The Folly of War

 

The Socialist Party has often faced criticism for its reluctance to support nationalism. The Socialist Party frequently irritates our critics when we consider despair and desperation, destitution and deprivation as fertile ground for the success of nationalism. We have recognised that working people may seek solutions to their economic woes not through a shift towards socialism but by adopting a nationalist ideology. We have always insisted that class consciousness, while being subject to historical and material conditions, also requires knowledge and understanding - the motor power of ideas. It does not automatically arise. Workers' circumstances and their daily struggles could well make workers susceptible to the soundbites of patriotism and shun the socialist case. Political and economic crises usher forth new discontent, and new slogans, which generally bring about new political groupings and new figureheads. When the population are driven by intolerable conditions into organising for common action the ruling class sooner or later will either placate and harness the movement or they find a means of dividing it, by finding diversions. Socialist consciousness emerges through discussion, debate and analysis. It is about people interacting directly or indirectly with others, exchanging ideas with one another. It is people's experiences of capitalism coupled with being acquainted with socialism and its feasibility that will bring about real revolutionary change

 

 Socialists side with no state, for all states are merely organised forces of national coercion. We are opposed to the lot of them and support the interest of the oppressed, not selectively, but wherever they are. Socialists can only welcome the ending of any war in any part of the world. Stop the killing - stop the suffering.

 

Russia can be described as a kleptocratic dictatorship with Putin as the chief thief. Putin’s brand of populism has fostered an aggressive nationalism. He has seized political events and commemorations to revive the flame of passions with a disastrous past. The populations of the Russian Federation and Ukraine have nothing to gain from the return of nationalism which ravaged this part of the World several times in the past. Those who take advantage of the differences between the different parts of the region have a lot more to gain from the nationalist divisions which hide the particularly brutal class relationships within these societies, where underpaid workers make the fortunes for the oligarchs.

 The question is not about the “independence” of Ukraine, or of the breakaway republics, but about the real life of the populations of the country is decided upon. As long as the masses will let themselves be taken in by nationalist adventures their situation will only worsen. Any socialist would obviously be saying a plague on both your houses.