The precondition for building real socialism – a global society of freely associated producers - is to capture the State machine peacefully if possible via the ballot box, forceably if democracy is denied to us. Watching Leftists succumb to the pull of the lesser evil sirens, reeking of smoky back-room deals and political patronage at the expense of democracy, does not offer us any joy. We retain our dedication to revolutionary change and socialism. We are revolutionary socialists who believe that capitalism — as a system centered on private accumulation and profit — is inherently a system of inequality, injustice, and war. We want a social system where social wealth is not in the hands of a few billionaires, but is controlled by the people. We seek both economic and political democracy. We exist to organise for socialism. Human needs cannot replace profit as the driving force of society unless the people control their workplaces, their communities and neighborhoods. Under capitalism, a handful who own the factories, the mines, farms, and the banks control the wealth that the majority of the people produce. It is this system that we are fighting.
Our enemy is capitalism. In order to fight the enemy and win, we have to understand the enemy. Capitalism organises globally. Blocs of capital compete intensely for growth and profits. Under capitalism you either destroy the competition, or are destroyed yourself. This drive sends the giant corporations around the world, seeking cheaper raw materials and corrupt local governments that will insure a "friendly investment climate." Capitalism continuously seeks cheaper labour costs. This is why we see so many plants closing down and “out-sourcing” and moving "offshore." We are told that this is a democracy, where the people rule. The capitalist class rules. It is “their” democracy. It is not just that it takes millions of dollars to run for high office. The state – the government and the legal system – were set up and developed to serve the interests of capitalism, to uphold the rights of property over of the people. The capitalist class needs to maintain its grip on the levers of power.
The struggle for a liveable planet is a life-and-death issue. Corporate greed has polluted our air, poisoned our waters, and drenched our food with dangerous chemicals. Our survival necessitates democratic control of technology and production and the elimination of the blind consumerism that causes us to squander so many of the world's resources needlessly. As we develop a new vision of socialism, we will have to deepen our understanding of the relationship between humanity and the rest of nature. People will have to change how they live and how society is organised. The threat to the environment touches everyone. We believe in a socialism where fulfilment will be found in the relationships among people and not in the consumption of things. Only conscious socialist planning by all of society can make this a reality.
It is a paradox: The world and its people have never been so closely inter-connected than today, yet there are more fences and walls separating them than ever before. With almost 200 states that insist on their national sovereignty, effective international action and regulation are hard, if not impossible, to achieve. We are in the middle of a struggle between the forces of autocracy and nationalism on the one hand and democracy and global awareness on the other.
World unification is no longer a philosophical consideration. It is becoming a practicable possibility. The people of the world need a global democracy and a global administration that represents all citizens of the world. The advantages of capitalist globalisation and rising productivity disproportionately benefit the affluent. Intergovernmental organisations such as the UN or the WHO are only as effective as their member states allow them to be. Otherwise, their hands are tied. The UN does not represent humanity. It is an exclusive club of government executives whose job it is to pursue national interests.
Inequality is also growing across the world. Addressing this issue in a speech, UN chief Antonio Guterres said, "While we are all floating on the same sea, it's clear that some of us are in super yachts while others are clinging to the floating debris."
According to the World Food Programme, 135 million people are facing crisis levels of hunger. There are currently close to 80 million displaced people who have fled war, persecution and instability. It is the worst humanitarian and refugee crisis in 70 years.
It is time that global institutions be equipped with the power they need to deal with global threats and manage global commons. If the people of the world unite behind this vision it can soon be at the top of the political agenda.
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