Changing A Changing World

Politicians have sought to pass themselves off as environmentally concerned, while actually representing quite different interests. It is the capitalist class priority to balance the books. It is not possible to overcome the ecological problems of the system without it being traced to the imperatives of capital accumulation itself. When profit is the ultimate motive risks to the environment are secondary considerations. The utter failure to achieve effective action on climate change is rooted in an economic system that can only see the natural world as a source of raw materials for the production process, or a dump for its waste. Capitalism must be acknowledged as the core cause of environmental destruction. What the Socialist Party offer is a vision of an alternative society based on in Marx’s words, “the associated producers, rationally regulating their interchange with nature, bringing it under their common control, instead of being ruled by it as by the blind forces of nature” For Marx, this was a precondition for a sustainable world. As he pointed out “a whole society, a nation, or even all simultaneously existing societies taken together, are not the owners of the globe. They are only its possessors, its usufructuaries, [beneficiaries] and, like boni patres familias [good heads of households], they must hand it down to succeeding generations in an improved condition.”

Too often environmental activists make claims that the people are irrational and are destined to overpopulate and pollute the earth rather than blame the cause on the capitalists, the same who are daily carrying out world-wide plunder and pillage. The fight against climate change and moving to renewable energy sources means breaking with a capitalist economy which is based on the endless expansion of production no matter the cost. In order for civilisation to survive, another economic system is necessary. The Socialist Party stands for human dignity, solidarity and democracy.
 
We can see that the capitalist system can’t solve the climate crises. What country has ever been able to fully meet the basic needs of its people, let alone totally abandon most of its most profitable industries and fundamentally transform itself? It’s not that capitalists are necessarily bad people (some invest in renewable energy). It’s that the capitalist system is based on:

1) Production for profit, not for use; and,

2) A continual drive to expand in order to offset the tendency of the rate of profit to fall. This requires an endless cycle of accumulation of new wealth, finding new markets, imperialist conquests and wars, etc.

 An insatiable drive for power is inherent to the system. no capitalist reform is ever going to be able to change the fundamentals of the capitalist social order. In order to fix the  climate problem capitalist business interests are going to have to be abolished. Who else is capable of making the necessary transformation, if not the working people of the world, organising and sweeping capitalism out of the way, and democratically running the world in our own interests? To get to the core of the problem, one must take into account that it is profits which motivate the operations of the capitalist economic system. Fewer and more powerful groupings of industrial and financial magnates control the means of production and run the world. If we believe that just protesting, just appealing to the good will and humanitarian instincts of predatory elite financiers and industrialists will change the situation for the better, we will be building upon illusions. People have been told over and over again to be patient, to have good will toward their exploiters and oppressors. o appeal to the good will, common sense and even self-interest of the big financiers and industrialists is to expect them to be able to abandon the lucrative profits linked to carbon emissions. The history of the environmental struggle shows that relying on the  corporations, on the banks and capitalist politicians brings no results.

Environmental catastrophes are not the result of individual neglect, just as war isn’t about one group of people hating another. Wars, and the devastation brought about by natural disasters made worse by global warming, and the failure to ensure a safe environment for all, are the products of capitalism.While all natural disasters can’t be prevented, wars and corporate environmental destruction can. Global warming can be reversed and environmental destruction can be repaired, but not by individuals. And the only way to make these changes is to get rid of the cause,which is the profit-driven system of capitalism. 

The capitalists care about nothing except their wealth and power. And, in order to maintain that control, they must resort to war, plunder and environmental destruction.They must drill. They must chop down rain forests. They must pollute the oceans, lakes and air. They maintain their power over us—by creating a world of fear and chaos—blinding us to our common human interests of living in a peaceful and plentiful world shared by all. They want us at war with one another. They thrive on spreading race, class, religious and ethnic hatred. This is not human nature. This is capitalist nature. Working people across the globe, have the power to end this insanity by building a world where human interests and the welfare of our planet are our collective concerns, and the fruits of our labour are shared equally by all. This is our true human nature— to work together to save and protect our world—this is what socialism is all about. Our message to anyone anywhere concerned about the way the climate crisis will impact our jobs, health, children and communities is simple: join us.

Global warming and the environmental crisis is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. The uncontrolled exploitation and gross waste of resources typical of capitalism, is the source of this disaster. Shortsighted hunt for profit, neglects and abuse of science under capitalism destroy the world’s environment at an accelerating speed. Science, technology and industry can be positive and beneficial to society, but private property and the priorities of the the ruling class create great problems. The disparities in wealth, consumption patterns in rich industrial countries, militarism, and the machine of global capitalism are the forces responsible for our ravaged planet. Women and men on every part of the planet need dignified and materially comfortable lives free of coercion and suffering.