Hunger and poverty in the world is the price we pay for the continuing capitalist system. Capitalist governments evade the life-or-death problem of feeding food to millions of hungry people, preferring instead to feed the profits to the capitalists. Only a society that produces for use instead of profit can truly give the whole world its gifts of health and concern for the well being of all the earth’s people. That would be a socialist society controlled by the world’s producers, working people.
This is a beautiful, bountiful world, abundant in natural resources. But they do not belong to the people. They belong to the capitalists and the corporations with their network of interlocking businesses --thousands of companies, big and small in every sector of the economy. There is the highest degree of centralisation of ownership of the resources and the industrial and financial system by a numerically small group. There is the highest degree of technological development and of productive efficiency. But nothing belongs to the people.
The health and welfare of working people is not a consideration for capitalist owners. Automation and artificial intelligence that could be blessings to humanity to eliminate drudgery and heavy work, deprive workers of their livelihood and many inventions are not fully implemented for the commercial reasons of profit. Plenty can be produced for all, an abundance of food, shelter, health-care, education, leisure and travel. "Paradise on Earth" is not a hyperbole. The material basis is in the rational use of labour, machinery and resources to full capacity in planned socialist production and in socialised distribution. Produce for use and not for profit. In today’s capitalist world, no matter how much is produced, none of it belongs to the people.
It is difficult to explain such a crazy system where tight-fisted, granite-faced, flint-hearted business-owners condemn millions of waged-workers to a mere existence and permits millions to suffer poverty. We work only to live and support our families and only when the employers allows us. This is the profit system, this is the private property system; this is capitalism. It has resulted in war and more war, hunger and more hunger and misery and more misery, in the midst of untold wealth. Capitalism offers no answer to solve the welfare of the people. Should any person dwell in a slum, go short of the necessities of a decent life just for the continued existence of a privileged few? Is that an ideal world?
Socialism will abolish private ownership of the means of production which are today the property of a small group of capitalists and used by them to exploit the labour of millions for their own private profit. By socialism we mean common ownership by the whole people of all the socially necessary means of production (land, natural resources, factories, transport, communications, etc.) and their operation through a planned economy which will guarantee an ample supply and equitable distribution of all commodities and services to all the people. Socialism does not exclude ownership of personal possession; in fact, most of us would have far more individual belongings in socialism than we have now. Socialism denies the right to exploit the labour of others. To bring about a world where all people are safe, normal, happy, is the World Socialist Movement. We extend our invitation to our fellow-workers to join us.
"The people do not know their power…The union of twenty million is irresistible. Such members, such resources can enforce anything that is just." - Ernest Jones (Chartist), 1854
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