From the World Socialist Party of the United States MySpace page
New Organizing
For workers to stand up for their interests often means harassment, repression, prison or death. More insidious, however, is the history of attempts by the Left to talk workers out of thinking for themselves. The history of the 20th century shows the leaders of working class movements - the Communists, the trade union officials, etc. - while often doing beneficial work on low levels, also pushing a bigger agenda - defending the USSR, political contacts, etc. - that eliminates our interests. These leaders naturally design their goals to mesh with the system; they are not thinking beyond the needs of capital in their urgent projects.
In Mexico, new methods of organizing around these problems were created to draw out large groups of people. In the U.S. weve seen a similar movement growing up around the Seattle WTO protests. The method of creating mass leaderless protests is a new one and not without problems. But it does allow for a measure of real democracy, as opposed to the rigidly organized movements that were typical between the 1930s and 80s.
But Watch Out!
The working class is often cursed with the worst sorts of friends. The unions, the leftists and the small capitalists all know what to do. These folks aren't just offering advice, they offer themselves as a leadership and give us only division. Don't worry, they will do the hard work for us. All we have to do is show up and clap for them. They will admit they have misled us in the past, even that theyve sold us out. Promises are always made no mistakes, no sellouts this time.
Knowledge is Needed
What is needed, really, is to know what not to do:
- Dont give up democratic decision making
- even if it means leaderless rallies, we all need to have a voice in the movement.
Movements are communities of thought that reflect priorities and assumptions, and a lack of practical democracy mirrors the same lack of interest in real democracy that clutters the worldview of most capitalists. Without insisting on democratic control, workers will find themselves once again muscled out of the chance to really stand capitalism on its head.
Don't let outside organizations - parties, unions, etc. - turn leaderless rallies into opportunities for self-advertisement. Anyone who cannot see through the polite fictions of capitalism is, whether they think so or not, going to end up prescribing yet another new set of bosses to replace the currently unpopular set. Do't set yourself up for realizing too late you were just a pawn in someone elses game.
Above all, don't forget that capitalism can only provide what capitalists regard as a reasonable profit. Thinking outside their box will sound only like extravagant fantasy to them, and they will never budget a penny for it. For now, we live under the capitalist system, so we have to understand capitalism. Not even radical businessmen are interested in sacrificing profits just for the sake of the human factor. The history of protests is littered with the bones of false confidence. The sum total of all demands must always be able to fit through the drain of profit. That is all they can give us - but they will expect givebacks in return.
About Us:
Since 1916 the World Socialist Party has been organized to provide a clear and concise analysis of the capitalist system, its methods of organization and its problems. Workers can only solve those problems by eliminating capital and wages from the economy, and returning the control of wealth production to the worlds communities, where it resided before economic classes and governments arose. We invite you to investigate our work.
World Socialist Party
worldsocialism.org/usa
WSPUS,
Box 440247,
Boston,
MA 02144
May Day 2007
In light of the fact that conditions remain the same regarding the struggle for the rights of 'immigrant' workers, the World Socialist Party has decided to reissue it's May Day statement from '06.We also feel that is does an exemplary job of describing just what we are fighting for - democracy in the class struggle and a new, non-reformist direction. -Jason (WSP)
World Socialist Party May Day Statement
Somethings going on in the U.S. Its obvious that in the immigrant workers movement we are seeing a new form of the class struggle arise. Based in the working class struggle of Latin America, a movement for the largest strike wave in 60 years is building. Indeed, along with many other congruent factors, the current immigrant workers rights movement is laying the groundwork for what may be the biggest mass labor movement in a century.May Day 2007
New Organizing
For workers to stand up for their interests often means harassment, repression, prison or death. More insidious, however, is the history of attempts by the Left to talk workers out of thinking for themselves. The history of the 20th century shows the leaders of working class movements - the Communists, the trade union officials, etc. - while often doing beneficial work on low levels, also pushing a bigger agenda - defending the USSR, political contacts, etc. - that eliminates our interests. These leaders naturally design their goals to mesh with the system; they are not thinking beyond the needs of capital in their urgent projects.
In Mexico, new methods of organizing around these problems were created to draw out large groups of people. In the U.S. weve seen a similar movement growing up around the Seattle WTO protests. The method of creating mass leaderless protests is a new one and not without problems. But it does allow for a measure of real democracy, as opposed to the rigidly organized movements that were typical between the 1930s and 80s.
But Watch Out!
The working class is often cursed with the worst sorts of friends. The unions, the leftists and the small capitalists all know what to do. These folks aren't just offering advice, they offer themselves as a leadership and give us only division. Don't worry, they will do the hard work for us. All we have to do is show up and clap for them. They will admit they have misled us in the past, even that theyve sold us out. Promises are always made no mistakes, no sellouts this time.
Knowledge is Needed
What is needed, really, is to know what not to do:
- Dont give up democratic decision making
- even if it means leaderless rallies, we all need to have a voice in the movement.
Movements are communities of thought that reflect priorities and assumptions, and a lack of practical democracy mirrors the same lack of interest in real democracy that clutters the worldview of most capitalists. Without insisting on democratic control, workers will find themselves once again muscled out of the chance to really stand capitalism on its head.
Don't let outside organizations - parties, unions, etc. - turn leaderless rallies into opportunities for self-advertisement. Anyone who cannot see through the polite fictions of capitalism is, whether they think so or not, going to end up prescribing yet another new set of bosses to replace the currently unpopular set. Do't set yourself up for realizing too late you were just a pawn in someone elses game.
Above all, don't forget that capitalism can only provide what capitalists regard as a reasonable profit. Thinking outside their box will sound only like extravagant fantasy to them, and they will never budget a penny for it. For now, we live under the capitalist system, so we have to understand capitalism. Not even radical businessmen are interested in sacrificing profits just for the sake of the human factor. The history of protests is littered with the bones of false confidence. The sum total of all demands must always be able to fit through the drain of profit. That is all they can give us - but they will expect givebacks in return.
About Us:
Since 1916 the World Socialist Party has been organized to provide a clear and concise analysis of the capitalist system, its methods of organization and its problems. Workers can only solve those problems by eliminating capital and wages from the economy, and returning the control of wealth production to the worlds communities, where it resided before economic classes and governments arose. We invite you to investigate our work.
World Socialist Party
worldsocialism.org/usa
WSPUS,
Box 440247,
Boston,
MA 02144
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