Thursday, July 4,
The Quaker Hall,
Victoria Terrace (above Victoria Street),
Edinburgh EH1 2JL
The
Socialist Party often explains that the majority of the working class
are capable of understanding socialism. This being so, our critics
will ask, “Why then, are there not many more socialists?” At
present the vast number of workers mistakenly view the solution to
their problems in reforming capitalism in one way or another.
Capitalism itself is not questioned, it is only the patching up of
its effects that is attempted.
In
our view, the problem is communication. Today information is mainly
passed on by the mass media, to which we are virtually denied access.
Consequently with our limited resources our activities in spreading
our case for socialism, are restricted to what we are able to do in
the way of our literature and discussion that we can upload to the
internet. There was a time when political meetings took place in the
open on street corners where one could go and listen to speakers
almost any day of the week, where political journals were circulated.
Without access to the media we have found it increasingly difficult
to make our voice heard.
What
is seen and heard in the mainstream media is the misuse of the word
socialism, and distortions of Marxist ideas. This means that we are
obliged to spend much of our efforts and energy in explaining what
socialism is not. The
Socialist Party had been the one organisation in this country’
which had consistently opposed the view that Russia had had anything
to do with socialism; capitalism had never been abolished in Russia
but had been developed there under the Bolshevik dictators Lenin and
Stalin in the form of a state-run capitalism; this state capitalism
was now giving way to a more market-directed type of capitalism, and
now everyone could see that Russia was capitalist; our position had
been completely vindicated.
The
one thing that most clearly marks off the Socialist Party from the
other organisations which claim an interest in socialism, is our view
that the only possible basis for a party for socialism is an
understanding of socialist principles. Other organisations have seen
the disastrous results of bringing together people without socialist
knowledge who were attracted merely by one or other of a long list of
political and social reforms. We present our Declaration of
Principles as the minimum condition of’ membership.
The
Socialist Party very clearly sets out in its Declaration of
Principles that the emancipation of tbs working class must be the
work of the working class itself. Special stress is laid on this
because one of the greatest obstacles with which the workers are
confronted is the idea, fostered by unscrupulous individuals and
parties claiming to champion the cause of the working class, that
leaders are necessary. So deep-rooted is this demoralising notion
that we are called upon at our public meetings, when stating our
claim to be the only Socialist party, to name some of our leaders.
Our reply that we have no leaders is met with the incredulous retort:
“But you must have leaders!” The word “leaders” implies not
only those who lead but those, who are led. Now only those require,
or suffer themselves to be, led who cannot see the way for
themselves, and naturally, those who cannot see the way for
themselves will not be able to see whether they are being led in the
right direction or the wrong. Labour leaders, therefore, are able to
render to the capitalists the very valuable service of misleading the
workers. This is why the ruling class bestow praises and titles upon
labour leaders, and entreat the workers to follow their wise (?)
counsel. The work of the Socialist Party, therefore, is to spread
abroad among the workers that political knowledge which alone can put
them beyond the lure and treachery of leaders by showing them clearly
the object they have to attain and the road they have to travel to
attain it.
To
many of our fellow-workers, the Socialist Party member appears as a
type of person full of discontent— ceaselessly complaining, always
grumbling. This impression is but one of the many illusions which
cloud certain working-class minds. Members of the Socialist Party are
dissatisfied because we do know
the
cause of all the evils which afflict the working class, and that
knowledge represents our frustrating vexation. The Socialist Party
claims that socialism is the only hope of the workers, and that all
else is illusion.
Those
who seek to apply for membership in the Socialist Party are required
to understand and accept the Party's Object and Principles. If the
Party are not satisfied that the applicant sufficiently understands
our position, the application is deferred until the person's
knowledge of the Socialist Party's position is sufficient for
membership. This done, the new member gets a
more complete understanding of the nature of the activities of the
branch and of the organisation as a whole—and this understanding
can obviously only come about as the result of regular attendance at
branch meetings. Subsequently a desire generally begins to manifest
itself on the part of the new member to participate more directly in
the work of the branch and of the party as a whole. It is a question
for the member to decide in what particular direction the
individual's abilities would be most useful and decides upon a choice
of work entirely voluntarily .
To
those, therefore, who agree with our Object and Principles, we extend
an earnest invitation to come forward and assist in the efforts we
are making to build up a vigorous and healthy socialist organisation,
bound together by a common understanding and class-conscious
solidarity, who are determined to wage uncompromising war on all who
bar our way toward the goal to establish the socialist co-operative
commonwealth, where poverty will give place to plenty and
wage-slavery to economic freedom.