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Monday, October 22, 2018

In a Nutshell (1998)

From the November 1998 issue of the Socialist Standard
  1. The resources to produce what we need are owned by the rich 5 percent, while the remaining 95 percent of us do all the work.
  2. These two groups, or classes, are always going to be at loggerheads because of it.
  3. This dispute will only be settled when we 95 percent organise and abolish class ownership, and run a democratic system of communal ownership instead.
  4. When we do this, there will be no further oppression of any sort.
  5. But we must do it ourselves, without leaders.
  6. Since we can’t fight governments and armies, we must organise to take them over by political means and abolish them along with ownership by the rich.
  7. We must oppose any party which wants to keep or reform the present system, no matter how well intentioned.
  8. The World Socialist Movement calls upon all workers to organise to do this, in the interests of themselves, their children, and the future of the planet.

1 comment:

  1. I'm always a sucker for a Socialist Standard article which shares its title with the title of an Orange Juice compilation album - bought it on vinyl and cassette back in the day.

    Did you guess what it was? A simplified, potted version of the SPGB 'Declaration of Principles'. It's not my cup of tea but I understand that many SPGBers have beaten themselves down the years about the old-fashioned language and terminology of the D of P. Many have wanted to update it but the alternatives have not been up to par by comparison. What the next suggestion? An updated D of P as a series of memes? It could work in the 21st century. ;-)

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