A split ruling class

From how I see it the ruling class nationally and internationally is split. More or less down the middle anyway on how to react to the crisis of their own capitalist system. Do they go for growth or austerity? It is something which features heavily within the European Union as also with intervention from the IMF The IMF echo’s America’s calls for growth but on what basis it doesn’t make clear. Clearly we live in a time of global economic melt down with no sign of a way out of the present crisis that anyone can see. Even China has seen its growth rates cut by the World Bank today too. There have been concerns whether China can sustain its high growth rate amid a global slowdown The World Bank has cut its growth forecast for China amid warnings of slower but more stable global growth over the coming months. The bank now expects the China to grow 7.7% in 2013, down from its earlier projection of 8.4%. It also cut the forecast for global economic growth to 2.2% from 2.4%. The bank said growth in China, the world's second-largest economy, had slowed as policymakers look to rebalance its growth model. Over the past few decades China has relied heavily on exports and government-led investment to boost its economy. However, a slowdown in key markets such as the US and Europe has seen a decline in demand for Chinese exports, prompting concerns whether China can sustain its high growth rate. This is not just a case of world governments being split and undecided to what to do but whole sections of the bourgeoisie who are finding themselves torn further and further apart on solutions for the crisis. Also take the example of Europe with some parts of the bourgeoisie wanting to make a hasty exit from the EU in order to boost our own competitiveness in terms of pushing down wage labour even further than possible at present whilst others warn against leaving and attack the others for even daring to suggest a exit. The euro zone does not work. No measures have been introduced in order to make it work. In any economic union of the kind that was being envisaged, it is obvious that there will be some areas that are richer and some that are poorer. There will be some areas that import more from the richer areas and vice versa. You will consequently find an economic balance that will reflect itself in a series of economic data. Unless the richer areas are prepared to accept that, as in the US, the centre must in some way or other assist parts of its union - with the richer areas in effect subsidising the poorer areas - then it simply cannot work. This is all rather obvious and many people have been making this point for some time. The overall result of these differing viewpoints amongst the bourgeoisie is a muddle. Whereas it is actually possible to get out of the present downturn, that will not happen, because ultimately this would be tantamount to suicide on the part of the capitalist class. Its difficult to know which way the bourgeoisie will turn next there’re signs of a heightened turn towards protectionism in protecting your own markets with the recent flare-up of solar panels with the EU and China. I am thinking we may see more incidents like this when nations and economies start to get desperate to restart growth further and further desperate measures may be attempted. In Japan right now they are trying a plan which is noted by many economists as radical and risky so waiting to see how that one turns out will be interesting too. What is clear though is that we are in a log jam across the world. No country, government or organisation has the magic formula for getting out of this crisis and many expect things to get a lot worse before they get better. Something will have to give eventually as jams in the system cannot last forever. Watch this space for heightened tensions between global super powers in order to deflect the blame for a lack of growth in their own country on others. A split ruling class as Lenin once said is just one part of a successful revolution. The other parts were a middle class also awake and not sure which way to turn in support of the capitalist or the working class. Lastly a mass revolutionary party which we are far from in any country in the world. Things are just hotting up. Our time may come soon. We must prepare for all eventualities.

An idea whose time has come

Certainly times are changing; very quickly indeed it feels like years go by in a day at the moment. SO it is no surprise to me that ideas such as workers in struggle once again is coming back to the foreground. It’s been a while since the terms socialism and capitalism were being openly discussed and an idea that we cannot go on like we are. System change or at least the early signs of people discussing things need to change are on the agenda. I was at the NSSN lobby of the TUC yesterday and there was certainly a mood of defiance and determination to take the struggles forward. Whilst I say all this I do not think socialism or socialist ideas are popular in the mass’s of workers minds yet only by being drawn into struggle be that attending demonstrations against the cuts this autumn, taking strike action or coming into contact with a party like the socialist party of which I’m a member of. Consciousness as we know always lags behind but in periods of heightened class struggle which we are certainly in today consciousness can make big leaps and I do think the occupy movement while we have many reservations with the structures and slogans it did show a change or a shift in peoples thinking slogans like capitalism is crisis and the ideas of the 99% and the 1% was a first attempt of drawing conclusions of what is going on in society and the wider global economy. Workers are facing the biggest attack on their living standards possibly ever. What was won since the Second World War the welfare state, NHS, public services including many local services are disappearing under our very noses. Do you think workers will just stand by and watch this happen? No, they won’t and will by their class instincts be drawn into battle with the boss’s. The Tories are in disarray with arguments and splits a plenty in the coalition too we cannot predict what will topple this government or which split could open up as a huge split but increased strikes and industrial action on a mass scale including public and private sector workers which the NSSN supports could be the start of changing things out there. It is a slow process but ideas and people’s ideas are slowly starting to understand the reality of their children’s future being worse than their own. Socialism as we have always said as Marxists will come roaring back on to the scene as an alternative but it won’t just fall into our laps we must fight for the ideas of genuine Marxism of the teachings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky. As revolutionaries we will fight for every reform for workers but know that ultimately the system, the system of capitalism must be overthrown no amount of tinkering or reforming the state will do. I’ve drawn these conclusions through being in the socialist party and I am sure in the coming months and years many more will do to. Its no longer enough to say what you are against, we can all say a million and one things we are against but where we differ we put forward an alternative. Things do not have to be this way, Workers can take control of society to run for need of the many not just the few.

Why I continue to fight for socialism

As things go from bad to worse around us and the cuts seem unending. The crisis in capitalism is ever deepening it is so easy to think oh well this task is far too great for us to change anything and besides we have no power anyway. Wrong, I believe there is huge potential now more than ever even back in 1917 there were not the similarities in the situation as there is today. All over Europe workers are facing much the same attacks if one countries working class came to power this could easily spread like wild fire. I continue to believe in the need to change society to a socialist society When the majority of people on the planet continue to live on less than a dollar a day struggling to feed themselves quite clearly capitalism for me and a growing number of people is a bankrupt system. Change in society is happening constantly we believe as Marxists in historical materialism where capitalism has not always existed and it won’t always exist now. As Marxists we look at the world differently we look at it as a process and the development of human beings through the ages is littered with revolutions even capitalism was brought about through revolution in many countries like Brittan and France to start with breaking with feudalism. There are still elements of feudalism still remaining today such as nation’s monarch’s these play a role in capitalist society to maintain rule and so called order. Why am I still plugging away spreading the ideas of socialism true socialism not the bastardised versions of Stalinism or reformism. Revolutionary Marxism with a aim to change society not just tinker with the system but remove it for good to allow everyone the world over to live healthy, happily and safely breaking from exploitation need for pocession greed or any other form of capitalist nightmare. Capitalism cannot be reformed towards socialism and capitalism itself can never meet everyone’s needs it is a system designed on the basis of the drive for profit for a few who own the means of production. Class’s in society which are often misunderstood by many all revolve around the means of production if you don’t own the means of production and are forced to sell your labour power to work your working class if you own the means of production and ability to create more profit you are a capitalist and apart of the ruling class. Its this part of society we wish to do away with we want the working class to become the ruling class in society in affect doing away with all class’s as Marx put it in the communist manifesto. I believe deep down we are all natural communists and we are living unnaturally under capitalism we are not naturally greedy or exploitative as much as bourgeois historians would like to make out. As Marx described in the early forms of preminitive communism things were shared out equally and people shared in the running of society. Socialism believe would be far more advanced than that as the science an understanding we have gained ever since we will take with us. The fight for the winning ideas and the correct ideas is key to myself and others I don’t believe we will ever achieve full equality under this current system and genuine democratic socialism is needed to benefit all of us. If many people realised why they work and that by working they produce the huge profits for their boss’s I doubt they’d be so keen on working instead of believeing the story of working hard for that next holiday. People are gradually waking up and will be won over to socialist ideas in the coming period I’m sure of it. I’m always happy to debate anyone and enjoy doing so an arena where we can debate ideas and tactics is needed. A new workers party is that arena. I was once a member of the labour party to my eternal shame these days no young person looks towards the labour party for guidance or support. It’s a spent force for workers and young people alike. Its time to fight to change society and through the socialist party I’ve been inspired and given the confidence to attempt to do so. The coming period will be difficult but will open up many opportunities which workers can take we have to be ready, ready with the ideas and the practical solutions to the way out of the current crisis, personally we’ve had plan A, plan B and C its now time for plan S, plan SOCIALISM ! On an international basis.