Back to basics?

You don't tend to make a lot of friends by insisting that in order to make any sense of the state of the world it is essential to get to the heart of the matter. "Back to basics", as Major whispered in Vindaloo's shell like all those years ago. We have to ask fundamental questions and encourage others to do the same. What is property and what are property rights? We need to ask not if the inflated profits of energy companies are "just", but where those profits came from. No doubt Eton has produced more total shits than any institution this side of the Lubyanka but it's abolition without challenging the whole notion of elites would be pointless. Every small victory, every marginal redistribution of wealth from the rich to the masses. every individual who's self-confidence is bolstered by successfully challenging authority; all of this is to be welcomed. But in order to liberate ourselves from the perpetual tinkering with the detail of capitalism and get on with the job of superseding it, we have to risk being accused of being theoreticians and ask some very basic questions indeed.