In the tradition in which we stand, revolution is the self-emancipation of the working class. Our vision is a world without the private ownership of the means of production. The struggle for that freedom is to wrest control of the means of production from the controlling class. The Socialist Party encourages all struggles against exploitation, raising an awareness of the truth that the only solution is the socialist revolution. The only real deterrent to the attack on the working class by capitalism is the socialist revolution. Once workers understand their material interests, not just as good ideas or moral imperatives but as inescapable necessities, they will embrace the revolution. Workers recognising their self-interest will see the absolute need for the unity of their class in order to overthrow the ruling class. What kind of future do we have? Under capitalism, the overwhelming majority of us have little to look forward to. Capitalism has brought our world to the brink with inequality, racism, war and environmental devastation. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It is clear that the current system isn’t working, and we need an alternative A better world is possible.
Capitalism operates purely on the basis of blind profit and competition. This is the real lunacy of capitalism. Socialism has to further develop technology and science. Two-thirds of the world's population live in absolute poverty. Socialists are not interested in sharing out the misery, we want a decent life for all. A socialist society would harness technology to lower the number of hours it is necessary to work. This would give working-class people more time to participate in running society. Combined with a massive programme of socially necessary projects - such as increasing the numbers of teachers, doctors, and nurses - unemployment could be eliminated. However, there does not have to be a contradiction between this and safeguarding the planet. What is needed if we are to save the world is to develop alternative technologies that did not harm the environment. This could only be achieved on the basis of socialism.
The UN adopted a treaty, the Convention of the Rights of the Child, guaranteeing children’s rights and one hundred and ninety-three countries have ratified the treaty yet millions are still deprived of food, shelter, and clean water. There is no reason to doubt the good intentions of UNICEF and all the charities but it must be obvious that we need more than good intentions. This is just another example of a reform not working, not fulfilling its promise. It doesn’t matter whether a reform is proposed by local, national or international governments, if it tries to make capitalism solve the problem, it will fail. Why? Because the problems are created by capitalism, are natural consequences of its normal operation. Capitalism is a system designed to produce surplus value, profit, that goes into the pockets of the investors, without regard to how, when, or where that is done, and it is very successful at doing that. Food, housing, medical care, clean water, etc., are only produced if there is a reasonable expectation of profit, and, if not, production does not occur, or, in some cases, unsold surpluses are destroyed. Thus anyone without the ability to pay must do without, even the necessities. That’s the way the system is. No amount of reforms, band-aid, or food-aid, is going to change that. Only COMMON OWNERSHIP of the production and distribution of wealth, where we all have control, can bring the obvious common sense reality of looking after our children properly. Common Ownership means that the resources of the world and the means to produce useful goods from them would be owned by everyone and, therefore, by no one. All humanity would be producers meeting as equals to decide what, how, and where to produce based solely on mankind’s needs. Distribution of goods and services would deny no one access to what they needed. This system would end the present class system and render money, trade, employment, exploitation, want, and war obsolete.
The Socialist Party appeals to the voters to their class interests. The Socialist Party candidates nominees make no pretence of attempting to serve both capitalists and workers. That is a political sophistry which we leave in the hands of the political opportunists for capitalism. Our overwhelming numerical superiority allows us to expect our will to be carried out. It is only after having the social means of existence under collective control that we would, at last, ensure that their management is used no longer in the vested interests of today’s owners, but, this time, truly in the interests of all. Only then will we be in a position of realising a world in which the present system of competing states will be supplanted by a world community without borders, the wages system by voluntary labour, buying and trading by free access to the wealth produced, the competitive system supplanted by cooperation, the class system by social equality.
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