The COVID-19 crisis, the economic crash, and the bitter struggle inside the Labour Party all point to one thing: the need for a bold leadership that can offer a way forward for workers and youth. Join the fight for socialism! Join the Marxists!
Dear comrade,
The revelations surrounding the traitors within the Labour Party HQ and PLP have come as no surprise to those who witnessed the constant undermining of Jeremy Corbyn and his leadership. The contempt these vile creatures have for ordinary members beggars belief, as does the industrial scale of their witch-hunting activities.
This is part of the civil war within the party. It demonstrates the lengths to which the right wing – and through them the ruling class – are prepared to go to regain control over the Labour Party. It is time we cleared out these Tory infiltrators, careerists, and enemies of the working class!
How can we believe those who preach ‘unity’ now, after all that has been revealed, and when left-wingers have been replaced in the Shadow Cabinet by Blairites?
This whole rotten experience raises starkly what kind of Labour Party is required: not one that bends the knee to capitalism and the establishment – a Tory Mark Two; but a genuine socialist party that fights for the working class and for the socialist transformation of society.
No return to the 1930s!
This is needed now more than ever, with the capitalist system hurtling towards disaster.
We are facing an economic crash that will put even the Great Depression of the 1930s in the shade. Even the strategists of capital recognise this, warning of global devastation, with dire consequences.
Mass unemployment has returned with a vengeance. In the space of just weeks, 22 million have been plunged into unemployment in the United States. Britain is looking at six million unemployed. Living standards are collapsing everywhere.
Trillions of dollars are being poured by governments in order to rescue capitalism. But the working class will be asked to pay the bill for this once the pandemic subsides.
Capitalism has brought society to a complete impasse. The system is threatened with collapse. But the old order will not die of its own volition. It needs to be overthrown.
That task lies before us. But we will be successful only on one condition: that we build a leadership now that is prepared to fight to the end.
Need for leadership
We must recognise the weakness and failure of the left leaders over the last five years. Rather than struggling against the right wing, they sought to compromise and reach an accommodation at every stage. They were afraid to introduce the open selection of MPs, fearing that this would lead to a split with the right wing. But weakness invites aggression!
As regards their programme, they stand for Keynesianism and the patching up of capitalism, rather than for its overthrow. They are looking to create a kinder, softer capitalism. But this is impossible.
Capitalism has reached its limits and is completely exhausted. We are in an epoch of capitalist decline and decay. There is no way out for the working class on this basis, but only misery and hardship.
Only the socialist transformation of society can offer a way forward. This means taking the economy out of the hands of the capitalist class, and placing it into the hands of the workers.
In this way, we can democratically plan the economy – producing not on the basis of profit, but for the needs of people. Again, this requires a bold leadership that will take the struggle to its conclusion.
Such a leadership will not emerge spontaneously, however. It needs to be built beforehand. The potential for this is enormous, given the mass changes in consciousness that are beginning to take place.
Educate, agitate, organise
Our tendency – the Marxist tendency – has a vital role to play in this regard. As opposed to the woolly ideas of reformism, Marxism offers a scientific method and perspective, providing us with the clear ideas, tactics, and strategy needed to chart a path out of this era of capitalist crisis.
With the correct ideas – put forward boldly, at the right time and in the right place – we can make a huge impact.
The Marxist tendency has been growing steadily in the past period, sinking roots in the movements of workers and youth. Our task has been to organise, educate, and train cadres for the stormy events that are coming.
But we need to have a sense of urgency! We need to build the Marxist tendency with greater speed and energy. And to do this, we need your help!
Unlike other political tendencies, we learn from history; from the experiences of the working class in Britain and internationally. These lessons and experiences are distilled and contained within Marxist theory. We therefore base ourselves on the ideas of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky, who supply us with the ideas to change the world.
Join the Marxists!
We are therefore appealing to you—those in the Labour Party, and those who have already left —to join and help us build the forces of Marxism today. As individuals we can do very little. But organised together, and armed with clear socialist ideas, we can become a catalyst for future revolutionary developments.
Of course, this means sacrifice in time and effort. We have no rich backers, so we have to raise the resources necessary, without which we cannot succeed. If an idea is worth fighting for, it is worth sacrificing for.
Without the socialist transformation of society in the next period, capitalism will throw society back to barbarism. The problems facing humanity are being posed very sharply. Marxism offers the only real way forward.
Working-class consciousness is being transformed rapidly, day-by-day by the unfolding crisis. The mass organisations are going to be transformed and re-transformed by the turbulent events that lie ahead. We must get organised now.
That is why we are appealing to you to join us, and build the forces of Marxism, so as to prepare for the historic opportunities in front of us.
Don’t delay! Join us in the fight for socialism!
Comradely,
Rob Sewell, National Secretary, Socialist Appeal
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