Beyond the EU to World Socialism

When the referendum on staying in the EU comes, we'll be advocating that people write “World Socialism” across the ballot paper. The Socialist Party often talks of ‘the capitalist class’ doing that or wanting this as if they were a monolithic whole with a single interest. In fact different sections of the capitalist class have different interests. Their attitude to the EU is a case in point. This dispute within the British capitalist class has no class interest for workers. Whether British capitalism is in or out of the EU will make no difference to their position as a class forced to work for a wage or a salary and won’t affect the problems they face either way. So, when the referendum comes, you won’t find us joining with the xenophobic right and the xenophobic left. We’ll be advising workers to understand their class position. What do they mean by losing our sovereignty? Not having a stake in the country we have nothing to lose. Our rulers may have to hand over part of their law-making powers to the EU, but that's not our worry. It makes no real difference whether we are ruled from Brussels, Strasbourg or London. We are neither for nor against membership of the EU and regard it as an irrelevant issue.

No wealth is produced in the City of London. It is a place where the proceeds of working-class exploitation transformed into rights to a property income are the subject of trading, speculation and gambling. Around this has grown up a whole range of “financial services” – wheelers and dealers of one kind or another – vying for a share. In short, it is entirely parasitic on those parts of the world economy where wealth is actually produced by those working there. So – apart from the fact that the Conservative Party has always been committed to defending the interests of The Square Mile, going back to the time when it was the place through which the loot plundered from the British Empire was channelled – and that’s why Cameron make such a fuss about defending The City “from Europe” and expect people to think that this was a good thing? The City is an important part of the British capitalist economy which no government can ignore. But The City is not the only section of the capitalist class. There are also the businesses producing for export. It was precisely to further their interests by gaining them free access to a wider European market that Britain joined the “Common Market” in the first place. They still benefit from the single market with its common standards and regulations and do not want Britain to withdraw from the EU.  The Euro-sceptics represent small businesses producing for the home market (and financed by some bigger businesses in the same position). They want a withdrawal from the EU.  This is a dispute between different sections of the same capitalist class which should be left to them to settle for themselves. No working class interest is involved. As socialists we refuse to pander to petty nationalism but work to promote a world without frontiers where the Earth’s resources have become the common heritage of all. The important point is that workers in all countries face the same problems and so have a common interest in uniting to solve them.

We suggest abstention, or rather rejection of the false choice by writing "WORLD SOCIALISM" across the ballot paper.