Stop Being Fooled! (1952)

From the March 1952 issue of the Socialist Standard

The world is large, and individually workers are small and at present united under no cause beneficial to themselves. Because of his ignorance and feeling of inferiority the worker considers the affairs of state and the understanding of politics far too complicated for his inadequate brain to comprehend. So he trusts the course of his life to others—namely the government— and remains employed, exploited and ruled.

It is difficult to have to realise that the worker himself can suffer the horrors of the capitalist system without being even conscious of being exploited. He reads the national newspapers and is bemused with such meaningless boastings as “Why is the Daily Express the paper for the people?—because it represents the heart and soul of the people it serves.” (31/12/51). Come, workers, let’s stop being so naive. Let’s get down to realising the fact that the ‘nation’ these newspapers serve is nothing more than the British capitalist class, and that they are part of the medium by which capitalists continue to fog your brains and sense of reason with such empty phrases as ‘national prestige.’ and ' duty and honour first.’

P. R. Lawrence