It’s election time again (2009)

From the May 2009 issue of the Socialist Standard

The Socialist Party will be standing in the elections to the European Parliament on 4 June. These elections will be held under a system of proportional representation and the whole of Greater London will be a single constituency. We will be presenting a full list of 8 candidates. There are over 5 million electors in London. Which will be the largest number of workers up to now who will be faced with possibility of voting for world socialism. Below is the socialist manifesto on which our candidates will be standing.

Every few years groups of professional politicians compete for your vote to win themselves a comfortable position, this time in the European Parliament. All of the other parties and candidates offer only minor changes to the present system. That is why whichever candidate or party wins there is no significant change to the way things are. Promises are made and broken, targets are set and not reached, statistics are selected and spun.

All politicians assume that capitalism is the only game in town, although they may criticise features of its unacceptable face, such as greedy bankers, or the worst of its excesses, such as unwinnable wars. They defend a society in which we, the majority of the population, must sell our capacity to work to the tiny handful who own most of the wealth. They defend a society in which jobs are offered only if there is a profit to be made.

Real socialism
The Socialist Party urges a truly democratic society in which people take all the decisions that affect them. This means a society without rich and poor, without owners and workers, without governments and governed, a society without leaders and led.

In such a society people would cooperate to use all the world’s natural and industrial resources in their own interests. They would free production from the artificial restraint of profit and establish a system of society in which each person has free access to the benefits of civilisation. Socialist society would consequently mean the end of buying, selling and exchange, an end to borders and frontiers, an end to organised violence and coercion, waste, want and war.

What you can do
You can vote for candidates who will work within the capitalist system and help keep it going. Or you can use your vote to show you want to overturn it and end the problems it causes once and for all.

When enough of us join together, determined to end inequality and deprivation, we can transform elections into a means of doing away with a society of minority rule in favour of a society of real democracy and social equality.

If you agree with the idea of a society of common and democratic ownership where no one is left behind and things are produced because they are needed, and not to make a profit for some capitalist corporation, and are prepared to join with us to achieve this then vote for the SOCIALIST PARTY list.

The election will of course be taken place outside London too, in fact in most of Europe. To take account of this, our manifesto will be translated into German, French, Spanish, Italian and Swedish and distributed by socialists there as well as being published on the website of the World Socialist Movement at  www.worldsocialism.org. In the rest of Britain, and in Ireland, the following leaflet will be distributed.


Flying pigs and the Euro elections

You might have heard of the Euro elections, the biggest in history, 500 million people, 27 countries, June 4th? You’re supposed to choose which of your local crème-de-la-crème get to go on free holidays to Brussels and Strasbourg, and the powers that be are a bit worried that you won’t take it seriously enough to bother voting. Shame on you!

Just to show how desperately important all this is, here’s a few ways in which the European Parliament has recently changed your life enormously:

• working time directives limiting your weekly hours to 48 (but don’t worry, the UK government opted out of that one pretty smartly).
• all-inclusive air-fare prices (for those of you frequently travelling to Brussels and Strasbourg…).
• REACH directive on industrial chemical use.
• roaming mobile phone directives (for those of you frequently travelling to Brussels and Strasbourg…).

Alright, not very Earth-shaking, admittedly. If you’re struggling to make ends meet on benefits, or facing redundancy or any of the hundred problems workers are always having, these are probably not the issues that will drag you out to the polling booth.

The fact is, the whole Euro show is not really designed to do anything for YOU, it’s just designed to stop the big Ruling Piggies from going to war with each other, like they did in the two World Wars. Though it’s a good idea to avoid wars, since it’s always workers who end up suffering, it’s really the expense that bothers them, not your welfare. If they make the Euro-trough big enough, goes the thinking, they can all shove in their snouts without getting in each other’s way. It’s all about the money, surprise surprise. While money and capitalism exist, it always will be.

You might think, especially with this economic depression, that capitalism does nothing but make a slave out of you, and that it’s only the rich that benefit. If your local candidates are not saying this, why bother voting for them? Well, better to make a statement than stay silent. All you have to do is write something rude across your ballot paper, or if you prefer, ‘Abolish money and capitalism’ or ‘World Socialism, common ownership and democratic control’, if it’ll fit. A vote’s always worth using, even when there’s nobody worth voting for.

And when you’ve done that, go and find some like-minded people at www.worldsocialism.org

È ancora tempo di elezioni

Ogni quattro o cinque anni gruppi di politici di professione competono per il tuo voto con lo scopo di ottenere per se stessi una posizione privilegiata, questa volta nel Parlamento Europeo. Tutti i partiti e i candidati (ad eccezione dei rarissimi candidati del Movimento Socialista Mondiale) offrono solo cambiamenti minori all’attuale sistema. Ecco perché qualunque candidato o partito vinca non vi è nessun significante cambiamento del presente stato delle cose. Continuamente vengono fatte promesse che poi vengono ritirate, vengono fissati obiettivi che poi non vengono raggiunti, vengono selezionate e create ad arte delle statistiche.

Tutti i politici partono dal presupposto che il capitalismo sia l’unico modo di vivere possibile, anche se alcuni di loro criticano delle caratteristiche della sua faccia inaccettabile, come per esempio i banchieri avidi, o il peggio dei suoi eccessi, come per esempio le guerre. Difendono una società in cui noi, la maggioranza della popolazione, dobbiamo vendere le nostre capacità lavorative a una minuscola minoranza che possiede la maggior parte delle ricchezze. Difendono una società in cui i posti di lavoro sono offerti solo se c’è un profitto da realizzare.

Il vero socialismo

Il Movimento Socialista Mondiale propone con insistenza una società veramente democratica in cui le persone prendono tutte le decisioni che le riguardano. Questo significa una società senza ricchi e senza poveri, senza padroni e senza lavoratori, senza governi e senza governati, una società senza leader e senza seguaci.

In una società del genere le persone coopererebbero per usare tutte le risorse naturali e industriali del mondo nel loro proprio interesse. Libererebbero la produzione dalle restrizioni artificiali del profitto e realizzerebbero un sistema sociale in cui ogni persona avrebbe libero accesso ai benefici della civiltà. La società socialista comporterà di conseguenza la fine della compravendita e dello scambio, la fine dei confini e delle frontiere, la fine della violenza organizzata e della coercizione, dello spreco, del bisogno e della guerra.

Cosa puoi fare

Puoi votare per candidati che opereranno all’interno del sistema capitalista e aiutare la continuazione di questo sistema. Oppure puoi usare il tuo voto per mostrare che desideri abbatterlo e porre fine una volta per tutte ai problemi che esso causa.

Quando un numero sufficiente di noi si unirà insieme, determinati a porre fine all’ineguaglianza e alla privazione, potremo trasformare le elezioni in un mezzo per sbarazzarci di una società di dominio minoritario in favore di una società veramente democratica e di uguaglianza sociale.

Se sei d’accordo con l’idea di una società di proprietà comune e democratica dove nessuno è lasciato indietro e le cose sono prodotte perché sono necessarie, e non per fare un profitto per qualche grande impresa capitalista, e sei pronto ad unirti a noi per ottenere ciò, allora vota per essa, dal momento che in Italia non abbiamo nostri candidati, scrivendo “SOCIALISMO MONDIALE” sulla tua scheda elettorale.

İnsanlar….. ya da Kâr?

Yine seçim zamanı

Her birkaç yılda bir politikacılar kendilerine rahat bir pozisyon sağlayacak oylarınızı kazanmak için birbirleriyle yarışırlar; bu yıl da Avrupa Parlementosu seçimlerinde bu oylar için yarışacaklar. Varolan bütün partiler ve adaylar şu an için varolan sistemde çok düşük düzeyde değişiklikler öne sürüyorlar. Bu nedenle hangi aday ya da parti seçimleri kazanırsa kazansın şu anda varolan durumda belirgin bir değişiklik ne yazık ki gerçekleşemiyor. Sözler veriliyor ve yerine getirilmiyor, hedefler belirleniyor ancak ulaşilamıyor istatistik sonuçlar belirleniyor ve sonuçlar üzerine oynanıyor.

Aç gözlü bankerler ya da kazanılamayan savaşlar gibi kabul edilemeyen bazı özelliklerini eleştirseler de bütün politikacılar kapitalizimin varolan tek alternatif olduğunu düşünüyorlar. Toplumun çogunlugunu oluşturan bizlerin kapasitemizi refahın büyük bir kısmını ellerinde bulunduran küçük bir azınlığa satmamızın gerektiği bir sistemi savunuyorlar. Bizlere sadece kâr getirebilecek işlerin sunulduğu bir sistemi savunuyorlar.

Gerçek Sosyalizm

Sosyalist Parti kişilerin kendilerini etkileyen bütün kararları bizzat kendilerinin aldığı demokratik bir sistemin gerekliliğini vurgular. Demokratik sistemle söylenmek istenen zengin ve yoksulların, refah sahibi olanlar ile işçilerin, yönetenlerle yönetilenlerin, liderlerle idare edilenlerin olmadığı bir sistemdir.

Böyle bir toplumda kişiler üretimi kâr elde etme güdüsünün baskısından kurtaracak ve herkesin uygarlaşmanın faydalarından serbestçe yararlanabileceği bir toplum oluşturacaklardır. Sosyalist toplum sonuç olarak alım, satım, değiş-tokuş gibi işlemlerin bittiği, sınırların olmadığı, örgütlü suçlar, baskı rejimleri, savaşlar, sarfiyat ve yokluğun sonlandırıldığı bir toplum olacaktır.

Ne yapabilirsiniz

Kapitalist sistemde çalisacak ve sistemin devam etmesine yardımcı olacak adaylara oy verebilirsiniz. Alternatif olarak oyunuzu, bu sistemi değiştirmeyi ve sistemle birlikte gelen problemleri bir defada ve tümüyle sonlandırmayı istediğinizi göstermek için kullanabilirsiniz.

Toplumun büyük bir çogunlugunu oluşturan bizler yoksulluk ve eşitsizliğe son vermeye kararlı bir şekilde yeterli sayıda bir araya geldiğimizde seçimleri kullanarak refah sahibi azınlıkların yönettiği bir toplumdan kurtulup yerine sosyal eşitlik ve gerçek demokrasi temelli bir toplum inşa edebiliriz.

Her birkaç yılda bir politikacılar kendilerine rahat bir pozisyon sağlayacak oylarınızı kazanmak için birbirleriyle yarışırlar; bu yıl da Avrupa Parlementosu seçimlerinde bu oylar için yarışacaklar. Varolan bütün partiler ve adaylar şu an için varolan sistemde çok düşük düzeyde değişiklikler öne sürüyorlar. Bu nedenle hangi aday ya da parti seçimleri kazanırsa kazansın şu anda varolan durumda belirgin bir değişiklik ne yazık ki gerçekleşemiyor. Sözler veriliyor ve yerine getirilmiyor, hedefler belirleniyor ancak ulaşilamıyor istatistik sonuçlar belirleniyor ve sonuçlar üzerine oynanıyor.

Aç gözlü bankerler ya da kazanılamayan savaşlar gibi kabul edilemeyen bazı özelliklerini eleştirseler de bütün politikacılar kapitalizimin varolan tek alternatif olduğunu düşünüyorlar. Toplumun çogunlugunu oluşturan bizlerin kapasitemizi refahın büyük bir kısmını ellerinde bulunduran küçük bir azınlığa satmamızın gerektiği bir sistemi savunuyorlar. Bizlere sadece kâr getirebilecek işlerin sunulduğu bir sistemi savunuyorlar.

Gerçek Sosyalizm

Sosyalist Parti kişilerin kendilerini etkileyen bütün kararları bizzat kendilerinin aldığı demokratik bir sistemin gerekliliğini vurgular. Demokratik sistemle söylenmek istenen zengin ve yoksulların, refah sahibi olanlar ile işçilerin, yönetenlerle yönetilenlerin, liderlerle idare edilenlerin olmadığı bir sistemdir.

Böyle bir sistemde kişiler dünyanın bütün doğal ve endüstriyel.

Kimsenin geride bırakılmadığı, herşeyin kapitalist bir şirkete kâr getirmek amacıyla değil insanların gereksinimi doğrultusunda üretildigi, ortak ve demokratik mülkiyet temelli bir toplum düşüncesini kabul ediyorsanız ve bu amaca ulşmak için bizlere katılmaya hazırsanız oylarınızı SOCIALIST PARTY listesi için kullanınız.

Znowu wybory

Co parę lat grupy profesjonalnych polityków konkurują o Twój głos, żeby zdobyć sobie wygodny stołek, tym razem w Parlamencie Europejskim. Wszstkie z tych partii i wszyscy kandydaci oferują tylko niewielkie zmiany do obecnego systemu społeczno-gospodarczego. Dlatego właśnie, którykolwiek kandydat czy partie zwyciężą, nic się wokół nas nie zmienia.

Obiecanki cacanki

Wszyscy politycy zakładają, że kapitalizm jest jedyną drogą, nawet jeśli krytykują jego nieakceptowalne przejawy, np. zachłannych bankierów czy wojny nie do wygrania. Bronią oni społeczeństwa, w którym my, wiekszość ludzkości, musimy sprzedawać naszą zdolność do pracy dla niewielkiej garstki posiadających środki produkcji. Bronią oni społeczeństwa, w którym praca jest oferowana tylko wtedy, jeśli uda się zrobić zysk.

Prawdziwy socjalizm

Partia Socjalistyczna proponuje prawdziwie demokratyczne społeczeństwo, w którym wszyscy ludzie podejmują decyzje ich dotyczące. Oznacza to społeczeństwo bez biednych i bogatych, bez właścicieli środków produkcji i robotników, bez rządzących i rządzonych, społeczeństwo bez przywódców i podporządkowanej im masy.

W takim społeczeństwie ludzie bedą współpracować ze sobą, by używać zasobów naturalnych i przemysłowych w swym własnym interesie. Uwolnią oni produkcje dóbr ze sztucznych ograniczeń zysku i ustanowią system społeczny, w którym każda osoba ma bezpłatny dostęp do dóbr cywilizacyjnych.

Społeczeństwo socjalistyczne w konsekwencji będzie oznaczać koniec sprzedawania, kupowania i wymiany, zniesienie granic, koniec zorganizowanej przemocy i przymusu, marnotrawstwa i wojen.

Co możesz zrobić?

Możesz głosować na kandydatów, którzy będą pracować wewnątrz systemu kapitalistycznego i pomagać mu przetrwać. Lub też możesz użyc swego głosu, żeby pokazać, że chcesz jego zniesienia i skończenia z problemami, jakie ze sobą niesie, raz i na zawsze.

Gdy wystarczająco wielu z nas razem połączy się, zdecydowanych skończyć z nierównościa i ubóstwem, to możemy zmienić wybory parlamentarne w narzędzie odrzucenia społeczeństwa rządów mniejszosci.

Jeśli zgadzasz sie z ideą społeczeństwa wspólnej demokratycznej własności, gdzie nikt nie jest pozostawiony sam sobie na marginesie społecznym i rzeczy są wytwarzane, poniewaz są społecznie potrzebne, a nie tylko by tworzyć zysk dla jakiejś kapitalistycznej korporacji, i jeśli jesteś gotowy połaczyć się z naszym celem, to głosuj na listę Partii Socjalistycznej.

Anmerkungen der Sozialistischen Partei zur Europawahl 2009

Wahrscheinlich wirst du schon etwas über die Wahlen zum Europäischen Parlament gehört haben, der größten Wahl in Europa, die es bislang gegeben hat. Denn in den 27 Staaten der Europäischen Union leben 500 Millionen Menschen. Du bist aufgerufen, zwischen dem 4. und 7. Juni diejenigen aus dem Kreis der „politischen Elite“ deines Wahlbezirks zu wählen, die ihre Ferien in Brüssel und Strassburg werden verbringen können. Auf deine Kosten, versteht sich.

Die Machthaber sind aber derzeit ein wenig in Sorge, ob du überhaupt von ihren Argumenten und ihrem Wahlspektakel genügend angetan sein wirst, um zur Wahl zu gehen. Sie befürchten, dass du zu Hause bleibst. Schande über Dich!

Um dir deutlich zu machen, warum das alles so wichtig, oder eher unwichtig ist, könnten wir dir ein paar Hinweise darauf geben, in welchen Bereichen in der letzten Zeit das Europäische Parlament dein Leben veränderte (in der englischsprachigen Version tun wir es auch): Aber das Ergebnis ist, dass es dabei nichts Wichtiges aufzuzählen gibt, daher lassen wir es hier bei dieser Feststellung bewenden.

Insbesondere wenn du auf die so genannten “Sozialleistungen” angewiesen oder „arbeitslos“, also mittellos, bist, oder wenn dich die vielen Problemen plagen, mit denen Lohnabhängige, auch und gerade wenn sie „Arbeit haben“, ständig konfrontiert sind, dann hast du wirklich keinen Grund, zur Wahl zu gehen und einen dieser üblichen Kandidaten der Linken, der Rechten oder der Mitte zu wählen.

Tatsache ist, dass das Spektakel der Eurowahl nicht aufgeführt wird, um irgendetwas Gutes für DICH zu tun. Es dient dazu, die herrschenden Eliten des Kapitals davon abzuhalten, übereinander herzufallen, also gegeneinander in Europa Krieg zu führen, wie sie das in der Geschichte, mehr als einmal, taten. Wir erinnern nur an den Ersten und den Zweiten Weltkrieg.

Obwohl es natürlich eine gute Idee ist, Kriege zu vermeiden - denn es sind Arbeiterinnen und Arbeiter, die an dessen Folgen am Meisten zu leiden haben - ist es mitnichten dieser „Wohlfahrtsaspekt“, der eine Rolle spielen würde. Die eigentliche Motivation ist hingegen die Angst des Kapitals, zu viel Geld für die Kriegsführung ausgeben zu müssen. Die kapitalistischen Eliten wollen zwar alle (mehr als) satt werden, aber ohne unnötigerweise Gefahr zu laufen, im Maul und zwischen den Zähnen ihrer Konkurrenten zu enden. Es geht - wer hätte das gedacht – um Profit und Geld. Und daran wird sich auch nichts ändern, solange der Kapitalismus und das Geld bestehen bleiben. Abgesehen davon ist der kapitalistische Friede – global betrachtet – immer nur ein Zwischenzustand, denn kapitalistische Konkurrenz und Kriege gehören zusammen.

Vielleicht denkst du ja wirklich angesichts der Wirtschafts- und Finanzkrise, dass der Kapitalismus für dich nichts tut, außer dass er dich zu seinem Lohnsklaven macht, dessen einzige anerkannte Existenzberechtigung darin besteht, die Reichen noch reicher zu machen. Wenn aber die Kandidaten in deinem Wahlkreis dies nicht so klar und deutlich sehen und es aussprechen, warum solltest du einen von ihnen wählen?

Es ist besser, wenigstens im Stillen etwas zu sagen oder zu schreiben, als vollkommen schweigend und untätig zu verharren. Insofern solltest du zur Wahl gehen, dann aber „ungültig“ stimmen, zum Beispiel dadurch, dass du auf den Wahlzettel „Abschaffung des Geldes und des Kapitalismus“ oder „Weltsozialismus – gemeinschaftliches Eigentum und gleichberechtigte Kontrolle“ schreibst. Danach besuche unsere Webseite www.worldsocialism.org, auf der du Leute treffen wirst, die ähnlich denken, wie du.

Wir meinen, dass es durchaus sinnvoll ist, eine Wahl zu treffen, auch wenn es bei der Europawahl niemanden gibt, der es Wert wäre, gewählt zu werden.

De nuevo es tiempo de elecciones

Cada cierto número de años los políticos profesionales compiten por ganar el voto de usted y a la par ganar para sí mismos una posición acomodada, esta vez en Parlamento Europeo. Todos los partidos y candidatos ofrecen sólo cambios secundarios al sistema presente. Tal es la razón de gane el candidato o partido que gane no haya cambios importantes en la forma en son las cosas. Hacen promesas que no cumplen, se definen metas a las que nunca se llega, se seleccionan y tuercen las estadísticas.

Todos los políticos suponen que al capitalismo es a lo único que se puede jugar, aunque quizá critiquen los rasgos de cara su inaceptable, como los banqueros codiciosos, o el peor de sus excesos, como las guerras imposibles de ganar. Defienden la sociedad en que nosotros, la mayoría de la población, debemos vender nuestra capacidad de trabajar a la ínfima mayoría de quienes detentan la mayor parte de la riqueza. Defienden una sociedad en que se ofrecen los trabajos sólo si van a reportar una ganancia.

El socialismo real

El Movimiento Socialista Mundial lucha con vehemencia por una sociedad de verdad democrática, en que la gente tome todas las decisiones que la afectan. Esto significa una sociedad sin ricos ni pobres, sin propietarios ni trabajadores, sin gobernantes ni gobernados, una sociedad sin líderes ni liderados.

En una sociedad así la gente cooperaría para utilizar todos los recursos naturales e industriales en su propio interés. La gente liberaría la producción de las restricciones artificiales del lucro y establecería un sistema social en que cada persona tuviera acceso gratuito a los beneficios de la civilización. En consecuencia, con la sociedad socialista terminaría el comprar, el vender y el intercambiar, y con ella también dejarían de existir las fronteras, y la violencia y la coerción organizadas, el desperdicio, las carencias y las guerras.

Qué puede usted hacer

Puede usted votar por candidatos que trabajarán dentro del sistema capitalista y procurarán que siga funcionando. O puede usted emplear su voto para demostrar que quiere derrumbarlo y ponerle fin a los problemas que causa de una vez por todas.

Cuando un número suficientemente grande de nosotros nos unamos, resueltos a terminar con la desigualdad y las privaciones, podremos transformar las elecciones en medio de acabar con una sociedad gobernada por una minoría y de declararnos a favor de una sociedad de democracia real e igualdad social.

Si está usted de acuerdo con una sociedad de propiedad común y democrática en la cual nadie se quede atrás y las cosas se produzcan porque son necesarias, y no para que la empresa capitalista las venda con ganancia, y esté usted dispuesto a unirse a nosotros para lograrlo, entonces vote por eso, ya que no estamos en este distrito electoral, escribiendo “SOCIALISMO MUNDIAL” en su papeleta de voto.

Mensen…. of winst ?

Het is weer verkiezingstijd

Elke paar jaar strijden groepen professionele politic om uw stem, om voor zichzelf een comfortabele positie te verkrijgen, dit keer in het Europese Parlement. Al de andere partijen en kandidaten bieden slechts kleine veranderingen aan van het huidige systeem. Daarom is er vrijwel geen verandering in de status quo, welke kandidaat of partij er ook wint. Beloftes worden gemaakt en gebroken, doelen gezet en niet gehaald, statistieken geselecteerd en gemasseerd.

Alle politici beweren dat kapitalisme het enige mogelijke model is, hoewel ze onderdelen van kapitalisme’s onacceptabele gezicht bekritiseren, zoals graaiende bankiers, of de ergste excessen er van, zoals onwinbare oorlogen. Ze verdedigen een maatschappij waarin wij, de meerderheid van de bevoling, onze capaciteit om te werken moeten verkopen aan het kleine handjevol dat de meeste rijkdom bezit. Ze verdedigen een maatschappij waarin banen alleen worden aangeboden als er winst mee te maken valt.

Echt socialisme

De Socialistische Partij dringt aan op een waarachtig democratische samenleving waarin mensen alle beslissingen die hen betreffen, zelf nemen. Dit betekent een samenleving zonder rijk en arm, zonder eigenaars en werkers, zonder regeringen en geregeerden, een samenleving zonder leiders en geleiden.

In zo’n samenleving zouden mensen samenwerken om alle natuurlijke en industriële hulpbronnen in hun eigen belang te gebruiken. Dit zou productie bevrijden van het kunstmatige keurslijf van winst en een systeem van samenleving tot stand brengen waar elke persoon vrije toegang heeft tot de baten van de beschaving. Een socialistische samenleving zou dus het einde betekenen van kopen, verkopen en uitwisselen, een einde aan grenzen, een einde aan georganiseerd geweld en dwang, verspilling, armoede en oorlog.

Wat u kan doen

U kunt stemmen voor kandidaten die in het kapitalistische systeem werken en helpen om het gaande te houden. Of u kunt uw stem gebruiken om te laten zien dat u dit systeem omver wil werpen en de problemen die het veroorzaakt voor eens en voor altijd wil beëindigen.

Als genoeg van ons samenkomen, vastbesloten om ongelijkheid en ontbering te beëindigen, kunnen we verkiezingen veranderen in een manier om van een samenleving gebaseerd op minderheidsheerschappij af te komen, ten gunste van een samenleving gebaseerd op echte democratie en sociale gelijkheid.

Als u het eens bent met het idee van een samenleving met gemeenschappelijk en democratisch eigendom waar niemand achtergelaten wordt en dingen geproduceerd worden omdat ze nodig zijn en niet om winst te maken voor één of ander kapitalistisch bedrijf, en u bereid bent om met ons samen te werken om dit te bereiken, schrijf dan WERELDSOCIALISME op uw stembiljet.

Nu är det val igen

Av och till tävlar grupper av yrkespolitiker om din röst för att själva kunna skaffa sig en bekväm position, den här gången i EU-parlamentet. Alla partier och kandidater erbjuder bara mindre förändringar av det nuvarande systemet. Oavsett vilken kandidat eller vilket parti som vinner kommer ingen förändring av vikt att inträffa. Givna löften bryts, uppställda mål uppnås inte och statistik väljs ut och manipuleras.

Politiker kan visserligen kritisera sådana företeelser som giriga bankirer eller vidriga krig, men alla utgår de från att kapitalismen är det enda möjliga systemet. De försvarar ett system i vilket vi, majoriteten av befolkningen, måste sälja vår arbetskraft till en liten förmögen minoritet. De försvarar ett system i vilket det finns jobb bara när det går att göra vinst.

Verklig socialism

Den världssocialistiska rörelsen eftersträvar ett verkligt demokratiskt samhälle i vilket människorna själva fattar alla beslut som påverkar dem. Det innebär ett samhälle utan fattiga och rika, utan ägare och arbetare, utan regeringar och styrda, ett samhälle utan ledare och ledda.

I ett sådant samhälle skulle människor samarbeta för att använda jordens naturtillgångar och industrianläggningar i sitt eget intresse. De skulle befria produktionen från det konstgjorda hinder som kravet på vinst ställer upp och upprätta ett samhällssystem i vilket alla människor har fri tillgång till det som samhället producerar. Det socialistiska samhället skulle innebära slutet för köp, försäljning och utbyte, ett slut på gränser och nationer, och ett slut på organiserat våld och förtryck, slöseri, nöd och krig.

Vad du kan göra

Du kan rösta på kandidater som kommer att arbeta inom det kapitalistiska systemet och hjälpa till att hålla det igång. Eller så kan du använda din röst för att visa att du vill avskaffa det och en gång för alla göra slut på problemen som kapitalismen orsakar.

När tillräckligt många av oss förenar sig kan vi förändra valen till att bli ett medel för att göra slut på ett samhälle med minoritetsstyre till förmån för ett samhälle med verklig demokrati och social jämlikhet.

Om du håller med om detta och är beredd att förena dig med oss för att uppnå detta samhälle kan du rösta för det genom att skriva VÄRLDSSOCIALISM, WORLD SOCIALISM, på din valsedel.

MÅL: Att upprätta ett samhällssystem baserat på hela samhällets gemensamma ägande och demokratiska kontroll av produktions- och distributionsmedlen.gemensamt.

Encore des élections

À intervalles de quelques années, des groupes de politiciens professionnels entrent en compétition pour gagner votre vote et ainsi accéder à une position confortable, cette fois-ci au Parlement Européen. Tous les partis et candidats n'offrent que des changements mineurs au système actuel. C'est pourquoi il n'y a jamais de véritable changement à l'état des choses, peu importe le candidat élu. Des promesses sont faites et brisées, des buts sont fixés mais jamais atteints et on joue au ventriloque avec des statistiques.

Tous les politiciens assument que la seule option est le capitalisme, même s'ils critiquent ses côtés inacceptables, comme des banquiers cupides, et ses pires excès, comme des guerres sans victoire. Ils défendent un système social dans lequel nous, la majorité de la population, devons vendre notre force de travail à une poignée de personnes qui possèdent la plupart des richesses. Ils défendent un système social dans lequel des emplois sont offerts seulement si un profit peut être fait.

Le véritable socialisme

Le Mouvement pour le socialisme mondial désire une société véritablement démocratique dans laquelle les gens pourront prendre les décisions qui les affectent. C'est une société sans riches et pauvres, sans propriétaires et travailleurs, sans gouvernants et gouvernés, une société sans chefs et moutons.

Dans une telle société, les gens coopéreraient pour que les ressources naturelles et industrielles du monde servent leurs intérêts. Ils libéreraient la production des chaînes du profit et établiraient un monde dans lequel chacun pourra accéder librement aux bienfaits de la civilisation. Une société socialiste implique la fin de l'achat, de la vente et de l'échange, la fin des frontières, la fin de la violence et de l'oppression organisées, la fin du gaspillage, de la pauvreté et de la guerre.

Ce que vous pouvez faire

Vous pouvez voter pour des candidats qui travailleront à l'intérieur du système capitaliste et feront en sorte qu'il subsiste. Vous pouvez aussi utiliser votre vote pour montrer que vous voulez vous débarrasser de lui et des problèmes qu'il cause une fois pour toutes.

Quand nous serons assez nombreux à vouloir la fin de l'inégalité et de la privation, nous pourrons faire des élections un moyen de laisser derrière nous une société de pouvoir de la minorité pour passer à une société de véritable démocratie et égalité.

Si vous êtes d'accord avec l'idée d'une société de propriété commune et démocratique dans laquelle personne n'est mis à l'écart et la production servira à combler les besoins, plutôt que pour faire faire un profit à une entreprise, et êtes prêt à vous joindre à nous pour atteindre cet objectif, alors votez pour. Puisque nous ne nous présentons pas à ces élections, mettez un bulletin marqué « SOCIALISME MONDIAL » dans l’urne.

Editorial: Crisis of legitimacy (2009)

Editorial from the June 2009 issue of the Socialist Standard

The European elections this month could not have come at a better time for a disgruntled UK electorate. While clearly fuelled by a media fresh from savaging merchant bankers and seeking new victims, the anger felt amongst the public regarding the "creativity" shown by MPs in relation to their expenses claims is undoubtedly genuine enough. Having had it confirmed recently in a government report that deprivation and inequality had risen for the third year running, the UK working class might find the maintenance costs of an MPs moat – to take just one example – a little difficult to understand.

Of course in the scheme of things, while the expenses claims make interesting reading, the whole issue is a bit of a storm in a teacup, and should be kept in some perspective. A few grand nicked here or there is crumbs compared to the wholesale legalised theft of value that occurs on payday when workers receive less than the value they have produced for their employer during that month

Socialists have little concern for the apparent moral consistency (or otherwise) of individuals, be they MPs or not. It’s the system we live under that we are interested in. As defenders of capitalism the right honourable gentlemen and ladies at Westminster have rarely been "right", and are certainly unlikely "honourable" role models. As exemplars of capitalism's principles, however they would appear to embody all the necessary tight-fisted, money-grabbing, elements.

If we didn't know it already, the last year should have taught us that capitalism is just not a "fair" system. There are many more important criticisms that can be levelled against capitalism, but the idea of "fairness" – the assumption that the society we live in should basically be a fair one, giving everyone an equal shout and an equal chance – is a political sentiment that seems to strike a very deep chord with people. On that score, capitalism is clearly found wanting.

More importantly, workers' confidence in the money system has clearly taken a significant bashing in recent months as pensions evaporate, redundancies are announced and house repossessions increase. The legitimacy of our leaders – whether business or political – is under increasing attack. Bankers have been an easy scapegoat for the fundamental failings of the economic system, capitalism. It is likely that some of that anger focussed on bankers has been generalised against those in power in the form of the political class represented at Westminster. And seldom before can the political choice provided for us have seemed so narrow. Threatened by ridicule from the public, the main political parties – between queuing up to show their contrition and denouncing their own excesses in terms reminiscent of some Maoist show trial – have spoken with one voice, the pro-capitalist voice. For brevity and clarity we can call them the Capitalist Party, the real political opponent of the Socialist Party.

Euroelections: the case for the Socialist Party of Great Britain (2009)

Originally posted on the Labour supporting blog, Dave's Part

We don't want your vote. We don't want your vote if you think socialism means nationalisation, higher taxation, welfare state, council estates, national liberation, legalising marijuana or anything of that sort. In short, we don't want your vote if you think we need to keep and act within existing capitalism.
On the other hand, if you do want a sociaty of common ownership and democratic control; a worldwide co-operative commonwealth; the emancipation of labour from the chains of capital; then we're your people, because that's all we stand for.
Well, there's a further catch, because all we're doing is holding the banner aloft. If you want to make socialism happen you've got to prepared to do the work yourself - we're not leaders, and don't want to be. If you need someone to lead you into the promised land, some other bugger'll lead you straight back out again.
That's the choice in this election in a nutshell. A choice between confusing the issue, like whether it's better to be dominated by British capitalists or European ones; whether it's better to only allow capitalists to exploit us for a third of our waking hours, rather than a half; whether the state is the one that extracts profits from our labour, or private employers; or, making our demands crystal clear.
If you call yourself a socialist, why do you want to waste time trying to figure out how to make capitalism run better, anyway? The power to change the world lies in your hands, you don't need to be bound by accepting things as they are – the point is to change them. If a majority decided to remake the world, no force on Earth could stop them.
A vote for the Socialist Party is a vote that says you are ready to act to make this change. A signal to your fellow socialists that they are not alone. A signal to your fellow workers that some people take the actual idea of socialism seriously, rather than relegating it to some bedtime fairytale never-never for after the work of running capitalism is done.
Let's end on William Morris:

“One man with an idea in his head is in danger of being considered a madman: two men with the same idea in common may be foolish, but can hardly be mad; ten men sharing an idea begin to act, a hundred draw attention as fanatics, a thousand and society begins to tremble, a hundred thousand and there is war abroad, and the cause has victories tangible and real; and why only a hundred thousand? Why not a hundred million and peace upon the Earth? You and I who agree together, it is we who have to answer that question.”

Pik Smeet

The Socialist Party of Great Britain is contesting the London constituency in the forthcoming Euroelections. You can view its election manifesto here.
Socialist Party candidates will be speaking at the following hustings meetings:

On Monday 1 June there'll be two, organised by local trade unions:
(1) Council Chamber, Stratford Town Hall, 29 The Broadway, E15 at 6.30 pm. Pat Deutz will represent us.
(2) Phoenix Cinema, 52 High Road, East Finchley, N2 at 6.30. Bill Martin or Adam Buick will represent us.
On Tuesday 2 June at 6pm Danny Lambert will represent us at a meeting organised by the Public & Commercial Services Union in Committe Room 14 in the House of Commons. Don't know if any "ordinary" members will be allowed entry but if you try don't forget to bring a nose-peg with you.
On Wednesday 3 June at Harrow Baptist Church, College Road, HA1 (nearest tube: Harrow on the Hill). Our representative will be Adam Buick.

Be sure to also check out Vaux Populi, the SPGB election blog.

'(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Socialist Understanding?'

The Socialist Party is standing a full list of 8 candidates in the London Region in the coming elections to the European Parliament on 4 June.
Two meetings have been arranged so far.

SUNDAY 17 MAY at 6.00pm
YOUR CHANCE TO VOTE FOR WORLD SOCIALISM
Speakers: Tristan Miller and Danny Lambert (candidates)
at 52 Clapham High Street, SW4 (nearest tube: Clapham North). All welcome. Refreshments available.

TUESDAY 19 MAY at 8,00pm
EUROCAPITALISM OR WORLD SOCIALISM?
Speakers: Adam Buick and Simon Wigley (candidates)
Committee Room, Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace W4 (nearest tube: Chiswick Park)

You can follow the progress of the campaign via our election blog, Vaux Populi.
Our election manifesto can be read at the following link.

It’s election time again (2009)

The Socialist Party's Election Address for the forthcoming European Elections, which was cut and pasted from the SPGB election blog, Vaux Populi

It’s election time again
Every few years groups of professional politicians compete for your vote to win themselves a comfortable position, this time in the European Parliament. All of the other parties and candidates offer only minor changes to the present system. That is why whichever candidate or party wins there is no significant change to the way things are. Promises are made and broken, targets are set and not reached, statistics are selected and spun.

All politicians assume that capitalism is the only game in town, although they may criticise features of its unacceptable face, such as greedy bankers, or the worst of its excesses, such as unwinnable wars. They defend a society in which we, the majority of the population, must sell our capacity to work to the tiny handful who own most of the wealth. They defend a society in which jobs are offered only if there is a profit to be made.

Real socialism
The Socialist Party urges a truly democratic society in which people take all the decisions that affect them. This means a society without rich and poor, without owners and workers, without governments and governed, a society without leaders and led.

In such a society people would cooperate to use all the world’s natural and industrial resources in their own interests. They would free production from the artificial restraint of profit and establish a system of society in which each person has free access to the benefits of civilisation. Socialist society would consequently mean the end of buying, selling and exchange, an end to borders and frontiers, an end to organised violence and coercion, waste, want and war.

What you can do
You can vote for candidates who will work within the capitalist system and help keep it going. Or you can use your vote to show you want to overturn it and end the problems it causes once and for all.

When enough of us join together, determined to end inequality and deprivation, we can transform elections into a means of doing away with a society of minority rule in favour of a society of real democracy and social equality.

If you agree with the idea of a society of common and democratic ownership where no one is left behind and things are produced because they are needed, and not to make a profit for some capitalist corporation, and are prepared to join with us to achieve this then vote for the SOCIALIST PARTY list.