Shawn Hattingh, 2011, “Worker Factory Under State Control: Contradiction in terms?,” South African Labour Bulletin, volume 35, number 1, pp. 17-19.

The previous article tells how workers are taking over the Mine-Line factory on the West Rand and requesting the state to nationalise it. Shawn Hattingh however, although in favour of democratic worker take-overs, questions the concept, and the wisdom, of nationalising under workers’ control. Certainly, concessions can be won from the state through struggle, but ultimately the state will never allow full democratic freedom – it is not their purpose. Mine-Line and future self-management occupations could act as training grounds for a self-managed society. They could be places that generate and nurture practices of direct democracy, class independence and class pride – ingredients necessary for
genuine freedom, and outside and against the state and capitalism.

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