Let the workers rejoice. Let the rich tremble.

Whoever wishes to see an end to capitalism and state capitalism must replace these by the producers own organisations. Collectively in the factory, collectively in industry, and collectively in their respective communities they must organise themselves to administer the means of production and the whole of economic life. A survey of the literature of socialism shows that only a meagre body of work has been written concerning the economic foundations of that form of society which it is intended should replace capitalism. Concerning socialism we can provide and cannot treat the question at any greater depth other than offer only a few pointers. Explaining in detail how socialism will unfolded is premature.

Capitalism is based on the class of those to whom belong the means of production of the whole world. These are linked together by connections of business and interest and by a political solidarity. Socialism has its social base in the working masses of the whole world. They are the real living force of the new society which must replace capitalism, but they continue to be tricked by their ignorance. The Left sings the “Internationale” but does not apply it in practice.

The coming revolution is a socialist revolution. It will replace capitalism by socialism, expropriate the capitalists, abolish the exploitation of man by man and lead to class-free society. It will dismantle the state of the rich, abolishing the overgrown oppressive system of a huge army, police and bureaucracy and replace them with the administration of people themselves. The socialist revolution will bring genuine freedom and democracy to the overwhelming majority of the people. Fundamental to the socialist revolution is the constitution of the working class as a class for itself.

Socialism is imperative not only because capitalism creates and increases the number of inequalities and injustices, but also because capitalism is dooming the continued existence of a civilised world to barbarism. The Socialist Party advocates a socialist revolution because we don’t think that capitalist society will crumble under the pressure of its great number of inner contradictions. We think that socialism will replace capitalism because of a broad social consensus achieved on the basis of a constant evolution of the consciousness of the people as a whole. We think that revolution is necessary to the achievement of socialism, the passage of political power into the hands of the working class.

Common ownership must not be confounded with public ownership. In public ownership, often advocated by notable social reformers, the State or another political body is master of the production. The workers are not masters of their work, they are commanded by the State officials, who are leading and directing production. Whatever may be the condition of labour, however human and considerate the treatment, the fundamental fact is that not the workers themselves, but the officials, dispose of the product, manage the entire process. In short, the workers still receive wages, a share of the product determined by masters. Under public ownership of the means of production, the workers are still subjected to and exploited by a ruling class. Common ownership by the producers can be the only goal of the working class.

Let the workers rejoice. Let the rich tremble. There is a party opposed to the parties of the rich, a party of the socialist revolution. A genuine socialist party. The workers have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. The socialist revolution will build a new world, a world free of misery and oppression. Our only hope lies in revolution—the sweeping away of this rotten system of exploitation.