,. heart and mind, it dominated psychoanaso can 1. Here's another wise Fritz:--lytic theory and practice. Rosemary Rand-. others had turned our backs on openended paradise, I've be.en working witL all and john Southgage are, I feel, stuck it is a grave error to blame a in the elephantshit, somewhere not una gestatt group for the past eighteen man who purusues self-knowledge* months: as Fritz said: '"To suffer one's adjacent to P r i m Eye's "Situation for 'turninghis hack on society: The death and to be rvhYrn is not eay." ~omkr".Which is a shame, for some of opposite would @? more if&y As for the ehe~kl list diagnosing ern* what they say is important The 'em* That a man Kfr# fstts toprsUese6 tional plague, rt's-faik e no&. but n o tional plague', for instance, certainly knowledge is &d?@k~/tB a danger tc group afflicted is tikÃ‡I to be unaware: exists; and theirgeneralised epidemiosociety, for fle'will tenttto m@mlefbullshit stinks. Of aKW jnterestare logy fits my view of the BRAD venture standevetything that other people * "some possible =ti$ >RS";of which an& pretty closely. (Like alt life, the BRAD/ unaware of many things he dwshimssta (c) comes close to n Iprescription, which ' ~ i t h i ntale i s a fine tapestry: a man-made (E.F. Sctnimacher, A Guide for ttk hungry i s to bean peeling the Iayer~iGa and natural yarn, to which Ishall return.) Perplexed. Cape 1977) for a week to pay SI mione3brther along Itaken 'invasion' to be synonymous

.. .

FINDHORN is the largest alternative community in Britain, yet it is viewed with mistrust and incomprehension, particularly by political radicals. Mike Reid describes whit this'manifestation of the new <gel has meant to him and argues that those who see it as undemocratic or a rip-off are missing the point. lEVtOUS FEATURES in Undercurrents out Findhom have tended to emphae the original Findhorn mystery: a lely caravan park where three middle idpeople, down on their luck, began king t o the-ptant spirits and were k d in growing giant vegetables on i poorest imaginabte toil. It is not leraily realised that Firafttom is now wy large international spirThriF&minity of about 280 residents, who - ' pe with fifty or more weekly .guest$ wghout the April-September period, is hundreds more day-visitors. Tlwmrnunity has its own publishing w t p x n t , recording, weaving and ttery studios, a performing arts .tion, shops, healing centre. e

.'.

& d t yof Light ffer freaking out with Pan and Yes, FIndhorngot Itself a New .ufrom the States and was turned on b@g a-Centre of Light. . " a very ,i+way of describing events between $=-and 1973, when David Spangler - 7 e l o f i n d h o r n with Myrtle'Glines.

the time

daily community meditations either of the two sanctuaries. They

n this year was Â£5 for full advance paynot an advertisemen just putting the record straight fro1 personal experience. After complel the week, guests are abl to stay on, or return for, one o f tht , six workshops that are rotated throughout the April-September Themesperiod of these o f the

'cfeating a new age 'co-operation with Nature quite intensive, u p to demonstrated, and teachimlfti@e four sessions a-day of talks/discussions, audio-visuals, on-site visits, guided medi availabte tCt-v?siten^Bm ati over the tations, visualisation exercises, and world. Thatrtfm'iun fun&on, maybe a ritual dance i f your group and eaestste main source Of mco gets that high (it happened in mine!). F, New guests must undergo a prelimwith< inary week ~ morei of findhorn 'l-he ~ i ~ ~d h ~~ those ~~who ~ want dd1^ awrkshop there is W w o r k i n g ence' &en they are given a guided tour guest' system where they are allocated of the whole community (now divided work for the len^of their stay- ^y between Findhorn, and Cluny Hill four miles away), meet many of the reside+ have to P V a for too! This raises the great doubt in the mindsof in discussions and games sessions, and alternative radicals, and work invarious departments. ~ h ~ ~ ~ others;l crudely~ put it is: why the big rip off? sleep either in a bungalow with other guests at Findhorn, or share a room at Madf@btiOn Cluny Hill College, which was formerly

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"t^w^Bwa~,?wy.*^men&~tecogipletion'isapw tiy top;priority <ft ttie c ~ m p d t ^ , -Gardeningis, o f cowse, organic. The soil originatly n o Wore than sand,has been built up with massive

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and

bribes, money becomes irrelevant. Fhose for whom it doesn't have a pteÃ -anyway and don't grudge the extense, it's less than staying in a w l ifter all. The money they spend prmi waft of the vital -needed for he manifestation of Fwdhorn. twit ie said that everything atFindhomhas

o be flexible, timetables, work schedules, nd charges to visitors'too. Thefe is a

they can become giant-size. Flowers are given & much space as vegetables, being ,:

mrsary system for those really unable oafford the basic charges. Findhorn is nanIfesting its identity through group msclousness, the hallmark of the ^quarim Age that we are entering; this s part of the 'radical' significance of :i@orn: itdemonstrates spiritua) rowth and synergy inagroup c o n t e ~ t . ~

Bowit works Mostthings at Findhorn are done i n goups. Usually there is a department for

tach kind o f job to be done. Each depm n t has a 'focaltwr' who sees that Â¥h work n dole effectively. This is not in authoritarian role, rather a facilitator Ãˆhafea an overall picture of the work iWonand guides the workflow. If mi are a visitor working in a department fou may not notice who the focaftser is, here are no orders, work-timing or bossiless. Whatyou will notice is that before he work commences, one person will gather you into a circle and have everymelink hands for an attunement, a arief silence in which the group identify . s established for that work session. t isboth a thankavlng and a statenent o f intent to do that workas well is possi'ble. A t Findhorn work is 'love iction', it is to be done beautifully i a prayer or meditation. All things ire regarded as having their own spiritual =in& drawers in the kitchen, I noticed, were labelled 'wood beings' and 'metal wings', for those kindsof utensits. h beings are to be handled literally 1 care. The tool you are working vith is allowed to express itself through rout hands. The being you are working m is manifesting itself with your co-op!ration. This is a creative attitude, not 1 pantheistic one, and gives an empathic, irgaflic feet to whatever you are tackling. Structurally Findhorn is stiff volving, and i n that process, devolving. t began in strict authoritarian fashion: citeen and Dorothy received guidance, and Peter put it into effect, with enornous witt power and resolution. With he c&hg of David Spangler a new tructure emerged, the core group; The ' tepartments formed and the focaliser ole was born. A charitable trust was reated for the legal framework. There inow a complex system of groups and bpartments, the whole being likened o a biological cell, with the core group s nucleus. It may sound centralist but fiembership of the core group is very much a matter of inner guidance; mern- , ers enter or leave it when it seem nrfn for all concerned. Decisions aid to be reached i n the core grou y a process of group attunemeat, Ibeit after much intense discussion. u l l meetings o f the whole community lo take place, so that both stimulus and

Relationships

' feedback to the core group or departments can be given. An imperfect form of democracy? Perhaps, but some members of Findhorn believe that they are entering an era of 'theocratic democracy' to quote one resident thinker,*~rancois Duquesne: "A decision is no longer imposed, but commonly attuned to and accepted because everyone has tuned into the Universal Mind and verified for themself that the decision is bes for the ~ h o l e . "There ~ is also a

belief at Findhorn that it will grow i a'spiritualcity' o f 20,000! t f so, theocratic democracy will be mtfch needed ip times to come.

Relationships are open, flexible and pretty much what you make o f them at Findhorn. I heard a l o t of very frank sharing about emotional problems and solutions, about the women's and men's groups, about personal swings towards or away from the conventional partnership. Some people h i v e happily married and S W <*>at-way;others find less stable \retationships. Marriages in the community are quite common, and are said tobe beautiful occasions. It i s said that FindI'*6"1can be a lonely place: m0-odd , people att love you (?) but not giving you much o f their time; makingspecial friends can take a whlÂ¥teBy all accounts it is very demanding, no place for escapists. The constant emphasis and encouragement is: give o f your best at all &n ,to manifest the highest within you. fi9extends to the guests too, and from a mere two-week

Technology Alternative? No, not in the mech ical sense, though I hear that links w the Centre for AT are being formed. Candles - - - - are - used -.- for . meditation. but the CEGB is the main source ofphysical power. However, ley and orgone freaks will like the 'University Hall', a new pentagonal building. According to visiting dowsers it lies on a ley intersection. and the layers on its roof are said to form the b k c orgone accumulator (it is top ed with pebbles from Findhorn ~ay).These things were not consciously planned by the community, but are one more instance of how things that just seem right are later seen in their full significance. July 1st was this year the third anniversary of the commencement of the hall, and also the day of the the full moon in Cancer. It was also the end of my first week at Findhorn. The whole community gathered in the hall for an audio visual about the building of it, followed by a meditation. We then filed out into the sunshine and formed a circle, about three hundred o f us, around the building, linked hands and for several minutes visualised the hall in its final state: a magical place of music, dance, meditation, discussion entighten-

Significance The rewards are even greater ttiaugh: to experience what ispossible through *; continuous e n ~ u r a g e m k o your f test efforts, to have a glimpse of t h e w - . monious vision o f co-operation with Nature.mdeach.other, of the possibility of a &eeen&idised but spiritually unified P l q & r y Culture 3 transcending old national boundaries. Findhorn is deacated to culW e building for the most positive of reasons, as a means to divine unity. Its Significance i 9 that it is a ~ i v t n ~ $ demonstration and inspiration t o those of 3

1. See David Spanglei The Laws of Manifestation, Findhorn Publications. 2. Articles on the evolution of government at geneld Findhorn, apFued and onin group pmorn,s consciousness in

,,,*^

Sn Earth, No. 3, 1977. 3. See Planetary Culture and the New rme of Humanity by Wiffiam Irwin 'Rqnpson in O n Earth 2, pp. 14 - 28. 1976 . -

? r).

^.-; . .-"SS"':>~$Â¥~* If you hadn't yet heard about the historic role of the bourgeoisie in t h vanguard of Revolutionary struggle, you're just about to. John Fletchi ~~~Sc-;$_"s^~~;?..j '

'Â¥

has been looking at a case of mythical cancer cure, and the high-level - sabotage that created it. .. :-. , ~

ALL LARGE organizations need expantn-as badly asOlympic runners need Wit steroids to improve records. As e Church once had to invent sin t o main credible, so all police and lawyers ve a vested interest in rising crime, the ?dia feeds on ever-increasing crisis, the alth services cannot survive without kness, capitalists need communists d vice versa, Mary Whitehouse wouldn't anywhere without pornography and %perversa, and finally the ever-huner State needs every last person-jack of to cram down i t s ever-widening maw. As Corporate Gorgon guzzles itself to ultimate gastrolatio~i,many obsewi h m noted, whether in celebration alarm, the large strains and cracks pearing in the lower orders o f the ucture. But few have noticed the a r e s fissuring through the e d i f i s ' per echelons. White radicals chart murmurings of icontent from -the engine room, they've led to notice full-scale mutinies, [Kitage and punch-ups taking place on

The 1970's have seen, above all, them l t of management, of corporate man ainst the corporation. What were once e most faithful automatons of industry, recent years have turned their hands wholesale deception, forgery, leaks d sabotage. Guerrillas having commutfrom the country to the cities, Ifully pect to see fully-blown office guerrilla dare blossomingbefore long, with late floors on Millbank and Centre - , lint declared No Go areas. Daniel Ellsberg, whether workingfar" e CtA or not, proved t o have beerwl" rt of dawn choftis i n 1971 M e n he ' fectively sabotaged the Defence Indusby leaking the Pentagon Papers. A t uch the same time Clifford Irving, the timate corporation hack, duped his wses in the vast McGraw-Hill publishempire with his faked autobiography

of Howard Hughes; Graham Btrto minor and innocuous underlin

The Sunday Times revealed furth all the company's international competitors had received complete copies of the company's international toward operatingplans - its sales strategy in wortd markets - a b i t as though the British General Staff had leaked their entire D Day plans to the Germans in 1944. The BBC - which itself resounds >. with'the thunder of internal mayhem and sabotage - recently broadcast a drama documentary entitled 'The Billion Dollar Bubble', about the Californian insurance company that, in 1972, by deft use of computers, was able-to forge millions of fake policies, and thus, on its false sales returns, boost itself to meteoric heightson Wall Street It focussed on two young individualsinthe corporate hierarchy *&ablaze with .

desiretoclimb

srnokingcomputer freakwho thou it a real gas to get the computers screwing everything up. One of the most memorable scenes was ah the senior management seated around a vast boardroom table, up to their ear . in ao~licationforms on which they

resident's Chief Leak Plugger, was transformed overnight into Squealer and Leaker Extraordinaire. What had once been an e l b crew' cut mod squad of hard-nosed hatchet men, was, with Dean's defection, instantly turned into a bedlam of claims, denials and counter-denials, mixed with all the juicy sounds of axes -chunkiig squarely between plump shoulder blades and the sight of bodies turning slowly, slowly in the wind. Until the 2nd War, corporations had demanded blind obedience and anonymity from their employees. After 1945, however, in an expansionist Keynesian economy, a new breed of executive was required, who would be expected to change employer every two or three ve&s. and who was motiva ted above all by self interest and a -rabid cravine for self-aeerandizement-----, , . In an expanding-economy it was con- . ' -ifdered that greed and ambition were the qualifies most tikeb to foster corporate growth and expansion into 'hitherto unexplored and untapped areas of lucre. The halt to growth in 1973 has meant that the great rnanager&I hives of blind ambition have been growing increasingly restive and u n manageable. -

Multi-coloured Rodents The Patchwork Mouse* deals with an area o f corporation life which has probably best been able to preserve i t s The quintessential corporate sc 'old-style facade of selflessness and - dedication - the scientific and medical whi~h~symbolizes the whole manageri& s, is, o f courses,Watergate. John . '~-A~'J n d m t r i e sIt. reveals the turmoil within

----

.-.

new %&'dm-*. As Richard Milhous himself put it , as he claimbed uoon the bandwagon in 1972, 'The The has come, whenthe same kind of concentratedeffort that split the atom and took manto the . moon, should beturned towardsanquering this dead disease'. Conquest was to be achieved in precisely the same way as the atom had been split, the moon landed upon, and Vietnam made safe for democracy, by pouring vast sums of money into large technical establishments, and sitting back to await results.

increasing amounts of fundsflowed into their coffers. With the Nixon anti, cancer drive of 1972, the National Cancer Institute was boosted into a body approaching NASA or the Man' hattan Project, and, significmtly, it was thenewly-arrived immunologists who -A controlled all the most important positions. Following the trends, Sloan-Kettering kicked out their old-style Director, a surgeon, and brought in the new, trendy 3 Good from Minne'sota. Good got where 53 he did by promising those who appointed him results, and his appointment was greeted by that ultimate accolade, 3 -for corporation man - an appearance Snags on the covers of Time and Newsweek. There were one or twodifficulties Thus, by 1974, Good was not only to such an approach. Firstly, while all under heavy external pressure to achieve the basic scientific facts had already results, but his Institute was filled with '3 been known about splitting the atom near-mutinous ranks of surgeons, radiaor blasting into space or zapping the zz--s-- tion and drugs experts, who had all Cong, as with poverty, no one in the-LsG'Ãˆ-been passed over in Good's appointment.a scientific establishment really knew S^'-A:~To cap it all, Good brought in busloads 3 what the hell cancer was. What was of Minnesota immunologist experts to ,* needed above all else was basic scientifcolonize his new roost, amongst them, ic research, which-wasslow and plodDr Sunimerlm. 3 ding, and hardly likely to please In such an explosive situation, then, politicians and apublic hungry for Good needed results very quickly, and ; immediate headline-catching breakhe started pressingvery heavily on his throughs. . staff for them, especially this rather Secondly, the American Cancer Inyoung scientist who kept on coming up 3 dustry found itself in a pecular position with all those amazingly successful skin 3 by 1972 Nixon had come to power in grafts. The better Summerlin's results 1968 as an axe-swinging conservative, became, the more Good not only wantsworn to stash all public expenditure' in ed to, but had to believe him. Th- "ult : sight The whole medical research was fiasco. establishment was thus starved of funds.

concentrating on the exploits of one

articular ambisous scientist, Dr William luinmerlin. In 1972, Dr ~um.merlin thieved what was believed to be a break-through in immunology and ancer research when he,~uccessfuHy ,rafted the skin o l a black mouse onto genealogically incompatible white nouse, without the host body rejecting he foreign cell matter. Summerlin bee a celebrity, a media personality, i s from a public desperate for a cure o cancer poured into his widely jublicized research programmes he was the all-American success story. Unfortunately, there was only one nag to the latter day David Frost lone of his scientific colleagues found ossible to replicate his successful eriments in their own labs. After o years, eventually the truth emerg. Dr Summerlin, using a black feltpen, had simply painted the black in graft' onto the back of his white ;e. On the surface this seems a perfecty normal, shock-horror type fraud, >utthe author goes togreat lengths x> explain all the social and political ssues seething behind it. To start with the Cancer Scare Phenomenon is of wmparatively recent origin*. A iundred years age yellow fever was ill the rage, SU years ago it was TB, in [he 1950's polio reigned supreme. Cancer only kills one in six people, md the vast majority of Us yictims we in extreme old age. It is the disease i f affluence, perhaps the closest that ;orPorate man ever comes to a soul. Doctors have always been puzzled, since cancer cells are present in luman beings from birth. The key medical question is why internal mechanisms which have happily c o p trolled them up to a point should suddenly cease to do so? By the . 1960's cancer had become an obses;ion i n all industrially advanced sountries.

when, in 1972, the floodgates of limit-

The Cancer Wagon Politicians started to get in on the act. In 1971 Teddy Kennedy was still wading around in the mire of Chappaquiddick and looking for a speedy exit. He found it in cancer. He proposed a massive, government-financed War &I Cancer, hoping thereby to refurbish his public image of respectabitity and responsibility. Meanwhile Tricky Dicky in the White House, as the election approached, was by no means happy to see such a potentially strong rival as a Kennedy sailing up the opinion polls on the backs of a few lousy microbes. The Americans had declared war on Vietnam and cover, ty and had got ingloriously slung out of both. They had declared war on outerspace, had walked around the moon, and wondered why they went there. They needed something to declare war on. with Detente, external communism bad ceased to be a suitable threat, and so cancer, internal communism even more insidiously subversive than'long haired radicals, was to become the

-< .-

less funds for cancer research were

A Moral Tale

swung open. Suddenly, medical research institutes that had hitherto concentrated solely on the arcane mysteries of the ingrowingtoenail, set up cancer departmentsovernightacrossthe nation. Thirdly, 6whero/vWÃˆin Or-lin, btlAi&dd &one of the few tongestablishedcancer institutes in the States -the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center of New York, and, in the general stampede for funds in early 1972, this institution was determined it was not going to be beaten to the. _ __ trough by any overnight upstarts.

There are lessons to be drawn fron his book. It does a superb de-mystrfiia- ; tion job on the medical/scientific establishment i t damdngty stripsaway the layers: Of public relationsgloss painstakingly fauitt up over the years by Doctors Cameron and Kildare, the White H of Technological Revolution, a cular, pipe-smoking backroom that built Spitfires in their sp It reveals those white-coated, sil ' haired demigods as being just as greedy, grasping, and gullible as the rest of as.,, It amply demonstrates the basic interest ' the health industry has in sickness at

62% -., -*<-,.

Corporate Cock-ups

The pressures inside this Cancer Center are even more revealing. Sloan-Kettering was set up in 1945 by a group of extnemely rich East Coast businessmen centred, inevitably, around the Rockefetlers, for presumably personnal as well as phtlanthropic reasons. Since the war, GdfM33r haSbeen treated by surgery, ,and drugs. It has been a defensivethan a

tfte

had became strongly entrenched at Sloan-Kettering. However, through the sixties, the immunologistshad been makingconsiderable headway in the treatment of cancer, and competition for funds hdtecome intense within the whole industry. The new immunologists, headed by Dr Robert G o d from Minnesota, cleverly

n O l ~ e srather , than in their pa It displays the profound ina ness and awful clumsiness with big organizations behave when and manipulated from the top, failure of large bureaucracies to even understand, let alone deal with the problems that confront them, and theutter futility of confusing the spending ' of much money and the wielding o f greatpower with efficiency and prac- %

ticatfty.

Above all it heralds the birth of a & wondrous super-hero, writ large with portent the rogue exÃ§cu five.

IN THE first part of this article, which appeared in Undercurrents 24, ram Athanasiou argued that the Ecology Movement and the Left need to move towards each other to combat the crisis of capitalism: 'While the utopians have been powerless to achieve socialism and the economic left has forgotten it, the global crisis of capitalism has closed the'gaps between the different oppositional groups. The 'triple crisis' of ecology, economy, and culture has forced the Left to concern itself with the environment and the Ecology Movement to challenge the global organisation of production'. In this final part he sets out a strategy for a synthesis of the two, a truly radical Ecology. FOR THE last hundred years Marxists lave been seeing the 'final crisis' of capital sm around every corner. Now, when the iislocations embrace not only political iconomy but the ecosystem as well, the .endency t o apocalyptic fervour is greati r than ever. But it would be a mistake o jump t o conclusions. This system has idequately demonstrated its ability t o espond t o crises creatively, using them .o purge itself o f i t s own most archaic dements. The question o f capitalism's .urvival i n the face o f the triple crisis ;an best be addressed concretely, i n firms o f specific strategies that both its Ă&#x201A;ÂĽepresentativeand its opponents might idopt The desire Tor self-sufficiency and ' i return t o the values o f craftsmanship n production are forms o f rebellion igainst the homogenization o f daily existsnce b u t they are quite ambiguous i n heir political thrust. They are framed gainst 'giantism' and central control, md posit only a limited localistic vision >ftransformation. Thug they lend thernelves as much t o capital's strategy o f

increasing the self-organization of the working class. Community control can be the control o f the local community within the planetary community, b u t it is rarely seen that way. It can as easily become a narrow localism that retards, rather than promotes, a heightened social consciousness. There is, for example, the 'no-growth' movement in upper-middle class suburbs that serves t o keep the masses outside their landscaped moats.

Small is Beastly The smug assurance among some decentralists and alternative technologists that their movements are unambiguously radical is inestimably dangerous. Most of E.P. Schumacher's followers, for exarnpie, when confronted with a left critique o f Small is Beautiful are prone t o assert that 'the tools o f the alternative technology movement themselves are radical and will point beyond capitalism' (composite quote). The poverty o f this argument is astounding. We should exfcect that understanding will n o t always be completely caught up with activity, but

their assertion denies that the selfunderstanding o f those involved with the deploymentof these technologies is even an important element i n the pi cess o f change. Whether or n o t Schumacher consciously tried t o prevent intermediate technologists from realiz ing that capitalism is at the root o f th crisis, this is the objective result: the techno-determinism called 'small is beautiful'. The argument is that the capitalist clan has long been interested i n co-op ing the ecology movement1 and that unless that movement becomes more conscious o f itself as an oppositional force, the captains o f consciousness will succeed once again. There are several scenarios in which ecology could be used to assist capitalism in its time o f need. The notion o f 'natural shortage! can be used t o support the argument that declining standards o f living are not a result o f any inherent failing in the system, b u t rather due t o 'objecti! shortages that any society would face. The rising price o f heating your home would not then be the result of the systematic elimination o f all alternatives t o fossil fuels, b u t rather, an unfortunate effectof 'running wt o f oil'.

Alternative Tranquilisers A second example is Garrett Hnrdiri Ă&#x192; argument that Labour-intensive technologies are desirable because they would sap the 'excess human energies' that have been freed by modern productive processes, thus preventing them from fueling social revolution. It is a testimonial t o Hardin's constitution that he (who told us a few years ago that 'coercion' would be the necessary solution t o the 'tragedy o f the commons') could make this argument so explicitly when others sti find it necessary t o sugar the pill with 'ethical' and 'moral' coatines. I n this scenario, A T is much like television. Where TV serves the function o f fillini the void left by the destruction o f virtu ly all farms o f human community, and thus leaks the steam from the social pressure-cooker, A T could allow the ethics o f self-sufficiency and craftsma ship t o be used as an ideological cover for the increasing austerity of daily lifi Instead o f working harder because yo1 had to, you would be working harder because you want to.

Cabbages and Capitalism For a third possibility, consider the now wilted Green Revolution. When agencies like A I D begin t o back away from fossil fuel-intensive mono-culturi agriculture i n favour o f appropriate

technologies, it will not be out of a commitment to the welfare of the population or the environment Instead, it will derive from the same impulse that motivated the Rockefeller Foundation's original subsidization of the Green Revolution. This is explained in a recent issue of Seven Days: The story of the Green Revolution began nearly four decades ago. Rising anti-American sentiment in Mexico was particularly noticeable to the Rockefeller Foundation, since the Rockefeller controlled Standard Oil holdings were among the properties expropriated in 7939 by the Cardenasgovernment. Further ~adicalizationappeared a likely prospect unless something nqs done about poverty. To the experts at the Rockefeller Foundation, increased food production offered an ideal technical solution. These same experts have certainly noticed that their position i s now worse than it was in the 40's. The spread of radical nationalist movements throughout the Third World has compelled the industrialized nations to undermine the social forces that could jeopardize their markets and investments in these countries. AT could easily be worked into a strategy designed to 'develop' these nations without altering their basic economic dependency on the Trilateral countries. These technologies are, first of all, tow in capital costs at a time when capital shortages are becoming increasingly severe; they would also tend to stabilize the recipient populations at a neo-peasant level, thus preserving the relative obsolescence of their export technologies. The aim would be to lessen the possibility of revolution by providing minimum living standards - and 'human rights', if possible. +

Compost and Capitalism Any strategy of co-option based on AT would use it to make it more difficult to organise workers, peasants, and other proletarians. Reorganisation and selfmanagement could be allowed within any locality or region, as long as it did not extend to the,relationships between regions. Decentralism is weak because it abandons the globe to capital at the same time as it seeks to transform the locality. We cannot know the details in advance, but it i s clear that as long as the desire for self-management remains formulated in t h i s way, capitalism could learn to live with it Whik there are not many hippies leftwho want to move to the country and make their own nails, the same lack of awarenessof the role played by the world market i n our lives is revealed by the absence of any discussion of how it could be transformed. I n fact, as Howard Odum pointed out in an early issue of Co-Evolution Quarterly, (Spring 1974), the interdependenceof the world economy can easily be seen in even the decentralist technologies like windmills and solar collectors. Odum pointed out that today's 'marginal' energy sources

ly political, it couldbe aforce for the

'are'hedfy subsidized by fossil-fuels aid would be much less economic if those

re-invigoration o f the socialist project For example, the desire for self-managesubsidies were removed. That is tosay, ment and an impressionistic anti-instruyou have to run your windmill for quite mentalism are both widespread within some time to replace the energy that it , the community technology movement. took to make the aluminium alloy in The l e f t could do worse than to incorthe shell, the bearing&,etc. If you extend porate them into its own thought this kind of analysis to cover all of the These impulses can only be transforn myriads of particular goods and services ed into socialist demands, however, i f that you use throughout your life, you they become fully conscious, and in the will find that you are connected to your process, refined beyond their localistic brothers and sisters across the globe by and mystical formulations. Decentralisnstrands far less tenuous than your mutual which has come to mean a world withhumanity. out organized interconnection, must become omni-centralism: a world in Bureaucracy is Beautiful which modern F a n s of communication The world market cannot be ignored allow every neighbourhood to be simulwhile we go about the merry business of taneously the centre of the world. The running our 'own' lives. (For$ particugoal i s not merely self-management, larly obnoxious illustration of this illubut global self-management; not meresion, see Karl Hess and David Harris, ly participatory democracy, but Neighbourhood Power; The New Localparticipatiori on a world scale. ism, in which we learn that the new society will be spontaneously set up after How It Could Be the old one spontaneously collapses The world market could be replaced during a famine.) E.F. Schumacher was by a computer-based information proquiteaware of the power vacuum that cessing network to amplify the selfsuch a situation would create at all tevels organizing processes in human society beyondthelocalcommunity - and there making it possible for them to function is no chance of people like usbeing on a global scale. This, combined with allowed to fill that vacuum. On one occaregional, continental and global councils sion (Berkeley, March 3, 1977) he went of delegates, and with other organisatioi so far as to tell us that we had better put al forms yet to be evolved, could form aside our petty class differences and the technological/organizational skele' work together with the corporations , ton of a liberatory approach to political because they have the resources that we and economic life. need if we are to be able to save the / Transportation-intensive production earth. I n his essay, Towards a Theory of could be replaced by communicationsLarge-Scale Organization, we learn of intensive forms of 'trade' and division the eternal function of management in of labour. Recycling economies could these sweet words: Without order, replace throughput economies, and with planning, predictability, central control, the aid of fusion and solar power, the accountancy, instructions to unded/ngs, notion of 'limit to growth' could be obedience, ctlsc/p/lne- without these, scrapped for good. Wage-labour could nothftig fruitful can happen because be replaced by the free decisions of every thing dislntegtates. tn Berkeley, social individuals producing for their of all the inappropriate places, Schumutual benefit. The social diversification macher informed us that there is so that was destroyed by capitalism in its much mutual antagonism and suspicion ascendant phase could reemerge in the that people really seem to imagine that individuation processes of those no life could continue without the corporalonger crushed by the hegemony of tions and without business. exchange value. The debilitating isolaBut Cjchumacher was only more consistion we face today will no longer be tent than those who would eliminate the enforced in a society where individual market without putting anything in its interests are not pitted one against the place: Any system with merely local other. Craft values, now being destroyorganisation would be unable to avert the ed by the rationalization process of cut-throat competition between corncapitalism, could re-emerge, transformmunities competing on behalf o f the ed by the option of automation into profitability of 'their' industries. Given new forms of production as a r t only local control, we are also given the Much that we might wish to do may multinationals, the International Moneseem unpalatable to-those whose semitary Fund and the Trilateral Commission. bilities have been formed in reaction to today's ethos of domination. But fusion Some Possibilities power, for instance, will seem less a Any discussion of the transformation supreme act o f hubris and more a valof the desires embodied in the ecology uable tool when fission i s no longer movement and their incorporation into threatening our lives and the stability the human project of creating socialism of the evolutionary process. Largemust be speculative. Socialism itself scale human intervention into the ecocan be viewed in the light cast by the system will be undertaken in a spirit movement for decentralism and local of stewardship of the biosphere, and control. Ctearty, this participatory vision will seem less like rape when the ethos of society is incompatible with some allof 'species guilt' is replaced too-comfnon conceptions of socialism . realization that 'mankindis as totalitarian. t f it becomesconsciousrendered self-conscious.'

.-.

cological Class Consciousness As for the present, there is some tuse for optimism. The Green Ban lovement in Australia, the Community ethnology movement in the developed orld, and the emergence within the orkers' movement of environmental )nsciousness alongside of class coniousness are all signs that the old chotomies could fall away, with the oper push on our parts. Like the Lucas Aerospace Combine orkers there are many who are in a )sition to read the handwriting on ~ewalL6 These events, of course, have :en largely ignored by the straight ess. But they are of enormous im)rtance precisely because o f their nphasis on transforming the objects production. Unlike demands for higher wages, even safer working conditions, the ~mandfor socially useful work i s that cannot possibly be fulfilled in capitalist society. Its emerg-. is a common demand in workers' ;les would signify a new period the history of class struggle.

inal Demands If we are serious about creating a dical ecology movement, then we must gin to make finer distinctions than in e past Demands for anything less than tal transformation can too easily be .incorporated into the programme of pital. But we cannot be content with /ague sense o f moving in the right rection; we will have to address the ast difficult problems and not only e most simple. How, for example, can ireconcile the in=rests o f loggers with e interests of tree-lovers? As long as i remain trapped within the paradigm zero-growth we will be crippled yond all hope of resolving these concts. Growth and no-growth; both pitalist demands. Only by demanding ~alitativechange, desire in the place of ed, freedom in the place of ideology, d society in the place of the market 11 we be able to press for the resolutior this crisis in terms favourable to imanity, and not to capital. Tom Athanasio with Louis Michaelson Marcy Darlovsk

See, for example, the February 1970 issue of Fortune magazine. Small is Beautiful, p.236. . . Quoted from a lecture given by Schumache on March 3 1977 The concept'of human society as the finest flower of natural evolution is common in philosophical history; among the Greeks, in Hegel, in the Frankfurt School (notably Adorno and Horkheimer) and numerous others. See A Study o f CIimatological Research as it Pertains to Intelligence Problems, prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency in 1974. For agood introduction to the activities of the Lucas combine workers see Undercurrents 12, 'Workers an6 the World Unite'.

INDUSTRIAL SABOTAGE usually means no more than putting a 'spanner in the works'. Mike George argues that some types of industrial

can have positive results.

"No movement can be dangerous unless it is a movement o f ideals. Often as those whose ideals are high have failed because they have not kept their powder dry, it is certain that no amount of dry powder will make a revolution succeed without ideals. Constructive Idealism is not only the driving force o f every great uprising; it is also the bulwark against reaction."

Self Government in Industry, by G.D.H. Cde, Hutchinson, London, 1972 Edition, p. 30. G.D.H. COLE was the social theorist and labour activist who conceived and promoted the idea of Guild Socialism in the years before and after the First World War. He attempted a critical synthesis of ideas and practices of the so-called First Shop Stewards Movement of the war years, of Soviet communism, and the syndicalism of early French trade unionism. He proposed a new social order in which 'transformed1Industrial Trade Unions, representing workers as producers, and powerful consumer groups, representing workers as consumers jointly controlled production, prices and distribution of goods and services at local and national levels. This 'co-sovereignty' was to replace both capitalist enterprise and the conventional State, though there would be a vestigial State agency which would level selective taxation on Guilds to prevent them exploiting workers or

consumers. The workers in these Guilds were to be self-governing, producing goods and services in cooperation with local communities under overall national target plans. Cole argues strongly against critics who believed him to be naive in his trust in self-government, and who could not accept that workers as producers would not try to exploit consumers. But although part of Cole's vision derived from William Morris he was also an activist, well-aware of the difficulties involved in pursuing social revolution; . in Workshop Organisation written in 1922 he accurately described the early shop stewards movement and was very much aware of the difficulties of transforming trade union consciousness into revolutionary consciousness. Guild Socialism was hit on the head, along with most other radical activities, by the variety of factors which demoralised the labour movement in the mid1920s. But I'm proposing that it's due for resuscitation. It first gained ground through three partly connected developments: first there was the development of industrial muscle by shop stewards; second, there was the beginningof a realisation that whilst the capitalist machine could create weapon! on a massive scale it could not provide for basic social needs; third was the intervention of the State into employment matters which, it was quite clear, was designed to smooth over difficulties rather than attempt to resolve

them, All three dsvelopments are , paralleled today. First,'despite continuing incomes policies the industrial muscle of wor place organisation has never been greater, nor has frustration been more acute. Second, liberal democracy (in Labour or Conservative guise) still seems incapable of providing for social need - we can build office blocks and make plastic wrappers for coloured toilet paper, but OAPs s t i l l die of hypothermia, children still suffer from scurvy. Third, there are for instance 26 agencies designed to cope with unemployment in Special Development Areas, there are innumerable subsidies, special grants and so on which are supposed to alleviate unemployment - yet n w n e in power seems willing to face the real issue of long term structural unemployment

Combine Committees So could Guilds happen today? The closest we can get to them are the 30 or so major shop stewards combine. committees existing in this country. These combine committees arc not of course the 'transfortned unions' envisaged by Cole, but they & have the potential to become a far mot%tad^ cat trade union form than other types of union organisation. They arose out of a need to combat managementsin enterprises which have become even greater in size. Possibly a majority of medium to large enterprises now have joint shop stewards committees which include stewards from several unions which operate at each site. A combine committee goes one stage further and covers several sites and may include stewards from a dozen or more unions and from a dozen or more factories or sites. They therefore can present a unified front representingworkers at all the sites in an enterprise. In many respects these joint comittees and combines are far more radical than conventional trade union bodies such as branches,divisional councils and so on. To the extent that these new combine organisations are enterprise and sometimes industrybased they parallel the basic organisation of Guilds. However, to the extent that they have formed in res~nseto postwar growth in enterise size and complexity - by the necissity to engage in concerted action against employers who tried to play off workers in different sites - they cannot be said to be the 'transformed unions' if Cole's vision; combine committees is such are no more than more efficient losition bodies, albeitcontaining seeds of radical action. But the actions and plans of the Lucas Aerospace Combine Shop Stewuds Committee (Undercurrents 12, 13 $ 18J and those at Vickers, C & A 'arsons and BAC Preston start to trans"om combine committees into somehing more than opposition bodies. Kost Undercurrents readers must now >e familiar with the Lucas initiative, so

Iwon't go over old ground. But basically 'doing a'Lucas' workers determining what's to be made. and in oarticular-the eat) f o r s d l y - u k f u t production - i s not so far from Cole's vision of SelfGovernment. Workers ia these enterprises haverecognised that long term unemployment is happening or will happen intheir respectiveindustriesand have come up with the radical demand to determine what they should produce. But what of the other side of Cole's equation - consumer groups? In a more crude sense, where are the markets for the foods that these combines want to produce?The Lucas Combine, which has gone further than the others. first approached the senior management in Lucas with their alternative corporate plan - they met an impenetrable wall of disbelief and 'managerial prerogative'; they then approached the Government, asking for Planning Agreements - they met an impenetrable wall of good wishes and inaction. So the Lucas ards are back on their own and may be forced to try and'trade off' one of their socially useful products for one or of thympany's products ($&&fly aflhitmentsequipment) - this ymld appear tobenefit no-one in particular. Other combine committees seem equally likely to meet this resistance.

Constructive~dealism But if Gapply a bit ofConstruct& Idealism to this problem there's a strategy which suggests itself, which I've called Positive Sabotage. The Government isn't at all interested in having Planning Agreements with a combine committee, and the stewards themselves don't have the resources to market their socially useful products 7 assumingAat they would want be a salesman anyway -'so wtio 'rill,or cm buy they want to produce?Answer: other shop stewards committees; consider for example one of the Lucas Combine's products, the kidney machine. Partly as a result of public expenditure cuts there's a chronic shortage of these machines in'the NHS; Lucas management won't produce them because they can't get an adequate profit margin on them. But i f you cost the latest projected batch of redundancies at Lucas Aerospace - around Â£3'4mper annum to the centra) excheauer vou can a m e that the machine couid'be produced, with the low profit margin, but keeping workers in employment, and the 'overall 'cost* to the country would be tower than not employing workers to produce ~Mat's ~ the mudneeded e needed i s a way tocircumvent both the conventional profit sadmarket considerations, and the peculiar accounting system of the S W e which pays out Â£3%m in unemployment and other benefits, whilst cutting funds to the Health Sewices. An obvious way out is to organise a 'planning agreement' between the Lucas Aerospace Combine and shop stewards committees in the National Health Service, which would guaranteea 'market'

for the KMney machine equipment I f it were possible to create n concerted campaign to work on socially useful production, involving a substantial number of connected combine and shop stewards committees, Positive Sabotage would come into its own. This action would seriously embarass Governments who pretend to maintain both employment and a decent social wage; it would also show that the market mechanisms cannot provide for need, whilst direct workers' action can. Some important gains could also be made by workers within each factory materials and stores needed for the production of these goods would have to be expropriated, so worker's would not only control what they want to produce, bqt would also control the materials needed. ,

SubverttiteMarket Sotiwe's a strategy which parallel: i n many ways Cole's vision of Guild Socialism. Combines which are selfgoverning, which subvert the market, provide for social need in relation to consumer groups, and put the government of so-called liberal democracy on the rack. ~ f w add e to this the development of community-levelcooperatives that we're starting to see i t Wandsworth and Lewisham, there could be a preliminary run of a modem Guild Socialism. Shop stewards

, ,,

stock and provide decent insulation etc.), or,say, tocat repromsing co-op

eretiws.

Obviously, what I'm talking about ate mass work-ins on the basis of the provision of social and community needs. A tall order? Obviously, but at thevery least even a short period of concerted action of this sort could achieve two very important gaines: first it would give people a taste for self-goveqment, the chance to say what we want toproduce; second, it would force Governments to say unenviable things like "We don't want kidney machines, we prefer people to suffer. .. " PosiWve Sabotage seems to be the next step in the campaign for socially useful work and production, and whilst there are enormous problems to overcome before getting on with a concerted strategy like this, a bit of Contructive Idealism is sorely needed in the labour t movement. Guild Socialism died through demoralisationand reaction in the mid-1920s when unemployment soared again after the war, and cowentional defensive trade unionism took over. Well, we've seen a lot of this type of trade unionism and we're ready to move beyond it We must support the* demandlor socially useful production, and i f i t leads us back to G.D.H. Cote, maybe that's not a bad '

OPERATING

--m--mmm-

val of small-scale

proportion o f potential, but all plant opportunities under about 250kW served by catchment areas of less than 5 0 krrt2 are omitted thus distorting the value of the natural distribution of sites. By tapping all the potential o f smaller streams totalhydroeteetric output could p r o b ably be raised to more than 40 x loB kWfi/year (MacKillop, 1972 & 1973). This amount could, for example, supply over 80% of housing energy consumption need. The law and commercial -rests also favour large--@e exploits* lion of rivers unduly. Thus the Water , Resources Act penalizes the-smatl user with standard charges for water which seem much less crippling to large co panics and public authorities. Since mean annual runoff fo normally be expected t flew o f 0.5ma/sec., some quite size - power opportunities are being omit )m surveys. Consider a very mode II site, with avera he nimum flow l m /sec tchment). Then gross ^x flow x head = 53.3 metric hp an

it electrical power = 6.4 x 4 = 25.6 k

leasuring Streamflow e difficulty i s that surveying and .----merit of potential has always sen made for single specific sites (either rge or small). When whole areas or river Ă&#x192;Ë&#x2020;sin are surveyed, assessment is for rge-sale potential only. I know of no ifvey of an extensive area for smallale potential. The most obvious -,_. teanybf estimating this would be stream gauging. ~ o w e w . , run-off records for srnall %& extremely rare, usually the *"^" ---. " c%-$?&J :..": -\:

should undertake t h i s task, as it clearly will not be done otherwise. Surveys of prevailing states of water ecology in streams could give a readingof flow and regime most economically. From these surveys a suitably devised eco. logical yardstick ~ o u l indicate d Stream history. An analogous method has been successfully used by Griggs for assessment of sites for windpower (putnam, 1948). River flow measurement stations are located only on large streamflows, and are in any case so few as to make proper assessment impossible. Gauged flow records are now computerised and stimmarised in the Surface Water Yearbook (Water Data Unit, 1974) but only 59% of England and Wales and 48% o f ' Scotland i s gauged even once. To supplement theseinadequate data, turbines we used as meters. Where there are large rivers there are also smaller tributaries, and thus flow at measurement stations can be assumed to consist of the sum of all tributaries' flow, minus evaporation and utilisation losses (if known) but plus groundwater gains to the streambed, depending upon local geology. Thus we might have a method for flow calculation for a group of tributaries. Total head is much easier to assess from a map. Total energy content could be calcul led from t h i s information, assuming certain typicat scale ofproject

The outstanding characteristicsof natural upland hydrology are that rainfall exceeds evaporation in every month of the year on average; and that M s t rainfall increases with elevation, evaporation decreases. Both these factors provide Ă&#x192; very hi$ runoff favourable to waterpower, but cause waterlogging o f land t o damage agricultural possibilities. In addition, peat moors have great ability to store and slowly release ater. Relatively high head is characristic of upland streams, and in the er-and less previous watersheds is unfortunately extremely 'flashy' iable to flood. Catastrophic upthunderstoims, in which local falls o f rain of 150-200 mm have occurred, must be taken into account Whereas impounding reservoirs for large-scale projects nearly always sub merges the most fertile lower parts o f ai upland valley, land submerged by smaller projects i s likely to be higher and of lessvaluable. I n addition, if fertile land is to be submerged, small-scale projects can more easily be made productive of fish as well as power.

Applications Small waterpower has a high potenttal for a variety o f socially useful and environmentally-suitedsmall industries to be worked off upland streams. Technical appearances could resemble certai udal ancient Chinese or industrial

'Ihe

- I n extreme cases of full po sation, the tailrace of one plan the same watercourse as the h 'the ~ plant next below. This was common when waterpower was at its peak two hundred yearyage. Reconstruction of

--= ==+

the historical record has been pioneered by the Society for,the Preservation o f Ancient Buildings (SPAB), Windmills and Watermills section; and by the International Symposia on Molindlogy (ISM); but unfortunately their work is from the aspect of industrial archaeology, and corn-milling is heavily emphasized at the expense of other applications. The major concentrations were Gwynedd, Northumberland, Yorkshire and over the whole o f south and southeast England. This last is an area neglected by modern large-scale exploitation, which i s unable to make use of smaller heads and too land-hungry for a densely populated area. Minor concentrations of old mill sites occur on Dartmoor, Exmoor, Isle of Man and in Ewt Anglia. Upland, not unexpectedty, predominates; head i s more significant t o power than flow, so upland slopes h*ue greater potential than sites of similar flow in lowland areas. Upland runoff may easily be three times as great as lowland.

is a wasteful intermediate stage, wit total translation o f only about 50%. Unless standard domestic, industrial and farm machinery is converted from

the normal'alternating current by replacement of motors, +e flow of water must be controlled hv governor, which, being a cybernetic device, is characteristically expensive, often cost. ing more than turbine and generator together. Alternatively, electrical machinery could be specially manufactured to suit autonomous direct current generation; this might be an appropriate product for small upland industrial workshops, along with manufacture of small turbines. It is not genarally realised how far the historical watermill, and its close relative the windmill were automated by the peak o f their development [Reynolds 1970). Automatic tentering ofmillstones ensured even grinding. There were safety and warning devices for exhaustion of grain supply, exhaustion of water, and rise in head-water level. Flow was regulated by means of a servo-mechanism to the sluice-gate. As late as 1924 the Dutch Government Aeronautical Service tested 'Dekkerising' o f windmills, a streamlining process which tripled output and allowed them to operate 364 days &year. In 1950 in the south o f Scotland there were many water-powered textile mills, corn mills, saw mills and engineering workshops driven by traditional wheels of the type-to which-the last major improvements were made by Fairburn i n the 1740's. If there had not been a general shift towards cehtralised electrical generation o f power, such mills would not have been neglecled, and improvement of their design would have continued. Now that centralised supply is being re-examined perhaps the interrupted development may continue and lead to a technology with a stronger feel for both nartnral and human scale. , A water-powered metal works is kept in working order at Abbeydale, Sheffield. The production of scythes and other agricultural implements ceased there in 1933; but during 1939-45 the plant again became 'economic', and was worked to produce $eel helmets for the Army. Carpentry workshops might be driven off turbines linked to saws, drills, lathes and sanders. The Tula Arms Factory is also a fine example of a dynamic and inventive people's technology of small waterpower (Britkin, 1967). Low power availability need not be a serious limitation in small workshops, since the machines are not required simultaneously, and demand can, toa large extent, be adjusted to suit available pondage. Such adjustments ought to be more easily made under more highly motivated self-managed working conditions. Thus the occasionally erratic availability of power could mesa) that workers would simply leave the plant when the dam runs dry, leaving the pond t o refill overnight. The main mechanical applications of small waterpower were in farm, craft workshop, and light industrial use. Stationary farm machinery is suitable, such as grinding and pumping.Plunger-

..,>*-

- .

pumps, traditionally wind-powered,

are simple and reliable for irrigation

-"horne-

purpo&s; but larger capacity centrifugal pumps can also be used. Two types of tvnicaliv intermediate technolorn k a c h i k r y are suitable in farmini (i). where absence of operating troubles is important, solid long-life machines are best (ii) where cheapness i n first cost i s essential, simple self-built low technology or scrap recycling devices are under-used at present. A kind o f low technology automation is found in such machines as the Persian or Chinese noria, or wheel-of-pots (Needham, 1965). From a noria, pumping in the streamflow by which it i s itself drw,*fl(iÃ§W-JeÃ§ toytorage afid a gravi$+e3' irriiBon"' system. A ship-mill, which is like a permanently moored free-wheettng paddle-steamer, can be operated as a small 'run-of-river' power unit. There will be little maintenance, very low initial cost, and little or n o disturbance to other users or to natural stream-flow and ecology, since there is no necessity for a dam. Coltadon's current wheel (on the River Rhone m 1865) and Ombtedane's electric generatingset mexinted . on a raft are similar fTptingprojects, requiring no dam,Cheap and relocatable small dams have been used recently in Russia, and these are amds from t e n s h ed, reinforced tarpaulins, anchored to the banks and'streambed. A revival of the crafts of timber and crib dam building would not be out of piace, either' environmentally or aesthetically.

constructed ~ i a i l t

on a Scottish farm a car dynamo

- rid cart wheels

(Sczelcun, undated

Ã§Ã

Watcrmill Silos Hro : ded and Indexed by Dee<-nlhei 9 6 8 (Corn M i l l s only). . visited by @avid H Jones. Q Visited by ~ t h c : ~ .

A Recycling Water Economy Self-contained monastic communities, with characteristic economy, made maximum use of available sfreamflow (Luckhurst, undated). Water taken in$ (eat from the fiver backd-up behind the dam to form a $ o d d for fish-farming. The flow was next used t o drive a cornmill and sieve grain. Thehce to the vats for brewing, and to the kitchens, from whence to the laundry to drive fullers' hammers. Leaving here it was used in the tannery, and finally to flush away refuse. With modem knowledge of intensive aquaculture without poisons and sensible application of hygiene, it ought to be possible to improve further on this monastic model of water economy. Fish-farming by small-scale ecosystem polyculture has been inyestigated by McLarney, eta1 (1976) at the New Alchemy Institute, Mass., USA. The rich posstbifttfesfor E new kind of autonomous rural-basedcommunity are alluring to all concerned wi'th developing the full natural and human potential of the land. Unfortunately, despite recent appearances to the contrary, there is no basic change of heart by those who control the present systems of production of food and energy. The easy social justification of their work by such as the New Alchemy Institute in terms of increased world protein production is o f absolutely no avail, so long as control remains in the present

. f

Calladon's current whe

An integrated water economy 'between

.-. . ..... . ".~.

..-v

. .

. . .

",.,.

..,.

.,:-

1 ,

different plant i s also possible. Thus, watercourses between plant on the same stream can be successive or parallel in arrangement Several o f the streams of Sheffield had lengthy successive arrangements of mills, in which almost every available inch of fall was used, and flow is re-used up to 20 times within a distance of 2-3 km. Whereas flow is a factor which can be re-used at each plant, head is subject to the limits of backing*, so that on a highly utilised stream mills are occasionally unusable because the next pond i s full. An association of users becomes necessary ' toregulate flow, and this also enables maintenancework and restoration of

Ã§estorand possibly improve upon earlier small waterpower p r a c t i c e m t expect t o encounter the jealousy of greater forces, such as state authorities and hydro-electric companies. These forces must bear the responsibility for having, i n the past, broken up many syndicates of users and are unlikely,

binder wheel, and axle shaft 6 Storing from old mowing machine.

small mills were operated (eg at Blae Beck Grassington, in the Yorkshire ~ales).It i s claimed that by this means any single wheel could be isolated to receive the full flow, and any combination of wheels run with thesame water passing over all of them j n succession. Closer study of this kind of arrange-

may be introduced into the layout. This will be cheaper and simpler if turbines of reversible type are used.

The Right to Water A cleardistinction should be made betyeen exploitative, potentially polluting uses of water (such as irrigation, and industry, which decreases quantity and/or quality of flow), and non-exploitative usessuch as navigation and small waterpower). The Water Resources Act makes no such A'stinction, but imposes a kind of indiscrirn-

Jones, DJi. (1969) Water of England, Wales and In: Jespersen, D.H (ed) Transacturns of the 2nd International Symposium on Molinology. Lyngby: Denmark. Lagler, K.F. (1971) Ecological effects of hydroelectric dams.In: Berkowitz, D.A. &SqwseS, A.M. (ed) Power generation and enviranmentdchange. Symposium of the Committee on Environmental Alternation, American Association for Advancement of Science, Boston: MIT Luckhurst, D. (undated)Monastic Watermlls. London: Society for Preservation of Ancient Buildings. h a , K.J. (1968) Hydioelectric power developments and landscape in the highlands of Scotland. Scottish Geographical Magazine, 84. 239-255. ' MacKBlop, A. (1972) Low energy housing. TheEcolwist,2 (12),4-10. MacKillop, A. (1973) Personal wmmunicatioiii McLarney, W.O. et at (1976) Aquaculture. In: Merrill, R. (ed) Radical ~~fiailture. New York: Harper & Row. 'Miller, W.T. (1936) W a t e d s of S h e f f i (unpublished). Neecpam, J. (1965) Science andISvOisam n in Otimi. Cambridge Umvessity

Peaid, W.H. (1950) Mountains and Moorlands. London: Collins. Putnam, P.C. (1948) Power from the Waul. New York: Van NostBBd. Reynolds (1970) Windmills and wa-lls. . London: Hugh Evelyn Sczelcun, S. (undated) Survival Scrapbook 5: Energy. Brighton: Unicorn. Shapley, D. (1974) Weather warfare: Pentagon concedes 7-year Vietnam

use, and perhaps for banning it cum-

- cf

streamflow for all the presently accept- ,

ad uses has been reached in many are& Britain, as the state of many rivers shows. Irrigation, water-suppky, fishing,

OmbreSapr's - ,floating -=<-

hydroelectric plant.

carefully matched to the context of other locally available renewable IntenwnOnal Commissionon M e energy and food resources, could turn Dtims. (unpublished). the present precarious balance into a Woobton, D.G. (1974) Water running wild: people's waterpower. Undercurrents6. sustainable future. Waterpower has inherent potential 2- lwoo@n, D.G. (1976) Wateipoww: esaenbut itsutilisation in practice is severely . tfally co-operative energy. In: Haxper limited by the current social and politi- -*4 p. a ~ ~G. (a)~act~~fll ~ l rechnology. ~ , cal system. Any modernattemp% to, -"Â£s London: WiMwood. ,

RIGHT T O WORK campaigners mostly despise small-scale attempts to bring new work to depressed areas as props to the existing system. Simon Watt, who is trying to start a ferro-cement construction co-op in Gwynedd, argues that such local initiatives are essential and reports on the progress of one that started three years ago: the Antur Aelhaearn village CO-operative. . A. RECENT report by the Manpower ces Commission suggests that at 900,000 new jobs will have to be ated i n the UK within the next three irs if the Government's aim o f bringg unemployment down to 700,000 / then is to be achieved. It doesn't e a genius t o see that the past neglect our industrial base, the steady rationalisation and mechanisation' of iroduction (i.e. replacing people by nachines), the loss o f export markets .o foreign competition, and imports ;heap goods as the developing intries mechanise will make this ost impossible. Jnemployment i s seen by those i n iower as one o f the most likely future ;auses of subversion o f the status quo ind they will therefore act t o 'make work' in order t o save themselves. We lave to agree that unemployment is a )ad thing; it is demoralising, especially .o the young, and a terrible waste o f luman resources. But unemployment s also a symptom of an economic .ystem that pursues private profit often n direct contradiction t o the broader ocial good. Any radical proposals that ire put forward to reduce unemploynent will therefore inevitably be seen S I a shoring up of the system that caus' the problem i n the first place. We I either make some action now t o

ameliorate the worst damage, or wait for the inevitable collapse to change things; this is the classic socialist dilemma. Really there is no choice: we have to act now if only to keep radical political theory in touch with reality. We have to work wherever we can on a broad front towards our idea of the good society, putting these ideas into action at the weakest points o f the existing system. We have to be concerned with the nuts and bolts o f social change as well as the future superstructure o f political power. Without a model o f the future we will run into the same difficulty o f deciding what sort o f socialism to build that confronted the Soviets in the 1920's. A practical strategy of this sort has been called 'ripple revolutionism' by Tony Emerson (Undercurrents 23): a working on all fronts, a bit at a time, within a coherent socialist framework. This article describes one such ripple in the village o f Llanaelhaearn in Gwynedd, North Wales, where a village cooperative was established i n 1974 in

an attempt to break the downspiral of unemployment and depopulation that has drained the vitality out of the area. A conference was held there from 13th-16th September, 1977 to outline the purpose of the co-operative and i t s relevance to similar neglected areas in Britain and Europe. The successes and problems faced by this community based co-operative provide useful insights for a model of ripple revolutionism both in the depres regions and inner city areas.

A Village Co-operative Llanaelhaearn i s a small Welshspeaking village on the Lleyn Peninsula, with a population of less than 200 people. The closure o f the nearby granite quarries and the mechanisation of agriculture have reduced employment prospects and the young and able leave t o find work i n the towns, a familiar tale all over the world. A decision by the Local Education Committee four years ago t o close the village school finally shook the people into action, and after a vigorous and successful campaign to keep the school open, they began to think about more radical answers to the neglect o f the village. The village doctor and a civil servant visited a co-operative in Cleire, an island o f f West Cork in the Irish

- '-<= . .,

long term the large firms that centralise and control production must be made res~onsiblefortheir part in regional neglect (or inner city neglect, or the neglect'of the poorer paid). In the short

rable, and have declined as prolife has flowed away to new

:. cannot be divorced fwn the 'world

by toed effortr-Production of bread and butter goods for local markets can parallel specialist goods for transport further afield. This work should develop local skills, which in Gwynedd,-with its past record o f primary production and a century o f depression, is partiwlarly important. Smalt businesses seem to be (tie bestway todo it rather than branch factories, whether privately or state owned. The name o f this game is o f course the tendency to %Ifsufficiency. < . % =, . - Leopald. Kohr, amongst others, ,addressed the conference at Llanael haearn and suggested that we are in a sinking boat approaching a waterfall.* Instead of plugging the leaks, we should head hard for the bank. Structurally, this may be achieved by his threepronged strategy: urbanise the suburbs; federalise the cities and cantonise the rest. But decentralisation o f govern; ment power does not necessarily decentralise production to where the work i s needed; this can only be accomplished through the nationatisa- . tion of selected industries which must then be broken down for local production by the 'intermediate cost tech&

- -. 5,

ic setf~determhation, It would

forin any case in the form o f dole money andjit seemcommon~nseto pay a f l g e ex% to provide productive, socially useful work.

to survive. It is taking useful produclive work and confidence back to (tie

grass roots, saving foreign exchange and restoring a decayed social life. On these accounts, what has the ideology of the free market to offer?

*-"...

= -

GOUGH WHITLAM'S Labour government may not have been perfect, but it was a good time for thoseAustralians engaged in the nation's cultural rebirth. In broadcasting, people,became aware of the possibilities of FM radio and ideas of 'community' and 'access' radiospread to Australia from the United States: Broadcasting licences were given, or at least promised, for twenty experimental radio stations of various kinds. Earlier this year Tony Durham visited a number of Australian radio stations, and here he reports on four of the most adventurous, and, to the authorities, irritating: two campus stations, the ABC's 'rock' station, and veritable community radio in Melbourne. . THE ENORMOUS DISTANCES 'tween cities make radio stations in ~straliapredominantly local. Melbourne is fifteen stations, Sydney a dozen. But terms of actual choice of listening this dn't mean much. There were the cornercials, offering chiefly news, record ows, sport and phone-im;and the ABC odeiled on the BBC, with two channels. ne of these is really only half a channel we, when Parliament is sitting, it must I law transmit the dreary proceedings rbatim. Most of the new experimental stations Ă&#x201A;ÂĽrto be based on universities and 'lieges, like America's campus stations. m more were to be run by Music . "oadcasting Societies, classical enthuists who wanted high-quality FM stereo usic programmes. The Federal Governent was to pay for two Ethnic Access ations, serving the large population of reeks, Italians and other non-English eaking immigrants. The ABC itself was so given licences for two experimental ations. And in Melbourne, a licence as offered to the Community Radio :deration for what proved t o be a iique and controversial radio station, ;rhaps the only one in Australia's hich can truly claim to have made ommunity radio' a reality. On 11th November 1975 the Whitlam wernment was dismissed by the overnor-General Sir John Kerr. The uetaker Fraser government did not like ie radio experiments, but by a constituanal quirk it was bound to let them wtinue. The stop-gap government did r t have the right to reverse Whitlam's ilicies until it received the mandate o f general election; and by then most of ie stations already had their licences in

The village served by community radio

station 2XX happens to be the Federal capital. Things which would go unnoticed in sleepy Brisbane or tolerant Sydney tend to lead t o questions being asked i n Parliament each time a right-wing member happens to tune in. Though Canberra's , population is a fraction of Melbourne's or Sydney's, there's power there, and a radio station inevitably feels it. Canberra has four radio stations, and 2XX, a campusbased community station, i s the newest. Its licence, promised by the Whitlam government, was finally granted in mi&

1976. The station is housed in a building of

the Australian National University. It is supported by a grant from the affluent Students Association. There are three paid staff, but the rest of the work is done by volunteers, many of whom of course are students. The radio station puts an alternative, anti-establishment and often left-wing point of view. But it has also gttt into troubleover i t s efforts to reflect the off-campus community. 2XX has sold regular air-time to organizations of ethnic minorities such as the Greeks and Yugoslavs. This was the pretext for a takeover bid in May bv a group led by

the local convenor of the Nationa Country Party, who claimed that had 'prostituted' i t s educational broadcasting licence, and asked the Minister for Post and Telecommunications to transfer the licence to them. The attempted coup failed, but it drew attention to the fact that 2XX d o interpret much more broadly the word 'educational' than the authorities. How many learned musicological comments must a broadcaster make to turn a pop record show into an educational programme? It is no surprise that the best programmes on 2XX are the least 'educ tional' ones, and the worst are those i n which AND academic staff are interview ed admuseam about their research. If anyone ever enforces the strict interpretation of the 'educational' licence, they will have as good as killed Canberra's most interesting radio station.

Most of Australia's experimental rad stations are independent, but two were also set up within the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The ABC, which is

to keep in touch with what their audience wantsand feels. In Australia, 2JJ has shown that an alternative style of broadcasting can exist even within a national broadcasting corporation. I t is an experiment the BBC could try, i f it was braver.

4ZZZ Brisbane

surprisingly like the BBC in most othe ys, was asked to set up a 'Young aple's Radio' station in Sydney, and an ;cessl station in Melbourne. Both openin 1975. The 'Access' station, 3ZZ, s shut down this year on the grounds it i t s ethnic language programmes re being used f o r left-wing propaganda. imigrants are supposed to become stralians, and the idea of them fomentplots in their own languages inspires Icial paranoia.) The 'Young' station, wever, survives. Like BBC's Radio e, 2JJ adopted elements of the style the commercial stations with which .ompetes. But musically it dishes out eavier mixture than either Radio One the Australiancommericals with their p-40 playlists. And the station's style argely free from the ghastlier dee-jayis. Announcers address their audience iquals. Rock music is interleaved with m, current affairs programmes and

was the essence, with social comment an optional extra. A rock station can't survive on Australian records alone, but 2JJ does what it can by broadcasting live concerts by . Australian bands. It has to defend itself in the jungle of ABC internal politics. Luckily the station has a member on the Commission itself. Marius Webb i s seen as a spokesman for 'alternative' broatf casting within the otherwise conventiona1 ABC. I n this game, audience figures on paper are important for the station's survival. There i s no need for the audience to get involved in the station, as long as they keep listening. 21J i s not a community station. Though the station's own hierarchy i s informal, it lives under the shadow of the greater ABC hierarchy. And it is run by professionals. However, they are professionals who try

The basement of the student's union building at Queensland University hous' Brisbane's experimental FM station, 4ZZZ. Triple-Z went on the air at 12 noon on 8 December 1975, in the first weeksof the Fraser government, with the Who's song Won't Get Fooled Agair.~ Queensland is roughly speaking twenty years behind and several miles to the right of the rest of Australia. Compared with the tropical Deep North, the capit?' city is relatively enlightened, but even in Brisbane, Triple-Z is a conspicuous outpost of a strange and mistrusted alternative society. Heavy political messages are not for Triple-Z; shades of pink and red are not recognized anyway in Queensland, except by the handful ol lefties who regard the station as a c o p out. As at Sydney's 2JJ, most of the output i s rock music, and station staff are confident that there's an audience for it. "Seventy-five per cent of record sales are album rock", I was told when I asked for evidence. An astonishing 35% of Brisbane households have FM tuners, even though the band was bare until 4ZZZ came along; Australians have money to spend on electronic toys, and they had expected an AkC FM station in Brisbane before Fraser's government axed that plan. Triple Z has i t s own flavour, but the format is,universal: one announcer in the studio, playing discs and working in news and interviews. A cheerful announcer called John Woods sat me straight down in the studio and questioned me - between album tracks - about England, Undercurrents and my impressions o f Australia. The music isn't all rock; there are also jazz, blues, soul, folk and classical programmes. Triple-Z's claim to be a chink in Australiansmedia monopoly must also rest on its news, satire and current affairs. Most o f the news is picked up from other sources, since the station can't afford a large team of intrepid newshounds. But they do boast some scoops such as the first news of the notorious Cedar Bay raid, in which drunken Queensland police descended by night on a freaks' colony and burned their houses. Without commercials, the station depends for money on $ 42,500 a year from the Students Union, and on about

WO Ustenw subscribers who pay $20

tfb.Educiliatalinstitutions like the

~ieenstandInstitute of Tecbaology also 'wide funds, and tfie station runs . gular benefit concerts. The twelve itl-time staff include four journalists, w announcers ind one engineer. ietr $90 weekly wage i s modest by ustralian standards. Vofunteers awn from students, graduates and ememployed - are essential to the nn'ing of the station. 4ZZZ changes its p r o g r h e s arfd irsohnel.constantly, and it has probtly changed again since Iwas the+ fhaps their main achievement is to ive survived, through the fhk from berat politicians and commercial radio wls. Comparisons with Sydney's rock ation 2JJ i s inevitable. Ifelt that of. e two stations 4ZZZ seemed the more ' ware that there is more to bfe changed Australia than musical tastes.

learn about are the committee of management - the executive arm and the frequent, someti.ms impromfttu staflon worker's' nwtings, one o f whteft, for sxainple, made tte firmly-eBfefeed. ruling that to avoid busts, theife'wukt "' , be no d*or -or alto@ stationpftm-bes The page-longfist of affiliatesans from Access Radtp for the BltnA.tQ,tlÃˆ Womens Theah Group, Wing in the Australian Rock and Appreciation Society, the Friends of the; Earth and the Plumbers Union. Any group can join provided it is not racist, mtj-worldng

station's pro-warking-classbias i s actual ly stated in the appli~cationwhich won XI$its litcfence. 11shows, too, inl t i e choiceaBtf-styleof news items. SR's ngayIe doesn'thave much ,.of what the-wmwereialswutd call3 '~roftsssttttalnm'.Tftis is no great toss. The has proved that radio can bi F&V& an& ev~n'~x~ttfng, without a polisherf technical performance. A n q importantIessOnh that% trade union, a women's-grouff, or an ethnic mimi& group can find s o m e t h i new-& interesting to fM up to =haw each

MOB

week. BroadcastiÃ§hou wereTnc~+ -edto18adwInMay,sottieoppioftun' itfesare nowgreat+r. @gbt~ew is a &r&-hoard

acti id AÃˆaisSmfm No, fi(yS theCRF. Jewish graq$?Ãˆ-litÃˆ.tiTsukunft Youth

to get recordings of le~ser'known bands andare often out in thfrpubs witha^ portable mixer, and 4 w w k recorder. fbr theAustralian

:R Melbourne The thing you notice about 3SR is tw serious they are about runnings. % dim station democratically. Ownedand . n by the bewilderingvyie@ rf-afBH*El organisationswhich make upthe , mhunity Radio ~6jdentiottKftft, e station also responds to the wishes Â¥me1000 listener-sponsorswho, for eir $5 subscription, get the right to te at monthly listener-sponsors' front part of- the-buildinfc while in the Wtings. The members of the policyitsing body of die Federation Itself tackeound fall-time workers and c representatives of the affi~liated volunteers worked typewriters and gMriSatten& There are also five elecft Listener representatives. If it sounds triplicated, take heart. Thq only. dtes o f importance you have yet to

not spent-much time lbtenirtg to&.

% .

Tooy ijw

I T S BETTER to be bugged than ignored, so FOE Sydney weren't too unhappy thatthe Australian secret police had put a tap on their &Â¥Ãˆ>GB~-A, . swv phone.What did yst up their noses, as Atastair Machin r@Ws, was the phone company insirti* that they should pay for it. z,--*y

" ? - -

5E SYDNEY have had their backs ainst the wall in recent times. I t all irted in February this year when Telem landed us with a $ 1,200 phoiie IIfor a two month period (an average $600/month). Up until then our. lone bill had been roughly $400 a tarter (average $130 - $150/month). . itrange" we said, "surely you must

fused. (It'is apparently customary not to keep accounts 0f.STD subscribers), althoughflip Tel@,omgentleman told us that'ohtyfi5 (of the $600) had been spent oninter-state phone calls. The rest were local calls. This meant that we would have hadto have made 250 calls per day, to"justify ^>e bill. ,

We weren't convinced.

do^

h t h coast l t was .

~ e to learn of the other unfortuna&people who had received enqrrrbisl$ large phonebills. In particular; we became very interestedin an offid,a of the Postal and Telegraphists Union, who years before had made a b t of : noise in the press about AS10 and the CIA tappingphones, which had .z

the inner city areas."

which FOE has i t s offices.

at rather lousy telephone bill!

- Telecom isn't too anxious to make a

against nuclear power and uranium exports. The "embassy" has been there since November 17th 1976, continuously staffed by FOE members. On Friday. May 20th in a half hour period

The. South Coast Waterside Workers Federationcollected $550. to replace the damages at Lucas Heights and the South Coast Trades and Labour Council is buildingus another dome. They've been terrific to us throughout and are

redfaced) have preferred to quietly "forget" the whole affair: "we won't take-any more action as long as you fill out these new forms thankvowervmuch." "What sort of forms?" "Oh.. .. urn a no sort of forms reallv

R an a sop to the peasants to keep them quiet an e com,munists. Simon Watt, just back from nference in Bangkok, reports on the reality

mobiles are added; it i s a mad, fran AS THE DOORS of the aeroplan overstretched chaos of concrete fra ,ens, you are engulfed with a lung block infill piecemeal development. Even g charge o f hot air and sobered by the marble lined tourist hotels become e sight of military aircraft lined +5angthe runway. This is the real :%%9'-. * +$-: -. lost . in the streets. The advantages to >0icsand the rineside seat F~~tht1-^/"a-%+;+ industry and commerce of a concentra.^-.f3 ted .population, services and supplies, ;power struggley~or Southeast are paid for as social costs by the people ,ia. Which way should Thailand who have to put up with overcrowding ke; the Western path of industrial and squalor. The costs of traffic congesvelopment or Chinese way based tion alone are put as high as Â£ million I rural development? Per day. I t has been suggested that the I n theair-conditioned arrival terminal policy of concentrating Thailand's ,iiu are greeted and treated as a tourist economic growth within a 30 km there to spend money. 'What's on' ahd radius of Bangkok i s to make it more 'Where to go' magazines extol the virtues easily defendable against Communis of food, jewels, the seaside paradise and The troops do not have so far to tra massage parlours. Thailand's reputation Between the airport and Bangkok for having the world's most beautiful are large industrial developments, alongprostitutes i s not misplaced. Newspapers side the rice paddy fields and 'low cost' unashamedly display the message of houses, of many hectares floor space profits and losses, who's made what, the producinggoods way in excess of stuff of free market business and it Thailand's needs. These are the legenbecomes clear that the policy o dary branch factories of the Multinationrulers of Thailand is to push har al companies, foot loose c ital taking reign investment funds for expo advantag* of chaap l a b o u f ( b U t Â£1.50 ientated industrial development. day in the Firestone Tyre Factory) and The obvious doubts that now arise no trade unions (the 'night visitors' to the concern of see to this). The visitor from Britain ordinary people is m may or may not be proud to see the brochures selling the large poster hoarding showing the Bri designed new town development to house the low paid workers; visitors from Liverpool's industrial suburbs will feel home from home here and will get a lot o f desires, will overlook this but ifhte%' think about it they should perhaps ask themselves who A short cut through the 24 hour will look after the girls once their beauty traffic (am will take the visitor Past a has faded at 25 years of age. TO be sure, 5 hectare steaming municipal mound Thai women are brought up to please garbage, 5 m high. This has been of men, but even porcine male conservatives raked and grubbed over several times will be concerned about the motives of for @claimablerefuse by the poorest the Thai men selling their own people faffitties wkoeven m k t @ wash out for pleasure. ~ uEast t is east and West is plastic bags. Ecotog'5te'wffl admire this west and thispoint should not be labourr e c y e l i of ~ materials andmsfeven ed. There can be no doubt, however, of applaud the initiativeof the poor A e motives behind the references to a people; free marketeers will point out stable and non-unionised labour force that poverty encourages conservation. in much of the press. Buddhist monksand temples abound. "Bangkok = +,-"-&. The ordinarfr people are dean, iftimacuDriving from the airport down the lately dressed, calm and courteous, 45km highway into Bangkok is to enter even t m their opinion of Western acity thatis indeed going bang. Populavisitors remains inscrutable. In their tion growth is running at 10% each year own lives they discipline themselves mainly from rural migrants in search o f well. They would come off the barriwork, there i s no sewerage system and cades t o cheer their King. But the file canals and ditches are black and changing social order they art taught -putrescent, only 2 km of new road are to accept and t o prostitute themselves . ,=-&&@gery year yet 5 krn of new autoto, is of very shaky merit.

The Countrysid

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After several days tasting the pleasures of Bangkok, you will want to escape by bus into the rural areas t o see at first hand the problems of the countryside. There is not much to see except space. Fields of rice paddy streti n g for miles on the lowlands; in the dr) northern areas there are few trees but large tapioca estates; on the coast are rubber and coconut plantations and in the mountains teak forests. The towns on the tar macadamed military highays are concreted and well built; ost of the villages with the white ailed and orange or green tiled Buddhist temples are neat and tidy There is none of the obvious pover seen in other Asian countries, no hunger or manifest disease. In this respect, Thailand is very fortunate. What i s most noticeable, besides-& heat, are the large trucks carrying primary agricultural produce into Bangkok and the insignificant Kalf of industrial development i n the countr

quiry will reveal the extent to the most productive land is ownlandlords (or landladies) living in Bangkok. The rural areas of Thailand are supposed to have regional government, the towns to have municipal statt but real power i s exercised from Bangkc by Government Departments, the landlords and produce merchants. The rural people have skilled craftsmen in the towns and villages who can turn their hands to most materials. Some of the villages wiU seem almost idyllic. If the people are unhappy with their lot, why don't they use their skills to tM!Chanise and to set up small busines es, using either labour intensive 'intermediate' technologies or whatever they can manage? Why do the young people leave the villages for the towns instead o f being happy in the traditional roles7 Theanswers to these questions are complex but appear t o be universal. The wages to be made in the towns are , perhaps four or five times higher than that to be ma& in agriculture. For young people, a safe gavernaent job is the key to the good, secure life; for landless labourers competing against - mechanisation, any sort of life is betterthat provides basic-food. The a&-&: <:--

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-=,-f?sar.r., ^: . x ~~- d ~

tions of town life are like a magnet Clearly, to reverse this urban drift off the land, to produce more food and primary produce, to increase secondary production, there has to be a devolution of power, capital and

SUGGESTED ATTRACTION A

FOUR MONTHS of argument at the Windscale Enquiry have shown that t is not the problems of safety, plutonium terrorism and the other hypo-

hetical nasties that ecofreaks like to frightern their children with that will le-rail the nuclear juggernaut; it is a matter of hard cash: launder the iccounts how you will, it is still much cheaper to save a watt than to make I watt, as Gerald Leach makes clear in this extract from his evidence for fiends of the Earth. THE 19 MILLION dwellings in Britain account for 30% of our consumption o f primary fuels; two -thirds o f this is for space heating. They are the largest single electricity consumer, using 42% of total demand. Much o f this fuel is vasted; for example, two-thirds o f all :ouncils houses are uninsulated. So the scope for making savings by applying simple measures is correspondingly large. Two detailed studies by the Watt Committee, a team o f practising architects, civil engineers and surveyors, show what can be done t o (a) a typical post-war semi and (b) a 3-storey Victorian terrace house.

saving It in a Semi The average semi uses 13,500 kilovatt hours of fuel for space heating a 'ear; at the current marginal price o f lectricity ( 2 . 4 ~kwh) this costs Â£281 Fable 1 sets out the cost (on a D I Y bas"@ ind effectiveness (kwh savedlyear) o f ix options, ranging from lower internalemperatures to double glazing, and he payback period (cost/annual saving issuming electric heating). If all the neasures were applied (at a cost o f ,1400) the annual space heating demand rould be cut to one-seventh o f what i t vas (1,800 kwh). The payback period anges from under two years for the rft insulation t o nearly ten for the Jouble glazing. The payback test takes no account qf future price increases or o f the cost o f lorrowing money. It is becoming customry to assume when comparing conservaion measures (i) heating i s by gas, (ii) a % interest rate and (iii)gas prices will icrease 3%/year faster than the inflaion rate, (a 'real' increase of 3% as it is iisleadingly called). If we do this in this case all the measures are cost-effective except the double glazing and the smperature zoning. .

fiat a Nuclear Watt Costs The most recent estimates o f nuclear asts are those of the Watt Committee's lorking Party on the Deployment o f lational Resources. They estimated tha lant costs for a 1300 MW unit were >out Â£56 per installed kilowatt, and ansmission and distribution cost iother Â£300Allowing 8% for distribuon losses and assuming a load factor F 60% this gives a capital cost of 18p/ Whlyear. This is a conservative estimat ccluding (as do most costings o f fuel p p l y options) a number o f environ-

m r

A fluid bed coal fired boiler, developed bj Fluidfire Ltd. Although twice as efficient as conventional solid fuel heater when operating, the coal board at present shows no interest in providing the infrastructure for a pilot scheme - i.e. delivery of powdered coal and disposal of ash.

mental and socio-political factors. So it is no more than a rough illustration. Rough or not, this cost figure shows . that building nuclear power stations costs more than all the options listed in Table 1 except the double glazing: i t s cheaper t o save a watt than to make a watt.

Saving It in a Victorian Terrace A typical three-storey terrace house uses 34,000 kWh/year for heating. Tab 2 sets out a similar set o f options and shows that once again if all the measurf were applied (at a total cost o f Â£2500 the annual demand could be cut to one seventh o f what it was. Even the two least attractive measures (ventilation reduction and extra glazing) are costeffective using 7% interest and a 3%/ year gas price increase. Nor i s t h i s all. Several technologies now at an advanced state o f development could reduce the fuel needed t o provide them for space heating even further.

Fluidised-bed heating equipment i s ped for domestic use ited). Gas fired units have been tested under typical working conditions and have achieved average efficiencies of 85% compared t o 60-70' for a conventional, modern, well servic ed appliance. The high efficiencies, eve under part load conditions, are gainel. by having a small thermal mass, no ' pilot light and excellent heat transfer characteristics. Selling price is expectec o be about that o f conventional gas entral heating and hot water units. Coal fired fluidised-bed systems are also being developed for housing. Expected efficiencies are 75% for hot water and central heating. As now con;eived, powdered coal would be delive~ ;d to a house probably in plastic sacks with storage in a hopper comparable in size t o a domestic heating oil tank. Coa Feed with a proportion o f limestone t o neet clean air standards by absorbing

Table 1 : Saving It in a Semi ; the seven options ranked by cost-effectiveness Option

- -- --

DIY Cost

1 Lower Temperatures 2 Loft Insulation 3 Draught Stripping Curtains Wall Insulation Temperature Zoning Double Glazing Total Possible Saving

Cost-Effective- Paybac ness Period2 (o/kWh/~ear) (years)

2,30 1,lO 1,60 47 2,lO 55 3,60 11,800

5.5 6.1 9:7

1430

otes: Details are given in the appendix Assumes heating by electricity (u}. 2.4pIkWh

~---. .~.:... ---..

-+.

will deliver 3kW o house for each k

d. This means that th

each employing a 4m2 collector area, throughout the UK housing stock would currently require acapital outlay for consumers of Â£9,00 million and reduce national primary fuel consumption by 2.3-2.5%. A t present installed prices of about Â£10 pr m2, assuming a 25 year life and annual savings of 7 GJ useful energy, these systems are today just cost effective if substituting foron-peak electric heating (10%discount rate, constant electricity price in real terms). I f mass production could be initiated costs we @awaljy expected to fall to aboui half9resentfigures. But problems of overshadowing, unfavourable roof orientation and structure could limit skcassful implementation to about 257 of dwellings though this figure is very uncertain. With water heating a substantial re duction in maximum electrical demand (and thus in required installed capacity) could be made quite simply by using large, well insulated hot water storage tanks that are heated only during off peak hours. This i s common practice in several European countries. The addition al coat i s vwy much less-thanthat o f new generating capacity. -

Sotar Electricity

Solar photovoltaic devices might also make a large impact by the end ofthe century (and not only on the housing .- - sector). Due to major technical advances - 1'n the past year, costs are now expected to fall-much more raoidtv than anticibated. Predictions that'costs per peak watt of output would faH from a present $1 5,to $5 by 1979, $1 by 1984 and 5 Gem by 1986 are beginning to look

tilted at 45' i s :lose to 1000 kwh/m2; on a vertical wall w i t h the same orientation, 700 kWh/m2. ^ew houses or flats lack such surfaces w i t h areas of 3-4 square metres. I f we .onsider one square metre o f such an irray, costing Â£3.5 to manufacture but >erhapsÂ£7-Â£including profit and nstallation, it would deliver about 600 0 kwh per year mounted 9n a roof ind 40-70 kwh per year mounted on a Even on the worst assumptions of 110 cost and 40 kwh output, the device 5 almost cost effective against electricity it a 10% discount rate and constant lectricity price and is highly competitive OTth a 7% discount and 3% per year rice increase. Moreoever, it seems likely that the olar cell costs will fall well below the 10 cent figure with large-scale mass production, since like most electronic $array levices' such as computer memories they e peculiarly well suited to mass prod&ion techniques. Panels designed for easy 1 south-facing surface and

%0tO-Voltaiccelln contribute to the these renovated quarry cottages it the Centre for Alternative Technology. testing of

built By 2025 the mix would be roughly 8.3 million pre-1975 and 14.5 million Post 1975 units. Nearly all of these new units could be designed for low fuel consumption. r These estimates are a deliberate understatement of what might be achieved. Flats have much lower space heating fuel demands than houses. I have made no akxVance for solar water (or space) heating; for greater efficienies o f lights, electrical appliances or ooking; for district heating in some reas; for combined heat and power delivery to blocks o f flats or houses - using low-maintenance diesel generator systems similar to those now being . Nt'w Housing developed in Denmark, Italy and Many new houses that are now built, Germany; for better timing and thermounder consttucfionw Ãthe design stage - stat controls for space heating; or for quarter as much w i r e as little the many other ideas that are under for SPW and water heating as conintensive discussion in the recent techm f i n a l , modem equivalents. It is - nical literature on energy conservdon. important to a~preciate,thedramatic Gerald Leach effect on ~0ssibIefuel consumption in housing and also in other major sectors . of the projected slow down in population growth and in the rate of household formation. 'do-it-yourself' mounting also seem likely. The solar-electric output would have to be run through a storage system in order to avoid heavy transient demands from the mains grid system when clouds cross the sky and to avow day-night load. variations. Battery storage is not likely to ' be practicable for many years, so their main use is likely to be in supplementary :., water heating for space and hot water demands in houses and other buildings and for,boiler-wat~heating in industry." Potential applications in these areas are very large indeed.

:The Sev6n Options

2. Loft insulated with 100 mm of rockkoo~

In mitigation, Iwould point out that rectification of this error strengthens, rather than weakens my argument about the neglected potential of alternative

Godfrev Bavte

THE NUMBER of green cars is increasing . Not through some mix-up in the paint division at I d , nor through the development of envy in these four-wheeled monsters, but, as Steve Cousins explains, through the development of co-operative ownership schemes. Green cars are shared cars.

The Inter-Action S

op on Thursdays, you although both groups wanting to use the car at the same time

made, the attrac-

to use taxis and hire cars when conflicts

A ten-year-old van owned by two

vehicle which was both nreliable led one family y a new car with some long establishlends living in an adjacent street. One couple has three children (aged 6,4, 1) and the other one (aged 3%).The men, who a r e w t h university teachers, do not use the car to travel t o work, and the daytime uses are shopping and taking the children to school. The other uses are mainly social trips in the evenings and at weekends. They have shared the car for three years and have averaged 6500 miles per year although they expect this to rise in the future when it is used for holidays abroad. The wish to have a car in which they could travel abroad without fear of breakdowns was one of the prime reasons for sharing. The cost of each buying a whole'new car would have been prohibitive. Advance bookings can be made via a notebook kept in the car. Conflicts in use, i.e. when both families want to use the car at the same time are few in the evenings and at weekends, but more numerous during the daytime. This conflict is not sufficiently bad to 'ration'

The scheme operated for seven months until one of them moved away to get a job. However, during that time they did 7000 miles of which 55% was business and 45% private. Business use had priority over personal use. Booking the car was done on a personal basis when they met at work. Neither had to use the van to get to work. By putting a bicycle in . the back they could deliver the van to each other and then pedal home. The j' main conflict in u s arose when both .+ partjeswated van to go away for the weekend. Both considered that it was much better to have half a van at half the price, particularly in Milton Keynes wherepublic transport is poor and very difficult to use to make social journeys. Payment - the company paid all maintenance and fixed costs as well as petrol costs for business mileage. Mileage done and petrol bought were entered in a notebook in the car. On private I trips each paid the petrol cost. Other transport - both had bicycles and one had occasional access to a friend's car. Only one had a telephone. Public transport poor.

Inter-Action is a charitable trust describedas a living/working co-operative. It is based in Kentish Town, has 40-45 membersthere, and has 819 vans and 4 cars in the shared car fleet The work of the co-op is very varied but includes street theatre and youth work. Access to the vehicles i s controlled a booking chart. You enter whether it is for private or work use, when it i s needed and for how long. On this basis it is first come first served, except that, someone wanting a vehicle for work overrides a person who has booked out a vehicle for private use. They buy secondhand cars and vans which may the be two or threeyears emphasis is on the standard of the vehicle rather than its age. There is a * part-time mechanic to maintain the fleet Payment - charges are only made for private journeys outside London and then only the petrol i s charged for. All other work and private journeys are free to the user. This scheme depends on trust between members but the coop is built around this principle and the scheme works tolerably well. Other transport - There is a shortage of vehicles for private use particularly in the summer, and the members can fall back on public transport but t h i s is generally a second choice to using free cars and vans. Some members prefer to own their own vehicles and bicycles. A free bicycle scheme was abandoned because the bikes were not sufficiently

Energy Savings The joint owner certainly seems a financial success from the user's viewpoint in each of these schemes. Whether there are 'energy \ savings' as well would be a much more d i f f i t question to answer. I n some ways the very economic success, i.e. obtaining cheap travel, would tend to increase the quantity of travel and the quantity of energy used. On the other hand, if two cars were owned instead of one in the first two schemes the quantity o f travel couq well have been greater. Obviously it is fruitless to attempt to generalise on the basis of these 3 very different schemes but Iwould very much like to hear from people who do have 'green cars' so that it is possible to get a more general picture of the pros and cons of sharing a vehicle. Steve Cousins 3

BEANSTALK

:ALVERTS NORTH STAR RESS

BEANSTALK have been running Forabout a year in Wimbledon Oley are trying to fmd premises Â¥w which to run a wholefbod md crafts shop. Also planned is m informal advice and informaLion centre (an alternative to be CAB), skills exchange anil ~oss1ilva small cafe to help Beanitalk become a real *alter~tive meting place'. As they have no cash apart I tom Â£12raised through a umbke sale and CLAP, premises tre a real problem. Now three of thegroup have left the area, they irgently need to hear from local m p l e interested in their idea -"ontact -Val Bassctt, I 8 A Alexandra Rd

i r o u ~ find s use for me? I a r i a ixperience in the practical and theoretical sides of a lot of e n g i n ;ering companies from the Mer:hant Navy t o the Nuclear Power industry (no apologies!) Have iesigned and built solar powered water pump. and am interested in ambient energy devices. d i n attempt most aspects o f design ind build projects. Have transport. o h n Salisbury. The Lodge, Bryn Zwynant YHA, Nant Gwynant, Zacrnarmon, Gwynedd.

WE'RE NOW starting to prepare the fifth edition of

In the making, the directory of co-operative projects. We need t o hear from anyone involved in, or wanting t o start, co-operative projects. Entries should be 100 t o 300 words and sent t o the address below. We rely on you for entries, so keep writing to us. For those who haven't heard already, there's a supplement to ITM4 which has already been sent t o all subscribers. Single copies cost 16p plus an A5 s.a.e. from the ITM address. The 28 page supplement is packed full with readers' comments, new projects, reviews and contacts. This issue's ITM page contains a selection of the information we've been receiving. If you want to use any of the services offered - whether it's Calvert's North Star Press printing, the Self-Help Clearing House or something else get in touch with them directly and support co-operative projects in a practical way.

ECOLOGICAL LAND BONDS THI I COLOGICAL LAND BOND PLAN is "esscnt~.illv a i-ol-

HARMONY WORKER HARMONY COMMUNITY FRUST are looking for a residential worker responsible for field work between Glebe House (see ETM4, p 50) and community (toups throughout Northern Ireland. It provides "an opportunity af working with children and youm people in a cÃˆrin community, and teveloping leadership skills in volunteer helpers". Salary Â£200 p.a. (under review) plus board and accommodation. Applications by 30th November to: Mrs E. Hall, Harmony Commu'nity Trust, 123 Scottish Provident Bldgs., Bonegallsquare West, Belfast BT16JL. (Tel' 43223).

INFORMATION NEEDED! INFORMATION IS NEEDED

by the National Council of Social Service who are doing a 6 month

project on job creation co-operatives, training workshops and small enterprises. They aim to "compile a dessier and handbook about the range of workshops and self-help permanent work enterprises now wtive throughout the country." The team, founded by the lob Creation Programme, are seeking and wou1d'welcome any contacts with people and groups in this field. They write, "Through discussions with existing projects, the team will try to draw and pree n t common difficulties afid probbans. They also want to make known the strengths of the workhops as workplaces to the indiriduals within them." The end PIW duct should be a guide on "ways to go about setting up a workshop &the resources available to help: Contact: Michael Jrost. NC@, 16 Bedfoid Square, London Wi, i-Ã‡wÃˆ:-ft1-6 40<6&Ã‘M.~*

and savings towards buying tarms." The farms would be organised as co-operatives and Bondholders would be members of a co-operative. One experienced member would be a full tune manager to ensure that the land is properly husbanded. either full o learning pra The cooperatires A u l d aim t o produce enough food to supply both part-time and full-time members with a sumlus for sale to produce a cashincome. A year's subscription to the mailing list is Â£anda prospectus and G l i c a tion form 30p from: Ecological Life Styles Ltd, 27 Burnham Road, St. Albans, Herts.

RURAL CENTRE AN OLD ARMY CAMP is planned as a centre for craft workshops and c h a r i t h The "Association for the Development of a Craft Village and Centre for Charities" is negotiating for the

camp which is about 4 hours drive from London. Anyone interested in the camp where moveable csiible to have premises tor ,I "very reasonable pii~e",tontact.

Steering Group, Association for the Development of a Craft Village and Centre for Charities, 48 Abingdon Villas, London

COLLECTIVESHANDBOOK FOLtOWKNG the Lauri@Qn Hall conference on work coBectides test December, a handbook is being produced. The group producing it has been meeting regularly and the handbook is almost finished. Those involved all have experience of working collectively and "want to pass on what we have learnt". So it will include information on how to start a collective. legal frameworks, accounting, prob ferns of roks and relationships, sexism, personal and political perspectives etc. etc. One problem about Â£50is needed to meet publicatimn costs. Can anyone help? Contact: Work Collectives Handbook, c/o Alison, 8 Elm Avenue, Nottingham.

SUBSCRIBE TO ITM!. Subscribers receive the current issue of t h e ITM directory 1TM directory plus supplements (2 or 3 times a year). The latest directory is just out. The new subscription rates are: %

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JNEMPLOYMENT BOOKLET JAMI;S CAIRNS of Sunderland ~ n i i t st o contact people t o help tart an orgiinisation for those intersted in undcrstiindins and prevening unemployment. He writes, w e offer a duplicated booklet of ,bout forty pages for 25p, post iaid. Stamps accepted." ,He is also involved in an organii t i o n which helps people exchange mwanted items, and is interested 11a non-profit organisation which vill create ii demand f o r the work if small publishers." I-'or details jf these multifarious activities conact James Cairns, 15 Brinkburn Street, Sundesldnd, SR4 7RG.

SELF-HELP CLEARING TOUSE SHARE COMMUNITY, an COM company, has set up the 'Self-Help Clearing House". It's iim is to provide a forum for ex;liiin&ingfdeas and practical infornation for those involved to some tind of self-help activity. This &noady includes far more than the ;mperative wojects in ITM,b u t Could well be relevant. CWjterative work projects could also beneI'it from the experience of groups aich as housing co-ops, food bulk buying collectives and eomrnunity health groups. They write, "The Clearing House is based upon the view that self-help groups have much to share with each other. It wiUno1 be our aim. therefore, to judge and assess groups - but to conveyfaformation on principles and-tices in use within the self-help field, and to that extent self-hdp failures are as important as the , successes." The services of the Clearing House cost Â£ a year (kss for "practitioner self-help group'?. though special requests may &an additional charges. For defaBs, contact: Self-Help Clearing Hoase, 170 Kingston Road, Msiton Park, London S

post)

Copies of ITM 3+ are available at 35p. All mail to ITkl cfo Acorn #-QHirch street

OTverton

B($T(TUTIWRATE Â£2,gy'"4- M ilton Key@@, Bueks.

CALVERTS NORTH S FAR RESS, a new common-ownernip printing co-operative, has merged as a direct result of a isputc within IRAT Services (ITM ITM4 p 38) about workers' con rol. It comprises all the then print reduction workers. For the first hree months of this yea] they {ere involved in a struggle with he 98% shareholder and nianagig director of IRAT Services t o orce them t o fulfil his publicly tated intrntion that it become a ommon ownership co-op. The forced move and inevitable isruption of making the break rom IRAT Services meant a slow tart. For details of what they can mint for you, contact: Lorraine Iloldstock, 7 Museum Mansions, 63A Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3BJ.

OOPS! U N F O ~ ~ ~ I N 1A'lTt I "Trucking Collective" was consistently called n "Trading ('ollectivr" in the lust ITM page (Undercurrent: !4). Sorry!

Fred Hoyle has a considerable reputation i n the field o f science fiction. This book :an only enhance it. Now that his arch astronomical rival Martin Ryle has taken up ;udgels o n behalf o f alternative energy it was only t o be expected that Fred would narch into the fray on behalf o f nuclear power. The result is The Red Cloud (aka Tnergy and Extinction) i n which sinister and alien ideological forces threaten t o mgulf the world and its energy supplies, only t o be held at bay by a few hero cientists wielding their trusty calculators. through a mild, pleasant 'save the Hoyle does not beat about the bush. whales' movement which y o u observe ie pace is fast and the plot exciting. ~ o. ~ u l throughout ar the t o be arowina lords like 'concerned person' and 'friend -, western Democracies. A n d a/I this they the earth' are just the kind o f worddo right t o the last letter o f your ye1 which political manipulators use to Kremlin-inspired instructions'. ake us forget precisely what explicit Having fulminated with righteous .ues are troubling us', he tells us i n the indignation in Chapter 1, Fred mellows s t paragraph. The source o f this at the beginning o f Chapter 2, indeed anipulation is the Soviet Union and he becomes almost lyrical. ie world struggle for energy'. The 'The world around us is obviously ~ssiansare sitting pretty on half the very complicated and just as obgrid's known reserves of coal and viously full o f marvellous things. lough oil t o last them for a good A small seed planted in the ground iile yet, while the West depends on grows into a tall tree. Distant stars ppfies from the Middle East which e transported round Africa. If you cover the sky at night like a vast display o f twinkling gems. Storms ;re Russian you would notice that yntrol o f the Western coastline of sweep over the oceans, and frica would permit y o u t o cut those volcanoes rumble and roar as the9 nuous shipping lanes. So y o u would burst o u t into cascades o f molten t your many vociferous friends lava'. w l i n g and baying for the blood o f Sheer poetry. roe1and South Africa You would Chapter 3 is when Fred'really starts so set yourself t o exploit the many telling it like it is. 'Energy', he begins, ilitical troubles t o which the conti'is more important than money'. No >nto f Africa is endemic (sic). beating about the bush there. And, just 'lieving in the all-importance o f in case anybody did not get the message, tergy, y o u would scent victory in the he adds that it is 'what life is all about' y r l d struggle. Marxists never stop and, more importantly, is 'used t o Iking about the world struggle - they keep the brain at a constant temperablieve in that too'. ture, which is a condition essential t o 'The fly in this otherwise smooth being able to think clearly'. Quite so. Nor is biology the only discipline ntment, which inyour Russian guise to which energy is the all important IU have prepared, is nuclear energy. key. The work o f generations of histor7ur Western enemies have a powerful ians is rendered irrelevant by this /clear technology, t o a degree where it lapidary insight: 'There will be people iuld n o t be outstandingly difficult for who will tell you that we differ today em t o obtain access t o oil the energy from the past because o f such things ey need. Evidently then y o u start law, or the United Nations or the w r vociferous friends in the West ional Health Service, b u t pay no ying against nuclear energy. You instruct y o u r friends t o operate 4m;ntion to such protestations. We

. ..

differ because o f energy flow'. With a cosmologists contempt for trivia he brushes aside any distinction between primary energy, delivered energy and useful energy, together with the other hair splitting definitions which have obsessed so many o f the lesser minds who thus far have had the field to themselves. What the world needs is energy plain and simple - and lots o f it, t o boot. Energy is intimately connected with the standard of living. The 55,000 kilowatt hours (kwh) consumed by the average Briton annually i s the overriding reason why our standard o f living is lower than i n the USA, where they get through 100,000 kwh apiece. Of course even the US figure does n o t represent a desirable plateau. The goal, Hoyle considers, ought to be around 150,000 k w h a year. He postulates too that world population can be stabilized at around its present level o f 4000 million, and that eventually reasonably enough, everybody will want toenjoy the 150,000 k w h lifestyle - which means a total future world energy consumption of 600 million million kwh. Not that they could enjoy it very long on fossil fuels. A t that rate known and likely reserves o f gas are consumed i n two years, oil lasts just over 4% years, while coal could possibly be stretched out for another 50 years. Clearly after that the energy has t o come from somewhere else. But where? Solar? Well, there's a lot of it about admits Fred, b u t that i s just about all you can say for it. 'The case for solar energy really stops here. It has no follow up.' That should come as a surprise, not t o say disappointment, t o the US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) who have invested several hundred million dollars i n solar research, to the British section o f the International Solar Energy Society who have predicted that solar will supply a significant proportion o f the UK's energy needs by the beginning, o f the next century, t o the many manufacturers now making solar equipment, and t o the many thousands who have actually installed that equipment. But c'est la vie. If Fred says no way, then you'd better forget it. Wind or waves? No good either. It would take 20 million windmills t o supply England and they would take up half the land area. Alternatively i t would need 8000 miles o f wave booms to do the same job. Quite impractical. That only leaves nuclear. Can i t do the job? 'Certainly', says Fred, and with the legerdemain o f a conjurer pulling a rabbit out o f a hat, proceeds t o tell us exactly how. The best type o f reactor for the job %

-., ..--...... - . .....-.- .-. ... . . . ..-. . . ; not, surp. gly, y othe u fast a nbreeder n o t a c h i e v e a n y t h i n g like Ã beloved of the UKAEA, but the a 75% Idad-factor; because of the way ~ o n s ~ m p t i varies o n over the day and :anadian CANDU which can be adapthroughout the year. 50% would almost 3d to burn thorium as well as uranium. certainly be optimistic, but taking this f we agree to pay a reasonable amount figure this pushes our UK nuclear bout 1/3p/kWh for fuel from t h i s requirements up to about 260 GW. On :actor, even present technology will top o f t h i s the CEGB needs 28% spare nable us to pay up to Â£100 per capacity, to take account of maintenilogram for uraniumJhorium. A t that ance and breakdowns, bringing total rice Hoyle claims, an awful lot of required installed capacity to about uel i s available. Certainly all the 3000 370 GW. For Fred's utopia, with a iillion tons of uranium in seawater per capita consumption almost three oqki be used, since he asserts that times larger, the figure would be ovei histan be extracted for about Â£200 1000 GW. Since 1 GW is almost twi g. Taking it all together there ought as large as any Candu reactor yet built, o be at least 20,000 million tons it would seem that the true number vailable and, since each kilogram of reactors for Britain is nearer 1GOO an produce 300,000 kwh of electricthan 100. Ah well, what'san order ty, our ideal world could consume of magnitude between friends of the t the rate of 6 x 1014kWh annually , earth. or another 300,000 years. There might too be problems The energy problem he considers is about paying for those reactors. A hen solved. Present technology can lo the job without fast breeders. There conservative figure for the costs of vould be no need for millions of unreactor, plus associated transmission ightly windmills, or thousands of miles equipment, is about Â£100 per kw if wave booms which would be shipat today's prices. Th'at would give the total cost of the programme Â£ ling hazards. 'About 100 reactors for he whole of Britain would suffice'. million million. That's over 10 years Sounds convincing?Well, almost, worth of Gross National Product at mt there are one or two minor today's value - and the estimate is irobfems. First of all that figure of certainly on the tow side, maybe by 10 reactors is a little difficult to undera factor of threeor more. ind. Present UK energy consumption Then there i s the question o f the i about 350 million tons of coat equiuranium supply. For the UK, Fred's alent (mtce). A t a 75% load factor, energy plan would need about 25,000, 1000 megawatts (Mw) nuclear reactons of uranium/thorium a year at or is equivalent to about 2 mtce so about 5% burn up rate. Obtaining hat 350 mtce would need at least that amount from lean ores does 75 Gw (1GW= 1000 MW) of nuclear present a-few problems. For instanc eactors. extracting that amount of uranium '-lowever, if you were running the from phosphates, which are about lie economy on nuclear electricity the leanest ores anybody has serious-

. -Â¥~^/yÃˆw+.

'Stop talking andstart doing it', said Voody in these pages two years ago. >K, but how? Working alternatives are tin on the ground nowadays: even radical ideas are rare enough. So t h i s nodest proposal' is particutarty welome. Abbs and Carey wish to set up n independent college of education iat will apply itself directly t o the riple crisis' of ecology, economy and ulture that is upon us. It would be nail, frugal, self-sufficient, workemocratic,'and primarily concerned i t h the humanities. As prototypes of the community ley wish to create they describe life t the Abbey of Rievaulx, at Ruskin ottege, the Bauhaus and Black lountain. It could be sited in one of ie colleges now to be closed and ould cost only half as much to run as (isting institutions; mainly because the achers and students would do the work

employs 140 non-teachingstaff, 60 of them cleaners and dishwashers. The working population quite naturally resents and envies 'students' as privileged layabouts, the more so as many are studying nothing useful anyway; hov different it would be if they cleaned their own 100s and dug their own spuds. AH t h i s could be done on a'rota as determined by meetings of the whole college, so that everyone would learn both the practical skills needed and to participate in a self-managed community. Utopian? Impractical?Hardly. Such a college is alive and well in Tvind, Denmark; thegroup are building biggest windmill in the world to provide hot water. They are very popular locally and have no difficulty persuading the local authority to accept their ambitious plans. It is a scheme which is typical of thegroup and no more improbable than their plans for transforming teacher training seemed when they firstput them forward.'

,-J>

Cleaning and learn i ng owl for a New College. Peter Abbs Â¥ahaCarey. Â£1.50.9 ep.

ly suggestedmight be used, would' ' . ' ': . require five times thewrrent world * . phosphate production to be sed. From shale, i t would req about 75 square kilome strip mined annually, from grani you would need 50 strip mines, each as large as the largest mine in existence, at a capital cost of several billion pounds. The fun when you get to sea water. For an optimistic 33% extraction rate you would need to process 25,000 cubic kilometres of water - and each cubic kilometre weighs2 thousand million tons. It would require five million tonsof titanium hydrate and activated charcoal filter (not cheap) daily; and the storage capacity necessary would be equivalent t o a pile 5m high, 6m thick and 500 km lo And Fred is proposing to go to grades five times leaner That should keep a few navvies in work. All in all this book has much to recommend it. It is well up to Hoy previous standards, It is a work of soaring imagination and not in any way constrained by the facts. It has pace, style, plqpsible villains and a happy ending. So good i s it that I suggest the Undercurrents put it forward as their nomination for a Hugo award (the sf equivalent of an Oscar for those of you who didn't know).

what the monks had but the ~auhausand Black Mountain did-not. i s a common spiritual framework. Abbs and Carey (and most Undercurrents readers I SUSPC~) regard that as unnecessary and think it enough to rely on common cultural values and a commitment to work-democracv to hold the communitv together. The Bauhaus was suppressed by the Nazis; Black Mountain fell apart after bitter personal hassles, a victim of the emotional plague, as this account by one of the teachers there makes clear: 'The faculty and students were all un'bearabty inte/ligent so that one had every reason to expect that Christian charity or Socratic tolerance would *, prevail. Don't kid yourself, the , more brilliant the people are, the more virtually they fight amongst each other. Why, they &en gange~ ' u p on Rice, the onliest begetter, the Idea man who founded the Institution and, lo and behold, the people who ganged up on him were ganged up on and chucked out.' Until it is attempted it remains an openquestion whether such a community can be made to stick'together withoutsp'iritual cement. If it c compulsory chapel encounter grot the chapet!

Soft Energy Paths will become

original, not the reviews. The crux of the thesis (OK, I'lltell you a little bit) i s that social, moral and political values lie at the root o f the choice between 'soft' and 'hard' energy paths; and that ultimately it is not the technical engineering that i s most difficult with both paths but the 'social engineering'. He prefers that necessary in the soft path. The rnost-controversial assertion is that the soft and hard paths are economically and socially incompatible; that the one precludes the other. It is worth pointing out here that Lovins calls himself a jeffersonian. He presents detailed arguments on all fronts: technical, economic and political. There i s a very important discussion about matching the quality of energy supply to end-use for very urtailment of nuclear power.

ergy debate, and although it i s not the last word, andis uno be 'right' in everything, he has n severely attacked by some critics

of Apprenticeship on the Couch. nn Moser. Pluto Press. Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ6.60 168pp., Alienation: Women and

problem of psychoanalysis a

how the hard path coul

process of human relating and explor tion that i s psychoanalysis.

our understanding, the structuri, che into a conscious and un-

work. Every analysis is an individual affair and Moser's was clearly one in which transference was o f particular importance. It would also appear to be ideas, with the clinical 'unconscious which

This same lack of understanding of

to show that desire is always rela

over the internalised childhood tastes and monsters and even-

sis of human relations with the various whodesires a well-wr

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, *&<-%*;

' "

. --

Phenomena. John Michell and Robert Rickqd. Thames and Hudson. f-1.95., 128pp. - Fire from Heaven, Michael Harrison. Pan. Â£0.80 - -Space-Time Transients and ffnusuai. - .Events. Michael A. Pesinger and --- Gyslaine F. Lafreniere. Nelson Hall.

r5.95.

-.-

- --

lmqine ifthunder stom only - happened eyery ten years; we'd have a rare time speculating about them. In fact, mgst o f us wo"ld wind up disbelieving the accounts of eye-witnesses, and as fools, charlatans ~r w6rse..Thunde~stor,ms are epnplesof.%n.aWral phenomena-w ~ o n t r ~ l l eand d which cannor ed at will;and are therefore investigate with normal scientific methods where controlla6ilit.y and w = U i I i t y are cfwial. But>fortu ly, thunder storm are frequent and predictable, and so it has been pos wnduct the necc==Y investi and -piece together a reasonably ing explanation of what happens, and relag it to other known

-*ST - -

A=-?<"

W m

-*eve& seclnd b u o k ~ d k j u s t a garrulous compendium o f - S p a & &

people use to expfain other things. This is a sort of intellectual know- . nothingi~m~but the authors take the view that knowing nothing is marginally preferable'to actually being deluded;and who am I to disagree? In fact the ravings of straight science arkigno~ ed with icy wntempt, except occa-As= sionally to be quoted with derision, like the psychiatrist called to invesgi gate the case of a woman who glowed in the dark. (If you want t o know her gtowed then you"' which pa& have to buy *e book.) Anyway, tbe psychiatrist said the effect was due t o . . '*ectrica' and Organism' in thc woman's body deveimed in : -.

bursting into flames when you least expect them to, while medical expooh pooh the idea and coroners darkly conceal the evidence. Pmbaps instead o f building space colonie3 we can dissipate oiir surplus value solv.rpg t h i s conundrum for once and all. -Space-Time Transients and Unusua Events is-an:e%ample of %hes o r t 0: thing you can do with a computer w h ~ you're not typing out images 6f-the MamLisix It's an extremely dry, mull factorial cross-correlation of h u n d d s of Fortean events in the US who@ only striking conclusion, so far as I ca see, is that phenomena are, by and Larj most frequently reported where pew1 most frequently Iiye. The book is dedi

Precipitation i f frogs or fish, on th othe~hand,really does only h once every ten years, perhaps even

in the first p b . W i are so 5 m c k . by the absurdity o f what they see that their accounts tend to be rather wnfw ing. But-the fact remains, and a fact it . most ceranly is,that thmughout dl -,periodsof recorded history, and in every part of-the globe, all sorts o f jnt explicable objects are reported to h a ~ e fallen from the sky - animals, flesh; blo@, rocks, coins ;. .,you name it The school ~f Phenomenalism, of. whjch Rickad and Michell are far and away the most interesting and literate representatives to date, don't- believe in worrying too much about explanah . - ! f a hypothesis gives satisfaction then by all means entertain jt on wffe ance, but remember that it i s only-the merestsnatch o f abstraction and not -reality-itself. The guru of the movement, Charles -Fort, whose work wasdescribed by Rob R'ikard in Undercurrents 23, regarded.: a hypothesis as a playtfiing, something 6 punt around For as long as it is interesting, but certainly nQt anything to get uptight about.-Rains of extran-

function was to put fish where there

Disabifng Professions. lliich et d.Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd. El .95. 127pp-

The wand essay on mdicine?-aItho@ a useful short trxt about depl dence upon the medicakprofesion, ac little to lliich*s Medical Nemsis; but i

alises for all professions the case he

when notoniy has it the 'secret know ledge that only its members have the right to dispense', but when it has also acquired a monopoly over thedefinitions of people's needs of their sewices, and often has the force of law t~ ensure con-

--. he![ mean). No-one4can see pa2t th% morally neutral valueoFI6~eand care, h&& t h i s author is working on it. Becdwz the size of â‚¬sewice sector, ~ e w f d 9 ' need cbntinuing growth to contT%vtp ~

0ften.rnentbned.

experiment could realistically hope. to succeed io creating co-operatives -

ent assistance from the Department f Industry of a type granted to many ma1 firms, As a result the idea is ead despite the work put in Miller and others. record of the experiment this

- British Nuclear F-uels Ltd at Windscale!

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spaceships of the humans, whom mey -=regard as sick or mad, heavinglost the A straight-on-the-chinparable of ability to dream. onialism and resistance, set in a future To saythis is not the best ~f Le Guin still leaves it head and shoulders above en the Terran army is raping a forestplinet inhabited by (literally) little some science fiction bestwllers. r t i s alsc en men. Written in anger during the a welcome change from the imperialistic space-baron adventures of hi& there letnam War, this 1968-vintage novelare too many. Only one thing D U Z Z ~ ~ S ette i s now re~ublishedwith an i n t r e me: ifthe book's moral i s suipose4to duction in whkh Le Guin assesses its be that People's War can win, then why faults and virtues pretty objectively. is the find victory made to hang on the The story i s a simple tale o f bwtal intervention of an enlightened galactic repression and righteous revenge. It Administration, which steps in at the doesn't achkve the political and erne last moment to over-rule the Nixons tional subtlety of her masterpiece 7he Ris~ossesed(reviewed in Undercurrents and Cdleys of b ~ k w a r d Earth? *

ve support from the politicians county council, t h i s &ant th& was slow, and qt times severeil closd down the lv one vear. there-

Martin Locke

- *

BY the end5f the book YOU reall~.do %in to have an idea of what is at stake ' bver the CFR-1. It i s fascinating to see he interplay between those for and igainst nuclear power, and disturbing to ee how unwilling some people are to

concede that anvo"e else m l d &siblv be right. ~ n f o r t ~ n a t e lthe y , b o i k wouid have benefitted from severer editing, a d the pro-nuclear side dms seem to have been disproportionatt?lywell represented. With the whole issue of the CFR-1

& t t ~ h i t the news NUC~&?0 i s i s . i ~probiibly wortk-bo&witg& bone up on the fast breekr: b u t 1 tee3 you would have to be dncetmd in&* to go out and buy it. Dave S.n

Nairn's scholarship and the cbsem,i of his reawning doesn't leavethe lea4 much room for doubt that he is ri*; and it doesn't help'that he isso very % of himself. In a book of 368 pages o f assertions, facts and concbsiom about British life there i s not a maybe,even accompanying the most spectacular lo, sion is tJiit*sGkGthirtg radic; his to ical leaps. Many o f his conclusions will done about the British state, as it has be a lot more acceptable generally am( cumpletely lost direction with the loss the left than they might have been few years ago: now that both cultt of the Empire. This is why he makes himat least as respectable a field of study self unpopular on the left by supporting among Marxists as the horrors of explc both the EEC and the Celtic revival; both tation, and the state i s widely regardec of which he sees as working for political *as a thing with an existence of its own progress, at the same time as the EEC is also a device of international capital, outside sjmp!y manifesting business and the Celtic revival i s also objectively -:interests. So it's safe to predict a fair debate on the left on Nairn's codusic reactionary a lot of the time. The book itself suffers from the us1 Nairn's main gift is that his thought disadvantageso f edited volumes parts is very tight and his writing even more so, it are dated, and it is very repetitive, remarkable in an academic who works especiatiy the chapters on Scotiand. TI on essentially abstract issues. His own only piece on Wales, Culture and Poiit, work is IivIng~ehQtiono f the tendency in Wales - a paper from a Plaid Cymq he mentions of Scottish nationalists to w o w about i n o u t ~ u t p utables t while summer school - spends most of its t~ their Welsh equivalents think about comparing Scottish and Welsh experie~ language and culture. For in Nairn's work and says little that the Scottish chap& it is the debilitation of the British state do not. It gives a strong impression of which gives rise to Nationalism. Nationbeing included to get something in abc Wales - tut, tut, NLB. But there are a1 alism always needs a cultural basis, but this can be found or made up, like two chapters about England which art? Greece's was. It needs an economic base enormous interest to ilk Engli*: m e as well - here Nairn refers almost English Enurna and English Natiomlis parenthically to North Sea oil. But - the caseof Enoch Powell, replete wi eventually it is the moral decay o f the bits of that astounding person's equal1 metropolis, allied to politicaf or military astounding poetry, which make the ba defeat, whfch causes nationalism to sprin of interest even to those of us in the up in the previously swallowed up heartland. counWk5 and p r ~ v i w e of s the p r i p h ~ y Marl

Dis-united Britain %e Break-Up of Britain: Crisis and Neo~ationalism.Tom Nairn. New Left Books.. 0. 368pp. k i n g unconscionably in arrears with reading of New Left Review, I first m ;e; across Tom Nairn in the short-lived kottish socialist review Calgacus. His rthern Ireland - Reljc o r Portent?" ,.-od out as a far-reaching cultural and )olitical analysis of Britain's most intractb l e political problem. The conclu~ons were not easy; apart from rejecting the ~ulgarmarxist Vietnam in Europe image ~fthe Irish conflict, Nairn's analysis Inally leads him to think that aprotesant, Fascist four counties, and a politicilly indescribable Catholic rest of Ireland, s the likeliest end of the troubles, with loth states dependent on a declining ond don for subsidies. Since the Calgacus article, I've looked ~ ufor t Nairn's work and not been iisappointed in it; Old and New Scottish Vationalism in theRedPaper on Scotland ind m e English Enigma iy Bahnas were 10th a delight. Now these and other qaicn work on ~ n g l a n 4Scotland and Males have been gathered together and ~ ubut t by NLB, making the most ~riginalpackage o f thoughts on a declinBritnin in a long time: Nairn's conclu-

Schumacher sig 4 Guide for the Per~lexed.Dr E.F. ichumacher. jonathan Cape. Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ2.95166pp.

Schumacher has come in for a lot of flak 'rom bourgeois radicals who don't u n k r itand his thinking and are inclined t o argue hat his vision of Intermediate Technology s a sell-out. Tom ~thanasicuwas at his wordy piece n the last issue of Undercurrents. He wrongly accused Dr Ernst of wanting to ,educe all relationshipsto a question of ,small) numbers and implied, with som? ustification b u t lack of true understandng, that Schumacherism merely equalled nertia. He then went on t o regurgitate the Irguments about capitalism being an deology of waste: 'The history o f cap[tal turing this century has been then not so nuch the history o f the development o f iroductive forces . but rather the iistory o f capital's attempt to displace ts profitability crisis in every possible Erection'. By as$ociationSchumacher k e a w s e d of condoning this situation.

- .

Not so. I believe. Schumacher is. or rather wai, not interested in finding 5 tions to problems. As this cool, clear and detaahed posthumous book shows he believed finding solutions was the bane of our technological civilisation, disem that we have only invented f o ~ ourselves in our existential misery, because we do not have the traditional transcendant knowledge t n deal with the 'divergent' problems of life. That knowledge comes with religion, 'the reconwction (re-ligio) of man with reality', as he puts it. Schumacher lays a lot (t60 much) ?f the blame for our present predicament on the philosopher Descartes, 'the father

Human)- and ~ r & a b l v more besides i f our cc&ciw~nesswai up to it These Levels of p i n g correspond t o the &sti tions in various schools of esoteric thought between the physital body, tf etheric body. the astral body and the Ego or .SPirii But man has blurred t h ~ distinctton between these different spects of his nature, reducing them fi -0 body and soul, and then, with the onset of ?aterialist civilisation, just to body. Without U I h~" m q h i c &ion a world, we caixave no understand...a higher realities2says Schurnacher. This visionhelps us see the truth of what mhdieval philosophers called adequatic - the idea that to understand a level o Being we must be equipped (ad6quate to understand it. Just as animal c w s j ness cannot comprel~endhuman selfawareness;so we cannot understand;

macher does not write for fellow occu obsewe and drop 'inner chatter', to nts. He explains all the twists and turr pure consciousness, a God experience. he takes us through with engazing %histranscendent exwrience.of God will -- clarity and simpikity. As such, his boc help 4s tackle the 'se~iousproblems of i s a useful companion f ~Undercurrefi r living', the 'divetgent' problems, such as the balance between freedom and readers tired of pseudbMarxist prenecessity. The other kind of problem, . amptions. Its l also4 good @fresher the convergent problem, where thinkers course for anyone whs thinks he knov about these fields of kmowlgdge. come to one unarguable solution, is the Of course Schumacher does overway our techn6logical civilisarlon tackles problems such s h e manufacture o f state his case a bit; and he has too mu( machinery for specific purposes. But in of a distaste for modern science and doing so it 'kifls' the problem. The technology. He does not seem to unde -- e p i i ~ a t i o ntowards a knowledge of material question of living in the world , stand that our present civilisation is a. khr worlds requires a desire for . , process in the 'individuation' --to use and providing enough for everyone to dence for understanding rather than for Jungianterm h& himself uses about be eat is, SchQmacherbelieves, an economic ~ i m k for e manipula@on,[as today). We wming whole individuals --of the problem, a m n w g e n t problem, which ;anachieve tKi& k w h abut the .- w&Wy4m&kw human race. 6@%b mtmm A4w. the p o d ' ~ o c t o is r probably wr-wofld ef &fB . $&&at &$I&% too detached and inner-directed for6?&istet+ec in %fp &rW ba&esgmt n other beings, at self as objectwe problem, futl of conflicts which cari wme. But this, he would surely argue, knomenon, and at the outward appearis tlw true antidote to the poison ef thonly be solved at a higher tevel. w e o f the w d d . But preeminence in Schumacher's book reduced to these capitalist waste written about by Atha @ field of knowldge sU& as objective terms looks and sounds an inpenetrable asiou. We must seek harmony in ourfeality' or inner conscfousn~ssis *. selves if we are to enjoy harmony in th fog o f myth, pseudo-philosophy and prtkless. world. Otherwiss we willgo on despoil 3entImental religion but it isn't. It's : However Schumacher doe5 seem-toing the environnient and committing tl a readable and erudite synthesis o f @ce more value on the tirg field of pretty occult howledge presented as sins Athanasiou abhors. bowledge - knowing ourselyes. This can a guicb to k h j n the world. The @ti to self-awareness and, tlirough y q i c Andfew L ~ I W medi@tive exercises which help .h-B~n fightly; and Ww-.

&th ty& tti&#xtgh fut,cb &&@I&

- . you wince a bin when you r e m e m b t k w h forced collectivisation- There

ed. If y c w k t v e ~ ~ tt &:sbmk on your -

Trotsky

M f atreadyiit re$y is w m k spend@. afiver to buy it. There's something f6r everyone. If you like the excitemint of a western, then there i s plenty of action. If the subtle description of people and cultures '--- i s your thing, then you will be fascinated by the rnaehinations of the Czarina and Rasputik That wlitics, economi~sand history are on the menu is obvious; what is unusual, though, i s to see one of the events that W k (and stikl shakes) the world through the eves of one of the main a ~ t p . Tke roles and a c k s of the peasantry are fascinating to read about.. They took over the land and many prepared for a Torm of serf-sufficiency. Hindsight makes

i )

W* even sane start on intermediate

tech*, but unfortunately we only get a short refewnce: ' m e PetroMd -mkers created at the factories in tho! days special commissions which w u l d assemble petds, damagedparts and - fragmentsfor @e &e of a special cenff called '@?f&qJo'~ea~qqC, This scrapiron was @e&for making the simplest agricultural implemnts mdreserw parts. %t first planned en@ of the ~ r k e r jnm s the process of prodtutior - stitl tiny in scope and with agitation a1 aims prevailing over economics nevertheless opened out aprospect for the near future. '

John Souths

> -%

Be H i s t w of the Russian Re eon Trotsky. PJuto Press,

is.

295 PP. The three volumes o f *IF now tep*r in one

Wholefoods Co-operative. ~ c a s i o n ~ l l ~ a bit of humour creeps thrpugh, viz Karl Marx, Collected Works VoJ. 7: 'Who eatsasupper of dumplings and noodles, will suffer from nightmares, oodles and oodles'. it's ewugk-&&put you'off your fwd, Howem, the lob1e f f q t i s t o leave - the 79%@ f&q Diary on 7% Politics y w W w U a g e d , but helpless, bar & T ~ - ~ ~ s t a t&e ~ &ry&utioa Meanwhile, if you're turning detail it &wtIbes &e &m$lng ~ 6 f ~ ! b % t d i n spend e , the equiva, h t ~&6pr&c f of six pounds of effects - on the conamw, @e environment, and p f t i w l a r l y the a p p k on a Big Red D i v , and feel outtaf~~d, but Informed. worker in the farming and f+ itxius--xUjes - of the food companies deswe to corner the food market by selling ~ a s i l ythe best buy a i o n i the aufu cheaper and nastier food than their books is the paperba~kof John & Sail) mmpetitors, while at the same time Seymour's modern classic Self-Swfflcie maximizing their profits. ( F a h r & Faberj. Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ.SO, 243 DD. Not t Of course there i s more to the diary be confised wiih john's coffeitable be &an that. Fur instance, of the nine d k r o f last *inter, the soidisant Corn 5 at the front, two or three enplete Book of Self-Sufficiency. As w s to fight back, either by when it first appeared foyr years ago: znd (allotments), forming 'This is a book to bring the sharp realit oups, a la CAMRA, of country living slap into the middle c any murky urban pipe dreams of s@ti a mala m m m i t y ' . Yes indeed.,, A--. .--

Sell your windmill here! Small Ads at special giveaway price: 2p per word; Box Nos Sop. Copydate for No. 26 i s December 14. Please send CODY and re~liesto Box Nos. to our Lonfon office.

SMALL COMMUNITIES Research Union has formed to research, deVelOD and Dromote amall communCO-OPERATIVELY RUN i t i e i r u r i o r urban. f a m or ~ comve~etarianlwholefoodrestaurant mune b m d , self-sufficient or not, needs people able to offer longas an alternative social form to tenn commitment. Experience is wastaful industrial society. We in wholefood cookery required. aim towaist intending communAccommodation available (short ity memben to get to know each term). ~ d v a r Restaurank k 108 other well througb working tozethFishemate, York. Tel: 54150. er beforehmd. and to d e v e l o ~Dart time schemes &hereby cautiiui PEOPLE WANTED to work in =ommunity technology workshop c e o p people may become involved more now being set UP. Aims: to search gradually. We seek member& voluntary researchers and consultdevelop and produce AT: to ants. end communication witb teach skills: to sun a tool library others working in similar field& and supply t e c h ~ c a help l to t b w Emnhsdx oramnic &culture. parts of the community that need mil iid"stG, sklu &* && help. The workshop would he run as mu. Details : 9x4 SAE please to a non-profit CO-OP. People interestSCRU(3B), 1 3 The Rose Walk. ed, eweciaU~women, need have no Newbaven, Suwx. experience in workshops, only the desire to learn, to get o n with LARGE COUNTRY HOUSE to many different people, and take share. Looking for hard-working over management of their own non-sexist good-humoured ecowork, ridding themselves of normal gregmious people, group or work attitude& T& could not at L logist individuds. who can bring s o m ~ first be a paying job: we are in the income with them. Write fully process of raising money, but witb S.A.E. Box MW. would later pay at negotiated ratea If interested contact Alexi Clarke, Community Technology Workshop, I'M A stmeglins female dramatist: 29 Castle Street, Oxford. TeL have affeclionate disposition. ready 48805. wit; am adventurou8, romantic, prae ticak imperfect semi independent COMMUNITY three teenme daughters. Anti rat race; live on Dartmoor. Belleve WRITER seeks contact with Nor P d o n a t e l ~in freedom of the folk or Suffolk farming communiwirik that love is mdnspring of ty. Box JD. life..Very concerned about world chaos. Have great sympathy for the WOMAN with four year old child YOUW. Find life increahgly meanlooking to join commuzlity. wantW e s s and empty without warmth iw to he involved in something of male kindred wirit to share lean+ Positive and prepared t o work ing about life. Prefer to advertise for hard. Pleaae write to Ande Oldins mate rather than socialbe solely for 30 Queenswood Ave., Bath this reason, but not anti-social. Will uproot myself for, or sham my home SOMEONE with inteliectu& with, compatible companion any dtural. s~ifitualand aericatural w .Phone Chmford 238L interests invited to join me and dare fum fnS.W. Ireland. Perhaps Wdte MtGrassom, 4, New Street. Cbaford. Newton-Ahhot. it wllldevelo~into a community. Box MM.

WORK

ENERGETIC. HARDWORKING CouPle witb 4% year old daughter and building experience need rundown home o u n w which ~- in the c ........ we can workon and little Mikki can run free. Peter, H i l w and Mikki, 01-656 2137. 5 5 Malcolm Road. Woodside Green, Addiscombe, London SE25. ~~~~

WINDHORSE PRESS, bish a w t y , low cost printdm and desW.4deaI for letterheads, brochures, d ~ 5 letters, handouts and postem Phone Tbe Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. 01 981 1225, for details

SUFI TEACHINGS & PmLoSOPHY. Sbe&h Rabia of the Christi Order is to lead a series of meetings at Caxton Hall. London 1 0 am. HARDWARE 6 p.m. first Saturday of every month beginning October 1st. Â£2.2 WATER POWER. If You use, Or per day or 812 the course. Appliknow anyone who u s % water cation8 to : The Secretary, Barton power on a small scale (ie. not Farm. Bradford-on-Avon. Wiltshire. the CEGB) I would be â‚¬!Kn for YORK COMMUNITY BOOKSHOP details of plant, uses. problem. now open at 73 Wdmgate, York. e k . I'm res+arching the subject & Sells a wide range of radical & -11 keen anv -~ information received alternative books, fiction. d m & strictly confidential if required to P m t ~ feminist : b o o k non-sexist do so. Stephen T o d i n , 1 0 Devernon-racist children's b o o k books eux Road. London SWll 6JS. from America. RU&, C!Ga and the Third world: also mmazines. WANTED TO BUY: reasonably comics and seaond-band books ' priced generator with an output between 1 8~ 2kw (mch as a Lucas A co-operative & Associate Member ICAV AC203 24V x 60A). W. Bul- of ICOM. Open Monday to Satur day 1 0 a m . to 6 p.m. Tel: 0904 westways, Lane, 31355. Portishead, Bristol BS20 SJD. WHEN THE OIL stops flowng, wbat are we going to do? Would-be-writer would like to leer from anybody witb ideas1 hews on alternative sources >f energy, including nuclear, wind, wave. psychic, aolar, Be thev feasible or otherwise. [f YOU-haveany iuformation >n working examples of alter uttives in action tbat too ETCETERA would be greatIy appmciated. Keith Jones, 25 Felix Avenue, MIDWIFE WANTED f o r cballengLondon N8. iw home delivery in early Decemher. Natural Childbirth. ~ e c e& 3AVE THE OTTER T-SHIRTS. carole. The Lodge. hou& ~ o a d . Sood quality. short-sleeved. Barkston. Grantham. ~rlntedwith otter d e d m and 1 PLANNING AID: A ~ ~ l i c a t i o n s logan. bhck on white.-Small, & Appeals: IzaditJonalbeneihk nedium, large. 81.99 + 2OP '>uildlngdesign for newlextendedl I & P. Cash with order. *novacedhouses. workshop& etc. 3cUnMoTo. c/o North Lodge, For advice rim G m Rurton on &wick Rd. Cemetery, New:as- upon Tyne. NE4 8DL ~

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