New Year's Promise

 

And so a new year has begun. It is necessary to make plans for a new and better future, according to tradition.  One way to judge a theory is its ability to explain what really happens in the world. Sadly, from recent events of history, it’s difficult for some of us to trust in the ability of the working class to change society. Most workers, influenced as they are by the politics of reformism, are unwilling to take this step. To the working class who are witnessing the destruction of the so-called "welfare state", we now have only two roads to follow. Either continue along the road of capitalism, towards steadily worsening living conditions or choose the road towards socialism and social security, in the full true meaning of that phrase.

The capitalist system rests on the exploitation of workers. By bringing workers together in order to exploit us, capitalism ultimately gives us the power to overthrow it. Everything turns on the potential of the working class to gain an understanding of this world and determines to change it to their own benefit. The future of socialism depends upon the creation of an independent revolutionary party. We in the World Socialist Movement believe that we have made a start at building such a party. The existence of a socialist party can make the difference between victory and defeat. There should be no mistake – the stakes are very high. Only the world working class, by tearing the ownership of global wealth from the grasp of our rulers, can save humanity from the prospect of environmental annihilation. 

With socialism, we can go on to use the world’s resources, and humanity’s accumulated knowledge and skills to change the face of the world, to create a world in which poverty, exploitation, and war are only bad memories of the past. The World Socialist Movement has no illusions about the scale of the task, or about the limitations imposed by our size, influence, and talents. We don’t regard ourselves as the elite, the bearers of the truth. We know that only the working class can transform society. We don’t seek to put ourselves in place of that class. We strive only to make workers conscious of their interests and their power, and to direct that power at ending the capitalist system.

 We appeal to all who agree with us to join us. Together we have a world to win and a planet to save.