The Socialist Party is for general emancipation, i.e. for a class-free society. But such emancipation presupposes the abolition of private property, of commodity production and of the market economy, as well as of competition and the private enrichment
The realisation of these goals is only possible when the socialist struggle for them is merged with the real struggle of a class that is materially interested in it, intellectually prepared for it, and socially inclined to it. This means a class that is potentially capable of bringing all wheels to a standstill if it so wishes; a class that, organised into the associated producers, is capable of taking over the organisation of production. The overthrow of capitalism, the transition to a class-free society, the replacement of domination by a free association of producers can emerge from the self-organisation and inevitable, the elementary class struggle of working people.
The educational and organisational activity, the stimulating of class consciousness and class organisation shall be the task of the Socialist Party and companion parties within the World Socialist Movement to build a society without private property, production of goods, money, enrichment, competition and nation-state. The practical task of abolishing the bondage of humanity thus becomes the practical politics of our organisation. Our case is one of the total renunciations of compromises. Such methods are unrealistic and impossible in our view and even if it means facing our opponents with our hands tied we make a principled stand. Endless scheming, unlimited willingness to make concessions, dishonest manoeuvres and total exclusion of self-activity, initiative and action of one’s own class leads to nothing and brings us no closer to the goal. Realpolitik and Machiavellianism can never be the strategy of the socialists because the emancipatory goal is not small but huge: to overturn all conditions in which people are degraded and enslaved. The unique nature of the socialist revolution is that it can only be realised by a conscious majority. To this end, it must conquer political power. The goal can only be achieved through the self-organisation and self-activity of working people.
Capitalists cannot exist without workers, but workers can exist without capitalists. As it is workers who actually do the producing, they are quite capable of undertaking this activity in their own interests. This cannot be accomplished unless workers are aware of their objective interests and are organised to achieve this goal. The socialist movement without a working-class is impossible. But a working-class which does not have the necessary knowledge to effect its transformation will not spontaneously evolve into a revolutionary force. For this to occur, workers in large enough numbers must develop sufficient knowledge concerning the nature of capitalist society, the nature of the state and the necessity of revolution to “change the world”.
In a democratically planned and ecologically rational society, many of the lifestyle changes that individualist environmentalism points to as necessary would occur, but as part of a social process of liberation, not as a forced sacrifice or moralistic principle. Work would be structured in ways that allow people to feel a closer connection with the production of food and resources. Overall, a socialist society would give us the freedom to live fulfilling lives less centred around consumption. The level of individual consumption will naturally decrease, without anyone forcing workers to lower their standard of living. Certainly, there would be changes in what people consume in a sustainable society — an ecologically sound agricultural system would probably supply less meat and less out-of-season produce — but this would occur because of a change in production in the context of revolutionary liberation leading to a better life (overall, such an agricultural system would supply healthier, cheaper and better-tasting food), so it would not be experienced as a sacrifice. All this being said, environmentalists must face the reality that much of the world does need higher levels of consumption — more stuff.
Billions of people in the world need, in order to live fulfilling lives, secure food and water, better transportation and communications infrastructure, and medical services. Under a democratic, planned programme of development, these resources could be produced in different, more efficient and ecologically sound ways, paid for by reparations from imperialist capital for its centuries of exploitation, and in concert with reducing the ecological footprint of the developed countries. If people have no secure means of subsistence to live, they will survive as best they can use what means are available to them, which tend to be highly ecologically destructive. Poverty is a major part of the reason there is so much deforestation. Renewable energy provision for the entire planet — and the eradication of poverty — would have to be part of any move to living sustainably with the Earth. The only way to both develop human potential around the world and regenerate a healthy biosphere is through the development of the productive forces of society.
A democratically planned and ecologically rational society will be able to overcome the ways in which capitalism is holding us back from producing more efficiently and sustainably. In an economy designed to meet human needs, there would be many opportunities to eliminate waste: for example, by eliminating product packaging, by eliminating planned obsolescence so that electronic equipment and machines (e.g. laptops and mobile phones) will last longer, by reducing transportation through producing locally when most efficient, and by eliminating many industries — the financial services, and the military — that will be largely useless in a socialist society.
Further, the technological basis of society could be transformed. We could adopt a power system based around solar, wind, geothermal and tidal energy. We could redesign urban areas based on walking, bicycling and public transit. And we could transform our agricultural methods, drawing from organic agriculture and permaculture techniques.
All these transformations in production and social allocation of resources are possible with technologies that exist now, but capitalism’s drive for private profit holds us back from implementing them. An ecologically rational society is incompatible with capitalism. Ecology need not be treated as a separate concern that must be brought into other movements. Because all aspects of society are involved in the relation to nature, all struggles have an ecological dimension; and because a sustainable society and a socialist society are inseparable as the aspiration ecological demands belong in all struggles.
Our choice is to preserve capitalism or to conserve our planet.
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