The Socialist Party has an honourable position of opposing all wars, not just opposing them when there isn't a war, which is very easy, but opposing them during a war, when it is difficult to do, not just opposing some wars, which are manifestly imperialist but opposing all wars, even those which have within them elements of justice for one side and manifest tyranny and lack of principle on the other side. The Socialist Party point out and bring to the forefront the common interest of the working class independently of all nationalities. The Socialist Party's globalist position in doing that is one of immense pride to those people who study its history.
Many workers of all nationalities now realise that nationalism is indeed tragic futility so far as the working-class are concerned and the spirit of international co-operation and solidarity, though slowly, is surely growing up amongst them, born of the knowledge that they are poor because the greater part of the wealth they bring into existence is robbed from them by the capitalist class. It is not in the power of statesmen to end wars as they belong to the class to whom war is necessary and inevitable. Working people alone can alter the circumstances that bring such untold misery and ruin to their homes, by organising for the complete overthrow of the wage system. Then only can there be peace throughout the world. We are anti-capitalist and pro-working class. War and other evils too numerous to mention are the products of capitalism, therefore, capitalism must give place to socialism, where real harmony and peace will reign because, then, each one’s interest will be the same as the others. Do not forget that fact, fellow workers. If you want a peace that is of any use to you, study socialism, all else is an illusion.
Whatever veil of make-believe may be drawn over the war, at the bottom its basis is the same as all other wars of modern times, a struggle for trade routes, markets and sources of raw materials. Those whose interests are at stake in this struggle, and who are responsible for the outbreak of war, are not the workers, but sections of the capitalist class, the owners of the means of production. When war commences everyone and everything is brought under its influence; the most inhuman conduct is glorified on the ground that victory must be achieved, and hypocrisy flourishes on both sides. It is surprising to find how many workers are always ready to believe anything the papers and their masters tell them.
That war has indeed been a good thing to the capitalist invested in the armament industries is overwhelmingly shown by even a most cursory perusal of the financial pages of the press. A glance at any arms company share price will tell the same tale—swollen profits. Everyone nowadays is aware of the huge profits that are being raked in by our "good” masters. Consequently, to the workers who have started to think for themselves, the question naturally arises, "For what are we fighting?” But the reply, of course, rests upon what is meant by "we.” If "we” means the workers, then the only reply can be, a more intense form of slavery in the future even than in the past, with greater poverty and misery for the many. On the other hand, if "we” stands for the master class, then the fighting is for the control of trade routes and the securing of further markets in which to sell their surplus manufactures, the gaining of territory in which to acquire the natural resources, and the obtaining of cheap labour. In other words, it means big profits now, with the chance of even bigger profits in the future.
It is good that workers are prepared to demonstrate their international solidarity, but it should be a demonstration of real and understanding solidarity. Not mere words and emotion that, like a weathercock, can be changed with every wind. Lack of real understanding of the workers’ unchanging wage-slavery while capitalism lasts, in spite of huge anti-war pro-peace demonstrations, enabled the opposing capitalist rulers to line up the workers against each other. There is no practical effective internationalism except that which springs strong and self-reliant from the workers' community of interest, sweeping across national frontiers like a cleansing wind blowing away bestial hatreds and fears. The future of the human race demands the destruction of the national barriers which divide the peoples of the world. Not the defence of national independence but the destruction of capitalism must be the watchword of those who would build for the future of the human race and at the same time help to stem the flood of war in which capitalism threatens to engulf civilisation. The doctrine that each group of workers should rally around their own ruling class in defence of the "national interest" only plays into the hands of the war-makers in every country.
Europe is not on the verge of war for the sake of democracy, but for the sake of a re-division of the spoils arising from the break-up of the USSR.
Fellow wage-slave, it's up to you to realise the bitter fight between the haves and the have-nots. Think it over. Then join the ranks of the workers who are organised for the war against capitalist oppression.
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