Whose Idea was the Magnetic Mine ? (1943)

From the December 1943 issue of the Socialist Standard

Socialists proclaim and prove that wars are the outcome of conflicting economic interests, and are not due merely to the machinations of Governments, whether these Governments are Labour, Nationalist or Communist, or a combination like “Popular Front.”

Likewise they are not due to the intrigues and villainy of individuals, irrespective of whether these individuals are eulogised and lauded as the paragons of virtue, or are condemned as the prototypes of an imaginary Mephistopheles.

Given the economic urge, each section of the capitalist class endeavours to thwart other sections, and secure the raw materials, etc., to beat its rivals.

Failing other means of settling the dispute, recourse is had to war.

Anticipating the possibility of war, all governments devote some of their time to the type of weapons likely to be most effective, and if possible to give research workers support in the search for any “new” or “secret” weapon which, on being used, would cause consternation and havoc (at least temporarily) to the enemy.

When Hitler announced that a “secret” weapon was about to be used against his opponents, everyone else was wondering and fearing the form it would take if it really existed.

It is now disclosed that the “secret weapon” was the magnetic mine.

“The Germans perfected the magnetic mine eight years before the war.”—(Daily Express, May 4, 1943.)

Now, if the start of the war be reckoned from the date when Britain and Germany broke off relationship (excluding the Czecho-Slovakian “episode”) then eight years brings us to 1931, and the government in power in Germany then was a democratic Catholic-cum-Social Democratic one, and therefore the preparations were perfected at that time as far as the magnetic mine was concerned.

Again, fellow worker, we of the Socialist Party of Great Britain wish to impress upon you the fact that wars are fought and prepared for as a result of economic need, and the conscious or unconscious representatives of capitalism will make these preparations, whether the form of government be democratic or dictatorship. Wars are not fought for the settlement of ideological differences. These differences themselves arise from the different economic needs.

Take special note, fellow-worker. The economic need of the working class is the historic need of emancipation from wage-slavery, and this can only be brought about by abolishing Capitalism and establishing Socialism.

The ideological difference in the mind of the worker who is a Socialist springs from the economic need of social emancipation

When sufficient members of the working class (a majority) recognise this need and take the necessary steps to get the political power to bring it about, then it shall be an accomplished fact and not before.

Alpha.