Friday, April 13, 2018

Election Manifesto





*EVER THOUGHT OF DOING IT YOURSELF?*

Our world contains massive resources ---raw materials, systems of
manufacture, communications technology, sophisticated transport. Enough to
give everyone a comfortable and fulfilling life.
It is also beset by perennial problems ---constant war, never-ending poverty,
economic and other kinds of insecurity. Life is becoming more and more
commercialised and people are increasingly isolated from each other, with
drug abuse and mental illness on the increase. The standard of living may
have risen a little for some, but the quality of life deteriorates.

Why don't we change our world so that we have the benefit of those resources
without the problems?

*“How can we do that?”*

By holding the resources in common and using them directly to serve
everyone's needs instead of just creating ever greater profits for a tiny
minority. Genuine socialism – a moneyless society of free access to goods
and services

*“So, we vote you in and you create this wonderful world for us. Why should
we trust you to do that?”*

Please don't, we can do absolutely nothing for you. (Ask yourself how many
political parties are prepared to say that!) The new society can only be
created when a majority of people like you actively decide to do so. You can
use the Socialist Party as an instrument of democratic revolutionary change
but you are yourselves in control of what happens.

*“Isn't this all fantasy politics? People are too selfish to put everything
at risk for the sake of pie in the sky.”*

Stick to the case you know best – yourself. Are you too selfish to realise
that your own interests can be advanced by making an alliance with others and
pursuing joint interests? Are you not sufficiently open-minded to consider
alternatives to our present social arrangements? Prove that you can do this
by taking advantage of our offer of a free subscription to the Socialist
Standard. Do it for yourself.

*“Hasn't all this been tried and shown not to work?”*

No. Small political minorities have tried concentrating resources in the
hands of the state and just continued the profit system in another form.
Instead, we are talking of a world where we all democratically decide how to
use those resources directly for our own benefit.

*“This is all a long way off. In the meantime, shouldn't left-wing
organisations sink their differences, defend working people against attacks
on their living standards and eventually work towards a socialist
society?”*

We all have to live in the here and now, but how far off socialism is depends
on when people are prepared to take action to establish it. More than a
century of attempts by the left to reform capitalism has shown that none of
its major problems can be removed. So, be clear about this: if you do nothing
about socialism now, the meantime lasts forever. You will be putting off for
all time the greatest advance that human society could ever make.

*IF NOT NOW, WHEN?*

ISLINGTON JUNCTION:
Bill Martin
RICHMOND BARNES:
Adam Buick
SOUTHWARK BOROUGH AND BANKSIDE:
Kevin Parkin

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