Our time is now

 

The goal of the Socialist Party is socialism, not reformed capitalism. Its tactics must be those that will bring about socialism.

Socialism is opposed to the reign of the capitalist system and its representatives, the present ruling class. Capitalism has no solution for the miseries of working people. Capitalism has no policy to solve crises. Capitalism can only prolong its life by throwing the burdens of the crisis onto the workers, by ever-renewed attacks upon the workers upon the workers’ standards. Wages are attacked on every side. Conditions of labour are intensified. 

Many workers have placed their hopes in the Labour Party to bring the solution. They have seen the need for basic social change; the Labour Party has spoken of basic social change, of socialism, and promised to realise it by easy peaceful means through Parliament. Since Labour governments have been installed, and swift disillusionment has followed. The condition of the workers has grown worse; there is no sign of the advance to socialism; the Labour Party Government has acted as a representative of capitalism against the workers. The Labour Party could not act and cannot act otherwise than it has acted, does act and will continue to act, as the representative of capitalism — because its basis is capitalism. The capitalists have not solved a single problem. They have opened the weeping sores.

At present the capitalist class rules, whatever the form of government. What is needed is that the working-class shall drive out the capitalists from possession. Marx raised a mighty banner of international Labour unity with his rousing slogan: “Workers of the world unite, would have nothing to lose but your chains, you have a world to win.” This is the message that we call upon you to support. We must become class conscious if we are to succeed in destroying capitalism and bringing about the socialist future of mankind.

The Socialist Party, unlike the other parties which seek simply to “reform” the present economic system, is unequivocally committed to the abolition of capitalist production and the substitution of the cooperative commonwealth. Industrial democracy will wrest the Earth from its exploiters and its vast and inexhaustible storehouse will yield abundance for all. The growth of socialism is the promise of freedom and fraternity. Private ownership is the foundation upon which the entire edifice of exploitation, oppression,  corruption,  criminality and warfare making up much-vaunted modern civilisation rests. Above all else, we must end private ownership.

It is working people who keep capitalism going, for the benefit of the capitalists. It is time the workers determined, by international socialist action, to refashion human society on a socialist foundation. No government can save the world. It is the task for the world working class and unless it is achieved the whole world faces chaos, misery and destruction. The productive power and the administrative ability are present for the making of a new world. Do not delay the decision to use them. The Socialist Party show you the way to working-class emancipation and the happiness and well-being of humanity.

To all subjugated workers we extend our sympathy in the sufferings which are their lot. We ask them, however, to recognise that their poverty is the result not of foreign rule — which is merely one of the many evil by-products of capitalism—but of the capitalist system itself.  

Independence will not solve any working-class problem.  The only sound policy for workers, the only policy in line with their class interests, is to keep clear of the nationalist movements and carry on steadily with the task of organising themselves on the economic field for the defence of their interests against their employers and organising on the political field for the ultimate achievement of socialism in co-operation with the rest of the world's workers. 

In all countries, the workers are exploited by the owners of the means of production and distribution. There are no differences between the conditions under which exploitation is carried on in the different countries sufficient to make it worth the workers' while supporting one against the other in order to defend their subjection to one national group of capitalists rather than to another. 

The leftists who parade the banner of “independence then socialism” around, to catch the attention of workers, are demagogues working to perpetuating falsehoods. National sovereignty is the bait to hook recruits.  Nationalists work on behalf of the capitalists for the good of all capitalists. What the World Socialist Movement want is real independence. What we want is freedom from capitalist exploitation and wage slavery. Supporting national independence in the name of socialism is a monumental hoax.

Only socialism can bring the solution. Only socialism can put an end to capitalist property rights and organise production to meet human needs. Once capitalism is overthrown, then and only then can production be organised in common for all, and every increase in production bring increasing abundance and leisure for all. This is the aim of the social revolution. We will not be a party of deception. We tell the workers the truth and organise with the aim of the destruction of this horrible system and the introduction of a socialist system of society. Socialism is the only cure to the evils and ills of capitalism. The Socialist Party moves with determination along the revolutionary path.