Wage-slaves
must first understand that they are slaves and why they are slaves
before they can free themselves of their chains. Liberty can only be
won through knowledge. To bring fellow-workers to a understand
things from the standpoint of the socialist idea is the aim of the
Socialist Party. It is, of course, to the advantage of the
capitalists to keep obscure the fact that the working class live in a
condition comparable only to that of the plantation slaves with the
difference being that, instead of the lash, it is now the threat of
starvation, that hold wage-slaves in submission. While the employing
class have in their grasp the means of wealth production, while they
control the means whereby the necessaries of existence are produced,
then it follows inevitably that they possess the power to give or
withhold, the necessities of life. We live under the sufferance of
the employing class. “This person is useful to us,” say the
employers. “We will therefore give him or her sufficient to exist
on, to continue to be useful to us.” Or they will say: "This
individual is no good for our purpose, too weak, too stupid, or too
independent, not docile enough. Be gone. Away with you” And so the
men and women of the working class live or die just as it suits the
capitalists. The majority of the working class think in same terms as
the capitalist, instead of from the point of view of the workers' own
interests. The Socialist Party is endeavouring to bring about a
revolution, trying to revolutionise the ideas of their fellow
workers, to make them realise their present position. That is the
first object of the Socialist Party. The whole vast edifice of modern
civilisation is built upon the basis of exploitation.
When
workers firmly grasp this elementary fact the reformist cries for
"improving” the workers' lot, without attacking the exploiting
system itself, will fall upon deaf ears, and the good work we are
doing will have received its recompense. The Left are forever looking
for new and better roads to socialism yet never asking themselves
what happened to their old roads? Socialism
is not a better way of running capitalism but a world wide system of
society in which the private ownership of the means of production and
distribution would be replaced by social ownership. Not some promised
encroachment on private ownership but its abolition.
The
more capitalism is changed in detail the more it remains at base the
same—a system resting on the exploitation of the working class. The
only road is to get rid of capitalism and introduce socialism and
that is a task for which the Left have no mandate. It is a task for
the workers of the world and it cannot be begun until they understand
and want socialism and organise politically to bring it about.
Workers and capitalists do not have the same interests.They are
legalised robbers—We are
the robbed. The truth is that the Left never did put forward a
case for socialism and proves just how right the Socialist Party has
been from day one to treat these left-wing fakers with complete and
utter hostility. It shows how right we were stand our ground and say
to our fellow-workers: We, the Socialist Party, have never betrayed
our principled stand for the working-class interest and nothing less.
There
is more to win than a few welfare reforms; we have a world to win. It
is time to show that you are serious about socialism by joining the
ranks of a party which is not out to run the profit system, but to
end it. It will be the most momentous and militant political move of
your life. Our Declaration of Principles was laid down when the Party
was founded. Acceptance of these principles is demanded of every
applicant for membership, in the interest of the Party and the
applicant. We do not want, within our ranks, those who do not
subscribe to the principles. Neither would it be honest for workers
to be drawn into our organisation without fully realising the
implications of the principles and the nature of the party they were
joining.
“One
man with an idea in his head is in danger of being considered a
madman. Two men with the same idea in common may be foolish, but can
hardly be mad. Ten men sharing an idea begin to act. A hundred draw
attention as fanatics. A thousand and society begins to tremble. A
hundred thousand and there is war abroad, and the cause has
victories, tangible and real. And why only a hundred thousand? Why
not a hundred million and peace on earth? You and I who agree
together, if is we who have to answer this question.” - William Morris
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