Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materia... more Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materialist conception of history, theory of surplus value and class struggle. The first two principles are the unique contribution of Marx and the third one was already present contributed by his classical predecessors and was adopted and applied by Marx. He with his lifelong associate Engels worked with these principles in their theoretical and analytical framework towards communism (socialism the same). Regarding the question of the future of Marxism, actually, historically speaking, with the establishment of world socialism the second and third principles would have been matters of history. However, the materialist conception of history will remain always present and relevant as the basic principle of understanding and analysing society and nature as long as humanity survives. On this count Marxism is progressively futuristic.
Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materia... more Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materialist conception of history, theory of surplus value and class struggle. The first two principles are the unique contribution of Marx and the third one was already present contributed by his classical predecessors and was adopted and applied by Marx. He with his lifelong associate Engels worked with these principles in their theoretical and analytical framework towards communism (socialism the same). Regarding the question of the future of Marxism, actually, historically speaking, with the establishment of world socialism the second and third principles would have been matters of history. However, the materialist conception of history will remain always present and relevant as the basic principle of understanding and analysing society and nature as long as humanity survives. On this count Marxism is progressively futuristic.
Therefore, elect MPs as mandated socialist delegates to take over parliaments and pronounce: Annu... more Therefore, elect MPs as mandated socialist delegates to take over parliaments and pronounce: Annulment of all property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the Earth will become the common heritage of the whole humanity. This will help clear away obstacles for the working class movement as a whole and usher humanity into the realm of freedom towards World Socialism.
Democracy is the road to socialism
Win the battle of democracy
Do away with private property
Abol... more Democracy is the road to socialism Win the battle of democracy Do away with private property Abolish the wages system altogether End employment to end unemployment Achieve abundance for all and inscribe on the banners: From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs! An association, in which the free development of each is the condition of free development of all
The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of... more The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of overcoming what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. They have yet to move on to the phase of “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), by transforming human society from “a planetary community of production and consumption” (Albert Einstein) into a Universal Community of Scientific Beings – star-trekking beings. With the disappearance of classes from within liberated humanity, humans will leave behind their prehistory and enter into the realm of free history, as Marx envisaged.
Socialist Freedom
The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-l... more Socialist Freedom The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of overcoming what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. They have yet to move on to the phase of “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), by transforming human society from “a planetary community of production and consumption” (Albert Einstein) into a Universal Community of Scientific Beings – star-trekking beings. With the disappearance of classes from within liberated humanity, humans will leave behind their prehistory and enter into the realm of free history, as Marx envisaged.
By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has... more By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has produced the ongoing alienation, competition and anti-Nature behaviour. It has criminalized society. Socialism is the negation of capitalism – the last class society in history.
By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has... more By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has produced the ongoing alienation, competition and anti-Nature behaviour. It has criminalized society. Socialism is the negation of capitalism – the last class society in history.
Capture parliaments by electing majority socialist MPs (actually Socialist delegates) mandated to... more Capture parliaments by electing majority socialist MPs (actually Socialist delegates) mandated to pronounce: Annulment of all property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the Earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity.
You know that a successful socialist revolution to happen nowadays two basic conditions must matu... more You know that a successful socialist revolution to happen nowadays two basic conditions must mature – 1) subjective i.e. revolutionary will and organisation of the immense majority of the working class world over and, 2) objective i.e. material productive abundance for all. Unceasing evolution of technology leading to artificial intelligence – robotics and automation – has revolutionized the forces of production to the extent of making a leisure society on hand. Now I think, you all will agree with me that for some time now abundance is knocking at our doors for acceptance, but the class responsible for its revolutionary acceptance – the working class is up till now lagging behind to will and organise towards that end, which is why the capitalist relations of production stick with. We are at the threshold of the ostensible "Maximum Programme"; we don't have any "MIN-Max" programme anyway; we have only one programme WORLD SOCIALISM right here and now. Class Consciousness What's lacking today is the revolutionary class consciousness. You know that in Marxian parlance there are two phases of working class actions-the class-in-itself and the class-for-itself. As long as the working class remains involved with their daily struggles against capital they belong in the category of class-in-itself. And as and when they rise up to challenge and change the capitalist relations of production and the capitalist way of life with the socialist ones they stand up as the class-for-itself. Presently, the world's workers are mostly subserviently undergoing the onslaughts of capital owing to their want of revolutionary class consciousness. However, now that advanced workers of the world are eventually awakening towards Marxism – the science of the working class, the days of revolutionary class consciousness will not be far away I think. Workers of the world will hopefully get united interactively as a class-for-itself to win the battle of democracy and abolish the wages slavery to usher the humanity into the realm of freedom.
Once the workers of the world take over parliaments by electing a majority of socialist MPs (actu... more Once the workers of the world take over parliaments by electing a majority of socialist MPs (actually Socialist delegates) mandated to pronounce: Annulment of all property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the Earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity, just imagine how great will be the massive popular impact of this revolutionary event all over the world. People will not just remain sitting beside televisions at home simply watching the results; instead they will take to the streets and terraces in a gigantic delightful mood to celebrate this emancipatory historical occasion whereby the centuries-long hope of socialism is being materialized. Parliaments will actually be surrounded by workers from all walks of life, including the members of the armed forces as members of the working class, and others, even from some enlightened members of so far adversaries as well, joining them. Not hundreds, nor thousands, nor even hundreds of thousands, but millions will gather to voice support and join hands to make their own history with their victorious delegates and to enjoy the JOY OF FREEDOM forever from the clutch of the age-old class division of society. The world will see a new humanity without alienation and competition, and the budding of humanity's full potential of cooperation. Will there be anybody to oppose this earth-shaking occurrence that relegates to the past class-divided prehistory by initiating the real universal human history in the making? In all probability there will be none. Yet, for argument's sake, if there were to be any at all, will those brainwashed recalcitrant brutalized ruffians be able to face up to this human uprising the world over? Any rebellion would be appropriately dealt with by the winning workers having the necessary political power and command at their disposal. This momentous change will abolish the government over people and usher humanity into the realm of freedom by reorganizing the global community into a three-tier participatory democratic organizational system – local, regional and global to administer things and the affairs of life.
Revolution
You know that for a revolution to happen nowadays two essential conditions must matu... more Revolution
You know that for a revolution to happen nowadays two essential conditions must mature – 1) subjective i.e., revolutionary will and organisation of the immense majority of the working class world over and, 2) objective i.e., material productive abundance for all. Unceasing development of science and technology leading to artificial intelligence – robotics and automation – has revolutionized the forces of production that have outgrown the current relations of production by creating the technological basis for a leisure society. Now I think, you all will agree with me that for some time now abundance-for-all is knocking at our doors just for acceptance, but the class responsible for its revolutionary reception – the working class – is up till now perplexedly lagging behind failing simply to will, organize and vote towards that end – the awesome “fear of freedom” – which is why we are still stuck with the capitalist relations of production. We are at the threshold of the bona fide "Maximum Programme"; not that we have any "MIN-Max" programme anyway. We have only one programme WORLD SOCIALISM right here and now.
Marxism is not a dogma; It too develops in a dynamic fashion, is subject to change within its own... more Marxism is not a dogma; It too develops in a dynamic fashion, is subject to change within its own framework, and is able to understand and review its own basis. Marxism evolves as a guide to action – a revolutionary guide to action. Marxism is a progressive, pathfinder, and emancipator science of the working class. Marxism is the theory of the world socialist revolution. Marxism is the science of history – history of nature and history of society. This science elucidates things and relations through cause-and-effect, form-and-content, and base-superstructure formulations. It comprises three basic interrelated principles – the materialist conception of history, the class struggle and the theory of surplus value. We in the WORLD SOCIALIST MOVEMENT adhere to this method we call Marxism; we do not uncritically follow all that Marx and Engels said and did.
A Culture of Corruption Blighted Education and Life
The “Utility Theory”, “Nobel Peace Prize” and... more A Culture of Corruption Blighted Education and Life The “Utility Theory”, “Nobel Peace Prize” and “Nobel Prize in economic sciences” are the three big swindles which are constantly aided and abetted with “Marx don’t matter”, “No more Marx” hypes; and our inability to put a stop to them are symptoms of our alienated amnesia and the resulting wretched repetition of existential compulsion. Therefore, our class-conscious antagonists of the world go scot-free with such outrageous swindles constantly abusing our children to look for crumbs in their prized ideological celebration wastes they title ‘education’ that shrewdly glorifies “power and success in our present society” (Albert Einstein, Why Socialism?) and perpetuates the wages-slavery in the name of ‘economic sciences’ (‘modern economics’ – ‘welfare economics’ – ‘development economics’ – ‘institutional economics’) and ‘political science’ (‘welfare state’).
What's wrong with dreaming? Why oppose dreaming? Who opposes dreaming? Those who are supporters o... more What's wrong with dreaming? Why oppose dreaming? Who opposes dreaming? Those who are supporters of status quo. The enemy of the dreamer of better times is the ideologist of the present, out to defend the existing miseries with the claim that the prevailing relationships of oppression are immutable.
INTRODUCTION
The raison d'être of this pamphlet is to chronologically narrate the commencement a... more INTRODUCTION
The raison d'être of this pamphlet is to chronologically narrate the commencement and progression of the right to vote that had its origin under feudal aristocracy of the thirteenth century England, eventually extended to the nascent industrial bourgeoisie having in the course of class struggles, finally yielding to the working class of the most developed and developing countries of the world resulting in universal suffrage. Modern states are the ruling political instruments in the hands of the capitalist class to administer the affairs of society by a top-down bureaucratic – authoritarian – dictatorial machinery. Consequently it was the exclusive right of the capitalist class to run their own businesses as they needed and liked. It was not at all imperative to them to extend suffrage to the working class. Eventually they accepted their class adversaries alongside themselves into their most vital political decision-making bodies such as parliaments. For two reasons: the working class’s struggle and the capitalist class’s self-interest. In all their struggles against the feudal aristocracy the capitalist class had to depend on the working class who supplied their loyal driving force. Hence they ultimately did pay heed to the unrelenting struggles of their wage slaves for a political ballot which could be allowed without hampering their economic interest – exploitation, even by manning the state with their hired representatives elected from ranks of the working class. They held on to their exclusive right to exploit at the price of conceding the right to vote into the hands of their workers. Secondly, historically, through class struggle they learnt their class-lesson that they could tactically deceive the working class by extending this concession regarding the working class’s persistent and potent political demand for franchise while retaining the rein of economically exploitative, hire and fire system of wages slavery unhampered under the despotic employer/employee relation as usual . In this booklet we narrate the long drawn-out struggles of the working class to achieve this democratically decisive instrument. The working class got a political right to elect their exploiters’ executive committees of the states that oppressed them. However, the wages slavery remained unharmed since the workers were demanding only political democracy and not the economic democracy that is socialism. And this they have never done as yet. Even then that is sufficient for turning the existing state of affairs upside-down by transforming top-down capitalist political power structure into socialist bottom-up one. Today world’s working class executes all productive, distributive, administrative and defensive works. They comprise some 90 percent of world’s population. Thus they are enormously capable of overthrowing the parasitic capitalist class from the sphere of power by using their ballots, if they so wish cooperatively. Yes, ballots not bullets. They have only to will and organise toward that end, and, thereby eliminate the capitalist vulgar democracy with a three-tier – local, regional and global participatory democratic administrations of affairs of life, of things instead of the ongoing administration of men in the name of democracy. They will have to use the parliaments; they will have to elect their own delegates (MPs) to parliaments mandated to declare: Annulment of property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity. Capitalist production for profit will give way to socialist production for use. This will usher the humanity into the realm of unbridled freedom – freedom from the clutches of classes, wages, buying and selling, money and states. Therefore, in the interest of working class’s self-organisation within the framework of the World Socialist Movement, we submit our findings for consideration by our class by revisiting the theoretically indispensable social categories to ascertain the truth for self-emancipation.
Executive Committee, WORLD SOCIALIST PARTY (INDIA) September 2017
Consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical conditions, s... more Consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical conditions, so that in the struggles of a later epoch one can refer to earlier theoreticians as authorities.
Multi-Party government based on universal suffrage is the most advanced political form of full-fl... more Multi-Party government based on universal suffrage is the most advanced political form of full-fledged capitalism. To demand more from capitalism is erroneous. To go beyond it means entering into the region of socialism. The responsibility of ushering the world-society, hand in hand on to socialism, rests with the working class. The working class will have to accomplish this task by building up their own independent political organization and by using the universal suffrage as the instrument of emancipation.
Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materia... more Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materialist conception of history, theory of surplus value and class struggle. The first two principles are the unique contribution of Marx and the third one was already present contributed by his classical predecessors and was adopted and applied by Marx. He with his lifelong associate Engels worked with these principles in their theoretical and analytical framework towards communism (socialism the same). Regarding the question of the future of Marxism, actually, historically speaking, with the establishment of world socialism the second and third principles would have been matters of history. However, the materialist conception of history will remain always present and relevant as the basic principle of understanding and analysing society and nature as long as humanity survives. On this count Marxism is progressively futuristic.
Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materia... more Marxism comprises three fundamental interrelated evolutionary and emancipator principles: materialist conception of history, theory of surplus value and class struggle. The first two principles are the unique contribution of Marx and the third one was already present contributed by his classical predecessors and was adopted and applied by Marx. He with his lifelong associate Engels worked with these principles in their theoretical and analytical framework towards communism (socialism the same). Regarding the question of the future of Marxism, actually, historically speaking, with the establishment of world socialism the second and third principles would have been matters of history. However, the materialist conception of history will remain always present and relevant as the basic principle of understanding and analysing society and nature as long as humanity survives. On this count Marxism is progressively futuristic.
Therefore, elect MPs as mandated socialist delegates to take over parliaments and pronounce: Annu... more Therefore, elect MPs as mandated socialist delegates to take over parliaments and pronounce: Annulment of all property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the Earth will become the common heritage of the whole humanity. This will help clear away obstacles for the working class movement as a whole and usher humanity into the realm of freedom towards World Socialism.
Democracy is the road to socialism
Win the battle of democracy
Do away with private property
Abol... more Democracy is the road to socialism Win the battle of democracy Do away with private property Abolish the wages system altogether End employment to end unemployment Achieve abundance for all and inscribe on the banners: From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs! An association, in which the free development of each is the condition of free development of all
The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of... more The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of overcoming what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. They have yet to move on to the phase of “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), by transforming human society from “a planetary community of production and consumption” (Albert Einstein) into a Universal Community of Scientific Beings – star-trekking beings. With the disappearance of classes from within liberated humanity, humans will leave behind their prehistory and enter into the realm of free history, as Marx envisaged.
Socialist Freedom
The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-l... more Socialist Freedom The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of overcoming what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. They have yet to move on to the phase of “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), by transforming human society from “a planetary community of production and consumption” (Albert Einstein) into a Universal Community of Scientific Beings – star-trekking beings. With the disappearance of classes from within liberated humanity, humans will leave behind their prehistory and enter into the realm of free history, as Marx envisaged.
By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has... more By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has produced the ongoing alienation, competition and anti-Nature behaviour. It has criminalized society. Socialism is the negation of capitalism – the last class society in history.
By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has... more By nature “human nature” is gregarious, cooperative. It is the class division of society that has produced the ongoing alienation, competition and anti-Nature behaviour. It has criminalized society. Socialism is the negation of capitalism – the last class society in history.
Capture parliaments by electing majority socialist MPs (actually Socialist delegates) mandated to... more Capture parliaments by electing majority socialist MPs (actually Socialist delegates) mandated to pronounce: Annulment of all property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the Earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity.
You know that a successful socialist revolution to happen nowadays two basic conditions must matu... more You know that a successful socialist revolution to happen nowadays two basic conditions must mature – 1) subjective i.e. revolutionary will and organisation of the immense majority of the working class world over and, 2) objective i.e. material productive abundance for all. Unceasing evolution of technology leading to artificial intelligence – robotics and automation – has revolutionized the forces of production to the extent of making a leisure society on hand. Now I think, you all will agree with me that for some time now abundance is knocking at our doors for acceptance, but the class responsible for its revolutionary acceptance – the working class is up till now lagging behind to will and organise towards that end, which is why the capitalist relations of production stick with. We are at the threshold of the ostensible "Maximum Programme"; we don't have any "MIN-Max" programme anyway; we have only one programme WORLD SOCIALISM right here and now. Class Consciousness What's lacking today is the revolutionary class consciousness. You know that in Marxian parlance there are two phases of working class actions-the class-in-itself and the class-for-itself. As long as the working class remains involved with their daily struggles against capital they belong in the category of class-in-itself. And as and when they rise up to challenge and change the capitalist relations of production and the capitalist way of life with the socialist ones they stand up as the class-for-itself. Presently, the world's workers are mostly subserviently undergoing the onslaughts of capital owing to their want of revolutionary class consciousness. However, now that advanced workers of the world are eventually awakening towards Marxism – the science of the working class, the days of revolutionary class consciousness will not be far away I think. Workers of the world will hopefully get united interactively as a class-for-itself to win the battle of democracy and abolish the wages slavery to usher the humanity into the realm of freedom.
Once the workers of the world take over parliaments by electing a majority of socialist MPs (actu... more Once the workers of the world take over parliaments by electing a majority of socialist MPs (actually Socialist delegates) mandated to pronounce: Annulment of all property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the Earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity, just imagine how great will be the massive popular impact of this revolutionary event all over the world. People will not just remain sitting beside televisions at home simply watching the results; instead they will take to the streets and terraces in a gigantic delightful mood to celebrate this emancipatory historical occasion whereby the centuries-long hope of socialism is being materialized. Parliaments will actually be surrounded by workers from all walks of life, including the members of the armed forces as members of the working class, and others, even from some enlightened members of so far adversaries as well, joining them. Not hundreds, nor thousands, nor even hundreds of thousands, but millions will gather to voice support and join hands to make their own history with their victorious delegates and to enjoy the JOY OF FREEDOM forever from the clutch of the age-old class division of society. The world will see a new humanity without alienation and competition, and the budding of humanity's full potential of cooperation. Will there be anybody to oppose this earth-shaking occurrence that relegates to the past class-divided prehistory by initiating the real universal human history in the making? In all probability there will be none. Yet, for argument's sake, if there were to be any at all, will those brainwashed recalcitrant brutalized ruffians be able to face up to this human uprising the world over? Any rebellion would be appropriately dealt with by the winning workers having the necessary political power and command at their disposal. This momentous change will abolish the government over people and usher humanity into the realm of freedom by reorganizing the global community into a three-tier participatory democratic organizational system – local, regional and global to administer things and the affairs of life.
Revolution
You know that for a revolution to happen nowadays two essential conditions must matu... more Revolution
You know that for a revolution to happen nowadays two essential conditions must mature – 1) subjective i.e., revolutionary will and organisation of the immense majority of the working class world over and, 2) objective i.e., material productive abundance for all. Unceasing development of science and technology leading to artificial intelligence – robotics and automation – has revolutionized the forces of production that have outgrown the current relations of production by creating the technological basis for a leisure society. Now I think, you all will agree with me that for some time now abundance-for-all is knocking at our doors just for acceptance, but the class responsible for its revolutionary reception – the working class – is up till now perplexedly lagging behind failing simply to will, organize and vote towards that end – the awesome “fear of freedom” – which is why we are still stuck with the capitalist relations of production. We are at the threshold of the bona fide "Maximum Programme"; not that we have any "MIN-Max" programme anyway. We have only one programme WORLD SOCIALISM right here and now.
Marxism is not a dogma; It too develops in a dynamic fashion, is subject to change within its own... more Marxism is not a dogma; It too develops in a dynamic fashion, is subject to change within its own framework, and is able to understand and review its own basis. Marxism evolves as a guide to action – a revolutionary guide to action. Marxism is a progressive, pathfinder, and emancipator science of the working class. Marxism is the theory of the world socialist revolution. Marxism is the science of history – history of nature and history of society. This science elucidates things and relations through cause-and-effect, form-and-content, and base-superstructure formulations. It comprises three basic interrelated principles – the materialist conception of history, the class struggle and the theory of surplus value. We in the WORLD SOCIALIST MOVEMENT adhere to this method we call Marxism; we do not uncritically follow all that Marx and Engels said and did.
A Culture of Corruption Blighted Education and Life
The “Utility Theory”, “Nobel Peace Prize” and... more A Culture of Corruption Blighted Education and Life The “Utility Theory”, “Nobel Peace Prize” and “Nobel Prize in economic sciences” are the three big swindles which are constantly aided and abetted with “Marx don’t matter”, “No more Marx” hypes; and our inability to put a stop to them are symptoms of our alienated amnesia and the resulting wretched repetition of existential compulsion. Therefore, our class-conscious antagonists of the world go scot-free with such outrageous swindles constantly abusing our children to look for crumbs in their prized ideological celebration wastes they title ‘education’ that shrewdly glorifies “power and success in our present society” (Albert Einstein, Why Socialism?) and perpetuates the wages-slavery in the name of ‘economic sciences’ (‘modern economics’ – ‘welfare economics’ – ‘development economics’ – ‘institutional economics’) and ‘political science’ (‘welfare state’).
What's wrong with dreaming? Why oppose dreaming? Who opposes dreaming? Those who are supporters o... more What's wrong with dreaming? Why oppose dreaming? Who opposes dreaming? Those who are supporters of status quo. The enemy of the dreamer of better times is the ideologist of the present, out to defend the existing miseries with the claim that the prevailing relationships of oppression are immutable.
INTRODUCTION
The raison d'être of this pamphlet is to chronologically narrate the commencement a... more INTRODUCTION
The raison d'être of this pamphlet is to chronologically narrate the commencement and progression of the right to vote that had its origin under feudal aristocracy of the thirteenth century England, eventually extended to the nascent industrial bourgeoisie having in the course of class struggles, finally yielding to the working class of the most developed and developing countries of the world resulting in universal suffrage. Modern states are the ruling political instruments in the hands of the capitalist class to administer the affairs of society by a top-down bureaucratic – authoritarian – dictatorial machinery. Consequently it was the exclusive right of the capitalist class to run their own businesses as they needed and liked. It was not at all imperative to them to extend suffrage to the working class. Eventually they accepted their class adversaries alongside themselves into their most vital political decision-making bodies such as parliaments. For two reasons: the working class’s struggle and the capitalist class’s self-interest. In all their struggles against the feudal aristocracy the capitalist class had to depend on the working class who supplied their loyal driving force. Hence they ultimately did pay heed to the unrelenting struggles of their wage slaves for a political ballot which could be allowed without hampering their economic interest – exploitation, even by manning the state with their hired representatives elected from ranks of the working class. They held on to their exclusive right to exploit at the price of conceding the right to vote into the hands of their workers. Secondly, historically, through class struggle they learnt their class-lesson that they could tactically deceive the working class by extending this concession regarding the working class’s persistent and potent political demand for franchise while retaining the rein of economically exploitative, hire and fire system of wages slavery unhampered under the despotic employer/employee relation as usual . In this booklet we narrate the long drawn-out struggles of the working class to achieve this democratically decisive instrument. The working class got a political right to elect their exploiters’ executive committees of the states that oppressed them. However, the wages slavery remained unharmed since the workers were demanding only political democracy and not the economic democracy that is socialism. And this they have never done as yet. Even then that is sufficient for turning the existing state of affairs upside-down by transforming top-down capitalist political power structure into socialist bottom-up one. Today world’s working class executes all productive, distributive, administrative and defensive works. They comprise some 90 percent of world’s population. Thus they are enormously capable of overthrowing the parasitic capitalist class from the sphere of power by using their ballots, if they so wish cooperatively. Yes, ballots not bullets. They have only to will and organise toward that end, and, thereby eliminate the capitalist vulgar democracy with a three-tier – local, regional and global participatory democratic administrations of affairs of life, of things instead of the ongoing administration of men in the name of democracy. They will have to use the parliaments; they will have to elect their own delegates (MPs) to parliaments mandated to declare: Annulment of property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity. Capitalist production for profit will give way to socialist production for use. This will usher the humanity into the realm of unbridled freedom – freedom from the clutches of classes, wages, buying and selling, money and states. Therefore, in the interest of working class’s self-organisation within the framework of the World Socialist Movement, we submit our findings for consideration by our class by revisiting the theoretically indispensable social categories to ascertain the truth for self-emancipation.
Executive Committee, WORLD SOCIALIST PARTY (INDIA) September 2017
Consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical conditions, s... more Consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical conditions, so that in the struggles of a later epoch one can refer to earlier theoreticians as authorities.
Multi-Party government based on universal suffrage is the most advanced political form of full-fl... more Multi-Party government based on universal suffrage is the most advanced political form of full-fledged capitalism. To demand more from capitalism is erroneous. To go beyond it means entering into the region of socialism. The responsibility of ushering the world-society, hand in hand on to socialism, rests with the working class. The working class will have to accomplish this task by building up their own independent political organization and by using the universal suffrage as the instrument of emancipation.
“The Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish countries and nationality.
The w... more “The Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish countries and nationality. The working men have no country. We cannot take from them what they have not got…. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Working Men of All Countries, Unite!” – Marx Engels – Communist Manifesto
We in the World Socialist Movement hold on to what Marx envisaged to be "a higher phase of commun... more We in the World Socialist Movement hold on to what Marx envisaged to be "a higher phase of communist society" that is to us WORLD SOCIALISM right now and here.
we in the World Socialist Movement hold on to what Marx envisaged to be "a higher phase of commun... more we in the World Socialist Movement hold on to what Marx envisaged to be "a higher phase of communist society" that is to us WORLD SOCIALISM right now and here.
What's wrong with dreaming? Why oppose dreaming? Who opposes dreaming? Those who are supporters o... more What's wrong with dreaming? Why oppose dreaming? Who opposes dreaming? Those who are supporters of status quo. The enemy of the dreamer of better times is the ideologist of the present, out to defend the existing miseries with the claim that the prevailing relationships of oppression are immutable.
Lenin claimed in a speech on Economic Construction in 1920 were also revealing when he said: 'the... more Lenin claimed in a speech on Economic Construction in 1920 were also revealing when he said: 'the Soviet Socialist Democracy is in no way inconsistent with the rule and dictatorship of one person; that the will of a class is at times best realised by a dictator, who sometimes will accomplish more by himself and is frequently more needed. At any rate, the principal relation toward one person rule was not only explained a long time ago but was also decided by the Central Executive Committee.' – Cited: The Socialist Standard, May 2013, p.17
Marx wrote in 1843: " The self-confidence of the human being, freedom, has first of all to be aro... more Marx wrote in 1843: " The self-confidence of the human being, freedom, has first of all to be aroused again in the hearts of these people. Only this feeling … can again transform society into a community of human beings united for their highest aims " and many times again. For him " there can be no other advance than the abandonment of the basis of this world and transition to the human world of democracy ". – Marx to Ruge, May 1843, CW 3, p.137 And Engels wrote in 1845, " Democracy nowadays is communism. Any other democracy can only still, exist in the heads of theoretical visionaries who are not concerned with real events, in whose view it is not the men and the circumstances that develop the principles but the principles develop of themselves. Democracy has become the proletarian principle, the principle of the masses. The masses may be more or less clear about this, the only correct meaning of democracy, but all have at least an obscure feeling that social equality of rights is implicit in democracy.
Lenin upheld in 1920 "the rule and dictatorship of one person". Whereas as early as in the 1840s ... more Lenin upheld in 1920 "the rule and dictatorship of one person". Whereas as early as in the 1840s Marx and Engels urged the working class "to win the battle of democracy" since "Democracy nowadays is communism".
Let us vigorously call out: ABOLISH THE WAGE SLAVERY! As Marx urged on the working class: “Instea... more Let us vigorously call out: ABOLISH THE WAGE SLAVERY! As Marx urged on the working class: “Instead of the conservative motto, 'A fair day's wages for a fair day's work!" they ought to inscribe on their banner the revolutionary watchword, 'Abolition of the wages system!'"
Marx and Engels on the mode of socialist revolution " The proletarians cannot become masters of t... more Marx and Engels on the mode of socialist revolution " The proletarians cannot become masters of the productive forces of society, except by abolishing their own previous mode of appropriation, and thereby also every other previous mode of appropriation. They have nothing of their own to secure and to fortify; their mission is to destroy all previous securities for, and insurances of, individual property."
“As the state arose from the need to keep class antagonisms in check, but also arose in the thick... more “As the state arose from the need to keep class antagonisms in check, but also arose in the thick of the fight between the classes, it is normally the state of the most powerful, economically ruling class, which by its means becomes also the politically ruling class, and so acquires new means of holding down and exploiting the oppressed class. The ancient state was, above all, the state of the slave-owners for holding down the slaves, just as the feudal state was the organ of the nobility for holding down the peasant serfs and bondsmen, and the modern representative state is the instrument for exploiting wage-labor by capital. …" - Engels
"consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical conditions, ... more "consciousness can sometimes appear further advanced than the contemporary empirical conditions, so that in the struggles of a later epoch one can refer to earlier theoreticians as authorities." - Marx and Engels
In the present class divided society women too are divided into classes, which is why you are rec... more In the present class divided society women too are divided into classes, which is why you are recognizing yourselves properly as working women, as I understand. Working women belong in the working class who own or control little but their only means for survival-their labour power, i.e., their ability to work (unskilled or skilled)-to be sold as a commodity in the labour market (capitalist employment) for a subsistence called wage or salary. Capitalism exploits working women much the same way as working men – both comprising the industrial reserve army. Since it is also the last exploited and oppressed class in society, history has conferred upon it the task of emancipating the whole humankind by emancipating itself from the class divided formations of society "for making this world better place for every human being"-as you have aptly remarked in your message. The emancipation of women can only come hand in hand with the emancipation of their class through establishment of Socialism. Common ownership (not state ownership) and democratic control of the means of production and distribution will mean the end of economic exploitation and social classes. Women and men will be free to cooperate in arranging their personal lives in accordance with their individual inclinations and choices, whatever form the family takes. This task, therefore, could be accomplished only by a class wide and worldwide unity irrespective of sex-divide and so-called race-religion-nation tangles. Let us read a little from works of Socialists in this regard: "On what foundation is the present family, the bourgeois family, based? On capital, on private gain. In its completely developed form this family exists only among the bourgeoisie. But this state of things finds its complement in the practical absence of the family among the proletarians, and in public prostitution. "The bourgeois family will vanish as a matter of course when its complements vanishes, and both will vanish with the vanishing of capital. ... "But you Communists would introduce community of women, screams the whole bourgeoisie in chorus. "The bourgeois sees in his wife a mere instrument of production. He hears that the instruments of production are to be exploited in common, and, naturally, can come to no other conclusion than that the lot of being common to all will likewise fall to the women. "He has not even a suspicion that the real point aimed at is to do away with the status of women as mere instruments of production. "For the rest nothing is more ridiculous than the virtuous indignation of our bourgeois at the community of women which, they pretend, is to be openly and officially established by the Communists. The Communists have no need to introduce community of women; it has existed almost from time immemorial. "Our bourgeois, not content with the wives and daughters of their proletarians at their disposal, not to speak of common prostitutes, take the greatest pleasure in seducing each other's wives. "Bourgeois marriage is in reality a system of wives in common and thus, at the most, what the Communists might possibly be reproached with, is that they desire to introduce, in substitution for a hypocritically concealed, an openly legalised community of women. For the rest, it is self evident that the abolition of the present system of production must bring with it the abolition of the community of women springing from that system, i.e., of prostitution both public and private."-Marx-Engles,
In the present class divided society women too are divided into classes, which is why you are rec... more In the present class divided society women too are divided into classes, which is why you are recognizing yourselves properly as working women, as I understand. Working women belong in the working class who own or control little but their only means for survival-their labour power, i.e., their ability to work (unskilled or skilled)-to be sold as a commodity in the labour market (capitalist employment) for a subsistence called wage or salary. Capitalism exploits working women much the same way as working men – both comprising the industrial reserve army. Since it is also the last exploited and oppressed class in society, history has conferred upon it the task of emancipating the whole humankind by emancipating itself from the class divided formations of society "for making this world better place for every human being"-as you have aptly remarked in your message. The emancipation of women can only come hand in hand with the emancipation of their class through establishment of Socialism. Common ownership (not state ownership) and democratic control of the means of production and distribution will mean the end of economic exploitation and social classes. Women and men will be free to cooperate in arranging their personal lives in accordance with their individual inclinations and choices, whatever form the family takes. This task, therefore, could be accomplished only by a class wide and worldwide unity irrespective of sex-divide and so-called race-religion-nation tangles. Let us read a little from works of Socialists in this regard: "On what foundation is the present family, the bourgeois family, based? On capital, on private gain. In its completely developed form this family exists only among the bourgeoisie. But this state of things finds its complement in the practical absence of the family among the proletarians, and in public prostitution. "The bourgeois family will vanish as a matter of course when its complements vanishes, and both will vanish with the vanishing of capital. ... "But you Communists would introduce community of women, screams the whole bourgeoisie in chorus. "The bourgeois sees in his wife a mere instrument of production. He hears that the instruments of production are to be exploited in common, and, naturally, can come to no other conclusion than that the lot of being common to all will likewise fall to the women. "He has not even a suspicion that the real point aimed at is to do away with the status of women as mere instruments of production. "For the rest nothing is more ridiculous than the virtuous indignation of our bourgeois at the community of women which, they pretend, is to be openly and officially established by the Communists. The Communists have no need to introduce community of women; it has existed almost from time immemorial. "Our bourgeois, not content with the wives and daughters of their proletarians at their disposal, not to speak of common prostitutes, take the greatest pleasure in seducing each other's wives. "Bourgeois marriage is in reality a system of wives in common and thus, at the most, what the Communists might possibly be reproached with, is that they desire to introduce, in substitution for a hypocritically concealed, an openly legalised community of women. For the rest, it is self evident that the abolition of the present system of production must bring with it the abolition of the community of women springing from that system, i.e., of prostitution both public and private."-Marx-Engles,
Capitalism is basically an economic system, one in which production is oriented towards the accum... more Capitalism is basically an economic system, one in which production is oriented towards the accumulation of capital out of monetary profits realised on the market, the source of these profits being the unpaid labour of those who produce the goods that are sold. Production for a market, the accumulation of wealth having a monetary value, and even the exploitation of wage-labour had existed since ancient times but as more or less isolated practices rather than as a complete economic system. It was only in the 16th century that what Marx called "the capitalist era" began with the emergence of the world market, i. e., a pattern of trade and a division of labour involving a number of different countries and geographical areas. The effect on the countries involved of producing for this market, or for export, was to subordinate the production of wealth within their frontiers to a new logic, that of reinvesting profits so as to continually improve the methods of production as a way to remain competitive in the struggle to realise further profits. As a result profound changes were brought about in the economic, and therefore also in the social and political, structures of these countries amounting to the introduction of a new economic system. Right from the start capitalism has been an international system, not only as a matter of historical fact but also because if it had not been so it would never have developed. The countries concerned would not have been subject to an external pressure – which they were ultimately unable to resist – to apply the new economic logic of capital accumulation and production for monetary profit and the new economic system would not have come into being. Capitalism is the economic mechanism which comes into operation as a coercive external force acting on economic decision-makers when wealth is produced for sale, not simply on any market, but on the world market. Its history is the history of the development of the world market economy from its origins in Europe in the 16th century to its present situation, achieved by the end of the 19th century, of a truly world system embracing not only a number of different countries and geographical areas but all countries and all geographical areas. This means there is not, and never has been, such a thing as a "national economy". That this latter exists is an illusion arising out of the fact that, politically, the countries and areas involved in producing for the world market have been divided into states which have always sought to interfere with the operation of that market. Capitalism is not a collection of national capitalist economies existing side by side but a single world economy functioning as such of which the "economies" of the separate states are merely integral parts, even to the extent of playing different functional roles (industrial producers, raw material producers, agricultural producers, etc.) within the system. COLLECTION OF ARMED STATES It should not be thought that capitalism is a purely economic system, just an economic mechanism of the accumulation of capital out of monetary profits. It is also a collection of armed states with clashing economic interets. These states use their coercive powers to interfere in the operation of the world market with a view to distorting it in favour of profit-seeking enterprises operating from within their frontiers. Although no state has ever been strong enough to completely control the world market, there have always been some sufficiently strong to distort it, at least temporarily, in their favour. Even though purely economic considerations – cost of production in relation to price, etc. – are in the end the determining factor, the intervention of states, both by economic means such as tariffs, customs duties, bounties and monopolies, and by the threat and the use of physical force, has thus always been a subsidiary factor in the distribution of world profits.
Imagine a primitive communistic community of eight women and men living in a hill-cave beside a l... more Imagine a primitive communistic community of eight women and men living in a hill-cave beside a lakeside jungle on gathering and hunting. Only mangoes and wild ducks are available there. We suppose that this matrilineal primitive community was spontaneous but non-natural having a systematic social division of labour. A, B, C and D going about gathering and E, F, G and H hunting, say 4 hours a day we assume in retrospect, for they did not conceive of a watch, but could recognize time by observation of movement and locations of the sun in the sky. They were also not required to take orders from anybody, but to take decision themselves communally, or democratically, so to say, although not consciously.
Perhaps the commonest definition of inflation is "too much money chasing too few goods", or rathe... more Perhaps the commonest definition of inflation is "too much money chasing too few goods", or rather the rise in prices which results from this. A more sophisticated definition is that inflation is a sustained rise in the general price level. Both these definitions, however, confuse an effect (the rise in the general price level) with its cause. So, what causes the general price level to rise? We need, first, to distinguish between a rise in the price of a particular commodity and a rise in the prices of all commodities, between a rise in individual prices and a rise in the genera1 price level. This is not always easy in practice since a rise in the general price level will also of course involve a rise in individual prices. However, there is a real distinction here, which it is essential to make. A rise in the general price level can be defined as a rise in the prices of all commodities such that their prices relative to each other remain unchanged. Individual prices, on the other hand, can rise for a number of reasons besides as part of a rise in the general price level. The demand for a commodity might temporarily exceed its supply; monopoly conditions might exist; its cost of production might go up. All these no doubt have operated to cause particular prices to rise at particular times, but then at other times other forces – supply exceeding demand, falling costs, government subsidies – will have worked to reduce particular prices. In any event, none of these could explain a general rise in the prices of all commodities. Three possible causes of a rise in the general price level are put forward in the textbooks: demand-pull, cost-push and an excessive increase in the money supply. Upon analysis, however, it can be seen that the first two depend on the money supply being in excess. For "demand" to "pull" up prices it has to be greater than supply because, without paying demand being more than the total of the original prices of goods and services on sale, the producers of these would not be able to put up their prices; in fact, if they could in the absence of extra demand then they would have done so already. Similarly with cost-push, unless the demand was greater than the supply the producers would not be able to increase their prices to compensate some increase in their costs; without the extra demand they would just have to absorb the cost increase themselves (out of their profits). Therefore, in the end, inflation is a monetary phenomenon. It is, as the word itself suggests, an extra issue, a bloating – or inflation – of the money supply which is excessive. Therefore, in this sense the Monetarists are right. The rise in the general level of prices is caused by there being "too much money". However, the next question is "what is money?" Government statisticians developed four different definitions of the money supply: "M0 : Physical currency. A measure of the money supply which combines any liquid or cash assets held within a central bank and the amount of physical currency circulating in the economy. M0 is the most liquid measure of the money supply. It only includes cash or assets that could quickly be converted into currency.
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Win the battle of democracy
Do away with private property
Abolish the wages system altogether
End employment to end unemployment
Achieve abundance for all and inscribe on the banners:
From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs!
An association, in which the free development of each is the condition of free development of all
The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of overcoming what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. They have yet to move on to the phase of “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), by transforming human society from “a planetary community of production and consumption” (Albert Einstein) into a Universal Community of Scientific Beings – star-trekking beings. With the disappearance of classes from within liberated humanity, humans will leave behind their prehistory and enter into the realm of free history, as Marx envisaged.
You know that for a revolution to happen nowadays two essential conditions must mature – 1) subjective i.e., revolutionary will and organisation of the immense majority of the working class world over and, 2) objective i.e., material productive abundance for all. Unceasing development of science and technology leading to artificial intelligence – robotics and automation – has revolutionized the forces of production that have outgrown the current relations of production by creating the technological basis for a leisure society. Now I think, you all will agree with me that for some time now abundance-for-all is knocking at our doors just for acceptance, but the class responsible for its revolutionary reception – the working class – is up till now perplexedly lagging behind failing simply to will, organize and vote towards that end – the awesome “fear of freedom” – which is why we are still stuck with the capitalist relations of production. We are at the threshold of the bona fide "Maximum Programme"; not that we have any "MIN-Max" programme anyway. We have only one programme WORLD SOCIALISM right here and now.
The “Utility Theory”, “Nobel Peace Prize” and “Nobel Prize in economic sciences” are the three big swindles which are constantly aided and abetted with “Marx don’t matter”, “No more Marx” hypes; and our inability to put a stop to them are symptoms of our alienated amnesia and the resulting wretched repetition of existential compulsion. Therefore, our class-conscious antagonists of the world go scot-free with such outrageous swindles constantly abusing our children to look for crumbs in their prized ideological celebration wastes they title ‘education’ that shrewdly glorifies “power and success in our present society” (Albert Einstein, Why Socialism?) and perpetuates the wages-slavery in the name of ‘economic sciences’ (‘modern economics’ – ‘welfare economics’ – ‘development economics’ – ‘institutional economics’) and ‘political science’ (‘welfare state’).
The raison d'être of this pamphlet is to chronologically narrate the commencement and progression of the right to vote that had its origin under feudal aristocracy of the thirteenth century England, eventually extended to the nascent industrial bourgeoisie having in the course of class struggles, finally yielding to the working class of the most developed and developing countries of the world resulting in universal suffrage. Modern states are the ruling political instruments in the hands of the capitalist class to administer the affairs of society by a top-down bureaucratic – authoritarian – dictatorial machinery. Consequently it was the exclusive right of the capitalist class to run their own businesses as they needed and liked. It was not at all imperative to them to extend suffrage to the working class. Eventually they accepted their class adversaries alongside themselves into their most vital political decision-making bodies such as parliaments. For two reasons: the working class’s struggle and the capitalist class’s self-interest.
In all their struggles against the feudal aristocracy the capitalist class had to depend on the working class who supplied their loyal driving force. Hence they ultimately did pay heed to the unrelenting struggles of their wage slaves for a political ballot which could be allowed without hampering their economic interest – exploitation, even by manning the state with their hired representatives elected from ranks of the working class. They held on to their exclusive right to exploit at the price of conceding the right to vote into the hands of their workers. Secondly, historically, through class struggle they learnt their class-lesson that they could tactically deceive the working class by extending this concession regarding the working class’s persistent and potent political demand for franchise while retaining the rein of economically exploitative, hire and fire system of wages slavery unhampered under the despotic employer/employee relation as usual .
In this booklet we narrate the long drawn-out struggles of the working class to achieve this democratically decisive instrument. The working class got a political right to elect their exploiters’ executive committees of the states that oppressed them. However, the wages slavery remained unharmed since the workers were demanding only political democracy and not the economic democracy that is socialism. And this they have never done as yet. Even then that is sufficient for turning the existing state of affairs upside-down by transforming top-down capitalist political power structure into socialist bottom-up one.
Today world’s working class executes all productive, distributive, administrative and defensive works. They comprise some 90 percent of world’s population. Thus they are enormously capable of overthrowing the parasitic capitalist class from the sphere of power by using their ballots, if they so wish cooperatively. Yes, ballots not bullets. They have only to will and organise toward that end, and, thereby eliminate the capitalist vulgar democracy with a three-tier – local, regional and global participatory democratic administrations of affairs of life, of things instead of the ongoing administration of men in the name of democracy. They will have to use the parliaments; they will have to elect their own delegates (MPs) to parliaments mandated to declare: Annulment of property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity. Capitalist production for profit will give way to socialist production for use. This will usher the humanity into the realm of unbridled freedom – freedom from the clutches of classes, wages, buying and selling, money and states.
Therefore, in the interest of working class’s self-organisation within the framework of the World Socialist Movement, we submit our findings for consideration by our class by revisiting the theoretically indispensable social categories to ascertain the truth for self-emancipation.
Executive Committee,
WORLD SOCIALIST PARTY (INDIA)
September 2017
Win the battle of democracy
Do away with private property
Abolish the wages system altogether
End employment to end unemployment
Achieve abundance for all and inscribe on the banners:
From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs!
An association, in which the free development of each is the condition of free development of all
The workers of the world are yet to unite to accomplish their over-a-century-long pending task of overcoming what Thorstein Veblen called “the predatory phase” of human development. They have yet to move on to the phase of “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” (Karl Marx and Frederick Engels), by transforming human society from “a planetary community of production and consumption” (Albert Einstein) into a Universal Community of Scientific Beings – star-trekking beings. With the disappearance of classes from within liberated humanity, humans will leave behind their prehistory and enter into the realm of free history, as Marx envisaged.
You know that for a revolution to happen nowadays two essential conditions must mature – 1) subjective i.e., revolutionary will and organisation of the immense majority of the working class world over and, 2) objective i.e., material productive abundance for all. Unceasing development of science and technology leading to artificial intelligence – robotics and automation – has revolutionized the forces of production that have outgrown the current relations of production by creating the technological basis for a leisure society. Now I think, you all will agree with me that for some time now abundance-for-all is knocking at our doors just for acceptance, but the class responsible for its revolutionary reception – the working class – is up till now perplexedly lagging behind failing simply to will, organize and vote towards that end – the awesome “fear of freedom” – which is why we are still stuck with the capitalist relations of production. We are at the threshold of the bona fide "Maximum Programme"; not that we have any "MIN-Max" programme anyway. We have only one programme WORLD SOCIALISM right here and now.
The “Utility Theory”, “Nobel Peace Prize” and “Nobel Prize in economic sciences” are the three big swindles which are constantly aided and abetted with “Marx don’t matter”, “No more Marx” hypes; and our inability to put a stop to them are symptoms of our alienated amnesia and the resulting wretched repetition of existential compulsion. Therefore, our class-conscious antagonists of the world go scot-free with such outrageous swindles constantly abusing our children to look for crumbs in their prized ideological celebration wastes they title ‘education’ that shrewdly glorifies “power and success in our present society” (Albert Einstein, Why Socialism?) and perpetuates the wages-slavery in the name of ‘economic sciences’ (‘modern economics’ – ‘welfare economics’ – ‘development economics’ – ‘institutional economics’) and ‘political science’ (‘welfare state’).
The raison d'être of this pamphlet is to chronologically narrate the commencement and progression of the right to vote that had its origin under feudal aristocracy of the thirteenth century England, eventually extended to the nascent industrial bourgeoisie having in the course of class struggles, finally yielding to the working class of the most developed and developing countries of the world resulting in universal suffrage. Modern states are the ruling political instruments in the hands of the capitalist class to administer the affairs of society by a top-down bureaucratic – authoritarian – dictatorial machinery. Consequently it was the exclusive right of the capitalist class to run their own businesses as they needed and liked. It was not at all imperative to them to extend suffrage to the working class. Eventually they accepted their class adversaries alongside themselves into their most vital political decision-making bodies such as parliaments. For two reasons: the working class’s struggle and the capitalist class’s self-interest.
In all their struggles against the feudal aristocracy the capitalist class had to depend on the working class who supplied their loyal driving force. Hence they ultimately did pay heed to the unrelenting struggles of their wage slaves for a political ballot which could be allowed without hampering their economic interest – exploitation, even by manning the state with their hired representatives elected from ranks of the working class. They held on to their exclusive right to exploit at the price of conceding the right to vote into the hands of their workers. Secondly, historically, through class struggle they learnt their class-lesson that they could tactically deceive the working class by extending this concession regarding the working class’s persistent and potent political demand for franchise while retaining the rein of economically exploitative, hire and fire system of wages slavery unhampered under the despotic employer/employee relation as usual .
In this booklet we narrate the long drawn-out struggles of the working class to achieve this democratically decisive instrument. The working class got a political right to elect their exploiters’ executive committees of the states that oppressed them. However, the wages slavery remained unharmed since the workers were demanding only political democracy and not the economic democracy that is socialism. And this they have never done as yet. Even then that is sufficient for turning the existing state of affairs upside-down by transforming top-down capitalist political power structure into socialist bottom-up one.
Today world’s working class executes all productive, distributive, administrative and defensive works. They comprise some 90 percent of world’s population. Thus they are enormously capable of overthrowing the parasitic capitalist class from the sphere of power by using their ballots, if they so wish cooperatively. Yes, ballots not bullets. They have only to will and organise toward that end, and, thereby eliminate the capitalist vulgar democracy with a three-tier – local, regional and global participatory democratic administrations of affairs of life, of things instead of the ongoing administration of men in the name of democracy. They will have to use the parliaments; they will have to elect their own delegates (MPs) to parliaments mandated to declare: Annulment of property and territorial rights whereby all that is on and in the earth becomes the common heritage of the whole humanity. Capitalist production for profit will give way to socialist production for use. This will usher the humanity into the realm of unbridled freedom – freedom from the clutches of classes, wages, buying and selling, money and states.
Therefore, in the interest of working class’s self-organisation within the framework of the World Socialist Movement, we submit our findings for consideration by our class by revisiting the theoretically indispensable social categories to ascertain the truth for self-emancipation.
Executive Committee,
WORLD SOCIALIST PARTY (INDIA)
September 2017
The working men have no country. We cannot take from them what they have not got…. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.
Working Men of All Countries, Unite!” – Marx Engels – Communist Manifesto