"A Man's a Man For a' That" (music)

 Len Wallace of the Socialist Party of Canada and the Industrial Workers of the World performs his rendition of Robert Burns's classic call for equality

It’s Time to Move On

 

 ‘It is time for mankind to ensure itself of material abundance by establishing a free, self-managed world society of productive labour, thereby freeing its mental powers for perfecting its knowledge of nature and the universe’ Anton Pannekoek, A History of Astronomy, 1951.

We live in a world which has the potential to adequately feed, house and provide clean water and decent medical care for every single man, woman and child on Earth. The resources exist to banish material want as a problem for members of the human race. Yet millions throughout the world are malnourished, live in squalor or are actually dying of starvation or starvation-related diseases. The things that are desperately needed — food, clean water, housing, sanitation, transport, medical services and so on — can only be provided by useful labour, of which there is an abundance throughout the world. Useful production must be freed from the constraints of profit and class interests. Only useful labour applied through world cooperation in a system of common ownership can solve the problems of world poverty. World socialism could stop the dying from hunger immediately, and provide the conditions for good health and material security for all people across the Earth within a short time. World socialism will operate with one simple and ordinary human ability which is universal — the ability of every individual to cooperate with others in a world-wide community of interests.

Many people still believe that hunger is caused today by over-population and that if there were fewer people in the world, then, and only then, could they be adequately fed. This is not so. In the first place, the resources and technology exist now to feed the world’s population many times over. Second, even if the population did decrease substantially, there would still be a hunger problem, since hunger like homelessness is essentially an economic problem, a poverty problem.

The only genuine opposition movement in the world to capitalist war was and is today the revolutionary organisation of the Socialist Party. Nationality is a development of capitalism. Militarism and war are inseparable from capitalism and can only be understood against the background of commercial rivalry. Socialism will have no State apparatus, no frontiers and no military machine. The understanding and unity of the world’s working class must come before a socialist transformation of society is possible. 

Nationalism is the perversion of believing in a shared identity in the interest of some local elite. To move forward the dispossessed majority across the world must now look beyond the artificial barriers of nation-states and regional blocs, to perceive a common identity and purpose. Dividing up society into more and more pieces, more separate entities create more divisions, more fears and suspicions and when the globe is totally criss-crossed with walls and fences we shall become so paranoid, afraid and suspicious of each other that we finally close our minds? The frontierless world begins with frontierless minds. The challenge is to dismantle the barriers that shackle and dehumanise us. A mind without boundaries can value the vision in which all have a home.

The Socialist Party repudiates the myth that humans are inherently anti-social and non-cooperative, and states emphatically that human nature is no barrier to a sane socialist society.

Socialism is not a fantasy world any more than any other untried idea is a fantasy. Socialists cannot draw up detailed blueprints for a society which will have to be democratically organised by the men and women who establish it. However, we can—and do—examine the possibilities which a socialist world will allow humanity to bring about and we are certain that a society where production is for need will be far better than one where production is for profit.

 ‘ All men are brethren. We denounce all political and hereditary inequalities and distinctions of castes… We believe the earth, with all its natural productions, to be the common property of all… We believe that the present state of society, which permits its idlers and schemers to monopolise the fruits of the earth and, the production of industry, and compels the working class to labour for inadequate rewards, and even condemns them to social slavery, destitution, and degradation, to be essentially unjust… We condemn national hatreds which have hitherto divided mankind… Convinced that national prejudices have been, at all ages, taken advantage of by the people’s oppressors to set them tearing the throats of each other when they should have been working together for their common good, this society repudiates the term ‘foreigner.’ We recognise our fellow-men, without regard to country, as members of one family, the human race, and citizens of one commonwealth, the world’ (Manifesto of the Fraternal Democrats, 1845).

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.