We live in a capitalist society that shapes institutions in ways that serve to reproduce capitalism. The left-wing theory that revolutionaries cause revolutions confuses cause with effect. To de-romanticise this idea is very much necessary.
Mass unemployment will bring the United States closer to less-developed economies. Very large regions of the poor will surround small enclaves of the rich. Narrow bands of “middle-income professionals,” will separate rich from poor. Ever-more rigid social divisions enforced by strong police and military apparatuses are becoming the norm. Their outlines are already visible across the United States. Only if workers understand and mobilize to fight the class war can these trends be slowed, stopped or reversed. In the 1930s working people fought the class war against the capitalists and companies. Millions participated.
Today class war has once again been intensified and as billionaire Warren Buffet says, his side is winning. Many more workers need to be convinced that the class war is underway and become committed to fighting it. Unions have been severely weakened. Fewer workers belong to unions. Many, if not most, have not experienced their pay packages keeping up with increases in the cost of living even if their level of productivity—the amount of work they accomplish in the work day–has increased. Many union leaders add to the weakness of unions by being secretive and operating in a top down manner. This harms their effectiveness because when members make decisions that determine goals and strategies, they own them, and are more likely to fight for them. Our hope is that our fellow-workers become politically active and engage in work to change society.
Many working people supported Bernie Sanders because they believed he promised a political revolution against the Democratic and Republican status quo, yet he is now recommending people get behind the very Establishment who you thought he was launching a revolution against. Sanders has stated his inspiration was Eugene Debs, a five-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. Debs admonished workers for voting for non-socialist candidates.
Socialism must be established by the workers before they can enjoy the fruits of their labour. The madness of excessive competition built up on the commodity character of labour-power and production for profit, can only cease when production is carried on for use. Capitalist anarchy grows with the growth of capitalism. The system fails utterly to give a full life to the class that produces all wealth. Capitalism is over-ripe. Men and women are needed to awaken the workers to a realisation of their slavery, to expose confusionists, and impart a knowledge of socialism to those who suffer under the system, that they may organise and work for their emancipation.
Socialism will eliminate hunger, house the homeless, give a dignified life to everyone, save the lives of those who die for lack of proper medical attention, and generalise free access to the social wealth of the world.
None of these are utopian even if working people are willing as yet to build it. The political integrity of the Socialist Party is of first importance. All the votes acquired during elections would do us no good if we ceased to be a revolutionary party, or if we compromised more and more to the pressure to modify the principles and policy of the party for the sake of increasing the vote. The left drops whatever may give offence to our fellowworkers sensibilities to broaden the appeal and attraction of their parties but these votes do not express a will for socialism and in the next ensuing election are quite as easily swing towards another populist organisation or leader.
The Socialist Party advises it is better that they do not cast votes for the Socialist Party, if their political position disagrees with our own ideas. Socialism can never be achieved by what amounts to a fictitious vote for it. In our campaigns and promotions we state our principles clearly to convince and win others to our cause through an intelligent understanding of the socialist case. No possible good can come from any kind of a political alliance, express or implied, with any who are opposed to socialism. we want the support only of those who believe in socialism and are ready to vote and work with us for the overthrow of capitalism. To kowtow to non-socialists to secure political favours can only result in bringing disaster.
Socialism can be built only when the working class has taken political power out of the hands of the capitalist class: that is, when there has been a revolution and the socialist revolution can only be accomplished by socialists. Easy short cuts to socialism must be exposed as illusory.
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