Socialism is no pipe dream

 Under capitalism, ownership of the means of production is effectively restricted to a tiny segment of the population—the capitalist class. The vast majority of the population—the working class—have no means by which to make a living save by selling their labour-power to a capitalist (or the state). Labour-power is bought and sold on a labour market; it is in fact a commodity.  On the job, workers are told what to produce and are driven to produce as much as possible. Unless pressured by a strike, the capitalists will do little or nothing to improve working conditions, not even those relating to workers’ health and safety. Even if some capitalists were to take a more charitable attitude, none of this would change because of the competitive pressure of the market. If a corporate board or a particular capitalist enterprise was to become benevolent and voluntarily increase workers’ wages and improve working conditions, this would necessarily entail reductions in profits. The company in question would be unable to compete successfully. It would lose its share of the market for its product, as other companies could and would sell for less. The price of such benevolence would be eventual bankruptcy. Under capitalism, nice guys do finish last. The fact is that private possession of the means of production inevitably results in exploitation.

Capitalists only employ workers when they can be reasonably assured that the value of the workers’ product at every stage of production will exceed the value of the workers’ wages, creating what Marxists call “surplus value.” In other words, all capitalist production is premised upon exploitation, upon paying workers far less in wages than the value of what they produce. Consequently, to argue that exploitation is “contrary” to capitalist ownership is ludicrous.

The Socialist Party advocate a cooperative commonwealth of labour, free of exploitation and oppression. Socialism is no pipe dream. It does not seek to end exploitation and oppression by appealing to the oppressor class to be more benevolent, but by organising to overthrow that class. It does not base its vision on idealistic premises but on concrete facts. It boldly proclaims that capitalist/state ownership of the industries and exploitation of the working class is the root of workers’ misery; that the means to provide material abundance for all, at a fraction of the work time presently required, objectively exists but cannot be realised due to this capitalist/state ownership. For the workers of the world, the choice is clear: The Socialist Party offers the potential to end human suffering.

The Socialist Party reasserts that the global class struggle is a fact, that the working and ruling classes of the world have nothing in common, and that every attempt to prevent the working classes of the world from uniting in their own interests requires the unqualified condemnation of all those who profess to speak in the interests of labour, regardless of their assertions and pretences to the contrary. For that reason, the Socialist Party reaffirms its commitment to the principle that unrestricted emigration and mobility of workers from one country to another is a human right, and that every attempt to limit, control or manipulate the working classes of the world in the free exercise of that right is meant to serve the interests of the ruling classes of the world and also requires the unqualified condemnation of all those who profess to speak in the interests of labour.

Capitalism with its private ownership of the economy and exploitation of wage labour is responsible for economic hardship and insecurity for all workers; that it compels workers for economic reasons to leave their home countries and seek employment elsewhere; that immigration laws, whether promoted by so-called liberals or conservatives, only serve to benefit the capitalist class. The Socialist Party extends a fraternal hand of welcome to all immigrant workers and invites them to join in our efforts to abolish capitalism and establish the free and democratic socialist society of free and emancipated working people throughout the world.

In answer to the many inquiries we receive about the differences between the Socialist Party and other political organisations describing themselves as socialist, we offer the following:

These organisations have two common denominators, both of which differentiate them from ourselves in the Socialist Party.

The first denominator is their common acceptance of the validity and desirability of reforms. Thus, although all of them maintain that some kind of “socialism” is their objective, the realization of socialism is not considered possible for an indefinite period in the future. For the present, they say, the thing to do is to work for social reform, i.e., measures that will allegedly alleviate the suffering of the workers.  Some attempt to disguise their reform platform as “partial steps” or “transitional measures.” They’re still reforms. The Socialist Party makes clear that it is the duty of a bona fide party of socialism always to hold the issue of the abolition of wage slavery up before the workers as our priority, and to expose reforms as delusions where they have not concealed measures of reaction.

The second common denominator of the parties claiming to be “socialist” is that their concept of socialism is one in which industry is nationalised and directed by the State. We in the Socialist Party agree with Marx when he said that “the existence of the state is inseparable from the existence of slavery.” Whenever the state assumes ownership or control of a business, all that really happens is that the workers, who remain wage slaves, exchange one master, the private capitalists, for another, the government bureaucrat. This definitely is not socialism. In contrast to the “radical” reformist parties, the Socialist Party calls for the abolition of the political state. Only when the means of production are owned socially and administered democratically by the workers will we have genuine socialism.

 For the reasons stated, the Socialist Party has nothing in common with the Left. However, the best way to compare the differences is to study carefully the history, the literature, the policies and the objectives of those with the socialist label.

Socialism is the future system

Wars have nothing to do with freedom, or liberty, or morality, or justice. It has everything to do with coldly calculated material interests, with world markets, with sources of valuable natural resources, with lines of communication and trade, with areas of profitable investment; in short, with all the economic and material compulsions inherent in capitalism.

We must establish a society in which the means of life will be socially owned and democratically controlled; in which production will be carried on for the benefit and use of all.  This is the only way we can end the ruling-class rivalries that lead to war.  The Socialist Party appeals to workers to take a stand against the capitalist system that repeatedly causes senseless acts of war. It is not in the interests of workers to support the military ventures of their exploiters. On the contrary, it is in the interests of workers to oppose the ruling class’ military machinations throughout the world. In doing so, workers would support the struggles of their fellow workers.

Capitalism is a predatory social system. The capitalist class and its political parties couldn't care less if the government of any other country is democratic or anti-democratic. Its governments will "wheel and deal" with any foreign tyrant if its purposes are served. That may seem inconsistent or hypocritical to some, but it was not. Supporting or opposing foreign governments has nothing to do with political principles or ideologies and everything to do with the material and profit interests of a nations capitalist ruling class. Capitalism needs foreign markets; it needs foreign sources of raw materials for its industries; it needs large supplies of cheap labour; and it needs strategic control over those markets for the trade routes, supplies and sources of raw materials. Getting and securing them is the fundamental "principle" at work. How they are gotten and secured is a secondary consideration. 

We believe that the working class must, at last, come to recognise that the competitive capitalist system of private ownership of the land and plants of production, means of transportation, mines, etc., is, in fact, the basic cause of the present state of world’s conflicts and chaos, and of wars, declared and undeclared. To avoid future wars, therefore, the capitalist cause must be abolished. Society must be reorganised on socialist lines, replacing private (and state) ownership and competition with common ownership and cooperation. We must make the factories, mines, transport and all the other means of social production the collective property of society so that we can produce things to satisfy human needs instead of for the profit of the few. Only then can the competitive, war-breeding struggle for international markets, spheres of influence and sources of raw materials be ended. Only then will the peoples of the world have an economic foundation for lasting cooperation, harmony and peace. Socialism—genuine socialism—is literally the hope of humanity. The capitalist industrial-military complex has been preparing the wars of the future. It’s up to us, as potential victims, to stop it by building not just a renewed peace movement, but a deeper one for fundamental change to a new society. 

The Socialist Party supports the campaign against the capitalist system that needs armies and armaments. While workers have austerity cutbacks on social services imposed upon them, politicians eagerly approve increases in the budget of the military. The ruling class will continue its escalation of militarism as long as there are profit interests, which benefit from it. Accordingly, active opposition to the profit-motivated capitalist system, which underlies militarism, is needed.  The Socialist Party stresses the fact that militarism is rooted in the capitalist class’ private ownership and control of the economy. The Socialist Party seeks to organise working people politically and economically to replace the economic chaos and militarism of capitalism with a worker-controlled economy that will serve our collective needs. A socialist transformation of society would create an economic order under which the means of production would be socially owned and democratically controlled by workers through their organisations. Socialism places power in the collective hands of the working class.  With the elimination of the profit motive, the principle of social use would guide production. The need would no longer exist for military spending artificially to stimulate the economy, or to maintain a large military machine to enforce access to foreign markets. Under capitalism, even relatively small cutbacks in military spending could lead to increased unemployment and the creation of economically depressed areas. Under a social system based on production for use, the elimination of unnecessary production would simply reduce the workweek of the entire labour force because the entire industrial process would reflect the needs of the whole population.

 

 Take the time to look carefully at the issues and at the socialist alternative to a world of continuing mindless slaughter, oppression and exploitation. The tremendous waste of labour-power and natural resources on the production of weapons reflects the imperatives of the capitalist economic system. Capitalism pursues its economic objectives with sheer military might. Militarism is not a mistaken policy that can be reversed merely by voting into office a different set of capitalist politicians. It is the established policy of the parties of capital that exercise control over governments.

 

 Socialism, unlike state ownership systems, would place power in the collective hands of the working class, not in those of government bureaucrats.

With the elimination of the profit motive, the principle of social use would guide production. The need would no longer exist for military spending artificially to stimulate the economy, or to maintain a large military machine to enforce access to foreign markets. Under capitalism, even relatively small cutbacks in military spending could lead to increased unemployment and the creation of economically depressed areas. Under a social system based on production for use, the elimination of unnecessary production would simply reduce the workweek of the entire labour force because the entire industrial process would reflect the needs of the whole population.

To resist the drive toward militarism and to abolish its capitalist cause, workers must organise economically and politically. This organisation must lead to the development of a new workers’ movement that can mobilise the full measure of the political and economic power of the working class. It must set in motion a political party of the working class to challenge capitalist power in the political arena. The success of such a revolutionary socialist movement would eradicate forever the dangers of war.

In the name of all that is decent and humane, the Socialist Party calls upon the working class to demand a complete and immediate stop to wars. Working people need to consummate a peaceful transition from capitalism to socialism. It calls upon the working class to organize a political party of its own to express its will to abolish capitalism, and to organise itself in the workplaces of the country to enforce that decision by taking, holding and operating the economy in the name of society. Only then can the working-class majority take control of its own destiny to ensure permanent economic prosperity, to uproot the cause of international conflicts, and to lay the foundation for international cooperation and lasting peace. Militarism is part and parcel of a capitalist system based on profit-motivated production, the private ownership of the economy by a tiny capitalist minority, and the exploitation of working people. It is the means by which the capitalist minority enforces it's political and economic will both at home and abroad. Accordingly, an effective antidote to militarism can only be fashioned by a working-class movement that organises workers economically and politically to effect a basic transformation of society. This is the policy of the Socialist Party to free us once and for all from the unspeakable horrors of war. Working people always pay the price with their pain and blood. Our sons, fathers, wives and daughters are plunged into a seething ferment that fosters ruthless and barbarous conduct toward distant and impoverished people in the interests of capitalism. In the cause of capitalist wars, our young are trained not only as killers but torturers as well. If the working class does not act to end capitalism, capitalism will destroy us, both physically and morally.

 The Socialist Party holds that the working class must, at last, come to recognize that the competitive capitalist system of private ownership of the land and plants of production, means of transportation, mines, etc., is, in fact, the basic cause of the present state of world anarchy, and of wars, declared and undeclared. To avoid future wars, therefore, the capitalist cause must be abolished. Society must be reorganized on socialist lines, replacing private (and state) ownership and competition with social ownership and cooperation. We must make all the means of social production into the collective property of society so that we can produce things to satisfy human needs instead of for the profit of the few. Only then can the competitive, war-breeding struggle for international markets, spheres of influence and sources of raw materials be ended. Only then will the nations of the world have an economic foundation for lasting cooperation, harmony and peace. Socialism—genuine socialism—is literally the hope of humanity. The way to prevent war is to build a class-free, socialist society, which would end the compulsive ruling-class interests that fosters militarism generally.

The Socialist Party, an organisation that has devoted 117years to the study of the social question, offers a process to accomplish this change to socialism peacefully. In the name of sanity, we urge you to help us bring to birth a society in which all of humanity can live in peace and freedom. Our objective is a global cooperative commonwealth. 

For common ownership and economic democracy

 

What the capitalist state appears to give in the way of reform is more often a sleight of hand calculated to play on the sentiments of workers and deflect their attention from the absolute need to abolish capitalism and establish socialism. These are important lessons for workers, who must learn to reject all reforms and reformers if they are ever to affect their own emancipation from the worsening conditions of life under capitalism. Only by building their own movement with the goal of abolishing capitalism and its system of production for private profit—and working to successfully replace that system with a socialist one based on production for human needs—can they hope to build the society of abundance and leisure they deserve and need to live as human beings should. To really get to the heart of our economic problems, we have to change the whole economic system that repeatedly forces us to fight for a decent living. This is the immediate goal of the Socialist Party. We are men and women seeking to establish a truly democratic economy, one in which:

• Factories, transport and farms are socially owned by all of us instead of privately owned by a few.
• All the workplaces are run cooperatively and democratically by the workers themselves.
• Production is carried on to meet social needs instead of for profit.

Capitalist production takes place only if profits can be made. Through their overwhelming majority, the workers will assert their right to own and operate collectively the means of social production to abolish the political state of class rule.

 Capitalism has turned technological marvels into so many means of destroying jobs, increasing exploitation. Capitalists have no choice in the matter. They must seek out every method of reducing the costs involved in producing commodities. The introduction of new technology into production reduces the amount of labour needed and lowers the cost of production, thereby increasing profits. Increasing profits and holding wages down is what counts, for capitalists. For millions of workers, however, new technology in the workplace leads only to harder work—except for the millions more tossed onto the streets and into joblessness. That, however, is not what concerns the enterprising capitalist. of human labour and amassing profits. That should not surprise us much. That is how capitalism works, and how it has always worked. The benefits for businesses is that automated machinery does not require a wage, it never calls in sick and it does not need health insurance or a pension. A robot would certainly never organise with its mechanical brethren for better working conditions. Why is it that these great advances in technology, which could be made to benefit the working class, is instead ruining lives and creating a massive problem that seems to have no remedy? The answer is simple: capitalism utilizes this technology to increase profits. Today, the capitalist class that owns and controls this technology has only one view in mind: to cut costs and swell the bottom line. They could not care less what detrimental effect the profit motive has on society so long as profits are rolling in. 

It is obvious that current trends are leading the working class further into poverty and destitution. Workers, however, can avert this by recognising that they constitute a class with mutual interests of survival and well-being and whose interests are in conflict with those of the capitalist class. Accordingly, they must unite to abolish the social relationships that bind them to a life of misery and economic servitude. They must unite to establish a socialist society where the means of social production are collectively owned and operated for the social good, thus allowing advances in technology to be used to reduce the burden on those that do the work and not to kick people out on the street with no means to support themselves. In a socialist society, mechanization and technological advances will simply mean less arduous toil and a shorter workday—and the benefits will accrue to all of society, not just a wealthy few.

The working class has the power, but changing society takes some knowledge and training. The Socialist  Party calls upon the working class to take the first steps toward this goal by organising their strength economically and politically. On the economic field, workers must build new economic organisations to include all workers, employed or unemployed, young and old, blue-collar or white-collar, with the goal of collectively taking and operating the industries and services for the benefit of all. Workers must organise to challenge the capitalist form of government and institute common ownership and economic democracy.

For your musical entertainment

 

HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW

 The many social evils and economic contradictions that capitalism engenders are for the most part insoluble and endless. No matter what reform efforts are made to mitigate the impact of those evils and contradictions, they continue to plague society in varying degrees. Some of those problems may at times and on the surface even appear to have been mitigated only to have them flare up again. Exploitative working conditions may have moved on from sweat-shops but those without a contract struggle to make a living.

From the capitalist's point of view, the gig uber economy is a very desirable employment model. A "temp" is a person who hires out his or her services to companies on a temporary basis, for time periods ranging from a few hours to several months with no formal contract of employment, no paid sick leave or vacation days and often on part-time hours. No matter how good a job they do, there is absolutely no assurance that they will find work the next day. These workers are financially insecure. Because of their need for money, they take just about any job at almost any pay, willingly do unpleasant work, work very hard, and don't complain or argue. And, as an added advantage if business takes a down-turn, they aren’t eligible for any redundancy payments. They are easy to recruit, easy to get rid of, easy to replace. Workers in the gig economy are good for the capitalist class as a whole. They help keep permanent employees "in their place" by serving as an example for other workers as to how bad life could be for them if they don't serve their masters well because they accept low wages and so offer capitalists leverage in resisting pressures to pay higher wages for their permanent employees.

Uber workers know they are used, abused and exploited. But they usually feel that they can't do anything about the situation. This is not true. They can do things other than passively accepting anything the capitalist system dishes out to them. They can understand what is happening to them. They can talk with their co-workers about what is happening to all of them. They can communicate with like-minded people, and get comfort and companionship from the association. They can join people who are trying to get rid of the whole system that is based on the use and abuse of the entire working class. They can contribute to the building of a world based on dignity and cooperation instead of domination and exploitation. If they will do these things, then temporary workers can then look forward to a world where their children and grandchildren will never have to know how it feels to go through all of this in order to earn a living. No social problem can be eliminated unless its cause is uprooted. That fact alone guarantees that insecure precarious work will remain as long as capitalism—its cause—remains.

Jobless! Willing and able to work, a family to feed and house—but no work! This is the plight shared by millions in a world of plenty. And millions more live in fear that their jobs may soon disappear! Why? What's wrong?

Since the Socialist Party was founded in 1904 it has said the cause of unemployment and bad working conditions has nothing to do with which party is in government. Politicians don't decide who will work and who will not. They do not decide what to produce or when to produce it. In a capitalist economy, those decisions are made by those who own the things needed to produce and distribute the goods and services that everyone needs. They are made by the capitalist class. Capitalists and their politicians have no more control over economic crises than they have over earthquakes or hurricanes. Government reforms can't solve the problem, and history proves it. The "recessions" and "depressions" that bring unemployment are caused by the capitalist system itself. That's because the capitalist system has a fatal weakness. That weakness is that wages are never enough for workers to buy back all that they produce. Wages may go up in "good times" and fall in bad ones, but in the long run and on average workers get what is loosely called "a living wage."

New technology and automation only make things worse. Every new advance in labour-saving (read displacing) technology widens the wealth gap. 

The lesson is clear. Unemployment and economic exploitation are inherent in the capitalist system. Consequently, the interests of the overwhelming majority dictate that capitalism be replaced by a new social system capable of guaranteeing security for all—socialism. Sadly many workers think that socialism means an oppressive system of government ownership and control similar to what used to exist in Russia. The truth is that socialism never existed in Russia, or anywhere else. Socialism means economic democracy. There was no more economic democracy in the old USSR than there is in the USA or UK. Under genuine socialism, there would be neither capitalists nor bureaucrats. We have everything at hand to end unemployment and poverty and to build a society in which freedom and security would be guaranteed to all. That is a fact no one can dispute. We have skilled and productive workers. We have the equipment and the machinery. We have raw materials and natural resources. In short, we have all the means with which to produce an abundance for all. What we don't have, however, is the economic democracy that would enable us to use these skills, tools and resources to end unemployment and poverty permanently.

The solution to the problem of unemployment is not complicated. We—the working men and women who have made this the richest epoch in history—must replace private ownership of the industries with common ownership (i.e., the industries must be owned by all the people collectively). We must replace production for sale and profit with a system of production for use. And we must replace the economic dictatorship with economic democracy.

Then and only then will involuntary unemployment be eliminated. Then, instead of kicking workers out of jobs, automation will shorten the workday, workweek and workyear. Technological progress will no longer be something for us workers to fear, but an unqualified blessing that will ensure abundance and leisure for all.

We can achieve socialism peacefully. We can outlaw capitalist ownership by a democratic decision at the polls. But before we can do that we must reject the political parties of capitalism and support the party of the working class—the Socialist Party.

The terror of terrorism

 

Ignorant of social forces, many people have no answers for today’s social problems. They see or feel the effects of something they have no understanding of, and they take refuge in conspiracy theories involving the “Deep State ”, the “ Illuminati”,  “The Protocols of Zion” and other mystifications. The sheer mass of genuine problems is too complex when approached from the “pragmatic”  philosophy of capitalism. A solution to the multiple ills of a social system is to be found in a social act. That act can be performed only by a social class. And the sole class capable today of revolution to a better society is the working class. This is no idle assertion. It follows from the fact that industrialised, urbanised globalism is totally integrated—no part independent and all parts interdependent upon one another. Interdependence follows from the present productive organisation of society. The cooperation needed on the assembly line, between all points of production, distribution and consumption, compels society to act harmoniously if it is to act successfully.

 

Today capitalism is a worn-out, regressive social system. It operates for the benefit of a tiny, owning class at the expense of a large labouring class. The social situation is one that demands revolution because all alterations and reforms for the better operation of capitalism continuously fail to benefit the majority of society. The cooperation that production demands are the material condition that prods the working class to take, hold and operate industry on its own behalf. In this way alone can society become a cooperative commonwealth free from the conditions now giving rise to all social evils that capitalism breeds and which fester in the modern world. Do not neglect nor ignore the fact that capitalism is a politically, as well as an economically, repressive system. Effective action for the construction of the cooperative commonwealth of socialism must be taken in both the political and economic fields. 

 

 Socialist Party members deplore the wanton massacre of innocent men, women and children. We denounce any individual or group who perpetrated those despicable terrorist deeds and condemn whatever perverted motive prompted them to commit them. There is and can be no justification for such barbarous crimes. We grieve for the working men and women who are robbed of their lives. 

We grieve for the children, for those who died, for those who lost parents, and for those who must live forever scarred. Those who perpetrated such unspeakable deeds and inflicted so much suffering have damned their cause in the hearts and minds of every compassionate human being.

 

At the same time, the Socialist Party abhors the war-mongering and opportunistic politicians bent on mindless demands to shed the blood of even more innocent men, women and children in far-off lands. We are repulsed by the hypocrisy of those political leaders who wave the flag and invoke the cause of “freedom” for a “war against terror” even as they move to undermine or abrogate the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the world’s people. Terrorism itself isn’t a country or even a cause. It is a method, a means to an end, a tactic employed in pursuit of some goal. Terrorism is not something that can be tracked down, flushed out of its lair and eradicated. To end terrorism it is essential that the motivation that prompted men and women to commit the heinous acts. The roots of terrorism in the world will be found embedded in a social system that bears terrorism as one of its fruits. Rooting out terrorism, whether perpetrated by a political state armed with sophisticated weapons or by some sect of self-appointed avengers, will take much more. 

"Our" Country

 

Based on their performance over many decades, the people know what governments have to offer—more of the same. The Socialist Party believes the deepening seriousness of our problems requires revolutionary ideas and revolutionary solutions.

What the media does not mention is the obvious yet significant fact that both major parties (and their would-be reformers) support the capitalist system. Their candidates differ at most on how to cure the mortal ills of capitalism. The deception lies in their claim that legislative tinkering can cure capitalism.

 Some voters are so sceptical of the possibility that voting can have any real influence on the way our lives are run, that they will turn their backs on the whole electoral process. Others will vote with no real expectation of improving things; they will settle for the “lesser evil” in the hope of keeping the worst scoundrels out of public office. A sizable and probably earnest minority, suspicious of elections, will reject the electoral process and try other means, like lobbying, protest marches and demonstrations or community-level activism. Throughout history ruling classes the world over have had no better ally than racism and the various forms of racial oppression have meant profits and privileges for exploiting classes and inhuman suffering for the oppressed.  If workers want to end self-defeating competition, it is necessary that they realise that racial antagonisms are a tactical measure of capitalism to prevent working-class unity. A working-class conscious of its political and economic potentials and of the means to achieve a liveable world for all can put an end to economic insecurity and the interracial distrust it breeds by putting an end to capitalism.

But that mess is the direct result of capitalism and cannot be cured by reforms, no matter who applies them.

Our country will have continued unemployment, poverty, racial discrimination, urban decay, pollution and rape of the environment not because the people don’t care but because the capitalist owners don’t care—more accurately, care about profits more.

Our country will continue to find it profitable or expedient to make war as long as capitalism rules.

Our country will continue to support dictatorships abroad as long as capitalist influence and markets are at stake.

Our country will continue to whittle away the rights and privacy of its citizens and, by terror and intimidation, to curtail the right of dissent because capitalism is fighting for its very existence and holds nothing else sacred.

We say “our” country but it isn’t our country in a meaningful sense. We, the majority, don’t own it and we don’t control it. When it does become our land—owned, operated and administered by the majority—we can easily solve all our problems. And not until then.

Socialism is the extension of democracy, based on majority control of the most essential area of our existence: the economy. Socialism is based on common ownership and social administration of the industries and services. Not less democracy, but more. Nothing short of actual day-to-day popular power and control.

Socialism is a system in which the means of production are owned by all society, and in which the industries and the economy as a whole are democratically administered by the workers themselves, through their own organisation. Not only does socialism not exist in China, but it also does not yet exist anywhere in the world.

 

Our votes can be used to demand an industrial democracy by casting a ballot for the only candidates who make that demand their platform - the Socialist Party candidates with the mandate to deliver socialism. Until that struggle is won, the system of class rule will remain — so, too, must the resistance and solidarity of the workers of the world. The answer to inadequate educational opportunities is full opportunity for all. The solution to unemployment and competition for jobs is an end to unemployment and to the system that has workers competing with one another for a chance to sell their labour-power. The solution to inequality is not to share it or spread it around, but to root out its capitalist cause. 

The Socialist Party holds that capitalism is not worth reforming and that, in any case, it cannot be reformed so as really to improve the workers’ condition, or protect them from capitalism’s recurring depressions and wars, or from displacement by automation. Parties of reform are in the business to divert the workers from a revolutionary socialist solution to their problems, and to preserve capitalism.