The working class makes the revolution

The world is teeming with millions of able individuals willing to build and operate machines to produce an abundance. Wondrous new technology exists now for people to use for their mutual benefit. Yet the people of the world are today engaging in mutual destruction rather than in the good things of life. For the peoples of the world to arrive at the longed-for destiny of humanity to produce plenty, they must rid themselves of the motives of capitalist profits. Humanity needs a socialist world.

Capitalism is more destructive than all the earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions ever visited upon the Earth from the beginning of time. Capitalism kills and cripples millions in its wars, in class strife and civil war, in hunger, in disease and industrial accidents, in malnutrition and child labour, in poverty and crime. It destroys the wealth of society and wastes the labour potential of millions of idle hands. Capitalism pits worker against worker in bidding for a job. It pits capitalist against capitalist in fighting for profits. It pits workers against capitalist in a class struggle. It pits capitalist nation against capitalist nation in war. It pits producer against consumer, landlord against tenant, farmer against city dweller, white against black, gentile against jew. All this in a mad race for a crust of bread, for survival, for security, when plenty is possible for all. It is a system of dog-eat-dog, of each man and woman for them self and the devil take the hindmost, of the law of the jungle. And this the age of plenty. Capitalism stands before us indicted as a system of criminal madness, the capitalist class stands before us as insane overlords.

The world is in crisis. Capitalism cannot reform itself; it cannot be reformed. Humanity can be saved by the socialist revolution. There can be only the socialism which unites the whole world in the general struggle against the desperately destructive despotic domination of the ruling class. It will not take someone very long to come across articles on the Left calling for the “building of the movement” but which lack a clearly defined goal to move towards. Capitalism can only obey its own rules--the rules of constant growth and accumulation by any means; this trait is inherent in it. We cannot regulate or reform our way to a capitalism that does not behave in a capitalistic way. We cannot regulate or reform our way out of capitalism altogether. We are therefore left with only one path for liberating ourselves and the planet from capitalism--social revolution; workers collectively taking power away from capitalists and the state. A revolution for a world without capitalism and the state must dismantle the underlying system, not try to tame it. We, in the Socialist Party, hold that there is a class struggle in society and that this is caused by the economic conditions of capitalism. We hold that this class struggle will continue until the workers are masters of that which is produced by their labour.

For example, many trade unions have engaged in inspiring militant fights against bosses (and won) in the various “Fight for 15” campaigns across the country. But ultimately they are content for workers to remain as wage-slaves. Trade unionism does not concern itself with combating the overall economic system which necessitates organised labour to begin with.

In order to save our planet, our species, we have to overthrow the capitalist class. The ruling-class controls the means of production and dictates the conditions under which we work. Our labour produces all the wealth of society yet the bosses enjoy the fruits of its accumulated value. Our labour should collectively produce for the common well-being and human need and not for the profit of a few at the expense of many. Therefore, we are exploited of and alienated from our work. As workers, we must organise ourselves along class lines in order to defend our interests economically, socially, and politically. As workers, we are oppressed and exploited by capitalism. We must liberate ourselves from this domination. The liberation of the working class can and must come through a social revolution to overthrow capitalism. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia divide the working-class against itself, preventing us from cultivating the collective strength necessary for making the revolution.

Workers must be educated politically. Working-class people must develop relationships with fellow workers and among neighbours in our communities in order to build solidarity with each other. Organising in neighbourhoods and work-places will empower working-class people to take their affairs into their own hands. The liberation of the working class is not possible under capitalism. The working class, and it alone, can and must achieve its own emancipation through a worker’s revolution.