Militant and Triumphant

It is not an exaggeration to stay that to-day "Marxism” is becoming almost a household word. Unfortunately, this does not mean that millions of people have become thoroughly acquainted with the fundamentals of Marxian doctrines.  To put it bluntly, when a person professes to be a “Marxist”, they have little or no idea of the real meaning of the word they are using.  As members of the working class concerned with the social evils of the world we cannot afford loose thinking. We must ascertain exactly what we mean by the term.

Since the downfall of feudalism, there has been going on a struggle between the two classes of which it is composed, i.e., the capitalist or master-class and the wage-slave or working-class. Up to the present, the initiative in the struggle has lain with the masters and the efficiency of their organisation is correspondingly greater than that of the workers, whose lot has in the main consisted of a series of defeats resulting in increased poverty and exploitation. There is an urgent need for improvement in the workers’ organisation, hence the propaganda of the Socialist Party. No one is more determined in the prosecution of the fight than the Socialist Party. What does need emphasising is that victory cannot be obtained within the limits of the wage system. So long as the master-class possess the means of life so long will the workers be condemned to poverty and slavery? The first essential then is a change in the outlook of the workers, in the goal of their struggle. They must become class conscious and take the initiative. They must determine to attack the system which deprives them of the fruits of their labour.

It is impossible to lay down in advance a detailed programme to be adopted in the hour of the social revolution. Nevertheless, certain fundamental features of the existing order make it both possible and necessary, to outline the general character of the policy to be pursued. It is important to realise that the existing social order is maintained by political means, i.e., by the machinery of government in the hands of organisations of the master-class. A consideration of industrial conditions soon reveals why this must be so. To-day those who toil in all the various industrial plants and offices are not the owners; if they were, there would be no social problem, i.e., no class struggle. Ownership to-day consists of the legal title, recognised and upheld by the forces of the State. The overthrow of capitalist ownership, therefore, and the establishment of common ownership, involves the capture of the State by the working-class. Dispossession necessitates disarmament of the owning class. The organisation of the working-class must, therefore, be a political organisation, i.e., a socialist party and the nature of its object and the circumstances of its origin compels a socialist party to oppose all other parties at all times and without exception, since these parties can exist only to preserve in some shape or form the system which the socialist party is out to abolish. The organisation of the workers must be based upon class interests.

Many radicals of various shades spend valuable in spelling out detailed plans so to map out in advance but not being prophets, we cannot foresee what circumstances will exist. They forget that society is an organism and not a piece of architecture that they build a model; that organisations only develop as the need for them arises. The function of social administration in the fullest sense cannot pass into the hands of the workers until they have secured possession of the means of life in the manner through political action.  The world we are striving to obtain is not a pipe dream. In a world of sordid nationalism and political reformism, the cause we stand for is world socialism. The energy of the workers must not be frittered away, as it has so often been, in futile demonstrations for utterly hopeless reforms. Their enthusiasm and heroism must be reserved for occasions worthy of them, for the policy that will benefit their whole class, not for a day, but for all time

One thing above all others must inspire them—the need for the conquest of the world by the working class. The wealth of the world is produced by the workers, but the capitalists, by their ownership of the means of production, own the product of the workers' labour. In return for their productive labour the workers receive in the form of wages only sufficient, as a rule, to keep them living and producing. The wealth remaining enables the capitalists to enjoy their lives of ease. The capitalists are in control of the political machinery and use it to keep the workers in their condition of subjection. The workers by their votes put the capitalists in possession of this political machinery at election times. The problem for the workers is how to get rid of their subject condition. The solution is to abolish the present private ownership of the means of production and substitute for it common ownership. This can be accomplished by the workers sending delegates to Parliament for the purpose, the delegates to act as their servants to carry out their instructions. The workers would then obtain control of the political machinery and be able to break the power of capital. The position is just as simple as this and does not need a fanfare of trumpets to demonstrate it. It speaks the same language in every land and to every race. It has neither a religious nor a nationalist outlook. It points out the unity of interest of the workers of the world and their common antagonism to capitalism. On their backs, society is built. By their intelligence is its production carried on. And by their labour alone is its wealth produced. Today they are the only necessary class, and upon them must the ownership and control of social wealth devolve. Once the worker's victory is complete classes disappear, and all find health and joy in participating in the needful but immensely lightened labour of the socialist commonwealth. Consequently, on the working class alone does the future of the whole human race depend. As it has been wisely said: “militant, the workers' cause is identified with class; triumphant, with humanity.”