Capitalism

The system under which we live, Capitalism, is based on the ownership of the means of life by one class in Society, the Capitalist Class. Society is divided into two classes, the employing or Capitalist Class and the Working Class. The Working Class is composed of those members of Society who are divorced from the ownership of those things necessary for the production of wealth and who, in order to live, are compelled to sell their mental or physical energies, i.e. their Labour Power, to the Capitalist Class. In return for their labour power they receive a wage which, irrespective of what has been produced, is generally speaking, just sufficient to enable them to replace their energies, which when replaced, they are forced to immediately sell again. Labour power, being produced for sale, is a commodity and is sold, as in general are all other cornmodies, at its value, but it is peculiar in that it produces a value greater than its own. The difference between what labour power produces and what it costs goes to the Capitalist. It is here, at the point of production, when and where he is engaged in the production of wealth, that the worker produces surplus value and by virtue of this the Capitalist is able to live upon the wealth wrung from the workers.

The object of production under Capitalism has at no time been simply the production of wealth. Profit is the incentive behind all present day business activity. All goods are produced, not to satisfy the needs of society, but for sale, and once sold, the profit is realised. When the markets of the world become overstocked the goods cannot be sold at a profit and many of the workers find that their services are no longer required and they are thrown out of work. For this reason unemployment is unavoidable in Capitalist Society and it is indeed to the advantage of the Capitalist to have a section of the community unemployed, as these unemployed can be used to prevent those in work from demanding higher wages or improved conditions. Also they will more readily submit to being speeded up in production.

Class ownership, wage labour, unemployment and war are the essential features of Capitalist Society. Capitalism functions in the interests of one class—the Capitalist class, and can never function any other way. No reform can alter the basis of Society, for in whatever form it is cloaked the roots are still in class ownership and class domination. Our interest lies in the direction of the abolition of the Capitalist system—the interest of the exploiters can best be served by its continuation. The working class have no interest within Capitalism and its continuation means only misery and insecurity for the majority of its members. Our message is a simple one. We call upon the working class of all lands to unite in order to abolish the present system of class ownership and bring about a new classless system of society. The common ownership of the means of life is the only road to freedom for the working class.
J.L.