Time to end wage slavery

We live in times of political change. There has never been a free people. Human society always consisted of masters and slaves, and the slaves have always been and are today, the foundation stones of society. Wage-slavery is a fact. It is clear to every class-conscious worker that there is a class war being waged by the capitalist classes to secure a greater share in the exploitation of labour. It is a matter of paramount importance that we, as socialists, apprehend the basic conditions underlying the strife, and that we prepare to meet the consequences to the world’s workers that will issue from it. This address to socialists and the working class generally is directed to such an understanding. In the confusion arising from false issues of the capitalist class, put forward to mislead the workers, we must ever be on our guard against the crafty apologists of wrong posing as friends of labour.

The Socialist Party of Ireland seeks to organise the workers of this country, irrespective of creed or race, into one great PARTY OF LABOUR. It believes that the dependence of the working class upon the owners of capitalist property, and the desire of these capitalists and landowners to keep the vast mass of the people so subject and dependent, is the great and abiding cause of all our modern social and political evils – of nearly all modern crime, mental degradation, social strife, and political tyranny. Recognising this, it counsels the working class to organise itself politically with the end in view of gaining control and mastery of the entire resources of the country. Such is our aim: such is socialism. As to the necessity for working-class organisation there can be no question. The point to be decided is: How shall the workers organise? Our method is: political organisation at the ballot box to secure the election of representatives of socialist principles to all the elective governing public bodies of this country, and thus to transfer the political power of the State into the hands of those who will use it to further and extend the principle of common ownership. What is needed is unity of thought and action. Far better no organisation at all than a fake form which divides the workers against themselves and misleads them in the interests of the employing class. As working-class organisation grows stronger capitalism grows weaker. It has already outlived its usefulness. It is unable to run industry efficiently, and fails to supply the needs of the great majority of the people.

The Socialist Party is the party of the working class, the party of emancipation, made up of men and women who scorn any compromise with their oppressors; who want no votes that can be bought, and promises no offices and no support under any false pretences whatsoever. The Socialist Party stands squarely upon its class principles. Its central task today is to consistently expose the enemy and point to the aim of overthrowing capitalism and building socialism, to raise the general level of consciousness and sense of organisation and instill a revolutionary outlook among fellow-workers. Ignorance alone stands in the way of socialist success. The capitalist parties understand this and use their resources to prevent the workers from gaining knowledge and understanding. Capitalist parties cunningly contrive to divide the workers. The Socialist Party is uniting them upon one issue: the abolition of wage-slavery.

We therefore appeal to all workers to throw in their lot with the Socialist Party and assist it in giving force, clearness and effectiveness to the gathering working class movement. And on its part that Party, conscious of its high mission, pledges itself to pursue, unfaltering and undeviating, its great object – common ownership of the means of producing and distributing all wealth. As socialists our basic goal is the emancipation of labour. We oppose any so-called right to own or exploit the labour of others. The Socialist Party's aim is the establishment of the cooperative commonwealth. Socialism is not a scheme or plan. It is the next stage in social evolution. Many believe the Socialist Party is going to take all you own and divide it among the poor. We don’t want your paltry possessions. It would do us no good. We want the Earth.