Reply To: More on Brexit
There is actually no member acting as forum moderator, VM. Matt is just performing a technical role, not an interventionalist one on forum content.So far, until now, despite a few off topic contributions such as this is developing into, the forum has been without any acrimony.
You have to still address my post, VM, that does try to discuss why the Party has failed to make connection with the working class and how it now survives on the life-support of its financial reserves.
I’ll elaborate to further discussion.
Too often I hear some members blame our fellow-workers ignorance for the lack of progress. Yet they offer no substantive strategy to end that ignorance. I hear wishful thinking that something will change at some unspecified time in the future which will sow the seeds of socialist ideas. But it sounds rather anti-Marxist in presenting determinist views and disputing the principle that Mankind makes its own history
In no way do I wish to disparage the efforts made by gallant individuals who make great personal sacrifices to contribute to the Party’s case but we are all mortal and unless we come up with a few answers, our future is not a promising one.
I have lost count how many times I have proposed a dedicated debate to confront the issues we face.
This is where I think we should seek agreement with others.
1. Capitalism can no longer be administered or reformed in the interest of society. To be a socialist is to understand capitalism, as a social system, as in the interest of the ruling class; 2. Capitalism is incapable of eliminating poverty, wars, economic crises, environmental climate change, etc. 3. Socialism can solve the social problems confronting society today, since the material conditions are ripe for socialism, except for a socialist majority. Socialism is the solution to the social problems and irreconcilable contradictions of capitalism. Socialism cannot be rammed down the workers’ throats against their wishes. The socialist victory is dependent upon the fervor and enthusiasm of the determined, conscious socialist majority. These are the characteristics of a socialist.
What makes a Party member involves a bit more and a narrower criteria. Members agree on the Party’s view of the nature of the socialist revolution and attitudes on class struggle Materialist Conception of History; the Law of Value, the Party’s leader-free structure, its attitude to reformism and religion.
The Socialist Party is the party of committed class-conscious socialists and its small membership merely reflects the small number of class-conscious socialists. Call it an elitist interpretation if you wish, but we are workers who have a greater knowledge of social realities than other workers.
But the actual socialist movement based on the former criteria of who is a socialist is a broader “membership” which we should be tapping into more and even they too have a higher level of consciousness than most fellow-workers.