The real revolutionary beast not the century-old ghost INTERNATIONALISM - VITAL INGREDIENT FOR SOCIALISTS. GIVE GENEROUSE: SOCIALISM' tured word in the history of Brush politics What they talk abou incomes and corting hack badly-necded social services. These socülises are out to pur British capitalisa back on its feel by making sure that the bosses get the profitsthey want.
When Thatcher and the Tories say that this clection is a matter of 'free enterprise versus socialism" they find themseives in agreement with Tony Benn and the (allbough Callaghan and his right-wing cronies are hot so quick to agree).
Would that it were all that casy, Just imagine if a party exised today, fully supported the movement in this country dedicated to building a socialist sociery. warse of our troubles would soon be LINCE For one thing is sure. With a stretch of Tory Government cconomic crisis such a party would quickiy LOATHE the working people of the need for a drastic overhaul of the present system. It could take office with the sort of real support factories, schools, homes and streets) that socialism is built out of.
But the troth is rarely anyone's propaganda.
numbers, and even fewer are figliting for the victory of socialist ideas in this clection. Far fewer yet again will cater the portals of Parliament self respecting JONESE would be able to show his or her face on the Government benches, party wins.
I will be a long, tough haul before the fantasies of the Tories and the bosses press abour the socialism becomes a reality, important part of this will be destroying and for all the myths about 'socialism' and ensuring that every working man and woman at least We can start by saying quite certainly what socialism is not:
"Socialism' is not freezing workers" wages while prices rocker and the living standardsol working peopleare cut;
"Socialisma' is not about setting up "nationalised companies headed by the samesort of people as the old capitalist firms, exploit МОТАСТЬ ДЕЛС SOC was, ara car ou as if nothing had ever changed:
"Socinlism' is not about nicely warded Jaws discrimination. against peuple like women and blacks, and protecting the rights of workers, then letting thugs in blue atrack those who try to make sure that words become a reality.
"Socialism' is not about sending in an organised death and torture-machine, employing the most modern technologs adapled to the cruellest purposes. in order to preserve a 'sertlement' chal was imposed by forse on the rish peopie by the most blatant capitalist politicians 50 "Socialism' is not about using the scarce economie resources country to manufscure machines and Tories mean when cialists ira gang for OnCE Labour lefts Then the theworld;
and renewed In short, majority of of Westminster trying astheir Tory opponents"
as peetty as In reality and no HOMELINE a inter to acmocrats. Willians and rather revolutionary beast, *democracy 'threat' of field: onC An of London.
inhabit these corridors "democracy has an iron fist workers at Dunlop which arc in the purseit of profit?
theit passing outlawing oppressed race-hatred community? And how and uniforms weapons to prop up the bloodiest and most rcactionary regimes elsewhere in 'Socialism" is not jer-setting arpund the globe to try and save the bacon of every pony tyrant us na by Je good customers for British business;
"socialism Tim Callaghan, Denis Healey, David Owen, Tony Henn and an assorted crowd of ladies and sitting on their backsides in the Palace think up escuses for following the same policies The real meaning of socialsa can be summed up in one phrase: it means the mas of ordinary working men women taking power, laking control of their own lives and all those things that According to the Tories 'socialism' is Shirles friends nod in sage agreement when faced with the real, and not a century-old ghost. But for these people occupies a rather nanow square mile so: that contans Parlameal, Downing Street and Whitehall, and another in the City For chose of us not so privileped as to the rule of the boss at work, the head at school, the police in the street fand the judges and prison warders afierwardsi. Did the in Spese get a voIc to decide whether their muttinational employer would smash their lives to bits Did the workers at Grunwick vote that they wanted to have scab buses driven through their picker lines at top speed? Did the black community in Southall have a democratic say in deciding whether the Nazi purveyors of couki invade their would Blair Peach have voted if democracy" had ruled the policeman's truncheon"
Socialism would bring about, not a democracy of the two square miles, but democracy over every inch of the country and for every -BIC inhabitants.
In the factories, offices and shops, workers would have their own mass assemblies and freely-choosen committees in which the decisions about their work and livelihood would be taken on a democratic basis atter free discussion based on full nocess to all the relevant information.
Democratic assemblies, free discus sion, control by workers" representa tives — that is what socialism would put in the place of closely-guarded business secrets, the victimisation of workers who speak their mind, and the tyranny of anonymous and self-selected boards of directors and bankers.
Similar mass assemblies in the local communities would extend democracy: to those (men, women and people) who carry out their social tasks in the home; to distinctive communities (like minoricy groups or nationalities) who have nopic slicesaway frons work Already copitalin sound the world recognie that kica cheaper and more efficient government bureaucracies in dealing with social problems. course, only interested in this as a means of saving money and are afraid to see such bodies grow. But socialism would not be atraid. In place of bureaucracy, cerruption and privileged pressure proups il would put a system that ensured everyone a volce and a vote in important decisions and was most interested and concerned about the least of its members This would arise by guaranteeing to all those who felt that their views or interests were not adequately represented in the suste currents opinion oppressed, groups argue their case and to form their own special organisations to proteer their of its interesis and light for them within the democratic framework.
On the basis of these democratic organisations resional and national assemblies their representatives would meet to deal with the broader problems of the economy and society. Parliament and the Whichall bureaucrats would pale in comparison democratic bodies, resting upon the support and enthusiasm of the working Class and its DreamsEm Under socialism no one would be a POINCISE pobitician, and no one would be a boss and everyone would be a boss. Because no one would have a monopoly to take that decisions and run the lives people, but eversone would be able to make political decisions and run their own lives collectively Such system particular compatible probiems to sort our; and would take ! powers of freedom and imprisonment ON HER MAJESTY S SERVICE questiom that arteer governments sell help troups are new order than They are, of repression would unnecessary -whether minority especially basie rights to inferior" in the past!.
of working people situations with such genuinely and everyone would be a of other had grown up, would not be alongside the with concentrating the involve Their "democracy werkers democracy DEMO KAUT RATION CARD Taranton iles yout cost doe CHEF LUOR* I Normal telet group thethe police tigend the aring, at present, Sech groups world represent a constant near to tac They would ince table he arrached to the old days when democrace was tep in it place and they had a free hand, ans provide a permancor ally for she big losers under socialism — the cantales — whe would be constantly plotting to get back their power and privileges by hook or by crook. The example of Chile shows only too ciearly the terrible danger of overlooking this But such special machiners of also be totall socialism. The existence of i just and democratic social order would massively reduce social disconcent. Of course for some time there would still be problems, with those who had been most miseducated or roost ground down under capiralism still acting in various anti-social ways (enpaping in crime or using violence to ger iheir own way or continuins 10 victimise those they were told were But what would be needed would be a real elfort to change these views and take the hear out of unnecessarily tense Continual wrongdoen would have to be dealt with by forms of tecatment which wouid recognise the wronglulness on their behaviour and protect their victims but also leave every door open to their refamn.
Who could best do this? The bright-syed lads in blue with sirens screaming and truncheons Blasting Khaki-suited spacemen with fixed bayonets? Bewigged old men with then hearing-aids turned down? That's the way it's done now. But socialism would reiy upon the mere socially-conscious members of the iocal community who warked and lved wrongdoers and could understand their actious as well as the need to change them.
Not only would a popular militia have all these advantages, but it would only realtively small proportion of the people at any one Ime and could be run on a voluntary basis, This would free the snumense numbers of blue and brown parasie that presently populate these islands to help build a better life for all, rather than defendine the good life for the If the socialism of those whom the Tories describe as 'the socialists' is a sham it is one that is outdone by the "democracy of the Tory "democrats is for the rich, the powerful, the privileged — in short for the one percent who don't need it Socialisen fights for the democracy of Those whose only weapon is democratic unity and action, those who fought for and created democracy in this country in the first place, and whose struggle is the only thine keeping ir alive today: Sagalie Challence 1Mas1992.298e
Socialist Challenge
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