Many of you will know little about The World Socialist Movement (WSM) or our ideas. Certainly, many people have heard the word “socialist” and may mistakingly imagine it has something to do with the nationalised industries or with countries like China and the former Soviet Union. It is understandable that many people regard socialism as just another political cliché, once used by Labour politicians to win votes, but having very little meaning.
The WSM stands solely for socialism because we do not think that the present social system – capitalism – can ever be made to work in the interests of the majority of the people. This is not the fault of government policies, but the present social system in which they are operating. Capitalism always puts the needs of a minority who own and control the factories, farms, offices, mines, media, and the means of wealth production and distribution before the needs of ourselves, the working class.
It is a hard but undeniable fact that no political party – including ourselves – can legislate to humanise capitalism or make it run in the interest of the working class. That is why it is important that the working class stops giving its support to politicians who support the profit system. None of them can solve unemployment or crime or any of the other social problems we face today, despite their proclaimed recipes for success. None of them will prevent tens of millions from starving to death each year. None of them will provide decent housing for everyone. None of them will end the threat of human annihilation as a result of war, because militarism is inevitable within a system based upon the ferocious competition for resources, markets and trade. Why waste your time voting for parties that cannot make any of these urgently needed changes? Why go on in the hope that some miracle will happen and end the insanity of the profit system?
So what’s the alternative? We say that the resources of society must be taken into the hands of the whole community – and by that we do not mean the state, but all of us, organised together, consciously and democratically.
In a socialist society, we will produce for use, not profit. This means having food to feed the world’s population, not to dump in the sea if it cannot be sold profitably. Producing for use means ending the colossal waste of resources on armies, armaments, trade, banking and insurance and all the other social features which are only necessary within capitalism. By running society on the basis of common ownership, democratic control and production for use we can all have free access to all goods and services.
Two points should be clear to you by now. Firstly, this is no ordinary political argument. We have made you no false promises; we have not patronised you and neither do we beg for your support. Indeed we do not ask for your support unless you are convinced that the case for socialism is a rational one and in your interest. Socialism, if it is to be the democratic and sane society that we envisage it will be, can only be established when a majority of the people understand it and want it, so there is no point in seeking support on any other basis.
Secondly, you will have noticed that what we are advocating is different – it has never existed. The Tory have-beens have nothing new to offer. The local Labour Party, if re-elected, will continue its futile exercise of trying to manage a system based upon exploitation in the interest of the exploited. The Nationalists, if given half the chance, will pursue the vicious policy of dancing to the tune of profitability. At the same time, human needs are ignored, with just as much gusto as the other confusions. Do you agree with the following statements:
· Capitalism puts profits for the few before the needs of the many.
· Labour governments, “Communist” states and proposals to reform the present system cannot establish socialism.
· Socialism is yet to exist.
· Socialism means a society of common ownership and democratic control, where production is solely for use.
· Socialism means a world without buying or selling, where people give freely of their abilities and take according to their needs.
· When a majority understand and wants socialism, the new system will be established.
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