Seize the Time

Despite times of so-called prosperity capitalism has proved completely incapable of solving the problems of the British and world peoples.  Capitalism has landed the country into a new economic crisis, where the only remedy of the economic witch-doctors is to purge the patient and bleed the victim in an economic squeeze for the benefit of their billionaire paymasters.  Cuts in real wages has hit at the worst-paid sections of the working class, but also big layers of the middle income and professional people as well.  What dictates the development of the economy is not its needs but the profitability to big business of production.  If it does not pay, they will always cut down production, in the language of capitalism, where there is no profitable market, no returns, there is no manufacturing.

 Far-flung business empires, of a scope and size unimaginable to previous generations, treat the entire planet as their domain. They are a law unto themselves, free to roam the globe in search of cheaper labour, more exploitable resources, more pliant governments and greater profits. Governments have put themselves at the service of these large corporate cartels. Workers are merely  pawns in a global game of mergers, shutdowns, and relocations as they rob us of our wealth and of the very power to determine our own future. Massive world-wide unemployment and hunger are the legacy of these profiteering multi-nationals. They have proved incapable of turning their vast technology and organization to the needs of people. The waste on war production, for instance, could eliminate hunger in the world.

We aim to replace the present capitalist system, with its inherent injustice and inhumanity, by a social order from which the domination and exploitation of one class by another will be eliminated, in which economic planning will supersede unregulated private ownership and competition. Our goal is a socialist world, a new social system based on common ownership of our resources and industry, cooperation, production for use and genuine democracy. Only socialism can turn the boundless potential of our people and resources to the creation of a world free from tyranny, greed, poverty and exploitation. The flaws of capitalism are too basic, the power of the corporations too great, the chasm separating the compulsions of profit and the needs of people too wide, for anything less to succeed. The half-measures of a mixed economy dominated by big business cannot meet the challenge. government intervention—tinkering with monetary and fiscal policy to stimulate investment and spending—has proven bankrupt. Taxation policies have done nothing to correct deep-seated structures of regional and social inequality. Legislative reforms, aimed at the most blatant abuses of corporate power, are faltered and failed. Even reform- minded ‘progressive’ governments have buckled under this pressure, and passed vicious legislation, slashing social services and trampling the basic rights of workers. Capitalism has failed, and so have efforts to reform it. The Socialist Party shows how the unalterable vampire-like nature of the capitalist system and the ruling class not only promises oppression and exploitation and, in fact, guarantees increased oppression and exploitation.

The needs of people, not profit, are the driving force of a socialist society.  We believe in the ability of working people to manage their own productive institutions democratically.  We offer an invitation to all workers to join us in our common efforts to eradicate a social system based on exploitation, discrimination, poverty and war. The capitalist system must be replaced by socialist democracy. These are high ideals–but not idealism. These are lofty goals–but not impractical. The two choices for workers are to abandon your hopes and aspirations, for the wealthy’s continued profits, or to abolish their system to make realisable your own hopes and dreams. To do the first is to give up life itself, to do the second is to make life worth living. The future is ours, if we dare to take it.