Readers' letters

COMPARED WITH CATALONIA

Dear Ed, — For those of us who still believe in the ideological power of a community to improve itself by means of its main evolving tools - education, individual freedom, social justice, gender equality and democracy - a visit to the New Lanark Valley in the South of Lanarkshire is the ideal place to start.

As an outsider visitor from a small country called Catalonia, I encountered quite meaningful similarities between the thriving community established in New Lanark in the 18th century - a landmark in Scottish History - and the socialist, liberal and co-operative trades taking place in Catalonia at the same period, when the Industrial revolution was reaching its peak.

Robert Owen, a Welsh pioneer who created a self-sufficient small community based on the 18th century cotton mill in the South of Scotland, accomplished many steps forward within the labour market and its potential chances to increase productivity.

How? According to the social reformist, education was the clue to fight against injustice, poverty, slavery and even moral emptiness. Under such beliefs, Owen founded the Institute for the Formation of Character in 1816, which played a key role in women's rights; the first nursery was opened then.

Moreover, he was also a precursor in ecology by keeping industry in harmony with the natural environment, as well as designing public gardens for the rational enjoyment of the community.

In fact, such open and egalitarian ideology should be implemented all over, especially in the undemocratic, decadent and parasite state which enslaves and undermined small, productive and peaceful communities such as Catalonia in the south of the continent.

The co-operatives taking place in the Lanark valley were benefiting its inhabitants by means of a fair trade between the producers and the consumers, something which unfortunately is not a priority when it comes to trading or exporting among different countries.

As an illustrative argument of such unjust deals, the prosperous nation of Catalonia produces all the benefits via the industry of tourism, manufacturing, building and even agriculture for the entire Iberian Peninsula.

Nevertheless, the centralised, undemocratic Spanish state takes away about 60% in taxes of the wealth being produced by the Catalan community.

As a matter of fact, in the highly technical 21st century, there are many basic values yet to be attained.

Respect, dignity, fair treatment and conditions for the workforce become too often some kind of utopia or unreachable goals. What can be fulfilled or produced without love, without inner and outer harmony and consequently not showing deep conviction in the work?

Owen embodied a benevolent employer whose main objectives revolved around giving the same opportunities to anybody, despite social condition or the economical resources.

In this sense, education for all ages played a key role for obtaining an egalitarian or balanced society. Furthermore, no particular religion was imposed in Owen's ideal community, a sign of going beyond one's time, towards a secular mentality.

Trying to reach some conclusive arguments according to the innovating and challenging ideologies of the Owen's saga applied in the contemporary world, the assessment of education should be perceived as a powerful bridge between cultures and societies; so far academic formation ought to be regarded as a constructive contribution for the community and consequently, having a positive, enriching and dynamic role within the social collective.

Finally, a more spiritually-orientated philosophy in the western world would probably redeem us of religious radicalism such the devilish inquisition during the Middle Ages.

New Lanark: a Scottish resort and a role model to be admired and followed in order to face the many constant social lacks within any collective of individuals: lack of freedom, poverty, injustice, gender discrimination ....

Powerful, harmonious breaths of history and self-balanced scenarios is what any visitor discovering New Lanark in the beautiful Scottish countryside, is going to experience. — Yours etc.,

MARTA VALLBONA PUJOL,

Barcelona,

Catalonia.

BARD SAID IT BEST

Dear Ed, — As a Robert Burns enthusiast and after the recent bad weather I thought that your readers might appreciate a little known verse from the 18th century:

''EPIGRAM ON ROUGH ROADS''

I've now arrived - thanks to the Gods!

Thro' pathways rough and muddy,

A certain sign that making roads

Is no this people's study!

Althou' I'm no wi' Scripture cram'd,

I'm sure the Bible says

That needless sinners shall be damn'd

Unless they mend their WAYS!

You have printed many letters over the years on the state of the roads around South Lanarkshire, most recently Burton Lane in Carluke, and now uncleared snowy housing schemes and possibly new potholes. Will the council ever ''mend their ways''? — Yours etc.,

W LIGHTBODY,

CRUACH,

66 Jerviswood Road,

Motherwell.

THANKS TO STAFF

Dear Ed, On behalf of the Registered Nursing Home Association we should like to express our sincere thanks to nursing home staff throughout Scotland for maintaining vital services to patients during the extremely difficult weather conditions.

Like everyone else, nursing home staff have faced extraordinary difficulties in getting to and from work in the snow.

The fact that the vast majority of them have turned up for duty as normal is much appreciated. — Yours etc.,

IAN TURNER,

Chairman,

Registered Nursing Home Association.