Thursday, January 09, 2020

“De omnibus dubitandum”


Men and women call themselves socialists, communists, anarchists thinking they thus explain their views to themselves and others. Yet question them, but a little; you will discover how few of them have any clear conception of what they mean by their labels. ‘What is Socialism, what is Communism, what is Anarchy?’ ask a multitude of people, already weary of the cruelty and waste of capitalism and eagerly desiring an alternative. For answer they receive only confused denunciations of existing things; no hopeful vision of the new life which the labelled ones are supposed to advocate. Without declaring what our aims really are, without defining them so that they may be understood by others, how shall we work for them, how shall create a movement to achieve them, many will turn away in despair, discouraged and disillusioned. Our goal is socialism/communism in which social property is held in common; in which the community produces, by conscious aim, sufficient to supply the needs of all its members; in which there is no trading, money, wages, or any direct reward for services rendered. We emphasise the inter-dependence of the members of the community; we emphasise the need that the common storehouse and the common service shall provide an insurance against want for every individual, a common storehouse, not the individual hoard which shall bulge with plenty, and whilst the common storehouse is well-stocked we insist that none shall want. Let us produce in abundance; let us secure plenty for all; let us find pleasure in producing. In a socialist society at which we aim all will share the productive work of the community and all will take a part in organising that work. We desire an end to useless drudgery and wasteful toil. We want to discuss, learn from successes and failures of the past and develop strategies to increase the power we, as working people, have over our own lives.
Men and women call themselves

WE HOLD THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES
1. Opposition to all forms of capitalism (past, present, local, global, state or ‘free market’);
2. its replacement by a class-free, money-free world community without borders or states and based upon:
3. common ownership and direct democratic control of the means of production;
4. a free access ‘use’ economy with production geared towards the satisfaction of human needs; and
5. voluntary association, cooperation and the maximisation of human creativity, dignity and freedom;
6. a recognition that such an alternative society can only be established democratically from the ‘bottom up’ by the vast majority of people, without the intervention of leaders, politicians or ‘vanguards’.
7. we aim at the abolition of Parliamentary rule.



WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE
 A global network of individuals and groups united by our opposition to capitalism and the State. The purpose of the Socialist Party is to help inspire a vision of an alternative way of living where all the world’s resources are owned in common and democratically controlled by communities on an ecologically sustainable and socially harmonious basis.

In the midst of the numerous crisess, the widespread anxiety, restructuring, stirrings, and disruptions, the Left has been unable to respond or develop the basis for movements and revolutionary organization in any meaningful sense. Some are beginning to understand that something more is needed beyond endless activism, protest politics, and vertical-style trade union and NGO campaigns. The Left seem to have even fewer answers than before. We need to ask ourselves how can movements be built in face of ruling class assaults. What are the lessons of the past decades in social movements? How do we politically help shape new ones to build a larger popular struggle?  Our moment in history has its own needs, its own challenges, and potentials.

Even when one disaster has ended, the ruthless exploitation of the planet and its people for profit has more doors to catastrophe to open to enrich the few at the expense of the rest of us. Our struggle against it is literally a matter of life or death. Our planet on course for an environmental Armageddon as climate change accelerates and world leaders pontificate. Its about ending capitalism or accepting our own eradication. That is the choice before us all. We promise the Earth to all those willing to save it.

Everything is to be doubted”


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