War-Fever

  

The position of the Socialist Party on the question of war is quite clear. We are opposed to war not on humanitarian grounds, but on the grounds that wars arise out of the struggle between competing sections of the capitalists over the question of the possession of the wealth of the world and matters relating to it. Our attitude on war cannot be toned down because we happen to be in a minority or because any other attitude at any given moment appears to be more consistent with the humanitarian instincts of social beings. The Socialist Party's attitude to war and war preparations is sound because the degree to which it became accepted by the workers would to that extent make war more difficult (if not impossible) for the capitalists to pursue. It does not appear likely that workers are yet in a position to accept the Socialist Party's position on wars in any great numbers. Nor would it be reasonable to expect workers who do not accept the Socialist Party case against capitalism generally, to understand and accept our attitude to war. Nevertheless, that provides no grounds for compromise. To water down our opposition to wars in any of its aspects would be to lessen the possibilities of its more general acceptance should conditions develop favourably for it. Socialists do not give up the task as hopeless but remember that economic forces, as well as human reason, are on our side against the brutal power of the propertied class and their agents.

No socialist could take exception to the struggle of the workers to preserve a democratic platform. On the other hand, we cannot support any movement which encourages workers to sacrifice themselves in defence of capitalist wealth. If working-class history has any meaning for those who wage the struggle today, it is that the association of workers with capitalist movements has led only to their division and confusion. The clearest presentation of the class struggle leads to another conclusion; that every movement of the workers must be waged on the basis of unity with their fellows and of fundamental opposition to the capitalist class. One persistent problem for the capitalist is to ensure the acquiescence of the working-class in the property-owning rights of its masters. But capitalist interests demand much more than that. If any national section of the capitalist class is to survive in its struggles with its competitors it must have a working-class willing to defend its interests. It is the perpetual concern of the capitalist class to arouse that willingness.

What are wars for?  Not national glory, not democracy, not even to safeguard the rights of small nations. No! Those things were, and are, only camouflage of high sounding phrases to hide the sordid reality. That reality behind the false, enticing phrases was—profit. The struggle between sections of wealthy capitalists for freedom to exploit and wring profit from the work of property fewer wage workers in different parts of the earth. No matter how the warmongers try to gloss over the facts, the truth remains that all these wars and prospective wars are fought for capitalist purposes, not to secure the establishment of some ideal of democracy, nationalism or anything else. It is the workers who are asked to make the supreme sacrifice in the name of patriotism.

Statesmen from around the world travel thousands of miles and engage in summits and conferences that delight the hearts of these politicians as it is all being done in a good cause and over and over again they point out that they are determined to secure peace, perpetual peace. All representatives are agreed on peace—in principle. That is why they are engaging in such a terrific prolific arm trade. Building numerous fast and powerful bombing planes. Concluding pacts of mutual support in case of attack. Staging military exercises. No expense is grudged in convincing all and sundry of their peaceful intentions. The capitalists assert they are too poor to pay workers a wage that will ensure a comfortable existence. Now surely this seems strange when wealth is used up providing warships, tanks, planes, missiles and the troops to use them. And more extraordinary still, all this wealth is simply wasted because none of the powers has anything but peaceful intentions—at least, in principle.

Peace is only pursued so ferociously because capitalist private property interests have to be served. If there are no capitalists’ interests there will be nothing to go to war over. The only way to secure this is to make the means of production the common possession of all. Then we will have peace in fact as well as in principle, and many more human arms and brains to lighten the labour of producing enough to enable all to live comfortably.