Talking Socialism

THE TRUTH HURTS

Capitalism does not know how to abolish poverty, hunger or war – but we socialists do! If capitalism, with its system of production for profit – with its international rivalry for domination of foreign territories and trade, which produces one war after another – if capitalist, which keeps millions exploited, by its wage system, – if this system cannot give peace and plenty to its people, socialism will.

Today with the global economy recovering from a protracted recession, rising unemployment and draconian austerity policies, working people are increasingly dissatisfied with the status quo. However, this discontent does not necessarily translate into support for the socialist option. While there are many reasons for this, one of the most important is that at the present time the socialist alternative does not appear so attractive to many. First of all, the word “socialism” is in the popular consciousness was closely associated with the former USSR and Eastern Europe. While these state-capitalist regimes were not socialist – for socialism means that the workers hold power, not a handful of privileged bureaucrats yet we never stop hearing that these countries typified socialism

Socialism means production for use and not for profit. Socialism means internationalism. It means that one working class is not pitted against the others in wars. It means that one worker is not pitted against the other in the fight for a job. The criteria for production in socialism would be – how much is needed? Some people will argue that it can’t work, it’s a utopia. We can only answer that capitalism has already ably demonstrated that it cannot work. A society organised on the basis of production for use would have more of a chance of working than our present economic system. The thing to observe is that for decades those who claim to be political leaders have never been able to devise any kind of plan to solve the basic ills of capitalism. They all seek to do the impossible: make capitalism work. Wars every few years years, untold misery, poverty and unemployment are the living proven facts that prove that capitalism doesn’t work – not for the working class, anyway. Our mission is not to preserve capitalism.

Socialism is a word that has been so misused for so long that it is worth re-stating its basic principles. Socialism means that the means of production are owned and controlled by society so that what is produced can be shared out according to people’s needs. Do we have a blueprint for a socialist society? Can we envision what such a society looks like? If we rely on the people, if we pool our own collective experiences we can. If more workers are to be won to the cause of socialism it is clear that we must greatly advance in our ability to explain the advantages of a socialist world and how we can achieve it. Socialism means expanding democracy, freedom not just in the political sense but economic liberation – freedom from want. Our compass for where we are finally headed should have socialism as its destination. We need to keep this end foremost in mind so to not to lose our way. We have a world of plenty. All around us are the signs that we can produce more than enough for everyone. If production is planned and its products shared fairly, there is no reason why anyone should be short of anything – nor why the environment should be polluted and destroyed in the process. We can end the dirty work and the drudgery. As for possessions, the whole point of common ownership of the means of production is that more is produced and distributed, not less. To every one according to needs, from everyone according to ability.

Working people will own the industries, plan the industries and work for themselves and not for the capitalist class. Socialism means a change in the relations of production. With socialism, control of production, the plan of production, determination of working conditions, are in the hands of the workers themselves. The working class and the minorities must vigorously oppose every transgression upon their civil and constitutional rights, from whatever quarter they come, and utilise every safeguard provided by law. But they cannot entrust the protection of their liberties to the capitalists or expect the powers-that-be to stop or eradicate the menace of authoritarianism. Class-conscious workers should not fall into the trap of demanding infringements of anyone’s civil rights, including those of the fascists.

We must be sure to stress that this new society do not exist in some text, nor can they be mechanically transposed from some other country. They will be defined and forged by the working people as we all advance in our struggle.