The time has come for a new beginning

 

On the one side of the class conflict there is the continued existence of the system of private capitalist exploitation, and with it new wars, new international conflicts, economic crises, exploitation, , unavoidable impoverishment of the people, wholesale mortality through exploitation, epidemics, and all kinds of preventable diseases—in a word, an unending progression of acts of killing of all kinds, the killing of those who belong to the overwhelming majority of mankind—working people—by those who belong to a ridiculously small minority of idle exploiters.

What divides the Socialist Party from the various labour parties is not so much a distinction of ultimate aim as their totally conceptions upon how a class-free cooperative  commonwealth can be brought into being. Our function must be the strengthening the workers in asserting the interests and ideals of their class. The Socialist Party refuse steadfastly to surrender to our class foes – the capitalists and politicians. Our fight is the fight that matters, and now is the time to act. The road is long and tortuous, but the future is bright for the people of the world. The goal remains always the same — socialism and the substitution for the present capitalist system by the cooperative commonwealth.

The Socialist Party is an uncompromising working class political organisation. It is fighting the battle of the wage workers of the world and stands for their welfare without qualification or evasion. Its demand is that all the means and instruments of production and distribution shall be used for the benefit of the actual producers of wealth, and that government shall be controlled by the workers and administered in their interest. 

The Socialist Party platform is a plain and simple declaration of principles and policies which all may understand. It was not framed merely with a view to winning votes. Its utterances are straightforward and to the point. There is no ambiguity, no evasion. There is no attempt to compromise with capitalism; no effort to throw a sop to the enemies of labor; no adherence to the miserable fiction that the interests of labor and capital are identical. The Socialist Party, in short, proposes to place the workers in possession of all the wealth they produce. The elector who casts his or her vote for our candidates may do so with the positive assurance that whenever the opportunity arises every pledge of the party platform will be carried out to the letter. The Socialist Party does not disguise the fact that its aim is the entire abolition of rent, interest, and profit, and the common ownership and operation of all industries. The Socialist Party serves notice on capitalism that the workers are at last united and alive to their class interests and that the working class intends to use its political power, through the machinery of popular government and free elections, to force compliance with its demands by peaceful methods, so that wage slavery may be entirely abolished. Votes for the Socialist Party will be a sure indication that the reign of capitalism is nearing its end, and that an era of justice, freedom, and fraternity is soon to dawn upon the world.

The Socialist Party holds that the  force in transforming society from capitalism to socialism is that class which is itself a product of capitalism, the working class  i.e., wage workers who earn their livelihood through the sale of their labour power and have no other means of existence.. By working people is meant all who work for a livelihood and do not exploit the labor of others; a category which includes those commonly called  the “middle class” or the “professional” occupations. The means of production and of satisfaction of all needs of society, having been created by the common efforts of all, must be at the disposal of all. The private appropriation of requisites for production is neither just nor beneficial. All must be placed on the same footing.

Our civilisation has taken a wrong turn. It takes no care of the needs of the community; its only aim is to increase the benefits of the capitalist. Therefore–the continuous fluctuations of industry, the crises periodically coming nearly every ten years, and throwing out of employment men and women who are brought to complete misery, whose children grow up in the gutter, ready to become inmates of the prison and asylums.   The capitalists must find markets. But everywhere it finds competitors from other nations. And continuous wars, must be fought for the supremacy on the world-market – wars for the possession of resources and trade routes. The thunder of guns, the falling of bombs never ceases; whole generations are slaughtered. 

Socialism for All

 

It is not fully possible for working people ground under the iron heel of capitalism, to undertake the administration of society. Under the rule of capitalism the working class is enslaved and oppressed. The Socialist Party fights not for shorter working hours and higher wages, but also for the liberty, equality, fraternity of all human beings, regardless of gender or origin. 

The new technological developments we see arising today  , far from resolving the economic, social and political problems of capitalism, serves to further accentuate them with  the polarization of great wealth at one pole and abject poverty at the other; to increase the rivalry and competition for markets and cheap sources of raw material.

 The Socialist Party will press on to  awakened our fellow-workers to the task to end wage-slavery and usher in of the socialist society. Socialism cannot be introduced without  public opinion supporting the socialist idea. Whether that support is won at the ballot box or through industrial and direct action is not so important as that it be won. Even  if our methods prove ineffective, or is withheld from us in the future, we shall still have to go forward until we do gain the socialist commonwealth by the best means available to us. The error that many  make is in thinking that by engaging in the day-to-day struggles on the economic field that the workers will follow them on the political arena. This does not necessarily follow

One thing is evident. If we cannot get people to vote for a socialist party, there is little hope of getting them to take up arms on behalf of our cause. It may be too early to decide definitely what course we shall finally have to pursue to gain the socialist commonwealth but there can be no harm in getting as many votes at the ballot box as possible in those countries that permit elections.

The Socialist Party’s aim is to abolish capitalism and reorganise society on a cooperative basis. We recognise that in this endeavour, we are up against the most powerful ruling class in the history of the world. Our responsibility as a Marxian party is to expose illusions, fallacies and falsehoods, to agitate against every type of racial and national prejudice and against every delusional  half-baked panacea.

From childhood, by every available means – popular culture in the media, church sermons, political speeches, books and newspapers, songs and anthems, statues and monuments – the people are brain-washed in one direction– patriotic nationalism. Once at war, you look behind and there are no politicians, no high ranking generals, no media moguls. It is you who faces death and injury. Those that exalted sacrifice for nation are back home at their country estates. Every society  we have  known has been   governed by the selfish interests of the ruling class. They speak of national interests, national spheres of interest, pride in national honour, and a national culture to be defended  but we forget that behind all this are power-loving politicians and money-loving business men for whom the nation is a convenient cover to hide their personal greed and their schemes for political power from the eyes of the world. Loyalty to ones own countryman or even kinsfolk has never prevented a capitalist from seeking foreign labour if it was cheaper and can make more profit.  Self-sacrifice, duty and public service is not for the capitalist values to be actually followed, but only beliefs to be imposed upon his servile subordinates.

The working class desires peace and therefore it must wage the class war. It is necessary to end the power which incites the nations against one another; it is necessary to struggle against the causes of continual conflicts, and to put a finish to the system by which the red blood of the workers is turned into gold. War must be made impossible by destroying its deepest and most  hidden roots. The  aim of the Socialist Party is to bring about a state of affairs in which war will not exist. A war-free society  is only possible in a society without exploitation and the abolition of private property in the means of production. 

The Socialist Party is not satisfied with destroying a poisonous fruit—war— rather, we consciously weed out the deepest roots of this mass-murder—capitalism.

Racism in Glasgow University

 A report into racism at the University of Glasgow has found half of black and minority ethnic students surveyed have been harassed more than twice since beginning their studies.

The university’s own review found half of all BAME students surveyed had been harassed between two and five times since beginning their studies. One in 20 students reported more than 20 separate incidents of harassment, while more than a quarter of BAME students who took part agreed the university had “a serious problem with racism”.

The report also highlighted a reluctance to report such harassment because of a lack of confidence that such incidents would be taken seriously, combined with a fear of reprisals from fellow students and staff.

The report also included examples of overt racism, such as one staff member who was called a “black bastard” by a colleague. When they reported the incident to their line manager, they were asked “what did you do to make her say that?” 

Another staff member described the extreme mental strain of senior management’s indifference to the racism they were experiencing: “Management made me know I was a black person in Scotland … I have never been so demoralised in my life and have lost all my dignity.”

Half of BAME students harassed at Glasgow University, report shows | University of Glasgow | The Guardian

The world is one family

 

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is a Sanskrit phrase found in Hindu holy books such as the Maha Upanishad, the Rig Veda  and the Bhagavata, which means 'the world is one family'. Although anti-religion, the companion parties in the World Socialist Movement embodies that concept in our adopted slogan ‘One world, One people.’

 

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency has shown us that there is something very wrong with our system. It has led many people to contemplate another future other than apocalyptic catastrophes and instead hold hope that the threat of pollution and plague might lead to a better world. Both crises has made clear the oneness of the peoples of the world. What we share is much more powerful than what keeps us apart. All people are inescapably interconnected, and the more we can come together to solve our problems, higher our chances that we avoid a possible collapse of civilisation.  

 

 Capitalism through its creation of a world market has broken down much of the barriers between the nations.  The capitalist method of production draws all the nations of the globe together. But this same capitalism also promotes the strengthening of nationalism  by means of  trade wars that turn into actual armed conflicts to secure more of that world market. Commercial rivalries intensifies national enmities. That is why the ideas of international brotherhood and universal peace cannot take lasting root under capitalist society.

 Whereas the globalisation influence of the corporations is continually frustrated by competing national capitalisms, the internationalism of the working people is strengthened by the mutual solidarity of the interests of all the workers, regardless of their location or nationality. The conditions of the workers are almost identical in its essential features throughout the world. While the interests of the capitalists of different countries unceasingly conflict with one another, the interests of the working class coincide and workers come to realise this in the course of its struggles. For instance, in their attempts to secure higher wages, a reduction of hours, and other workplace protections, our fellow-workers continually meet obstacles, which arise from the competition between the capitalists of various nations. An increase in wages or a reduction of the working day in any particular country is rendered difficult or near impossible by the competition of other countries in which these reforms have not yet been achieved. Such things convince workers of the solidarity of their interests and of the necessity for joining forces in the struggle to improve their condition. 

Emancipation from wage-slavery is unthinkable without a worldwide socialist reconstruction of society. The Socialist Party’s goal is the union of the workers of the whole world in a common struggle for liberation. The Socialist Party is a component of the greatest social movement in human history. It is a world movement, a movement of movements. It is rooted in the blood, sweat and tears of millions who have spent their lives throughout history clamouring for social justice, working for peace, striving for a society that works for everyone. This movement does not appear by magic and we need to consciously commit ourselves to the systemic transformation needed. Humanity can work together to prevail over problems and learn the folly of battling one another. The climate crises and the pandemic demonstrate the mutual dependencies of the world’s peoples and the requirement that the planet’s resources be redirected for the service of health and peaceful life. The overriding goal must be human security, providing food, water, a clean environment and good health for people. Socialists recognise the value of collective social relationships. We’re brothers and sisters who must think and act cooperatively like one family. 

Socialists see the potential for transformation to a different  economy.  We must become one world through genuine cooperation and collaboration among all the people of the world, coordinating to protect humanity. We need a mighty movement to transform the political institutions and economic structures. The same dedication and determination which mankind has conducted war through the ages must now be applied to building a peaceful and prosperous planet.

 

Human beings can only take so much. The living natural world can only take so much. The peoples of the planet are ripe for change. But unless we make the socialist commonwealth our goal  change may not be necessarily progressive. It could just as easily be reactionary and fuelled by religious extremism, xenophobia, racism, and tribalism.

 

What’s up to us within the socialist movement is to present a positive vision of the future. To point out all the mutual aid networks we see flourishing across the world. Now is the time for the alternative. Society must redirect the resources it’s currently wasting and instead provide for the needs and wants of people.

 

To survive and prosper, to fulfil our potential, we must reject divisions and that it is possible to build a new system of social justice. From the chaos of the old, we can create a future civilisation in which humanity can live in harmony. In times of crises such as these, people are offering support to one another. This as an opportunity to re-set society for a better future. We can rebuild our society in an egalitarian way, in an environmental friendly way. We can banish the politics of hatred. 

 

The Socialist Party proposes an economic democracy, and an end to the profit system. Working people have had enough of being fed the false arguments that human nature, over-population, shortage of resources prevents socialism and that we need leaders and a process of gradual reforms to bring about a socialist society. We have had enough of waiting. It’s possible now. We can bury forever all national chauvinism, racial prejudice, and religious bigotry beginning today.