Capitalism is Hell

 

The class antagonism between exploiter and exploited, arising, as it does, out of the fundamental contradiction in the capitalist system of production, namely, the appropriation of the social product by the individual capitalist, naturally permeates the entire social organisation under capitalism.

Holding, as we of the Socialist Party do, that the social evils produced by capitalism have reached a stage where peddling reforms enacted by a capitalist parliament can only have the effect of retarding working-class emancipation, it is our bounden duty to be up in arms against all those who, posing as champions of working-class interests, help to bolster up the capitalist system by assisting the capitalists in throwing a bone to the under-dog—the proletariat—to prevent him from attacking the tormentor—the capitalist-class.\

One of the chief causes of the disagreement between the Socialist Party and others claiming to be socialists is we would just as soon expect that burglars and pickpockets would organise themselves to devise and carry out means for the protection of the public against burglary and pocket-picking as we would expect the capitalist-class to carry measures for dealing with the social problems. We tell the workers that there can be no solution except by the establishment of world socialism; that the capitalist politicians, whether labelled Labour or Conservative, desire to maintain the capitalist State, in which a reserve army of unemployed is a necessity, and under no circumstances will we beg and pray them, or appeal to them—our class enemies—to do something which we know they will not do. The workers must accomplish their own emancipation, organised as a socialist party, independent of and hostile to all other parties. That emancipation will never be obtained otherwise.

We of the Socialist Party have, as respecting all other social evils endured by the toiling class, no illusions whatever. Fully recognising the rottenness of the entire capitalist system, we regard it as a betrayal of the true interests of the working class to encourage, let alone assist, any “patching up,” which, after all, only means prolonging the agony. The capitalist class will, as we know, only concede what it is impossible to withhold from the workers. Hence the assistance by so-called socialists in the granting of these concessions tends to throw the working class completely off the path of class antagonism. We necessarily recognise that all measures promoted to improve present conditions only tend to further delay the advent of the economic freedom of the toiler and to prolong the suffering of his offspring. Surely it is not the business of the socialist to assist in applying the brake to the wheel of human emancipation. But those would-be socialists who join hands with the capitalist politicians in procuring a paltry meal for the little standings of the working class now conveniently ignore the fact that they flatly contradict the deductions they drew in the past from the economic causes and effects presented by the capitalist system.

If the capitalists make a concession with one hand they recoup themselves with the other. They may provide a little benefit, but as they will on no account suffer a reduction in the amount of their surplus value—seeing that they completely own and control the economic and political power of the State—the wages of the workers will go down. Besides, the class-unconscious workers are sure to take this concession on the part of the capitalist class as a pure act of grace and not—as in reality it is—an economic necessity, especially when they see that an organisation posing as a socialist body has been amiably working with the capitalist to attain that end.

It may be argued that even if the capitalists recoup themselves and the workers and their children consequently do not gain materially, and even become less class-antagonistic, the thin edge of the wedge has been inserted and the small concession will lead to a full-fledged social revolution. One may as well argue, as the “reformers” contend, that the workhouse system if fully taken advantage of by the workers, would eventually abolish poverty, misery, and degradation. In fact, some today argue that providing you put a sufficient number of patches on a pair of old boots you will produce a new pair.

We get reminded that the Communist Manifesto held that it was the duty of the proletariat while working for the revolution, to endeavour to obtain every amelioration possible for their class. Our reply is that this pronouncement was made over one hundred and fifty years ago and that since then capitalism has developed to such an extent that, if Marx and Engels were alive today, they would fully agree that at the present time there is only one way of obtaining amelioration for the proletariat and that is to usher in the socialist society as quickly as possible.

Further, if amelioration were possible, surely it could not be obtained by joining the capitalists in promoting measures prompted by economic necessity and the desire to stave off the collapse of Capitalism. How amelioration could at all be achieved unless enforced by the antagonism of the class struggle is for a Socialist impossible to comprehend.

 

It was such people as Marx, Engels, Kautsky and Luxemburg who brought the enlightenment and knowledge that led to the elevation of socialism to the powerful science and the political creed of the International proletariat. But apart from the great services these men rendered to mankind, we must not forget the devotion and faithfulness they at all times bore to the suffering proletariat, never flinching, never yielding, although at times bowed down by their own personal suffering, by their own individual misery.

Seeing in their teachings our guide, our refuge, and our hope for human emancipation, endeavouring to emulate their moral strength, and their uncompromising revolutionary attitude, we invite all men and women of a similar mind to ours to rally and thus help us to keep aloft our banner: “No Reform, no Compromise—but unconditional surrender of the existing capitalists in favour of the free World Socialism”

As is usual in politics, the liberal media are endeavouring to show how much superior would be the government by the Labour Party faction to that of the Conservatives. Yes, an opportunity to make this world a little less like Hell than it is for millions of our people as the leftists assert. Only that and nothing more. Capitalism is Hell for the workers.

There is only one way by which they can get out of it, and that is by organising for the revolution, by joining the party of the revolution, the Socialist Party.