In the political and economic world, we are expected never to "Do It Ourselves." "Leave it to our leaders to do" we are advised. The Socialist Party alone has warned of the dangers of dependence on "leaders." For years we have explained that since the working class is intelligent enough to plan, design build and operate the wonderful industries throughout the world, it is also intelligent enough to own and administer those same productive forces through the self-managed democracy of socialism. Socialism cannot be handed to you by "leaders." Socialism is strictly a "Do It Yourselves" plan. Socialism is not a paternalistic society in which the good things are given to you. Socialism cannot come a little at a time, or in one small locality at a time by government decree. Socialism does not mean a lowering of anyone's standard of living to one common level.
Socialism is one of the most lied-about and misrepresented words in common usage today. Many believe that it means State ownership or State bureaucratic control of business. If that were "Socialism," we wouldn't want it; we would be unalterably opposed to it. Socialism has never existed, nor does it now exist anywhere in the world. Socialism means the social ownership and democratic management of all the machinery of production and distribution, as well as the natural resources and land. The working class today creates all wealth for the private owners of industry in return for a fraction of that wealth, called wages. With socialism, the same producers will create the wealth for all of society to enjoy. With those now unemployed, or senselessly occupied, put to useful endeavour, and with all the ingenious labour-saving inventions put to use, the hours of the working day will be shortened tremendously. Automation in industry will cease to be a threat to job security, it will bring the blessing of greater abundance and more leisure time to enjoy that abundance. The leisure which our shorter hours of work will give us will mean a great enrichment of our lives. Travel, the development of cultural appreciation, the best of entertainment -- all these will be ours.
The following basic facts must be recognized and understood. First, under socialism, there will be no private ownership in the necessaries of life, i.e., the industries and the system of communication and distribution, as well as the social services. In place of private ownership, we shall have social ownership of the necessaries of life. Second, there will be no political State, no political parties, no politicians, and, accordingly, there will be no State ownership or bureaucratic control of these necessaries of life. Third, there will be no wage system, hence, no exploitation. Socialism is a social system under which all the instruments of production, distribution, education, health, etc., are owned, controlled and administered by the people, for the people
Instead of workers being divided into hostile groups competing for jobs that will pay enough to keep a family until next payday, we will work in harmony, cooperating to produce most efficiently the best possible products, since we will all directly benefit from each improvement in quality and quantity of the goods and services we have made available. Increased leisure and general well-being will, of course, make it possible for all of us to lead wholesome and decent lives. All will enjoy better health. The modern scourge of mental illness will be practically eliminated in a society freed from the causes of anxieties and tensions that now plague mankind. we will know the full pleasure of family life, without the cares which frustrate our happiness today. It has been claimed by some that socialism would "break up the home." It is now obvious that it is capitalism which is the home-breaker, with fathers and mothers both working to make ends meet. Marriage will cease to be a property relationship. Mutual love and understanding will be the fundamental principle upon which the family of the future will build.
Perhaps you are shaking your head at. this point and saying, "All this sounds like a heaven on earth. But it can never be.” Would you be opposed to helping create a "heaven on earth"? Do you really prefer voting for politicians who are pledged to maintain the present social system which is the exact opposite of that "heaven on earth" we have described? Is it your nature to desire peace or war? Are other humans different from you? Is it your nature to prefer the insecurity of employment and the exploitation under capitalism, or does your whole being yearn for economic freedom and security for yourself and your family? Are you proud of the fear-instilling and intimidating measures used by some "leaders" to curtail freedom of thought, or does your whole nature rebel at capitalism's encroachment upon your liberties? The Socialist Party maintains that the best in human behaviour will only be brought out by the best in social and economic conditions.
The Socialist Party is the only organisation in the United Kingdom that stands uncompromisingly for the abolition of capitalism. We, men and women in the Socialist Party, deny that there is any possibility of real or lasting improvement for the vast majority, the working class, within the framework of the capitalist system. On the contrary, the Socialist Party warns that the longer capitalism lasts, the worse becomes the condition of the workers as a class, and the more difficult will become the transition from capitalism to socialism. And this despite the persistent efforts of the liberals and reformers, whether they pretend to be socialists or not. The Socialist Party has learned through the hard school of experience that reforms under capitalism lead away from the progress towards socialism. Every reform granted by capitalism is a concealed measure of reaction. Therefore, we contend that capitalism must be abolished. The social revolution can not be accomplished unless the working class becomes conscious of Its class interests, conscious of its historic mission, and is organised accordingly. To deny the fact, and yet expect socialism, is Utopian.
There is the only way socialism may be attained - by "Doing It Yourselves."
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