Understanding Party Politics

 One of the strengths of the Socialist Party is our commitment to democratic practices. Whatever weaknesses or mistaken views it holds, they cannot be imposed upon others. 

When one thinks of a political party, one automatically thinks of its leader. The Electoral Commission mandates that he or she be named. The Socialist Party selects its ‘leader’ by lottery.

 It is assumed that a political party’s MPs can vote as their conscience dictates. Instead, the Socialist Party has a rule: “Candidates elected to a Political office shall be pledged to act on the instructions of their Branches locally, and by the Executive Committee nationally.”

The Socialist Party is a genuinely leader-free political party, whose executive committee is solely for administrative duties and cannot determine policy, with its minutes available on the internet as proof of our commitment to openness. All conference decisions have to be ratified by a referendum of the whole membership.

The Socialist Party will not take people to where they neither know where they are going nor wish to go.

Understanding War

 

While the politicians preach peace we find war between classes and war between nations everywhere. If we take but a short period of ten years we shall find that every country has been engaged either in war or in oppressing rebellion. Thus the tale of war is told.

We who are socialists are all in favour of peace, yet at the same time, we recognise that so long as people live in societies based upon class opposition, in societies in which the modes of producing the material sustenance of man are monopolised by a class, so long will war be rife as a means of satisfying national disputes.

The fact that one class monopolises all that is best in life because of its own means of production, while another class possesses nothing but its power of labour, and has to sell that power in order to gain a mere livelihood, is the primary cause of the war of classes. Each class seeks to better its condition. And this is only possible at the expense of the other class. A rise in wages for the worker is a fall in the profits of the employer. A reduction of hours for the worker beyond certain limits is at the expense of the employer’s surplus-value. This opposition between employer and employed manifests itself not only in the striving for better wages and reduced hours but throughout the whole of the ramifications of modern industrial, society.

The production of commodities is today production for the market. During periods of prosperity, production is carried on by all manufacturers with great intensity. This production is furthered by means of the “credit” system, which allows of capital being borrowed and material being bought on credit. When, as a result of all the rival manufacturers turning out their goods as quickly as possible, the market becomes glutted, it becomes necessary to somehow convert these goods into money in order to discharge their liabilities. With the usual markets being glutted, it is ever more necessary to extend the limits of the market, to secure fresh outlets, and the ordinary method of arriving at this end is to annex new territory and develop its resources.

Thus arising from the very course of commerce itself comes the necessity of carrying on wars of aggression. War today is fundamentally economic, and in the interests, not of the whole people, but of the ruling class.

War, the outcome of the existing capitalist system, carries in its train results both dire and disastrous for the working people. Whether national or industrial warfare is the more distressing and far-reaching in its results may be difficult to determine, but after a minute examination of both, we have no hesitation in saying that industrial warfare has far the greater number of victims.

Enormous as have been the victims of battles, great as is men killed in battles, greater still has been the sacrifice to capitalism. Let us calculate the number of children dying in their first year from remediable causes, the number of industrial accidents, the early deaths of those living in unsanitary slum dwellings with insufficient nourishment for their daily fare, and working in polluted factories and workshops and we shall see that the industrial warfare is as severe as the armed conflict. We see that it is as necessary to consider means for the removal of the warfare of peace as of that of war-time.

By all means, let us have peace, but let us work for it by trying to remove the cause of war—our present capitalist system. When society is no longer crystallised selfishness, when the condition of man’s living is no longer at the expense of his neighbour, when anarchy is no longer the phase of production of commodities, when, instead of all these, men live, owning the material means of subsistence in common, and men and women can obtain the satisfaction of their needs without having to sell their labour force for bare subsistence, then it will no longer be necessary to speak of peace, for peace will then be a living reality.

Those who really desire that peace should reign over all the earth, who see peace between men as a condition of healthy industrial and social development should join with us of The Socialist Party in organising that party which shall preach those principles of industrial harmony based upon the abrogation of class privilege and the holding of all means of production and of distribution in common, which shall be the basis upon which shall be built up a peace which shall endure and which shall extend throughout the world-wide cooperative commonwealth.

The Internationale, the Swing Version (music video)

 

Know what socialism is

 It is impossible to exaggerate the harm done to the socialist movement, by those who, calling themselves socialists, have taught the workers to believe that state capitalism and social reform are socialism. 

The Socialist Party has always been careful to define what socialism means. Nobody who grasped that definition ever made the error of supposing that state enterprise or public utility corporations had anything to do with socialism. Nor did they imagine, even for a moment that socialism could result from the Bolshevik dictatorship in Russia or from a Labour Government. But our critics who ridiculed what they called the “doctrinaire” Socialist Party, all fell into these errors—with disastrous results. We shall proclaim louder than ever what socialism means

Socialism is the common ownership of the means of wealth production. The means of wealth production under capitalism are the private property of the capitalists. The only way to transform Capital (private property) into social wealth is to take it away by expropriating its present capitalist private owners. Socialism cannot be inaugurated by compensating capitalists—which leaves wealth in its money form (capital) in the same hands. Banks are institutions of the money system—Capitalism. They only function for, and in that system: They can only operate when the great mass of production is carried on to exchange products—for profit. They are the clearing houses of that commodity - money; which serves as the universal medium of exchange—which stems from private ownership.

Banks borrow—and lend other people money, i.e., they take deposits, and make advances on security (property). Banks make profits (without which they close their doors) from the difference between the cost of attracting deposits; and what they make by lending or investing a large part of these deposits for short periods. Banks are profit-making concerns of capitalism. They are nothing whatever to do with socialism; which will abolish money and banks, along with parsons, prostitutes, pawnbrokers and politicians.

“Public Ownership” simply means wealth in the form of “public corporation” stocks, quoted on the money market to the highest bidder, in place of private stockholders. Many supporters of the Labour Party are still deluded by the idea that nationalisation is a major step in a policy of gradualism which will “reform capitalism out of existence”. The sledge-hammer blows of events nailed this tragic error.

The establishment of the socialist commonwealth can only be done by “dispossessing” expropriating—not compensating Capitalists. Marx's slogan was“Expropriation of the Expropriators.”

Surely the most realistic attitude for the trade unions together with the rest of the working-class is to take into consideration the most important facts of their existence. First their poverty. Secondly their enslavement, due to capitalist ownership of the means of life, and thirdly their incessant struggle to raise wages above the poverty line to which they are condemned by the merchandise character of their labour-power.

These facts are the outcome of the class ownership of the means of wealth production. Consequently, a realistic policy for the working-class is to organise politically with the sole object of establishing a system in which the means of wealth production shall be the common property of all. Under such a system a real democracy and a settled plan for production and distribution would put an end to poverty. The abolition of classes would end the incessant struggle over wages by removing the cause of class antagonism-, i.e., the class ownership of the means of life and the resulting enslavement of the working-class.

 

Who can now suggest that the policy of the Socialist Party though correct in theory, is one for application only in some remote future? Who would question the practicability of our case?

 

There is no time for complacency. Let us face the fact that time is on our side only if we seize it by the forelock and use it to our advantage. Socialism, the only solution to the problems which confront us, is the need not of the century, but of the hour.

 

Sympathisers, men and women of the working class, we urge you to join us in the struggle for emancipation.

You have but two alternatives. Either the poverty, servitude and degradation of capitalism, culminating in a destructive war, environmental destruction or socialism in which the inventive genius of humanity will be used for the welfare of all society.

Your choice is as simple as it is vital. On it rests the future of humanity.

Reaching A Definition

 

James Burnham in  ’The Managerial Revolution’ claims that the totalitarian state is not capitalism at all, but a new kind of social arrangement in which the power of the capitalist class has been broken and the control of society passed into the hands of “the managerial class,” managers, supervisors, highly paid technicians, etc. This view owes its origin to an American doctrine known as “Technocracy.” His fundamental error was to assume that capitalism in every country must have identical features, political and economic, forgetting that in each case exists a different historical background which is bound to give varying twists and turns to each country’s evolution. 

Socialism, which can only exist the whole world over when the majority of Earth’s population first understands class and capitalism, comprehend and desire socialism and vote it peacefully, legally and democratically into existence, means the solution to ending all wars, poverty and starvation takes 10 years instead of 1000 but this does not happen unless you, the vast majority of you, understand, desire and vote for socialism, a system of society based upon common ownership of the means and instruments for production and distribution by and in the interests of society as a whole.

The Socialist Party says that the world has enough for everyone but to get to that world of enough, we need better ways to organise society such that the economics of profit isn’t driving social, economic, and political decision-making. We say we could have enough for everyone without radically reducing the size of the human population.

 Do we need population reduction as a solution to the environmental crises we face? Is the feasibility of technological solutions to support a large population possible? Can we get to a sustainable world without giving up modern lifestyles? There is nothing wrong with supporting lower birth rates. Population goes down as women have more power and people’s lives have some stability. If those arguing for a reduction in birth rates” focused on policies that encouraged migration from the global south to the global north to balance labour needs, their ideas might be met with less scepticism. There is a near consensus among the scientists who study the subject that there are pathways to a world where 10 billion people can live well and stay within the sustainable limits of the planet’s environmental systems. What is slowing our progress toward the crucial goal of a sustainable society is the economic and political systems of capitalism. Those of us active in the climate movement who are silent on the question of the population are not silent because we are afraid to mention the elephant in the room. We are silent because population control is not the place to look for solutions.

To the members of the reformist parties of this country who urge the putting in order of our own "house” before attempting that of others we reply: Put this "house” in order by all means, and by that we mean not a new layer of paint, but the demolition of the structure so that the new can be built. In other words: we have constantly stressed the fact that reforming the capitalist system will not remove the causes of society's inequality that are the foundation of that system. Only the replacement of the capitalist system by socialism will do that, and it is for that reason we seek to throw light upon the activities of the capitalist class in other countries.

Socialism, of its very conception, must be international. That is the reason why workers formed the World Socialist Movement striving for socialism and advancing the working class in their struggle for emancipation. We ask those people who are attempting to alleviate the lot of the workers to examine the Socialist Party’s case, and agree that the next step must be the formation of a political party whose object is not to reform the capitalist system, but to establish a system of society based upon the common ownership and democratic control of the means and instruments for producing and distributing wealth by and in the interest of society as a whole.

The SPGB Principles of Socialism

 

Disastrous economic crises, environmental destruction, devastating wars and dangerous dictatorships are possible only because of the inability of capitalism to meet the needs of the population of the world. The remedy is not to seek new leaders or new ways of managing capitalism but to abolish the capitalist system from the face of the Earth. 

We have supposedly well-informed self-styled socialists deceiving themselves and others with the belief that the capitalist class are introducing socialism for us. The Socialist Party for years, despite charges of pedantry, opposed all those who stated that they stood for the “socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.” It was not socialism. Socialism abolishes money and banks. Socialism is a system based on common ownership, which freely distributes to all whatever the community can produce. People starve in the sight of plenty because it is privately owned by capitalists.

1. What is the Socialist Party?

It is a political party, separate from all others, Left, Right or Centre. It stands for the sole aim of establishing a world social system based upon human need instead of private or state profit. The Object and Declaration of Principles printed in this introductory leaflet were adopted by the Socialist Party in 1904 and have been maintained without compromise since then.

 

2. What is capitalism?

Capitalism is the social system which now exists in all countries of the world. Under this system, the means of production and distribution (land, factories, offices, transport, media, etc.) are monopolised by a minority, the capitalist class. All wealth is produced by us, the majority working class, who sell our mental and physical energies to the capitalists in return for a price called a wage or salary. The object of wealth production is to create goods and services which can be sold on the market at a profit. Not only do the capitalists live off the profits they obtain from exploiting the working class, but, as a class, they go on accumulating wealth extracted from each generation of workers.

 

3. Can capitalism be reformed in our interests?

No: as long as capitalism exists, profits will come before needs. Some reforms are welcomed by some workers, but no reform can abolish the fundamental contradiction between profit and need which is built into the present system. No matter whether promises to make capitalism run in the interests of the workers are made sincerely or by opportunist politicians they are bound to fail, for such a promise is like offering to run the slaughter house in the interests of the cattle.

 

4. Is nationalisation an alternative to capitalism?

No: nationalised industries simply mean that workers are exploited by the state, acting on behalf of the capitalists of one country, rather than by an individual capitalist or company. The workers in nationalised industries are no less the servants of profit than workers in privately-owned businesses. Nationalisation is state capitalism.

 

5. Are there any “socialist countries”?

No: the so-called socialist countries are systems of state capitalism. In China, Cuba, North Korea and other countries which call themselves socialist, social power is monopolised by privileged One-Party bureaucrats. The features of capitalism, as outlined above, are all present. An examination of world trade shows that the bogus socialist states are part of the world capitalist market and cannot detach themselves from the requirements of profit.

 

6. What Is the meaning of socialism?

Socialism does not yet exist. When it is established it must be on a worldwide basis, as an alternative to the outdated system of world capitalism. In a socialist society there will be common ownership and democratic control of the earth by its inhabitants. No minority class will be in a position to dictate to the majority that production must be geared to profit. There will be no owners: everything will belong to everyone. Production will be solely for use, not for sale. The only questions society will need to ask about wealth production will be: what do people require, and can the needs be met? These questions will be answered on the basis of the resources available to meet such needs. Then, unlike now, modern technology and communications will be able to be used to their fullest extent. The basic socialist principle will be that people give according to their abilities and take according to their self- defined needs. Work will be on the basis of voluntary co-operation: the coercion of wage and salary work will be abolished. There will be no buying or selling and money will not be necessary, in a society of common ownership and free access. For the first time ever the people of the world will have common possession of the planet earth.

 

7. How will socialism solve the problems of society?

Capitalism, with its constant drive to serve profit before need, throws up an endless stream of problems. Most workers feel insecure about their future. A society based on production for use will end those problems because the priority of socialist society will be the fullest possible satisfaction of needs. At the moment, people are dying of curable illnesses; yet it is not "economically viable" to provide decent health treatment for all. In a socialist society nothing short of the best will be good enough for any human being.

 

8. What about human nature?

Human behaviour is not fixed, but determined by the kind of society people are conditioned to live in. The capitalist jungle produces vicious, competitive ways of thinking and acting. But we humans are able to adapt our behaviour and there is no reason why our rational desire for comfort and human welfare should not allow us to co-operate. Even under capitalism people often obtain pleasure from doing a good turn for others; few people enjoy participating in the "civilised" competition of the daily rat-race. Think how much better it would be if society was based on co-operation.

 

9. Are socialists democrats?

Yes: the Socialist Party has no leaders. It is a democratic organisation controlled by its members. It understands that socialism can only be established by a conscious majority of workers — that workers must liberate themselves and will not be liberated by leaders or parties. Socialism will not be brought about by a dedicated minority "smashing the state", as some left-wingers would have it. Nor do the activities of paid, professional politicians have anything to do with socialism — the experience of seven Labour governments has shown this. Once a majority of the working class understand and want socialism, they will take the necessary step to organise consciously for the democratic conquest of political power. There will be no socialism without a socialist majority.

 

10. What is the next step?

Many workers know that there is something wrong and want to change society. Some join reform groups in the hope that capitalism can be patched up, but such efforts are futile because you cannot run a system of class exploitation in the interests of the exploited majority. People fear war but as long as nation states exist, economic rivalry means that the world will never be safe from the threat of war. There are countless dedicated campaigns and good causes which many sincere people are caught up in, but there is only one solution to the problems of capitalism and that is to get rid of it, and establish socialism. Before we can do that we need socialists; winning workers to that cause requires knowledge, principles and an enthusiasm for change. These qualities can be developed by anyone — and are essential for anyone who is serious about changing society. Capitalism is a system of waste, deprivation and frightening insecurity. You owe it to yourself to find out about the one movement which stands for the alternative.

If you have read these principles and agree with some or all of them, contact the Socialist Party with your questions and ideas about what you can do to help speed the progress towards socialism.

 

The World Can Be A Better Place

 

Ever wonder why everything seems so shit, so much of the time? 

Fed up with all of the seemingly endless bad news of rising prices and the cost of living. World conflicts, poor mental health, drug and alcohol addiction, environmental disasters, and so on and so on.

Not sure if you’re part of this group or that group? Don’t know which way to turn? Then look no further than the Glasgow Branch of The Socialist Party of Great Britain (SPGB) for some analysis and answers to the root cause of the problems that each and every one of us faces on a daily basis as members of the working class.

Whether you’re just starting out in life as a student or reaching the end of your working life and approaching retirement, you will no doubt be all too aware of the financial challenges facing the overwhelming majority of us as we struggle to get through each and every day trying to make ends meet. While at the same time there exists a tiny minority of people who seem to coast through life without a care in the world.

This is no accident. This is a feature of the class-divided social system called capitalism. One in which those who own the factories, land, and private properties control the way in which we’re forced to live. Our only means of existence is the ability to sell our mental and physical labours, in return for a wage or salary in order to survive.

But there is a better way…

The SPGB, which is part of The World Socialist Movement (WSM) is like no other organisation you will come across in the world of mainstream politics. Founded in 1904 by a group of working-class men and women, our values and principles remain as strong today as they ever have.

Much has changed in the intervening years, including attitudes to the way in which the world functions in terms of production methods, technology and environmental matters. Some good, many not-so-good.

Here in Glasgow, we have a branch that meets online twice monthly, and once in person at The Atholl Arms pub near Buchanan Street Bus Station. In both cases, you will find a committed group of members and friends whose only concern is the making of a better world for all of us to share and participate in equally.

One based on the revolutionary transformation of society, from world capitalism to world socialism. That is, one where all of the essential items of life are produced not in the pursuit of profit, but to meet the essential needs of humanity and all life on earth. A world based on mutual cooperation, rather than one based on frenzied competition.

If you share these ideas and principles, then please do get in touch with Paul on 07484 717893 where he will gladly provide you with the answers to any questions you may have, including details of meetings you might like to attend.