In the earlier days of the socialist movement the labour movement demanded the “nationalisation” of this or that industry and this was understood to mean “ownership by the state” or public ownership. Reformist socialists generally accepted, without discussion, that the State represented society as a whole; that its parliamentary institutions provided the means for popular opinion to express itself; and when that opinion became socialist, or at least the majority of it, the State would become socialist automatically. Guild Socialism was a mixture of syndicalism and public ownership. The fact is that it is no more socialist than the Post Office was socialist. No amount of representation of the trade unions on this or that committee will constitute socialism. The workers within state enterprises are as much wage slaves as the workers in private capitalism. The path to socialism is not through state-owned corporations or trade union representation on this or that public board but through a fundamental change in class relations.
Socialism is not inevitable. What has been termed its ‘inevitability’ consists in this, that only through socialism can human progress continue? But there is not and cannot be any absolute deterministic inevitability in human affairs since man makes his own history and chooses what to do. What is determined is not his choice, but the conditions under which it is made, and the consequences when it is made. The meaning of scientific socialism is not that it tells us that socialism will come regardless, but that it explains to us where we stand, what course lies open to us, what is the road to life. What will this mean in practice? It will mean that the capitalists will be deprived of their ownership and control of the factories and workshops, mills and mines, shipyards and transport. All these means of production which they have used and misused only to pile up profits for themselves will be taken from them. Socialism will put an end of production for profit and will carry on production for use. The needs of all will be met, and new needs and pleasures now denied to the working class will be created and satisfied by a socialist organisation and extension of production. We have to-day ample resources for producing all the things we need. Moreover, the workers will naturally produce far better and more willingly under their own management than they do now. The ending of capitalism will put an end at the same time to the threat of wars, to the maintenance of armed forces in preparation for war abroad or suppression of the workers at home.
Although many speak of Britain as “their” country, and many have died or have been injured in defence of what they called “their” country, as a matter of fact, Britain does not belong to the whole of the British people, but to a comparative few. How many of you can point to a particular spot on the map and say “this is mine”? The greatest portion of the United Kingdom is divided among a few great landlords from whom we rent our homes or pay the bankers their mortgage on it. The UK is spoken of as a wealthy country. Does that mean that the people as a whole are well off? Of course not. Some are immensely rich, most us get by on a bare living. The means of producing the nation’s wealth are owned by the capitalist class. Most of us own nothing except our muscles and brains, that is, our ability to work.
Under capitalism, production is carried on not for the purpose of supplying the needs of the people but for the purpose of sale in order to realise a profit. Only those who have something to sell can get a living. Only those can obtain things who can afford to buy. If things were produced for use, nobody would spend time in the manufacture of shoddy goods, jerry-built houses, or adulterated food. Commerce is the only purpose of British industry.
The worker has nothing to sell but his or her labour power, sold to an employer for so many hours a day for a certain price, that is, wages. Since one cannot separate labour power from one’s body it comes to this, that a worker actually sells oneself like a slave. We socialists, call the workers, “Wage slaves”. Wages are determined by what it costs to keep a person and family. How many working people do you know who can save out of their wages? Very few, these days. They may be able to put something by in good times, but a misfortune may arrive come and the savings are gone. It is a fact that in on the average a worker is not more than two weeks removed from penury.
The capitalist will only buy labour if he can make a profit out of it. Just compare the value of the goods you turned out in a day when you were in the factory, and what you received for your work. The difference between the two is the employer’s profit. Profit is the result of the unpaid labour of the worker. Under capitalism, the workers are continually robbed of the results of their labour.
The capitalist will compel the worker to work as hard and as long as possible, for as little money as possible. In spite of various Health and Safety laws, sweat-shop condition still flourishes, whole industries in which absolutely inhuman conditions of work and pay exist.
Even through the efforts of the best-organised trade unions wages never rise higher than the cost of living. And even this is not secured. In the endeavour to produce as cheaply as possible, the capitalist continually introduces labour-dispensing machinery, which enables him to produce more goods in less time and reduces the standard of skill required. As a result unemployment or precarious work is continually on the increase.
What does capitalism offer the working man and woman? A life of toil and drudgery. Always the dread fear of the sack. A drab, colourless existence when unable to work any longer, to be thrown on the scrap-heap. If capitalism remains in existence, the worker will still remain subject to the capitalist. There will still be riches for the few and poverty for the many. Palaces for the idlers, shoeboxes for the workers. Capitalism can offer its workers nothing but wage slavery. Yet, together we shall form a worldwide co-operative commonwealth.
No comments:
Post a Comment