Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Socialism and the Future 


2020 has been a black year for humanity. It is true that the first symptoms of economic recession had begun to appear but then the pandemic happened and all countries economies went into decline. Social progress and cultural advances slowed or went into reverse. The weaknesses and failures of all governments was evident to everyone. The mission of upholding human culture and rebuilding society on a basis of social justice to-day rests with the socialist movement. The Socialist Party, will, by using the vote, wrest from the present possessing classes the instruments which are now used to govern the people in the interest of the possessing classes, and will use them for effecting the change in the basis of society, which would get rid of the last of the great oppressions of the world.


In a sustainable sciety the abilities of all men and women can be used for their mutual well-being. The Socialist Party can see no reason why “to each according to needs, from each according to ability” cannot be society’s guiding motto. We need not fear when we come face to face with the citadel of Capitalism, the privilege of rent, interest, and profit. Capitalists are not interested in production to benefit the peoples of the world or even their own people. They are interested only in profits.


 It is a matter of course that since everybody will share in full the good life won by the whole community, so everybody will share in the responsibility of operating and running the community. This administration must be take of necessity democratic and federative; that is to say there will be certain units of administration, ward, parish, commune, whatever they may be called, all these will be federated within an always enlarging, widening structure. Differences of opinion can be settled by the will of the majority. In every assembly there would be no clash of interests, but only divergent opinions as to the best way of doing what all agreed to do. A minority would give way without any feeling of injury or hurt feelings


Socialists contend that the workers can only be emancipated by the workers themselves. It is quite impossible to have a genuine co-operative commonwealth without informed socialists. All attempts to organise socialism in any one nation spreads naturally to other nations that are working in the same direction. Socialism, becomes more and more international every day. Nationalist rivalries, which has been the weapon of the capitalist, will be abandoned in favour of international co-operation. Nationalism does not mean a step forward towards socialism. It would a step backwards. Nationalism works on behalf of the capitalists. Independence and sovereignty means a new sharing of powers but just between groups of capitalists, keep it all in the family. Those who dress up as socialists in order to push nationalism in the working class are the allies of the capitalists. Working class unity is a must right now if effective resistance is to be mounted. The “left” nationalists would have us believe that the task is to transform bourgeois independence into a socialist independence. In reality, they find themselves in the camp of those promoting division of the working class. Supporting nationalism in the name of the light for socialism is a monumental hoax. It is up to the world socialist movement to show that our fellow-workers will not be duped by their nationalist nonsense and deceiving rhetoric. Only the unity of the workers, leading to a socialist world can produce that “One World” which can abolish poverty and oppression, hunger and war.


The Socialist Party asserts that our planetary resources should not be owned by individuals, but by the whole community for the benefit of the whole. The means of production, the wealth used for the production of further wealth should be communised.


What the waste inequality is:

 

Firstly: The production of shoddy make-shifts for the supply of poor folk who cannot afford the quality article.

Secondly: the production of luxuries for rich folk, the greater part they neither need nor desire but for the sake of conspicuous consumption and to raise their status and self-esteem want.

Thirdly: the wealth wasted by the whole exchange and sales processes of competitive commerce, to which the production of useful goods is but a secondary object, its first object being to make a profit for the manufacturer.


If the productive forces in the world were to be utilised for constructive purposes, the entire planet could be transformed and the standards of living and level of culture raised to undreamed of heights. This is not possible under capitalism. Plenty and abundance under this system can only produce crises such as over-production and unemployment, because of the basic necessity of the capitalist class to make profits. Despite the hunger and famine in dozens of countries it is not profitable to feed the starving people. This springs from the economic laws of the system, not the desires, good or bad, on the part of the capitalists.


The hope of the re-birth of society is certainly growing.


Intelligence enough to conceive, courage enough to will, power enough to compel. If our ideas of a new Society are anything more than a dream, these three qualities must animate the due effective majority of the working people; and then, I say, the thing will be done.William Morris



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