Letter: Importance of understanding (1977)

Letter to the Editors from the September 1977 issue of the Socialist Standard

Importance of understanding

I can only presume that the correspondents G. Walford and Ian Campbell (July Socialist Standard) have failed to hear the saying “better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know”. The human mind always fears something it may not understand fully, hence the fear of the religious supernatural, and the state capitalism of the so-called Communist countries. Due to the false propaganda spread under the banner of Socialism the working class are naturally enough in a confused state of mind.

A Socialist society is an unknown quantity to some extent. In that a Socialist understands what it will mean to mankind, but he cannot predict the future—how will it work and function? The working class can only be convinced of its possibility by gaining Socialist understanding. For example, by explaining what a change in the mode of production would mean to society, whether it is accepted by the individual or not, this by its very nature leads to further questions on the subject of Socialism. Therefore one less barrier breaks down. The SPGB have constantly propagated the case for Socialist understanding, knowing that ignorance only breeds further ignorance.

Both correspondents should ask themselves: have they acquired a Socialist understanding? If so, have they rejected or refused it, or do they fear what they understand?

Brian Johnson

Pontypridd