ISN’T Cailean Gallagher right that we should not forget the workers who made “philanthropists" like Sir William Burrell rich enough to afford the art he bequeathed to the city (Aug 29)?
I have just enjoyed a visit to the Verdant works Jute mill in Dundee – well worth a visit. They have an exhibition of the philanthropy of the mill owners and the contributions they made as charity to the community.
The mill owners made vast profits from spinning, weaving and making products from jute, enjoying a virtual monopoly until, in pursuit of greater profits, the engineering capability was transferred to India to take advantage of even lower (slave) labour costs.
READ MORE: 'Mention Brexit and we'll walk', Scottish festival bosses told Tories
Despite making huge profits for the owners, the mainly female workers were paid much lower than their labour contribution deserved, bringing these Dundee women to the forefront of the suffragette movement as well as trade unionism in their fight for employment justice.
So, why should we laud the so-called philanthropist owners (an oxymoron of course) when the funds for their philanthropy were in effect stolen from workers through their naked exploitation of them?
The Burrells may fall into this category, but we should balance them with more acceptable philanthropists like Sir Titus Salt, who created the town of Saltaire (also worth a visit) with his mill at its core for his workers, with good housing, schools, library, church, parks etc (no pub) to improve his workers’ living standards and which helped improve productivity; and also our own Robert Owen at New Lanark with his similar philanthropic model. They were mill owners giving something meaningful back to those creating the wealth, and obviating the need for workplace confrontation and strife as in Dundee.
The injustice surely has to be us mounting memorials and statues to the exploiters of workers while denigrating those who are forced to fight to protect their working rights, which remains especially relevant today.
Isn’t society topsy turvy?
Jim Taylor
Edinburgh
I HAVE lived in Scotland as a resident for the past 12 years. Before that I lived in England since my birth. At the age of 18 I became eligible to vote for the UK Government. Initially, after watching the early black-and-white television hustings, I eventually voted for the Labour party.
From then on I became a long-term voter and eventually a member through my workplace trade union activities. Throughout my trade union membership I began to understand my political leanings and attitude for the working classes as that of a socialist, together with fair play and equality within and even outwith the workplace.
WATCH: Liz Truss stands by Nicola Sturgeon 'attention seeker' jibe at Wembley hustings
After arriving in Scotland I found a very different Labour party. Not a socialist party but as offensive and attacking party against the SNP. I was not impressed, being still a Labour party member, even though the party changed its political values etc during Tony Blair’s leadership.
So I found it necessary to research the SNP and what it was all about. To my surprise, it appeared to be all of what I had fought for in my workplace within the trade union movement. Coming to the understanding of the SNP being a relatively new political party, I did some more research on its policies and place in Scotland, and quickly realised I had to resign my Labour party membership and join the SNP.
It is now 2022 and wild horses would not drag me back to England. I still have family and friends there but Scotland is now my home. The political turmoil that is the Tory party and government, aided and abetted by the now non-socialist but nationalist Labour party, is the equivalent of Hadrian’s Wall for me, keeping me this side as per its Roman purpose.
READ MORE: SNP 'anticipating early General Election' as candidacy applications open
I am absolutely disgusted with Keir Starmer, his membership and leadership of what used to be the party of the working class. A knight of the realm and multi-millionaire, grammar school education and graduate from Oxford University, Starmer has not one iota of perception and understanding of the Labour party and what and who it should be representing.
Come the day of Scotland’s independence, there will be plenty of time for the Scottish opposition parties to reassert their priorities and political place in an independent Scotland. It is a pity they are not there right now, otherwise I see the SNP being in government, coalition or not, for some years to come.
Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife
WATCH out Scotland, the latest “poll” published in the Daily Express from the polling company Redfield & Winton shows a collapse in support of the “separatists” down to only 29%, with Labour at 25%, Tories at 19% and the LibDems at 13%. We are as well chucking it now, surely ... oh no, wait a minute, as the Express pointed out these figures should be “treated with caution” given that of the 2000 surveyed, 180 were from Scotland!
This is just the start. Brace yourselves!
Peter Winning
Edinburgh
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here