No Gods and Precious Few Heroes (music)

 

Change the World for Ourselves

 

To the other political parties, we offer the ideal of the universal harmony between peoples. Others may have paid lip service to this ideal. The Worlds Socialist Movement has acted upon it. Socialism will be a world society, one without states or frontiers.  Our message is equally addressed to all our fellow workers iaround the world.Socialism is the only solution to the problems of wage and salary earners in the country you come from, problems which are basically the same—unemployment, struggles to keep wages up with prices, bad housing, schools and hospitals, racism, insecurity and so on — precisely because they have a common cause — the capitalist system of class monopoly of the means of existence and consequently production for profit.

Capitalism is international. Economically, it operates as a single system dominating the whole world, but, politically, it is divided into a hundred or so artificial “nation-states”. Each of these states seeks to ensure the loyalty of its subjects by inculcating into them, from the cradle to the grave, the idea that they are members of a “nation” with a common interest against those of other “nations”. Socialists reject this mistaken and dangerous idea, regarding themselves not as British, Irish, French, American or whatever but as members of the human race, as citizens of the world. The working class has in reality only one enemy: the capitalist system.

The real division in the world is not between people of supposedly different “nationalities” but between two social classes both of which are international: a class of capitalists who own and control all that is in and on the Earth and a class of people who, excluded from such ownership and control, are obliged to work for an employer in order to live. Wage earners everywhere, whatever their language, passport, skin colour, have a common interest. Socialism will see the abolition of frontiers and the dismantling of the various armed states into which the world is now divided. As classes will have been abolished, people really will become citizens of a united world.

There is a common misconception of the workers becoming socialist in one part of the capitalist world but not in other parts. Those who have become socialists are everywhere a small minority, and everywhere at present the socialist idea spreads only slowly. Experience everywhere supports the view that the progress of the socialist movement will be much the same everywhere because broadly the workers’ experience of capitalism is everywhere similar. Also the movement in one country influences growth in other countries. The tempo will at some stage increase but again there is no evidence of any kind to suggest that it will quicken in Britain and hang back in U.S.A. and Russia or vice versa. On the contrary the only expectation is that the growth of the socialist movement everywhere will be accompanied by increasingly effective common international action by the socialist movement. The international socialist movement will be strong everywhere before the possibility of socialism arises, and if the election at which socialists take governmental control out of the hands of the capitalists in one country slightly precedes the elections at which the workers elsewhere do the same, the situation will present no problem of any moment The capitalists everywhere will be at the end of their rule, and will know that they are at the end of their rule, in face of the world socialists acting as one united movement.

 Capitalism being an international system spanning the world with a network of interlinked production units, ‘socialism in one country’ is not possible. So, we are talking about a world-wide socialist revolution with the same process taking place in country after country over a relatively short period of time, rather like, for instance, the overthrow of the state-capitalist regimes in East Europe in the 1990s or the so-called Arab Spring. This is not an unreasonable supposition as, already, economic and social conditions are basically the same in whatever geographical or political areas capitalism dominates. Nor is it unreasonable to suppose that, when the socialist idea catches on, it will spread in all countries. It is the opposite supposition that is unreasonable: that this will be confined to one country or that one country would be way ahead of all the others. This is not how ideas spread today. Everywhere they face the same problems that result from this, problems which can only be lastingly solved within the framework of a borderless world society based on the Earth’s natural and industrial resources having become the common heritage of all humanity.

They Have The Plant, But We Have The Power (music video)

 

Looking Forward

 What sort of world awaits the working class in the future? Will it be a brand new world free from class privilege and wage-slavery; a world of social equality, security and happiness? Our message is the only message of hope in a world that appears to be on the verge of catastrophe.

The World Socialist Movement exists to achieve a society of communal ownership. The workers are a global class. At one level they may be in conflict — when they compete as individuals for scarce jobs, for example — but at the collective level of their class, their interests are in unity. Above nationalism, above any prejudice of race or sex, working people throughout the world must assert their essential unity in the work to overthrow capitalism and establish socialism in its place.  It will be a significant step on the way, when they cease to think in terms of national or regional solutions to world problems and begin to think globally. Does capitalism deserve to continue any longer? It brings toil, misery and desolation, in peace and in war, to the mass of the people. It is time those who bear the sufferings took time to think about how those sufferings could be abolished. The only way to do so is to destroy the source from which they flow—the private ownership of the means of production. Instead, we can co-operate to provide a good life for all while avoiding damage to the environment.

 People in socialism will enjoy freedoms of decision-making and action that are denied to us under the capitalist system. With all people in harmony with their shared interests, the division of the world into rival capitalist states will be replaced by a democratic administration organised on a world, regional and local levels. 

in the socialist world, there will be no boundaries to countries. The world will become a single unit. It will not be necessary for people to fight for food or a “standard of living,” or any of the thousand and one reasons given from time to time to various nations in order to gain the support of the people in a war. In the socialist world, the people will produce food and build houses for all. The natural wealth of the world is more than enough to amply satisfy the needs of all humans, be they Asian, African, American or European. There need be no shortages. The root cause of world poverty is to make sure that the “real world” continues to be one in which human beings needlessly die and the Earth is systematically ravaged in the name of profit.

We, socialists, stand for a society based on mutual aid and solidarity, the cooperation of all people worldwide on the basis of free decision-making and participatory democracy. We believe that others share our concern for the well-being of people in our society, and for the well-being of the planet itself. We are part of a long-established independent democratic movement which seeks by persuasion and worldwide peaceful political organisation to transform our present society into one fit for humankind.

The problems of our world cannot be solved within the existing structures of production and government. Our world is divided into national areas dominated by class minorities in each country. The ruling class and their political representatives, by reason of a combination of historical circumstances, governmental, military and ideological control or influence, are able to keep the majority of the world's population in subjection and subjugation. Socialism is a new world society where the means of production are commonly owned and where governments and systems of exchange, whether barter or money, have been replaced by democratic administration at local, regional and world levels: a society where there could be decentralized co-ordination of production with free access according to to need.  We want people not to be thinking in national terms but to consider the socialist proposition of a world community without frontiers.

Socialism cannot be established in one country. Even under capitalism, the Nation-State has become too small a framework for capital’s expansion. The World Socialist Movement does not defend national sovereignty or promote separatism. Our criticisms of capitalism are precisely that it has divided the world into competing nation-states whose conflicts mean trade wars and armed conflicts. Nationalism in one country begets its echo in others. What we want is not national independence but world socialism without frontiers.

War is completely unnecessary. We are living in a world that has enough resources to provide plenty for all, to eliminate world poverty, ignorance and disease, and to provide an adequate and comfortable life for everyone on the planet. Yet under capitalism resources are squandered on armaments, of individual as well as of mass destruction, and, as now, in actual war. Even in times of peace – as the armed truce between wars is called – capitalism's pursuit of profit pollutes and plunders the planet and upsets the balance of nature with potentially devastating consequences. The economic law “no profit, no production” applies implacably, resulting in millions dying of hunger and related diseases every year simply because it is not profitable to produce the food to feed them and, in fact, often while the food that could feed them is destroyed so as to maintain prices and profits.

The World Socialist Movement opposes war and capitalism which breeds it: 

 · We place on record our horror that capitalism has once again provoked the orgy of death and destruction known as war.

· We extend the hand of friendship to our fellow workers who our political masters have designated as targets for destruction.

· We pledge to do all within our means to bring the slaughter to an immediate end.

· We pledge ourselves to continue to work for the establishment of a world socialist society of peace and cooperation.

· We call upon fellow workers everywhere to join in the struggle for World Socialism.

One World, One People, For World Socialism!

Blackleg Miner (music)

 Len Wallace, member of the Socialist Party of Canada and the Industrial Worker

s of the World

Capitalism - It’s Crazy

 

The immense destruction, impoverishment and inflation caused by the Ukraine war in Europe have resulted in the dislocation of the world market. The dawning understanding of the inflationary process eating into the living standards of workers is preparing the ground for a new social explosion. The impending economic recession can only accelerate their outbreak. Inflation is now again coming to the fore. Unrestrained prices will become the main means in the hands of the capitalists not only for gouging the consumers but for slashing the real wages of the workers. Even where workers succeed in their struggles for wage increases, they will find that these gains are swiftly nullified by the unchecked ascent in the cost of living. Without a rising scale of wages to cope with the soaring cost of living labour will suffer falling living standards. Expansion of capital, carried on by the drive for greater profits, the motive and aim of all capitalist production, promotes reckless speculation, heading the world straight to a crisis of far-reaching dimensions and explosive consequences.

Social antagonisms are developing sharply. Uncertainty and anxiety concerning the future arise repeatedly. World socialist revolution alone can prevent the regression of humanity into global war. Only a socialist solution is a just one. Only the working class, by taking destiny into its own hands, can avoid incalculable catastrophes and spare humanity.  Capitalism is by its very nature a rotting organism. It aggravates every feature of capitalist anarchy. It ensures an impassable abyss between a tiny minority of the rich and the mass of the people

Today’s environmental problems spring from capitalism’s reckless pursuit of the accumulation of capital without regard for human welfare or nature’s limit. Catastrophic pollution has been going on for decades after decades.

The situation cries out for a truly socialist solution. For the Socialist Party, there cannot be the slightest doubt that the period of capitalist crisis is precisely the time, above all others, to present the socialist solution, to raise the issue of socialism, to speak and act in terms of socialism and to fight for the socialist transformation of the economic, social and political system.

“Instead of the conservative motto, ‘A fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work,’ they ought to inscribe on their banner the revolutionary watchword, ‘Abolition of the wages system’.” this is the authentic voice of Marxists.

Production for profit must be supplanted by production according to a unified plan determined by the needs of the entire people and directed by the associated producers themselves. This is the socialist remedy for capitalist anarchy, insecurity and misery. The capitalist system is wracked by financial crises, recessions and colossal welfare and social problems. If one did not foresee a socialist solution to all of these problems, it would be easy to lose one’s mental balance in the midst of such contradictory and bewildering facts. The media like to make fun of us “crazy” socialists But the real “crazies” are those running this insane asylum of capitalism.

If it wisnae for the union (song)

 

Something is wrong with the world

 

We in the Socialist Party are not nationalists but world socialists as our name indicate.  We had better define our terms. Most will probably think they know what a socialist is but are sadly mistaken.  Socialists are people who want political power for one purpose only, to revolutionise the world we live in, and change it from a capitalist system to a socialist one, where the means of life are owned by society as a whole. “From each according to his ability" is the first half of the socialist's golden rule for the kind of society we want to create.  “To each according to his need" is in this second half of our motto. 

We hold to a vision of a united world  a planet where national boundaries shall be unknown. Socialists know that a new world of unity and cooperation can exist in the future by observing certain features in society now, such as widespread cooperation despite tremendous pressures to divide and compete, and examples of generosity and self-sacrifice that are always evident in times of crisis. 

One day there is an announcement that goes something like this: We, the workers of the world, declare all the raw-materials of the planet, the means of production and distribution, the means to a good life, to be ours. The world is no longer owned by the non-producing class. The Earth no longer belongs to the privileged minority. Today the world belongs to all of humanity . The fruits of the labours we ,the producers of goods, produce are ours.

We, the working people, understand that capitalism doesn’t operate for us. And all the reforms in the world are not going to make it serve us.

We the producing class, the workers of the world, the vast majorityt, understand a world without money is the system that is best for us. As it also does for all the animals andthe environment.

We are now the caretakers of planet Earth. We are the masters of our own destiny.

So much of our labour yesterday was wasted. We put a stop to that nonsense—in a non-violent, peaceful, radical, intelligent way. We will never again squander our raw-materials. No more will we mis-use our labour, our lives, our time, our genius, our industry, our potential, our love.

In everything we produce for ourselves we will produce nothing but what our best endeavours can produce. Everyone of us will have the means to enjoy a good life.

We, the workers of the world,  with the right ideas have conquered the capitalist system.

We have dismantled and abolished capitalism. And have established 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 best interest of the humanity.

We, the workers of the world, construct every building, lay every railway track, bake every pie. This world is ours by right. Because we make it.

We, the workers of the world, hereby declare that from this day forth our labour will turn the resourcess of Earth into the things we need and want for a civilised system of society. For all of us to enjoy. And our children to enjoy. And their children. And their children. And their children.

We, the workers of the world,  will make Earth if not paradise then as near as much that it makes no difference.

We ask you, fellow workers, to imagine you are living in a world where money does not exist. When you want something you go to the store and take it. There isn’t someone to tell you what you can take or when you can take it; that decision is yours. And everybody else has the same right to avail themselves of what they need as you — so there are no criminals wanting to rob you.

Of course, all the things that people freely avail themselves of have to be produced. Food has to be grown and processed; things have got to be made and houses and other buildings have to be built; a thorough and efficient health service has to be run as well as emergency and other services. In the world where you are pretending to be there is plenty of work to do.

But because money is no more, millions of jobs that used to use the skills and energies of people no longer exist. There is no need for banks, insurance offices, advertising and promotion services, sales people of all the different sorts, mortgage services, dole clerks, security personnel, judges, lawyers and criminals. The list is a very long one and includes armed forces and all those munition workers, scientists and others employed in the killing industry — as the competition for markets, trade routes and other material interests that cause wars and conflicts would have disappeared. All in all, it would be safe to say that, in the world in which you are pretending to be now, there would be at least three times as many people to do the necessary work as there are in the world you are pretending to have left.

Picture a future where there is no government because there are no conflicting interests and no need for people to be controlled by a coercive state. Instead, there are democratically-elected bodies at local, regional and world level whose function is to organise production and distribution. You may be elected to one of these bodies. If you are you will not receive any special favours — of course, you won’t need to for, like everybody else, the things you need are freely available to you. Those elected to carry on public administration can be recalled by those who elected them and no-one is coerced into fulfilling any task.

In a socialist world, neither you nor any other person will ever endure poverty or insecurity; you will never be homeless or badly housed; you will not die in warfare or civil conflict for the basis of these evils will have been abolished and, since there is no need to steal, crime and offences against the person do not now exist. Automation and new productive processes, instead of creating unemployment, simply make necessary work easier for all and, like the fact that all the wasteful occupations of the old world have been abolished, give more leisure to those who wish to travel in a world where frontiers do not exist or to pursue other work, hobbies or interests.

The world we asked you to imagine was the world envisaged by the early socialists. Unfortunately, that vision was deliberately corrupted by politicians acting in ignorance or in the interests of the ruling class. Socialism has not failed; on the contrary, it has never been tried and the growth of a genuine movement to bring it about has been deliberately frustrated by  lies and misrepresentation. It is because the case for socialism is so overwhelmingly logical that those who oppose it out of narrow self-interest use their wealth, their power and their privilege to distort its meaning and to deny it. These are interests that have successfully pretended to you that you have to put up with capitalism and its disgusting abuse of humanity because there is no alternative to that system.

The task of the Socialist Party is to build the political means of convincing a majority to opt for socialism. We do not pretend that it is an easy task but, confronted with capitalist reality, it is an urgent and essential one.

Hold the Fort (music)

 

Towards A New Freedom

 

Socialism has long been a necessity. Socialism is now more necessary because the only alternative under capitalism is the ecological destruction of our environment and civilisation returning to  barbarism for the entire population of our planet. Capitalism has provided the technology which are necessary for a socialist reorganisation of society, it long ago ceased to be able to provide for thebasic  needs of people. We want security. We want peace. We want decent homes.  We want comfort and prosperity. We want democracy and freedom. Despite its huge industries and abundant natural resources, capitalism is unable to provide us with these elementary wants. The insanity of this system of  capitalism is that it creates inequality, poverty and unemployment and all the crises of society because it produces too much.

Capitalists are in competition against each other and against their capitalist counterparts abroad. They all try to outproduce and outsell each other on the market because the mainspring of capitalist production is profit, not human needs. Consequently, a  manufacturer produces as much as he thinks he can sell at a profit. So does his rival. The market becomes glutted, because there are more products produced than the customers can buy – not, of course, more than they need.

Socialism, and only socialism, will create a true global society, a world without national barriers, without international rivalries, without master and slave and, hence, a world without war. Socialism’s sole criterion would be the needs of the people.  Socialism will guarantee peace, security and freedom and prevent the destruction of mankind. Socialism will end the root evil of modern society, i.e., the private ownership of the means of production, the factories, mines, transport, communications and land, which produce the necessities of life.

 With socialism, these instruments of production will become the property of society, owned in common, producing for use, for the general welfare of the people as a whole. With the abolition of the private ownership of the means of life and with it the factor of profit as the prime mover of production, the sharp divisions of society between nations and classes will disappear. Then, and only then, will society be in a position to become a social order of abundance and plenty for all, for socialism will create a new world of genuine cooperation and collaboration between the peoples of the earth.

By  abolishing classes in society, socialism will change the form and type of governments which exist today. Governments will become administrative bodies regulating production and consumption. They will not be the instruments of the capitalist class coercion or to promote the economic rule of big business, their profits, their private ownership. Socialism will in the elevation of society, to improve continually the living standards of the people, to extend their leisure time and thus make it possible to heighten the cultural level of the whole world. A socialist world state will be the freest, most democratic society the world has ever known. A socialist world will assess the industrial potential of the world, determine its resources, the needs of the people and plan production with the aim of increasing the standards of living, creating abundance, increasing leisure and building opportunities for cultural advancement. Socialism will not concern itself with profits. The aim of socialism is not the increased exploitation and intensification of labour, but the implementation  of technology, science and invention to diminish toil, to create time in which to permit all the people to enjoy the benefits of social progress.

Today’s modern world contains all the pre-conditions necessary for socialism. All around us are elaborate  industrial enterprises containing machinery which could produce the goods of life in abundance. Mankind has developed marvelousnew  technology to create a fruitful life of abundance. Socialism will place at the disposal of humanity the scientists and experts to help create an ever-improving life for mankind. Under capitalism, scientists and inventors are mere wage workers hiring out their skills to private R and D industry. The fruits of their intelligence under intellectual ownership laws become the exclusive property of the capitalists who profit from the research of these scientists. Thus, science has become subordinated to profits rather than to the common good of all mankind. Future society depends on changing this relation of science to society. Socialism can place science where it properly belongs: in the service of the community.

 Working people can travel the road of capitalism towards chaos, war, poverty and barbarism, or we can take the socialist path toward true freedom, peace and security, the way toward a society of plenty for all which would end the exploitation of man by man for all time.