For the New Year

 

“Nothing is more powerful than an idea comes of age, it is more powerful than the strongest armies.” 

The socialist movement is not only the heart but is a combination of the heart plus the head.

Technology is often seen as either the salvation or the scourge of humankind. Some of us are inclined to be technophiles and others technophobes and others a bit of both. That is not to say, though, that the case for socialism rests on developing technology. It is neither possible nor desirable to abolish technology. Without it, we would have to go back to a much harsher form of living. Few people would deny that among the changes technology has brought there have been tremendous progress to our productive capabilities, but not always to our personal circumstances, or that in a socialist society modern technology will be vital in making sure everyone gets adequate food, housing and medical care. What is required is to change the basis of society so that technology can be developed and applied in the interests of the majority. Socialism will take, adapt and use whatever technology as it finds it. What socialism must do, however, is change our relationship with our equipment, so that we can take control of our own destinies.

When land, resources and factories are owned communally and controlled democratically, there will be no them-and-us. There will no longer be a privileged elite who own the means of production, so there will be no one to sell our time and energy to, no one who would live off our labour and pay us peanuts in return. And if and when this change in ownership happens, the existence of money will become an anachronism. There will no longer be any need to buy goods from someone else or sell them to someone else because you would have as much of a claim of ownership on them as they would. This would mean that we could just take what we need from the distribution centres.

Whilst the means of production are owned by a minority, the motivation for production is to make a profit for that minority. Satisfying the needs and wants of humanity and protecting the environment is incidental to this, so no wonder many people are left without enough food and other goods, and no wonder resources are scarce or polluted.

Our socialist case is that if you understand what the alternative is, and if you want it, then you will cooperate to make it work.

If you cannot conceive of a cooperative society, then we urge you to think again.

If you think that the new society that we stand for is a Utopia and in the next breath you wish your friends a 'happy New Year', you are forgetting that in a world of social chaos, the search for genuine happiness
will be a frustrating one.

The politically blinkered may be happy in their acquiescence, but only the struggle for socialism offers
the chance of something more than a happy New Year; a happy society.