The Future Belongs to Us

The State, for us socialists, is not any social organisation whatsoever. As soon as there are in a society a possessing class and a dispossessed class, there exists in that society a constant source of conflict which the social organisation would not long resist, if there was not a power charged with maintaining, to use the phrase, the “established order,” charged, in other words, with the protection of the economic situation of the possessing party, and therefore with the duty of ensuring the submission of the dispossessed party. Now, from its very birth, this has been the role of the State. With the division of society into classes, the State has evolved with the development of that division. As soon as it is understood that the State is not an independent organism. In short, one can abolish the State only after having suppressed classes. Statism tends to turn everything over to the State which is a body apart from individuals and above them.

Capitalism, by its method of production, has brought isolated workers together and constituted them as a class in society. Capitalism has made the workers a class in themselves. That is, the workers are a distinct class in society, whether they recognise this fact or not. Historical development calls upon this class to reorganise society completely and establish socialism. To do this, the workers must become a class for themselves. They must acquire a clear understanding of their real position under capitalism, of the nature of capitalist society as a whole, and of their mission in history. They must act consciously for their class interests. They must become conscious of the fact that these class interests lead to a socialist society. When this takes place, the workers are a class for themselves, a class with socialist consciousness. Our fellow-workers require an understanding of capitalist society, their position in it, and the need to replace this society with socialism? 

To help imbue the workers with this class consciousness, or socialist consciousness that is the function of the Socialist Party. It is composed of those workers who already understand the nature of capitalism and the historical task of the working class. Their aim is to develop the same understanding among all the workers, so that they no longer fight blindly, or with only one eye open but with a clear and scientific knowledge of what their class enemy is, of what the working class itself really is and of what it can and must do in society. They and their party therefore have no interests separate from the interests of the working class as a whole. It defends working class interests from every capitalist attack. It supports every working class fight. It makes clear to the workers the full meaning of their fight. It shows how even the local struggles, against one capitalist, are really class struggles against capitalism; how the local struggles must be extended and expanded if the workers are to win a victory. It points out the political meaning of the economic struggle. It shows how the workers must organise as a class to take political power, and use it to inaugurate socialism. It combats the open and the insidious ideas of capitalism so that the working class as a whole may be better equipped to fight its enemy. It aims to improve the position of the working class, to strengthen it, to clarify it and supply it with the most effective weapons in the struggle, in order that it may most speedily and successfully win the final battle for socialism. A socialist party is needed to win the working class to the principles of socialism and the struggle against capitalist exploitations and oppression. Socialism will never come by itself. It must be fought for. Without an organised, conscious, active revolutionary socialist party, the triumph of socialism is impossible. The Socialist Party represents a long and rich tradition. It is proud of the fact that its principles  are founded on the teachings of great thinkers of the international working class, such as Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Our analysis of capitalist society has never been successfully refuted. Our principles set forth for the working class to achieve socialism have passed the most critical tests a hundred times over. The Socialist Party was formed as an independent organisation in 1904. But its roots reach much further back.

The Socialist Party champions the idea of revolution. Does that means violence, bloodshed, killing, destruction? Will this this revolution, be accomplished by violence? What is a social revolution? It is the replacement of one ruling class by another. History is filled with such revolutions and in almost every case they made possible the progress of society. The socialist revolution is simply the overthrow of capitalist despotism and the establishment of the cooperative commonwealth. Members of the Socialist Party are not bloodthirsty maniacs. A socialist would indeed be a lunatic to want bloodshed and destruction when the aim is an orderly society.

Once we achieve socialism, instead of government there will then be simply an administration. Free men and women, the producers will decide in common everything concerning production, and instead of being the puppets of economic forces beyond their control. Capitalism created the conditions and forces for the socialist movement: the necessary technical basis, science and the working class itself. That is its major contribution to social progress. It also provokes the working class into action and is the involuntary promoter of the class struggle. Workers draw strength from the indispensable part they play as the principal force of production, the creators of all wealth and profit. Labour asserts itself as the only creative force in society that carries the future along with it as it rises. Socialism cannot “grow into” capitalism through the co-operation of classes. Socialism must overthrow capitalism. Instead of being softened, class antagonisms and the class struggle must be emphasised. Instead of compromise with capitalism, relentless attack upon the whole capitalist regime. Some today have forgotten this lesson; others have still to learn it.

You have the Power - Be the Change

Socialism will protect the planet from the profiteering planet-plundering capitalist class. The World Socialist Movement (WSM) is very clear about which side we are on - the people’s side.  We put forward  our socialst vision of the future to draw working people to us to organise and fight for that vision. For sure, our movement has not greatly grown, but nor has it disappeared. We need to build political power to create a socialst sharing economy. No matter who is elected,we  need to continue to build that people power. Now we need to move from protest to political action.

Dealing with climate crisis requires major transformation of our economic system. We need to challenge the illusion that governments and corporations can solve global warming. To save the planet we must overcome the ruling class. Many communities are riven with divisions – personal, social, religious, cultural, class, gender, age, sexual-orientation and of course race. Building unity across these many divides is hard, the WSM tries to break down these barriers.

One could look around today and see no opportunity for change. The reality is that these many crises offer opportunities for people  to build a better world for ourselves and future generations. The starkness of the current polarisation is an opportunity to change the debate from one of reforms to revolutionary transformation of society. Of course, there is no guarantee regarding our success but there is potential we can realise. The Socialist Party is building toward being a movement that can make transformational changes to the system. We now have the possibilities to organise in our communities, to connect with others throughout the country and around the globe.
 The World Socialist Movement is a movement of movements linking issues that seem unrelated. We are building solidarity across borders. Together we can build the power to create a new world. Socialism requires action. A worker is someone who has survived and who can create the future. 

Despite capitalism having reached perhaps one of the lowest point in its history of degradation, of suffering and misery imposed upon the peoples of the whole world political parties are openly committed to the support of capitalism and the rule of the capitalists. In the midst of a period when capitalism has most clearly proved its utter bankruptcy in solving and its utter inability to solve a single important problem facing society as climate change, politicians remain supporters of capitalist ideas. When the working class throughout the world are once more beginning to rise against this rotten, outlived social system, the reformists persist in trying to patch it up with policies couched in the language of the capitalist class itself. The Left are openly committed to the appeasement policy of the “lesser evil.” The working class are now being taught that progress no longer lies along the road of class independence and class action. Working families are being told to make  sacrifices in order to prop up the tottering structure of capitalism. Here are the facts in this country and all over the world. The working class enjoys no rights; it enjoys no power. It is gagged, bound and fettered by a ruling class, which has a complete monopoly of power, rights and privileges which looks down on you only as tools. Its only interest in you is to use you to maintain it in power. If you give up the class struggle and support capitalism now then, later, when YOU are ready to resume the class-struggle for socialism, you will find that you will have enormously strengthened the capitalist enemy, and terribly weakened, disoriented and demoralized the working class. The class struggle cannot be abolished or postponed under capitalism. The capitalists always defend their class interests. If workers do not fight as a class, capitalists will surely triumph. Do you want to be guilty of helping the enemy win?
 

The Socialist Party is still revolutionary, world socialists, irreconcilable enemies of capitalism. We have not abandoned the cause of socialism. We have never flinched from the struggle against capitalism and never forsaken the principles, of socialism. It is the time to re-dedicate yourselves to the revolutionary socialist principles and to the struggle for socialist freedom. Return to the ideas and ideals taught us by such teachers as Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. Turn your back on the base falsehoods and cynical treachery of the leftists who try to treat you like robots and not like revolutionary socialists. Unite in the class war against capitalism. There is a comradely place for you in the Socialist Party to help battle capitalism, with its oppression, exploitation, wars, misery and slavery.