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New Communist Party of Britain |
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New Communist Party of Britain |
adopted December 2015
By their hard work and ingenuity, workers have made new and great progress in the productive forces, science and technology and other fields, but they receive little reward for their efforts. Indeed if it wasn't for the economic and political suppression of workers by capitalism even more could be achieved. It is this suppression of workers that led directly to the economic crisis of 2008/2009. It was not a crisis caused by one particular country or lack of regulation; it was a crisis of the economic system itself. Capitalism can only solve its problems temporarily and even then only at the expense of the majority in favour of the few. The short‑termism of these solutions will only continue to aggravate the causes of crisis.
In the longer term, whilst it is impossible, at this stage, to foresee how long capitalism’s general crisis will take to mature, it is certain that the contradictions within the system will ensure that at some stage in the future the capitalists will find it very difficult to resolve the contradictions within the capitalist system. For these reasons capitalism will not, and in any case can never, meet the needs of humanity as a whole — only socialism can do that. Capitalism will not collapse of its own volition — it must be pushed by the efforts of the working class operating in the specific conditions of their own countries. The exact scenario as to how this will happen cannot be predicted. But it is certain that communist parties are essential to the process of preparing workers to carry out fundamental social change and to ensure the advance to socialism.
What does socialism mean? First of all it means that the ownership of the means of production — the factories, mines, the transport industry, the land and the machinery to till it — are taken from the hands of the capitalists into state and collective ownership on behalf of the working class. A dictatorship of the working class will be established that will suppress the capitalists economically and politically through the workers' government, trade unions and councils and in the sphere of ideology and culture generally. The energy, vitality and creative power of the working class will be unleashed, providing a freer and fuller life for everyone. The people will own the banks, insurance companies and finance houses. The age of classes and exploitation will be over. The greed, speculation and corruption of the bourgeoisie will end when the workers' government is established and a new era will dawn.
Eventually, under communism, the economic slumps which are part and parcel of capitalism will disappear. There will be no more unemployment and no more war.
Homelessness and the squalor of the slums will end. Housing will be good, free and available to all. The environment will be protected for the benefit of the countless generations to come. Everyone will enjoy free education and a free health service.
Everyone who is able will work — not like today for the boss and breadline wages — but for the collective in the factory, office or farm. And work will become a pleasure. Every job will have value and importance, from the essential services to the highest scientific research and it will be all for the common benefit of the people.
People will have more leisure time: time to think; time to grow and appreciate life; time to participate and discuss; time to play or travel; time to reflect and create.
There will be no classes, sects or racial discrimination. Unemployment, poverty, racism, discrimination and bigotry will vanish. Women will finally be fully emancipated and play a full role in the society of the future.
Elderly people will be provided with a living income to enjoy the fruits of their past labour. And they will continue to play a role in a society which treasures their experience and knowledge.
Culture, sport, arts and entertainment will be made by the masses for the masses. The old culture of selfishness and competition, which pits worker against worker, will go. The old distinctions between skilled and unskilled, white‑collar, and blue‑collar workers will end, together with the dead‑end jobs and the sterile intellectualism of today. People will live in dignity and hope, building communism in Britain and throughout the world.
To this end our Congress calls on: