Socialism is the Cause of Humanity.

 

We address you as socialists. 

Many will not pay any to us, saying we are impractical visionaries with idealistic notions in their heads. Many accuse us as too theoretical and they distrust theories. We are said to be dogmatists and sectarians for standing by a set of socialist principles. The only question for ourselves is whether our ideas adequately explains present society and a future alternative to it, or whether, if it contains an element of truth or not. We conclude that the Socialist Party does not present false, useless and misleading theories. Socialists claims to be an explanation of the present economical facts  of a great many other things, and also to know the only way out of the present situation. We are very practical Nevertheless, we can still keep questioning how to act upon these ideas. The socialist movement is not the invention of one man, or the property of one body of men and women. It is the expression of a phase of social evolution, and of a yearning for freedom which fills the hearts and minds of the people of all lands, a collective yearning which no individual can create. There is a difference among those who describe themselves as socialists the world over, not only on principles, but on action as well. We have to make our choice.

 For ourselves socialism does not mean mean ownership or management by the government. The State is only the agent of the possessing class and State-owned businesses are run for profit just as other businesses are. The government, as the agent of the possessing class, has, in the interests of its employers, to treat the employees just as other employees are treated. If socialism does not mean nationalisation or municipalisation of the means of production what do we mean by socialism? We mean the establishment of common ownership and democratic control of the whole of the world’s industry. Socialism means a complete change in society in all its aspects. Socialists constantly assert their belief in the speedy downfall of the present system, and the advent of socialism. We see the promise of socialism. We visualise a society that would be based on the common ownership of the means of production, the elimination of private profit in the means of production, the abolition of the wage system, the abolition of the division of society into classes. We don’t propose anywhere the elimination of private property in personal effects. We speak of those things which are necessary for the production of the people’s needs which shall be owned in common by all the people. When classes are abolished, as exploitation is eliminated, as the conflict of class against class is eliminated, the very reason for the existence of a government begins to diminish. Governments are  instruments of repression of one class against another. According to the doctrine of Marx and Engels and of  Marxists who followed them, we envisage, as Engels expressed it, a withering away of the government and its replacement by purely administrative councils, whose duties will be to plan production, to supervise public works, and education, and things of this sort. The running of a socialist society in reality will be an administrative body, because we don’t anticipate the need for the military, judges and jails and consequently that aspect of government dies out for want of function.

Capitalism – production for profit – presupposes a class of property-holders, who possess the means of living, and a class who have only their labour-power to offer in exchange for the necessaries of life. The capitalist, as capitalist, must seek to intensify the working day and to keep down wages, in order thereby to increase his profit. The workers have to defend themselves against the capitalist; and we soon finds that the only way we can do this is by organisation.

In these dark hours of disease, strife and poverty, the Socialist Party, reaffirms our belief in world socialism and in the principles of human solidarity is the only way that can bring order to the chaos and prevent a catastrophe. We urge all lovers of freedom to rally round the banner of Socialism — which represents liberty of today. Socialism will guarantee to every person the full fruit of his or her labour and thus do away with the main cause of destitution and conflicts. Socialism will usher in a new civilisation based upon the welfare of all. A heartening sign of the fraternal mood has been growing in the radical movement across the world. Building such a socialist party is today the common task of all who seek an alternative to the misery and exploitation of the present capitalist order. The ideal socialist party is one which has: First, a clear and definite understanding of socialism as applied to the social conditions and expresses its views lucidly. Such a perspective ought to appeal to the imagination of every worker. Given favourable conditions the activities of our organisation should spread throughout awakening the consciousness and stimulating the militancy of the oppressed masses, and winning them in growing numbers to the banner of the party of the socialist revolution, the Socialist Party.