Socialism, the goal of the workers

A particularly malignant disease infected the planet a few centuries ago. Capitalism arose by separating the producer from his or her tools. The owner of the tools (factories machinery, transport, etc.) buys labour power to operate them. The more they produce, the higher his profit. When it is not profitable to produce, he lays off the workers. Capitalism has made of labour power a commodity to be bought on the job market. As with any other commodity, the cost of labour power (wages) is determined by the cost of production. The cost of production of labour power is in the main what it takes to maintain the worker and family at an accustomed standard of living. It is, therefore, the cost of living which determines wages under capitalism. Once the workers have introduce a socialist system of production, then more production will mean more for everybody. The more we produce, the more we would eat. The bigger surplus of products we would have, the less we would work until we had used them up. This will be so because socialism will wipe out the distinction between the owners of machinery and the users of the machine. The working class will become the owners and operators. The separation between the worker and the means of production introduced by capitalism will be ended by socialism. Until such a socialist system prevails, wage labour will remain a commodity to be bought on the market by capital. The wages of labour will continue to be determined by the cost of living.

However, there is another side to it. Wages are also affected by the competition among workers for the available jobs. This is really the law of supply and demand as it operates in the labour market. When there are many workers available and few jobs to be had, the bargaining power is all on the side of the capitalist. Those workers who are unemployed for a long time will be inclined to accept less in order to get a job and earn a living for themselves and families. Wages are regulated by the competition of workers for jobs in the labour market, i.e., by the law of supply and demand. Marx pointed out that it is the normal and necessary condition for capitalism to have this backlog of unemployed workers or the industrial reserve army, as he called it. It is the existence of this reserve army that acts as the great weight that constantly tends to depress wages downwards to and below the cost of living. It is one of the economic laws of capitalism that the greater the number of unemployed workers, the greater is the pressure upon wage levels. Conversely, the fewer the number of unemployed workers, the more easily the employed workers are able to increase their wages.

There are about 585 billionaires in the US, about 175,000 people with over 25 million in total (0.05% of the population), 1.4 million individuals with wealth over 5 million (0.42% of the population), and it’s estimated there are about 12 million millionaires in the US (about 3.6% of the population). They are on the other side of the class war. Hell must remain as long as the capitalistic system of production lasts. Socialism has to become a tool for going to the roots of existing social problems and pointing the way to their solution. The liberation of mankind is the end to be striven for. Socialists are alert, however, in pointing out the great distinction between "government" and "common" ownership and in reiterating the socialist demand for the complete collective ownership of all the means of production and distribution as the only cure for the evils of the competitive system.

The average person is unable to see any alternative to the profit system. Socialism demands nothing more than the opening of our eyes. We want to abolish the system, which is the root and source of social ills. Socialism is revolutionary in principle, i.e. it puts up a totally new principle in place of the old, not just palliative patches. There seems a great many persons, calling themselves socialists nowadays who fancy themselves as radicals, however, the Socialist Party is a political party which defends the interests of working men and women which works for their freedom. In our capitalist society, parents are supposed to protect their children so that they can grow and learn without fear. But how can poor parents protect their children? They can’t even protect themselves. Until the capitalist system is completely overthrown wage-slavery must still continue. Present-day society does not even concern itself with determining the needs of society, in order to plan production. It leaves this to the individuals and the market. The only factor in determining capitalist production is the possibilities of capital accumulation.

We cannot define the method by which the social change will occur. The methods of revolution are dependent largely upon the blindness or the clear-sightedness of its opponents in their attitude towards this necessary progress in history. But even now, during this stage the Socialist Party does not confuse revolution and violence with one another. Violence and bloodshed do not make any movement revolutionary, and essentially they have nothing in common. Being a party which stands for the community of humanity, and directing its activities toward the attainment of general happiness and well being, the Socialist Party hopes that its victory will be accomplished by systematic and peaceful organisation. The Socialist Party is also aware of the fact that the success of the social revolution is guaranteed only at the moment when the minds of the people and the events have matured for it. The realisation of the system which the working class is planning depends on the stage of development of the working class organisations which express the socialist system. Therefore, our task is to educate and organise the working class so that it will become capable of accomplishing their own emancipation. But just as we cannot define the form of the revolution, neither can we determine the moment. The social revolution is the hope of the oppressed people and it will be carried out for the benefit and the well-being of all people, in the name of all mankind. The transformation period from capitalism to socialism will be as brief as possible, but the issue is not dependent upon ourselves alone. Its length will fluctuate with the preparedness and the stage of the organisation of the working class, as well as the nature and the violence of the opposition. No-one can foretell when the hour of the working class shall strike. But be it near or far, the same practical work is necessary of educating and organising the working class continually

The Socialist Party strives for the well-being, for the self-respect, and for the self-consciousness of our fellow-workers. It supports increasing the value of their labour-power It endeavours to obtain for the working class still larger political liberties for the expression of their opinion. We greet with pleasure every sign of revolutionary intention. We insist that the political struggle — socialism — and the economic struggle — trade unionism — are necessary for the working class, and that close and solid relations should be built up between the two to promote the best interests of the workers. We realise fully the necessity of unity and solidarity within the working class struggle, but on the other hand we realise also that the working class cannot attain its purpose with actions of such nature which are not directed by principles of the socialist principles. We join without hesitation those that follow unalterably uncompromising class struggle. There shall be our place.