Tuesday, June 11, 2019

The Socialist Party opposes the capitalist system.

We are living in extremely frightening times. Life is becoming more difficult for most and many of the causes workers have fought for are being pushed back. There is war. It is class war. It is waged by the representatives of one class, the oppressors, against the mass of another class, the oppressed. In this war, the State is always and invariably on the side of the oppressors. The State is the big stick of the owners of wealth, the big stick of the big corporations. Those who try to persuade you that the State is your friend and protector, that the State is impartial and only “regulatory,” are misleading you. Under capitalism you cannot protect both “industry” (meaning the capitalists) and labour (meaning the workers). When you defend “industry” you give it freedom to exploit “labour”. The State serves the interests of big business. The essence of the capitalist State is service in the employ of capitalism for the preservation of capitalism. Reformists propose a little tinkering here and there.

It becomes more and more obvious that mankind stands at a cross-road – to socialism or to barbarism. While the workers are striving to lead humanity up to socialism, the capitalists, fearing to lose their power and privileges are trying to drag the social development down the other road. Unfortunately, with the 'middle class' rapidly sinking into insecurity, others declassed by uber type gig employment and many young people who have no chance of entering the process of production are willing to follow any populist demagogue who promises them to bring about any change. The idea of forgoing democracy consequently seems less repugnant to the present generation. Tactics of lies and slander as well as their general hero-worship – all this assists in creating an even more dissatisfied audience.

Under capitalism the workers are wage slaves, slaves of the bosses. The bosses run the factories in order to maximise profits. This means that they pay workers as little as possible, that they do not hesitate to maintain unsafe working conditions to save a buck, and that poor quality products are purposely produced in order to increase profits. History has shown that these conditions are always present under capitalism, and cannot be eliminated as long as there is bosses rule. A capitalist has to exploit his workers in order to survive as a capitalist.

Without a vision of a better world and the organisation that goes with it, protests of ordinary working people in response to injustice will likely go nowhere or worse. The first step in creating this vision is taking the blinkers off and telling the truth about our current society. Fundamental social change leading us beyond the profit system is essential. The Socialist Party stands for the abolition of landlords and capitalists by the workers. We believe that society has reached a stage where it is possible so to organise production as to end poverty, unemployment, inequality and war. To lift the working class everywhere from wage-slavery to freedom, dignity, and self-control is the purpose of the world socialist movement. Socialism is modern free society, based upon cooperative industry, administered in the equal interest of all. There are no guarantees, of course, that humanity will ever get there. Global catastrophe is a real and growing possibility. But it is important to keep the dream alive and continue to struggle.

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