Which Path – Revolution or Reformism?

Socialism as represented by the Socialist Party is to serve the needs of society as a whole. The Socialist Party,       has as its purpose, the building of an organised movement to teach a common interest.  What is the meaning of capitalism? Capitalism is an economic term. It is applied by political economists and sociologists to the economic system of our civilisation, by means of which some people achieve economic independence and acquire the privilege of living idly and in luxury upon the labour of others, who produce a surplus value above that which they receive for their own sustenance. Capitalism refers to the system. A capitalist is one who profits by the system. If he works himself, it does not alter the fact that he has an income apart from his work sufficient to sustain him for life without labour and therefore his is economically independent. The working class would also like to achieve economic independence in the same manner as the capitalist class. Capitalism divides society into two antagonistic forces, because it is based upon two sets of conflicting economic interests. They each desire economic independence. The capitalist believes that he is justly entitled to the economic independence which he enjoys has, albeit it manifestly clear, he did not create his wealth; the socialist believes that the worker is being unjustly deprived of that which he or she created and which never possess. The Socialist Party, champions the working class, declares its intention to advocate the abolition of wage slavery by the establishment of a global system of industry, based upon the social or common ownership of the means of production and distribution, to be administered by society in the common interest of all its members and the complete emancipation of the socially useful classes from the domination of capitalism.  Socialism proposes the relief of the people from the exactions of the capitalist class. Private property ownership with its competition upholds the present unplanned nature of production. With socialism, private ownership and barter in capital being at an end, money would lose the functions which it possessed under capitalism and would be abolished. Our task is the abolition of wage slavery and establishment of the cooperative commonwealth. What is the Socialist Party organised for? What is our main bond of unity? What is our avowed object? The welfare of the working class and the abolition of capitalism. Those who hope for that socialist cooperative commonwealth and work for it, who are on the workers' side of the class war are our comrades. Our comrades are all who serve the interests of their fellow-workers, of all who strive for the social revolution. The Socialist Party mission is to sweep the capitalist system into oblivion.

Socialism has been misrepresented and maligned by press, pulpit, and politicians so long that even some so-called socialists who do not study the subject hold rather vague and misleading conceptions about it. The first requisite of a socialist is to have a clear and accurate knowledge of what socialism is. The definition of socialism, as historically accepted is the common ownership of all the means of production and distribution. Socialism, therefore, means virtually the same thing in all countries, and justly so. For in all countries, the action of capitalism and competition is nearly the same, and the position of the wage-workers is exactly the same, in that the latter depend upon the capitalist who owns the means to work and to live. In all countries, and under whatever form of government, the present system of social production by individual ownership has produced two classes: the propertyless class and the possessing class.  Private ownership of the means of production and distribution — an industrial despotism, or common ownership and an industrial democracy? It must be one or the other. What the people need they take. The trouble is that they have been too patient and too modest, but one of these days they are going to realise that this earth is theirs, and then they will take possession of it in the name of the human race. Socialism will wrest the earth from the greedy grasp of its exploiters and its vast and inexhaustible storehouse will yield abundance for all. The growth of socialism is the promise of freedom and fraternity.

Socialist Party calls upon all people who are interested in the emancipation of the working class from the chains of wage slavery to join it and through it and its associated organisations of the World Socialist Movement, to work for the overthrow of the present capitalist system in all its social and economic ramifications, and for the establishment in its stead of a worldwide socialist cooperative commonwealth.