An evolutionary view
It has not been the denial of access to the mass media that has limited the growth of your party, for the appearance of Socialism on the TV screen would have resulted in a massive switch-off, as the tens of thousands of workers who have stood at your platform have been switched off — by capitalism. To safeguard its career capitalism developed an intolerance of any idea which sought to subvert its will, and reduced the working class to a silenced majority. It has been this ideological impregnability of capitalism that the SPGB has been vainly trying to breach.
The fact now being revealed is that capitalism, its zenith behind it, no longer needs its age-long grip on the mind. The ethos which could be defined as the social mind is now being disengaged that it might reach for its next objective. Vandalism, hooliganism, dissident political violence are physical manifestations of this disengaging process which is causing a slackening of social cohesion — a sense of lack of social purpose.
The ideals and standards which have stood sacrosanct for so long are now examined, questioned, debated. More or less concurrent with this enquiry is a groping for an alternative which must identify itself eventually with the Socialist aim.
The SPGB cannot expect to benefit immediately from capitalism’s final phase, for political thinking is evolutionary. Your party does not hold this view, but it follows from a careful reading of your excellent pamphlet “Historical Materialism”.
Today a majority of workers are in favour of a monarchy; within five years that opinion will be reversed and the institution scrapped. The economic and social circumstances which have hitherto frustrated the Socialist aim are now yielding to the needs of the new social order, which encourages me in the reiteration that, although at the age of 62, I expect to witness the triumph of Socialism.
F. C. West
London E.2.
Reply:
Though you write as a sympathiser, your letter expresses views we cannot accept. Your standpoint seems to be that capitalism will amiably unfold — in fact, is now unfolding — to give Socialism. Our “Historical Materialism” pamphlet does not give any warrant for such an automatic process. On the contrary, it emphasizes what Marx insisted: that men make history.
What you call the “ideological impregnability” of capitalism is another way of saying what Marx said also that the dominant ideas of every epoch are those of its ruling class. These ideas are not the same ones throughout the lifetime of a social system, but alter as its needs change. But unless they give way to class-consciousness and the understanding of Socialism, they remain supporters of capitalism. What makes you think that vandals and hooligans accept capitalism any less than the most respectable citizens? Or that there is more hooliganism and violence today than in the past (you’ve been listening to the mass media, haven’t you?)
Nor do we understand what is meant by saying that capitalism is past its zenith. The evolution of society has been one in which classes have struggled against one another for the ownership of the means of living, and this applies today. The capitalist system has been in existence two hundred years or less. At times it appears exuberant, at others in low water; but it remains capitalism nevertheless, and its giving way to Socialism will take place only when the working class pursues its economic interests to their proper conclusion.
If you want to bet that royalty will have been disposed of by 1980, we can find you a taker.
Editors.
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