WSPNZ discussion item

[Socialist Party Head Office]

Email received at Head Office Auckland branch comrades:

Quote:

Dear comrades,

Lately our branch has discussed the lack of progress within our party and whether overseas has had the same lack of progess. Within this discussion we have concluded that proceeding with the same methods would not be an intelligent way of dealing with the problem of advancing the cause.

Some of the suggestions made are to do with the name Socialism. We can continue using this word but by far the majority of the world's population understand Socialism to mean different to what we know it to mean. Thus ,the mere mention of the word creates a barrier to those who who are averse to the what they believe Socialism is.

Also discussed, that Socialism will be voted in by the majority. We have noted that none of the changes from primitive Communism to human slavery to feudalism or to capitalism has been selected by a majority vote but in fact it has been changed by social evolution. Our part, it seems, is to be the catalyst for next stage .

Maybe it would be wise to demonstrate to the people of a wonderful world that is evolving. It only needs people to understand that the old ways of employment for susstanance will be phased out.

We are asking companion parties their thoughts on these matters and any suggestion they have.

Addendum

Let us point out its the meaning behind the word and not the word itself which has no reference in the real world that matters. Showing people what is possible now and let their imagination do the rest,rather than looking back at .A comprhensive study needs to take place in regards how the receiver of the message interprets the message.

[alanjjohnstone]

I think we can all sympathise with the WSPNZ concerns.I doubt there is any member who feels optimistic that they will witness socialism in their lifetime.Solutions to the problem of declining presence within the workers' movement do not appear to be on the horizon. Whether dropping the name socialism would be fruitful, i am not so sure about. Has it ever worked elsewhere? Once again i refer to my previous suggestions that we devote a whole conference and include all the companion parties in the process to address our downward spiral.We should look at our organisational structure…instead of dropping the name socialism, we should adopt a unified name …World Socialist Party (GB),WSP (Canada) and try a re-launch of our principles. But what are our principles and how do we include them in our message.I recall BrianJ at one conference repeatedly saying we should identify our Unique Selling Point and in the ensuing years, i am not so sure we have ever succeeded.As a beginning we should seek to have a world organisation that reflects the global nature of socialism and in these days of Skype (or whatever), all the companion parties can be integrated into one organisation when it comes to decision-making and campaigning.We should also begin to clarify our positions on those ideas that are regularly misconstrued about ourselves…the mistaken attitudes that we do not accept that workers can achieve limited gains from reforms, or that we advocate some sort of passivity in the struggles of trade unions. 

[Author]

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