The spirit of our time is revolutionary and growing more so every day. The signs of change confront us everywhere. Social changes are preceded by discontent and unrest and we witness that near and far. Fortunately, the workers do not submit passively. If they did, their condition would be a thousand times worse than it is now.
Professional politicians act in the interests of the bosses and this fact has become so apparent that their sham theatricals have lost their magic and now treated with the scorn and derision by working men and women. We are seeing through the con tricks they have been playing with us, setting the agenda, deciding what election “issues”, all of their own making.
The capitalist system is distinguished by the fact that complete anarchy exists in the production of goods for the market. Within a factory everything is planned but the general system works in a plan-less fashion. Many capitalists compete amongst themselves, and they are all producing for a market, the extent of which they do not know.
In the struggle of the working class to free itself from wage slavery it cannot be repeated too often that everything depends upon the working class itself. The simple question is, can the workers equip themselves, by education, organisation and co-operation to take control of the productive forces and manage industry in the interest of the people and for the benefit of society? The workers must organise their own emancipation to achieve it and to control its limitless opportunities and possibilities. Suppose that you and I, and some thousands of others, agree that socialism is the only solution, what shall we do about it? It is possible that the solution is a correct one only in theory, that there is no way in which we can put it into effect. It is possible that the difficulties in the way are so great that all our attempts to bring socialism into actual existence must inevitably fail. It is necessary to convince many more people, than are at present convinced, of the desirability and necessity for socialism.
The workers who have made the world and who support the world, are preparing to take possession of the world. We demand the machinery of production in the name of the workers and the control of society in the name of the people. We demand the abolition of capitalism and wage-slavery and the surrender of the capitalist class. We demand complete control of industry by the workers; we demand all the wealth they produce for their own enjoyment, and we demand the Earth for all the people. This is the meaning of socialism and is what the Socialist Party stands for.
Socialism is a matter of growth, of evolution, which can be advanced by wise methods, but never by obtaining for it a fictitious vote.Voting for socialism is not socialism any more than a menu is a meal. We seek only the actual vote of socialism, no more and no less. In our propaganda we should state our principles clearly to convince those who should be with us and win them over through an understanding of our party case. We want the support of of those who believe in socialism and are ready to vote and work with us for the overthrow of capitalism. Nature’s storehouse is full to the surface of the earth. All of the raw materials are deposited here in abundance. We have the most marvelous machinery the world has ever known. Why should any man, woman or child suffer for food, clothing or shelter? Why? Because the capitalist put his hands of the means of production and declared “This is mine!”
The idea of socialism is that all the means of production and distribution be owned in common by all of the people, and that every person, who is not too young, or too old, or too sick, cooperate in producing those things which every member of society needs and uses. Instead of having individuals or corporations own all the factories and hire workers to produce goods only when a profit can be made from their sale, society as a whole will own the factories, and the workers will produce the things required to feed, house and clothe all of the people, and to satisfy all of their cultural needs. Administrators and co-ordinators elected by the workers using all manner of statistics, facts and figures will calculate approximately how much of each article will be necessary to satisfy the needs of society and the factories will be set into motion to produce more than enough of each item. Every geographic region will produce that which it is best fitted to produce.
Instead of the anarchy and wasteful competition that prevail at the present, production and distribution will be thoroughly planned by the participation of the workers. The plans will be constantly subjected to analysis and revision. It is impossible, of course, to furnish a complete blueprint indicating every detail of the functioning of society under socialism, but one thing we can be certain of.The change in the system of property from private ownership, producing for profit, to collective ownership, producing for use, will solve the major problems facing the workers.
We socialists contend that industry has developed to a point where a sufficient quantity of goods can be produced to assure every one a very high standard of living. Eliminate all the waste under capitalism and the present standard of living is immediately raise ten-fold.
There can be no gradual reform of capitalism into socialism. This is because capitalism operates by means of certain economic laws and, if you introduce certain types of reforms into it, those laws will result in economic collapse. A reform that makes the system less profitable will lead to economic downturn and increased unemployment. Therefore, the reformists get tossed out in the next elections and the conservatives come back to promote the needs of capital.
Nor is every type of reform incompatible with the health of capitalism. Some reforms, quite desirable in themselves, would improve the functioning of the system at the expense of certain entrenched sections of the capitalist class. An example that comes readily to mind is the proposal for introducing a single payer health insurance scheme in the US. This would result in massive savings for both households and the public sector, as well as a huge improvement in health outcomes for the population. It is resisted, however, for two reasons: Firstly, the private health insurance sector would be virtually wiped out and any sector of the capitalist class faced with annihilation will resist it. Secondly, many other sectors of the capitalist class object to such a reform on the grounds that it would set a bad example, that governments should not put any section of the capitalist class out of business because that would be to legitimate putting the rest of them out of business some time.
The capitalist system is not so delicate an instrument that it cannot handle a few reforms that run counter to the need for profits. It is only once they get to a certain point that they seriously affect the system.
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