It’s a capitalist crisis. We are getting a bit blasé about this as its not at all clear now, where and when one crisis finishes and another begins. But you can be sure that its the workers who will be presented with the bill, whether they have a seat at the table and a plate on it, or not.

Capitalism has convinced many that wage rises fuel inflation. But when the monopoly energy companies increase their prices by on average four times the rate of inflation for the last twenty years, that of course, is a contribution to the common good.

Communists point out the inevitability of this in a class system called capitalism. It’s why we organise against that system. Energy price rises are the fuel you put in your car to get to work, the lighting by which you gather round the supper table to chat with family and friends and the heating you put on, to keep out the cold and damp.

But for many of us in 2021, Johnson’s version of capitalist anarchy presents a choice of putting on the heating or putting food on the table.

There should be NO rises this year.

Motorists and truckers! block those roads till fuel price rises stop.

Energy unions and TUC! demand the energy price cap stays in place.

Workers! feel free to stop the job if employers cut heating costs by making you work in the cold.

Only our action will bring these companies to heel.

The Communists have called for the resignation of the Minister for Energy and the Head of the quango OFGEM for being asleep at their post. Communist Party general secretary Robert Griffiths says, One of the three responsibilities of OFGEM is “enabling competition and innovation, which drives down prices and results in new products and services for consumers.”

 This is either a cynical and deliberate mistruth or it represents a tragic misunderstanding of capitalist economics. There is no competition in the industry. It’s a charade.

“The energy sector is dominated by six giant monopolies who habitually fail to pass on any benefits to their customers. In a crisis, monopolies chew up their smaller competitors and sometimes each other. Then ownership falls into even fewer hands, often run from abroad, with all the goodies tied up in offshore and untouchable accounts.”

“OFGEM is supposed to regulate the industry. Where was it when fuel prices went up and up and up? Look at the cost of fuel to industry and public transport. When did that go down?”

“Look too at the cost of home heating and lighting and the impact consistent rising fuel charges have on the finances of the NHS and local government. When was that burden reduced?”

“If the responsibility is to so organise the sector that it brings consistently reduced prices to ordinary people …with millions now in fear of switching on their heating, then both government and its lapdog have failed. It’s time to stand down and reorganise energy so it’s run by the people and for the people.”

To the Communist Party and its supporters, Robert called,“for the widest possible protest, from the TUC and consumer groups, from the People’s Assembly Against Austerity and yes, from small and medium employers who face the might of unregulated energy monopolies.”

“When energy was nationalised, such instability, and crazy volatility of supply and prices simply did not exist. ‘Going out of business’ wasn’t an option. The sector was safer to work in and way more efficient to be served by, with pensioners and the insecure, protected from rapacious profiteering. We need the sector back in public hands. Let’s turn the heat up on these greedy incompetents.”

Editor: Zhong Yao Zheng Yifan

From:https://www.communistparty.org.uk/johnsons-capitalism-you-can-heat-or-eat/.（2021-09-21）