TIMES ARE A-CHANGING

Capitalist society appears to be lurching towards catastrophe. There seems to be no longer any rationality. It becomes more unstable. The crises of capitalism on a world scale has given rise to a growing radicalisation among many of the population. We are confident that only the policy of Marxism can bring the workers to socialism. There is no other road, no middle road. Is socialism now on the agenda? In historical terms, yes. In terms of immediate, practical politics, it obviously is not. It is, nevertheless, the necessity to avoid a barbarian future and for the survival of civilisation. We must stand united, fighting together for the future. We will not turn our backs on the struggles of the past. Nor is it our future to sell. This planet belongs to the people. We must safeguard the future.

The Socialist Party conceives of socialism, not as an arbitrary scheme of society to be constructed from a preconceived plan, but as the next stage of social evolution which develops in succeeding stages foreseen, understood, and consciously organised by the revolutionary party, a forecast of the future already indicated in the present. The architects and builders of the socialist society of the future will be the socialist generations themselves. Marxists are quite sure of this and refrain from offering these future generations any instructions or blueprints. In the words of Auguste Blanqui, the great French revolutionist, “Tomorrow does not belong to us.” We can’t successfully deal with the problems posed by the present period unless we clearly understand the main features of our goal and why it represents the only real answer. Essentially, our task is to replace the bourgeoisie with the proletariat. Underneath its guise of neutrality and impartiality the State (which consists of all branches of government, the military, police, prisons and courts), exists because of the irreconcilable contradictions between the capitalist and the working class. Through repression, mediation, spreading of its ideology and economic intervention the State defends the interests of the ruling class.

 The eventual aim of the Socialist Party is to create a system where classes no longer exist, and the state withers away. In this era, each will receive according to their needs and give according to their abilities, there will be no need for a state or violence. Economic production will be developed to a point where each can give and take freely. The last vestiges of racism and sexism will be destroyed. The contradictions between manual and mental labour and between urban and rural life will be resolved.

Only through the struggle for democracy can socialism be won and only under socialism can the working class achieve real democracy and peace. A vote for another political party, even if it goes by the name of “labour,” is opportunistic, is a disavowal of revolutionary principle, is sometimes downright betrayal of socialism and at all times in conflict with the best interests of the working class. The revolutionary socialist then frankly prefers not to vote at all, indifferent to the epithet of “Abstentionist!” because he or she is merely abstaining from playing CAPITALIST POLITICS, confining to utilising whatever interest there is in the elections to stimulate the interest and support of workers in the socialist programme for which our party stands. The rotten structure of capitalist society stands completely exposed before the eyes of the world working class.

People are taught not to vote FOR what they believe but AGAINST an individual. An unpopular policy once identified with an individual can be continued by replacing the individual, keeping the policy with modifications.

These corporate lobbyist funds are not really contributions. They are investments or bribes with an expected return of access and policy.

Poverty, homelessness, unemployment, alcohol and drug dependency, inadequate education and poor health care, and alienation have become facts of life for many people. Increasingly, people are looking for an alternative way of living. The Socialist Party rejects the idea that fundamental change can or should come about through a seizure of power by a vanguard party claiming to act in the interests of the working class and the majority of society. We do not believe that a single party can or should determine the direction, strategy and tactics of the working class. We reject the goal of the “dictatorship of the proletariat.” We are opposed to dictatorship in any and all forms, and we recognise that the application of this principle has in every case meant that a minority acts for and defines the interests of the majority of society. We do not pretend to have a blueprint for a new and better society nor the road-map on how to get there. We do have a vision of a better society and general agreement on the principles of strategy. We believe that fundamental change will take the support of the majority of people who will demonstrate in some verifiable way (such as through voting) that they want such a change. The revolution, then, is the necessity of the times, and it is essential to get prepared now.

 Many things need to be done. Our only weapons are our words and deeds.