The Capitalist Pandemic

 

We all want peace and prosperity which means nothing if it remains only platitudes. We in the Socialist Party are educating toward the replacement of the capitalist system of private profit by a democratic socialist society based on production for use. Socialism and democracy are inseparable. As socialists, we are unalterably opposed, not only to capitalism but to any form of the State. Nationalisation or state-capitalism is as abhorrent to us as the private-profit system. For us what existed in Russia was not some kind of socialism, not even a bad version. There was nothing resembling socialism. No benevolent dictator can lead to socialism. It can benefit capitalism but one kind of society cannot be built that way, and that is socialism. Socialism means for the first time in history people are freed of class rule over them, that they make history on their own behalf and in their own interests. And this freedom from class oppression cannot take place unless they themselves act. It cannot happen even if a well-intentioned leader tries to create socialism.

Politicians cannot change the status quo to one which benefits ordinary people instead of their masters, because capitalism is built upon the need for poverty oppression and endless war. You cannot have an oligarchic plutocracy without ensuring that the rulers have far more wealth and power to control their citizenry. Above all capitalism is manically authoritarian and indoctrinating. It slowly crushes any ideas, beliefs not conducive to turning people into compliant producers and consumers. Capitalism moulds everyone and everything into malleable forms with minor variations.

 Only by altering the system, by overthrowing and abolishing the capitalist class and establishing socialism in its stead can the workers get rid of the bad conditions they exist under today. The Socialist Party, the only party truly representing the workers, makes its attack to capture the political machinery and therewith control of economic powers and social forces for the purpose of ending the robbery by overthrowing the system of capitalism, emancipating the working class, and laying the foundations of the socialist co-operative commonwealth. The Socialist Party has for its object the control of the means of existence and the capture of political power as chief means to this end. The Socialist Party, of course, has always taught that the workers must become conscious or have knowledge of, their exploitation before they will free themselves from wage slavery.

It makes no sense to advocate the overthrow of the government by a conspiratorial minority or something of the sort, using force and violence in an insurrection to make up for the lack of democratic support by the majority. As long as we do not enjoy the support of a majority – and the socialist movement, unfortunately, does not – and as long as the opportunity exists to reach the ears of and convince such a majority by persuasion and education, we will continue to use every channel of conviction open to us to acquire a majority without which the achievement of socialism is hopeless. To do otherwise would be contrary to our socialist principles. Our ability to exist as an independent socialist group is based on the fact that we represent a concept of socialism that has nothing in common with Leninism, Stalinism or Trotskyism. These are some of our ideas, and we vigorously urge an examination of them, a thorough examination, a thorough hearing, a real hearing. We are not hero-worshippers, and we are keenly conscious of human frailty. Flattery is not our way. Today the working class are largely unconscious of what constitutes their own interests. They are thus easily misled by the capitalist class to use the political power they possess against the real interests of the working class. The Socialist Party is pledged to the abolition of the present system of society and the substitution of the socialist commonwealth.

The Socialist Party holds that it is not the task of our Party to draw up blueprints of future society. In expounding the case for socialism we stick to what is warranted by the evidence of contemporary experience, what is in line with history, and that which flows logically, from socialist assumptions.

Those who recognise that existing society — capitalism — cannot solve the major social problems of the world, but on the contrary is the cause of those problems, will agree that from the standpoint of human interests capitalism is obsolete. It has long since developed modern technology and industry to a level where a world of abundance and free access is possible. Capitalism is incapable of using these resources for the satisfaction of human needs, because of its private and state-property relationships.

In referring to socialism as a “world of abundance” we are not trying to foster the illusion of a press-button Star Trek world of replicators where everything endlessly gushes forth for the asking (although 3-D printing is a start). We are well aware that at whatever stage socialism is established, there will be worldwide aftermath of slums and general ugliness in almost every aspect of society. The task of rationally redirecting productive resources, to create an entirely different world environment, will be a vast one. Abundance must therefore be understood as developing with socialism, not as an automatic hey-presto. With the elimination of all the wasteful and destructive activities of capitalism, immense resources both in human and industrial terms will be available for useful production. When the sole commitment of all resources is the satisfaction of human needs, all the evidence shows that a continuous ample supply of food, healthcare and shelter is possible.