Socialism' series.
between the so-called and semi-colonial countries).
The authors start with the approach adopted by Reagan at the Cancun conference in 1981, in which Margaret "hatcher explained that the main way the rich • capitalist help the poor was by foreign investment.
Hill and Scannell show that this approach done nothing to change the 'structure of qua rich countries hey and rich countries. show how the world race. sion has made countries poore..: the flow INF gone ine developed of the semi. colonial countries.
Taking up the well-known thesis about the exploitative nature of much of the aid to the third cent (paltry) aid budget is aid provided for the purchase THIS NEW book by Jeremy Hill and Hilary Scannell, subtitled "Socialists and World Development', is a welcome addition to Pluto's 'Arguments for It starts out by de-mystifying the relationship 'North (the advanced capitalist countries) and the 'South' (the colonial of British goods and services the authors criticise 'humane liberalism' of the Brandt Report which urges the capitalist West to transfer huge amounts resources to the south' or a 'self-interest' basis. This approach is both utopian. and perpetuates the myth of a community of interest between rich and poor nations.
Problem ceroied to suggestions about the way which governments of countries "South' could work together to build their own cartels and transnational enterprises.
This is utopian through through as the authors at one point even seem to admit. The section on the possible policy of a left government in Britain contails suggestions aid liberation movements and a stenned Brain development pro well and good, but stopping , short at an all-out assault on the power and wealth of the British multinationals The hand Scam which Hill Scannel skirt around but not confront is how the whole 'structure inequality' can broken. The vicious circle aid to start industrialisation ofa . kind the richer nation will not provide -is not cut through . Maybe some of the solutions we would suggest not there because of a desire to avoid socialist sloganeering and appear 'practical. However the only practical answers are revolutionary ones 'Under-development' as a world problem will not be overcome without massile assistance for ine industrialisation of a country like Bangladesh or the authors' own example 1 anzalla. that But that does not mean that the revolutionary answe socialism wat West' for Practical measures to end the cycle of poverty can be taken in the less-developed countries but only they break with im perialism (a term which is missing from the book).
The authors them selves show national planning and the break with imperialist domination have led to immense pro gress in China. Of cours China has great natura resources, unlike for ex ample Cuba. But this poses anourer problem which the authors duck, o LaNC an implicitiv wron position on. • Any country which carries through socialist revolution will have to link economically with the costeries hich are those Eastern bloc, are non capitalist, however much disagree their policies economic structure. Best The example of Cuba in its best period politica • ine ma 190v quality is the world perialist system and South, can break i The struggle in America today shows tha this is not utopian, but : practical option.
Due South: Socialists se Developmea Jeremy Hill Hilar Scannell. Pluto Press. E2 50