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Tuesday, November 01, 2016

Socialism - Leisure and Pleasure in Ample Measure

According to the basic principles of socialism, a "workers' state" is a contradiction. The socialist’s sole mission is the overthrow of capitalism and its replacement by a free, classless society without any form of a state. The natural resources and the means of production now in the hands of the few and which are the source of their economic and political power must be taken from them to become social property owned in common by all. The grip of the employing class by means of their ownership and control of the means of life, their domination of government to maintain their power to rob and rule can, must, and will be broken. Since there is no difficulty whatsoever in creating wealth far in excess of our requirements, with the application of labour-saving technology the motto, “From each according to ability, to each according to needs,” has ceased to be utopian and has become a reality. The problems of society no longer need be affected in any way by money values. Work, after all possible amelioration, that remains dangerous or difficult will be shared by all of the community who are fit, instead of being relegated to a class. Leisure where there is no more toil means, not idleness, but an agreeable exercise of mind and body. The standard of life for each and all will be far higher than anything ever yet attained or suggested. The best possible conditions will be so obviously to the general benefit that the elevation of the level of society will be the aim of each individual as of the whole community. Nearly all crime are property crimes. Remove the incentive and the crimes will vanish.

The aspiration for socialism grows within the working-class movement. Our every step will be in the direction of the co-operative commonwealth. If people go hungry it is a not a result of the shortage of food, but of its distribution. The problem for humanity human numbers, is how existing society determines the allocation of the planet’s wealth. This world of ours can easily sustain twice its present population if our technology is deployed to meet real human needs, rather than its subordination to the blind accumulation of capital. Social reorganisation is the work we are called upon to begin and carry out.

Some people believe that the struggle over ideas is a waste of time, that this is a harmful intellectual exercise. They argue that what really counts is building the mass movement and not debates carried on with “abstract” Marxists that will only isolate us from the masses as dogmatists or sectarians. The failure of capitalism to meet the needs of all society creates questioning, dissent, and socialists. Socialism, therefore, is not dependent on the small number politically active in the Socialist Party. There is no inevitability about the establishment of socialism but capitalism can never be made to work in the interest of the working class. Without socialists, there can be no socialist political organisation and no socialism. There are no intellectuals in the Socialist Party, only better informed men and women who share the same class interests. The case for Socialism against capitalism is a reasonable case directed at the working class majority of the world who do not own the means of production. Time and time again socialists come against a wall of political ignorance in the form of ruling class ideas like religion and nationalism.

Nationalism gives the false idea that workers have an interest in the country they live in. They believe it is “their” country, and are periodically willing to kill and be killed in its wars.

Nationalism is a false set of ideas and beliefs. And for a number of reasons. The working class does not own trade routes, they do not own means of production, they do not have spheres of influence to control and they do not have any raw resources to protect. As Marx pointed out the working class has no country. The working class is made up of men and women throughout the world who do not own the means of production. Workers are forced into employment to sell their ability to work for a wage or salary. Workers in India, Pakistan, and China, for example, have identical class interests to workers in France, the US and Britain. Workers share the same class problems of class exploitation no matter where they live in the world. A world working class faces a world capitalist class over the ownership and control of the means of production. Under capitalism, workers have to compete for jobs, housing, and other necessary goods. It is easy to blame other workers for particular social problems like loss of jobs and poor housing but it is wrong and only benefits the capitalist class. Immigrants, economic migrants, workers in foreign countries belong to the same exploited class and all are potential socialists. In fact, workers faced a shortage of housing and hospitals before large-scale immigration; these social problems have their root in capitalism and exist all over the world, whether a country loses workers as emigrants or accepts them as workers.

Religion is an intellectual poison. It is degrading and infantile to worship an abstraction created by men and women to further class control. Religion gives the false impression that there is a better world after death. In reality, workers should be looking to changing society to create a better world on Earth. Materialism means that Gods, Angels, all spiritual manifestation and anything “beyond nature” are myths. You cannot be a Socialist and hold religious ideas. To hold religious ideas is mental slavery. Socialists reject leaderships of all kinds whether leaders are politicians or priests. Socialism can only be established by a politically conscious working class. Spiritual leadership is just as debilitating as political leadership. A socialist is not a person on their knees to God, Allah, Buddha or Krishna. A Socialist thinks and acts in their own interest. When workers understand and desire Socialism they will act in their own interests and will not need leaders to tell them how to think and what to do. This includes religious leaders. Religion supports capitalism, as it has supported other property societies. Religion can either offer reaction or reform, but not socialist revolution. Religion is conservative because it encourages workers, who are oppressed and exploited, to suffer social problems while placing their faith in heaven. This is a confusing doctrine because it diverts workers’ attention away from gaining the necessary understanding and knowledge to establish socialism.

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