There is a solution to war

Demonstrations against war have failed to end wars. It should now be apparent that anti-war sentiments have not been able to banish the curse of warfare from the world. The solution does not lie in electing new governments. If the anti-war movement looks beyond the symptoms, they'll come to understand how the disease itself is generated. Class rule is the root cause, for governments themselves are the instruments of their respective ruling classes. The capitalist owners of industry control the major media and the machines of the two major parties. Their influence is directly felt through the campaign process, various forms of lobbying, and plain old corruption. And, by their control over the economy, they exert a less direct but pervasive control over the affairs of state. This is why "liberal" politicians proclaiming peace end up serving the same "business as usual" of the arms manufacturers once in office. That is why, even though government rulers are reluctant to go to war, they are superceded by the demands of their class to maintain and build on a military threat to facilitate further expansionism. That is why peace efforts are consistently thwarted. And this is why petitions, moral appeals, and mass marches don't bring substantive results -- and cannot.

All wars have to be presented as great moral crusades to the people who are expected to endure the suffering. Without the participation of the working class in the economy or in the military services, no war would be possible. But unfortunately, the working class is disorganised. In every country in the world, it is so fragmented as to be powerless. They are therefore obliged to obey their rulers or face death, jail, or starvation. Workers have common class interests. They are all exploited and oppressed by the ruling classes, and they have suffered grievously from their ruler's wars and preparations for war. That is the penalty workers pay for their failure to understand their potential for self-liberation through socialist organisation. When they do so, and only then, their desire to live in peace can be fulfilled. Workers objectively share an interest in peace. Class antagonisms, conflicting commercial interests and national rivalry cannot be papered over by facile formulas concocted at conference negotiation tables.

When anti-war campaigners attack militarism but yet uphold the capitalist system, they are fighting an effect while defending the cause. As long as the antiwar or peace movements and the working class in general refuse, or are unwilling, to recognise the cardinal point that capitalism with its production for profit and private ownership of the tools of production is the cause of war, they will find themselves fighting endless reforms or effects under capitalism which never lead to a solution but only to frustration and despair. The only road to permanent peace lies in the abolition of capitalism and its replacement by socialism under which goods will be produced for use and the means of wealth production will be owned in common. Workers in the anti-war movements, must listen to and heed the logic of the Socialist Party. Socialism being a class-free cooperative society in which there will be no exploitative capitalist class as at present to fight over the surplus wealth stolen from the working class and encourage wars to get rid of it. The causes of war that existed under capitalism will no longer exist with socialism. Only in socialism can permanent peace become a reality instead of just a dream as at present. All of the energy, enthusiasm and exertions of the anti-war protesters will come to nothing unless they quickly learn that capitalism is the cause of war and that the Socialist Party provides the only means by which the present ruling class can be dethroned by a power greater than theirs.

We believe that the conclusion is inescapable that the only way to end war and the permanent threat of war is by a fundamental change to an entirely new social system. Socialism is the common ownership by all the people of the means of production and distribution. Socialism means direct control and management of all industries and social services by the workers through a democratic decision-making process. This system would provide for real social control of economic and social policy, and unlike the system now in place, it would be truly express the wishes of the people. Instead of despotism, socialism means democracy. Instead of production for sale and the profit of a few, socialism means production to satisfy human needs and the wants of all. Instead of the form of government we have today -- a political state controlled by the ruling class – socialism means a self-management of working people themselves. By establishing such a social system, society would be free of the ruling-class motives and economic drives that impel the existing social systems to dominate other nations and expand that domination. We would have instead a rational, democratically planned economic system that could function harmoniously on a worldwide scale and creating a stable, secure world.

Peace movements have come and gone, but militarism in general and the arms races have continued. It's up to us, as potential collateral damage, to stop war by building not just a peace movement, but a movement to change to a new society. We can build a world of peace, plenty and freedom, or tolerate the destruction of civilisation and of ourselves by the ruling class. Our choice is one of taking action to build a better world or of being inactive while the capitalist despotic destroyers end the world for all of us. Our "war" is the class struggle, and the enemy we must face is right here, not over there. Our fellow-workers will not advance their own interests by lining up behind their ruling classes in their bloody national conflicts. The only hope for a lasting peace lies with the working class and its creation of a viable international socialist movement. Toward that end workers must stop drawing national and religious lines and start drawing class lines. Workers' enemies are not workers in other countries but the ruling classes of all countries, their own at the top of the list. The choice is clear: socialism or perpetual war.

If as we say, our case is correct, then it is imperative that anti-war campaigners act accordingly by adopting the socialist perspective and moving the replacement of capitalism to the top of its demands. Humanity cannot afford to ignore the socialist solution to the menace of militarism.

 However, we do not expect -- nor ask -- anyone to take our views and position on faith alone. What we do ask is that you consider it, question us on it, challenge it, compare it with what others propose - and then either reject it, citing your reasons for doing so or accept our arguments and join us in our effort to implement the case for socialism.