Emancipate the Mind

The owners of all resources and means of wealth form one; the owners of labour power, the ability of others, another class. The capitalist class owns and controls the economic resources of the world. That class, for its own protection and perpetuation in power, subjects all institutions to its own interests. Capitalist ownership of industries had its origin in the unfolding of conditions which hastened the downfall of the feudal system, and the advent of the capitalist class to power. The feudal lords had to surrender their supremacy to the ascending bourgeoisie. When the workers understand how the capitalist system of today has developed they will not wantonly destroy what generations of industrial and social forces have brought forth. The workers will apply the knowledge of ages to build the foundation of a new industrial and social system.

Many people in the workers' movement talk incessantly of the rising tide of class struggle as if revolution is on the immediate agenda. This belief does not correspond to reality. We must advocate revolutionary, militant, mass criticism.

Few gains are being made by workers and more often than not organised workers are enduring losses in real wages. The frequency and extent of strike activity is well down. The effects of the capitalist crisis have been felt almost entirely by the working class and the pressure on the “middle class” is pushing them “down” into the working class. The result of the crisis has been the temporary intimidation of parts of the working class, making it in many ways more difficult for us to organise. There is a low level of militancy and union membership is declining. Workers have been forced into retreat while employers' profits rise. The people are still apathetic, unawakened and collectively weak yet despite handicaps and disadvantages more and more people have now seen the need for more struggle and many are becoming active in resisting in white-collar jobs such as junior doctors and airline staff. A new upsurge of class war has taken shape and is now assuming the form of a social movement. 

All our hopes and aspirations are based on the possibility of the total overthrow of capitalism. We are engaged in the building of a mass socialist party and class movement, made up of workers everywhere building the fighting bodies of a workers’ movement. Out of our actions, with the attendant frustrations and awareness of limitations, arises a need for a reassessment and to take a hard look at our aims, our directions, the scope of activities of the struggles.  Our socialist revolution is a revolution to eliminate the exploiting class once and for all. The Socialist Party's task is to root out all the ideas of the ruling class which is injurious to the people. Political, judicial, educational and other institutions are only the mirror of the prevailing system of ownership in the resources and means of production. The working class alone is interested in the removal of industrial inequality, and that can only be accomplished by a revolution of the capitalist system. The workers, in their collectivity, must take over and operate industry, the means of production and distribution, for the well-being of all humanity. Harmonious relations of mankind in all their material affairs will evolve out of the change in the control and ownership of industrial resources of the world. That accomplished, the men and women, all members of society in equal enjoyment of all the good things and comforts of life, will be the arbiters of their own destinies in a free society. We need socialism more urgently than ever.

No return into barbarism