A Declaration of Class War

The issue for the Socialist Party is always capitalism versus socialism. The task of the Socialist party is to do battle for the cause of socialism and industrial emancipation. It is all about the question of the right of one class of human beings exploiting another class of human beings to the very point of physical existence. It is a question of human freedom versus human slavery and this question is very old one, but for the first time in human history the issue is stripped of all subterfuge and the exploited class have the political power in their own hands to accomplish by peaceful means their own emancipation. The Socialist Party offers the only remedy, which is socialism. Its advocates are men and women who think for themselves and have convictions of their own and they are in deadly earnest. Do the other parties not all stand for the private ownership of industry and the wage-slavery of the working class? We are not here to play the filthy game of capitalist politics. Capitalism, having its foundation in the slavery and exploitation of the masses, can only rule by corrupt means and its politics are essentially the reflex of its low and debasing economic character. 

The Socialist party as the party of the working class stands squarely upon its principles in making its appeal to the workers. It is not begging for votes, nor seeking for votes, nor bargaining for votes. It is not in the vote market. It wants votes, but only of those who want it - those who recognise it as their party and come to it of their own free will. If its candidates were seeking office for the spoils of office they would be traitors to the Socialist Party and a disgrace to the working class. To be sure, we want all the votes we can get but only as a means of developing the political power of the working class in the struggle for industrial freedom, and not that we may revel in the spoils of office. The workers have never yet developed or made use of their political power. They have played the game of their masters for the benefit of the master class - and now many of them, disgusted with their own blindness are renouncing politics and refusing to see any difference between the capitalist parties financed by the ruling class to perpetuate class rule and the Socialist Party organised and financed by the workers themselves as a means of wresting the control of government and of industry from the capitalists and making the working class the ruling class. 

The aims of the Socialist Party is clearly stated and it is to assist our fellow-workers of the world to shake off their oppressors and exploiters, to put an end to their age-long servitude, and make themselves the masters of the world. To this end the Socialist Party has been organized; to this end it is bending all its energies and devoting all its resources; to this end it makes its appeal to the workers throughout the world.

In the name of the workers, the Socialist Party condemns the capitalist system. In the name of freedom it condemns wage-slavery. In the name of the new technology it condemns poverty, idleness,and famine. In the name of peace it condemns war. In the name of civilisation, it condemns the murder of little children. In the name of enlightenment it condemns ignorance and superstition. In the name of the future, it arraigns the past at the bar of the present, and in the name of humanity, it demands social justice for every man, woman and child. The Socialist Party knows neither colour, creed, sex, nor race. It knows no aliens among the oppressed and down-trodden. It is first and last the party of the workers, regardless of their nationality, proclaiming their interests, voicing their aspirations, and fighting their battles.It matters not where the slaves of the earth lift their bowed bodies from the dust and seek to shake off their fetters, or lighten the burden that oppresses them, the Socialist party is pledged to encourage and support them to the full extent of its power. It matters not to what union they belong, or if they belong to any union, the Socialist Party which sprang from their struggle, their oppression, and their aspiration, is with them through good and evil report, in trial and defeat, until at last victory is inscribed upon their banner. In all the battles of the workers against their capitalist oppressors, the Socialist Party is freely pledged to render them all the support in its power. These are the battles of the workers in the war of the classes and the battles of the workers, wherever and however fought, are always and everywhere the battles of the Socialist Party. 

The Socialist Party is the only party of the people, the only party opposed to the rule of the plutocracy, the only truly democratic leader-free party in the world. It is the only party in which men and women have equal rights and denies membership to any who refuses to recognise another member as a political equal. The education, organisation and co-operation of our fellow- workers is the conscious aim and the self-imposed task of the Socialist Party. Persistently, unceasingly and enthusiastically this great work is being accomplished. It is the working class coming into consciousness of itself, and no power on earth can prevail against it in the hour of its complete awakening. The handwriting is upon the wall. Capitalism is breaking down and the new order evolving from it is clearly the socialist cooperative commonwealth, based upon the social ownership of the means of life and the production of wealth for the use of all instead of the private profit of the few. The Socialist Party stands for the peace which will prevail and plenty for all will abound in the land. The brute struggle for existence will have ended, and the millions of exploited poor will be rescued from the skeleton clutches of poverty and famine will be a horror of the past. The social conscience and the social spirit will prevail. Society will have a new birth, and the race a new destiny. There will be work for all, leisure for all, and the joys of life for all. Competition there will be, not in the struggle for existence, but to excel in good work and in social service. Every child will then have an equal chance to grow up in health and vigour of body and mind and an equal chance to rise to its full stature and achieve success in life.

 These are the ideals of the Socialist Party and to these ideals it has dedicated all its energies and all its powers. The members of the Socialist Party are the party and their collective will is the supreme law. The Socialist Party is organised and ruled from the bottom up. There is no boss and there never can be unless the party deserts its principles and ceases to be a Socialist Party. Each member has not only an equal voice but is urged to take an active part in all the party committees. Each branch is an educational centre. The party relies wholly upon the power of education, knowledge, and mutual understanding.