Something is wrong with the world (1970)

From the July 1970 issue of the Socialist Standard

Man's ability to satisfy his material needs has never been greater. The technology exists today to ensure that no man, woman or child in any part of the world goes hungry. A vast network of productive units capable of turning out abundance spans the world. The work of producing the wealth of the world is already the co-operative effort of people everywhere; here one world already exists.

Yet strikes and demonstrations and. in some places, armed conflicts disclose world-wide social unrest. Millions go hungry while some governments pay farmers not to grow food and all governments maintain wasteful armed forces. Everyday someone is killed in some war in some part of the world. Concern is growing at the pollution and destruction caused by the unplanned and competitive exploitation of the world's resources.

In every country a privileged few control the government and own the land and industry. Wealth is produced for their profit rather than to satisfy human needs. It is their economic rivalry that leads to war and preparations for war. It is their propaganda that divides the people of the world into hostile nations.

Clearly man’s social arrangements are lagging behind his technical achievements. The class and competitive nature of present-day society dates from a past age of scarcity and small-scale production; it is out of line with the co-operation and planning large-scale modern industry demands. This conflict between modern technology and outdated class society is the root cause of today’s social unrest. Nothing short of the radical reconstruction of society on the basis of the ownership of the world’s resources by all mankind will provide the framework within which a lasting solution to current world problems can be worked out.

On the basis of the common ownership of the world’s resources mankind can take advantage of the potential of modern technology and democratically plan the production in abundance of the things people want and so achieve a world of peace and plenty.

To encourage a growing understanding of the need for action to establish such a democratic world community is our aim.