By Jeff Mackler, National Secretary, Socialist Action [Photo above: Leon Trotsky and Vladimir Lenin, co-leaders of the 1917 Russian Revolution]
It’s sometimes tough being a revolutionary socialist at a time when supporting Democratic Party capitalist/imperialist genocidal “lesser evil” warmongers, is seen by many folks of good will as necessary to stop neo-fascist wannabes like today’s titular head of state, Donald Trump.
In our view humanity’s future is contingent on ending capitalist rule and establishing a socialist society where for the first time in the modern era working people rule in their own name, through their own institutions and in the interests of the vast majority.
The socialist future that we envision will disarm the war machine entirely, eliminate the war budget, bring all the troops home immediately, close all 1100 US military bases in 110 countries and spend the $trillions saved on building an egalitarian society where every human being is guaranteed a quality of life free from the degrading conditions that capitalism imposes on the world’s people.
The multiple horrors that humanity faces today are no accident. They are and have always been inherent in the capitalist system itself, where human needs are subordinate to capitalist profits. Endless wars, environmental destruction, cataclysmic climate crises, unending pandemics, racism, sexist, mass incarceration, persecution of immigrants, and LGBTQI discrimination are no accidents to be remedied by the election of yet another billionaire-backed capitalist party that exists to defend the status quo no matter the cost to the world’s people. There are no “lesser evils” between capitalism’s twin parties of war, racism and repression.
The tragedy of our times resides in the terrible contradiction between the strivings of the vast majority to lead a secure and decent life – the 99 percent – and the ceaseless compulsion of the elite 1 percent, who largely own and control the basic economic and political institutions of society to advance their interests, above all their profits.
Capitalism cannot be reformed! It can and must be abolished by the concerted actions of the vast majority of the world’s people, who have zero interest in their own humiliation at the hands of their overlords. Socialist Action strives to be a mass national party of working-class fighters and their allies among all the oppressed and exploited. We strive to be party whose ranks play prominent roles in building and uniting all social struggles. We are leading activists in every struggle where people fight for freedom and equality.
We are a revolutionary socialist party in the tradition of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky that champions the method of the united front, where millions mobilize in massive protests and strike actions to defend and advance their own interests and in the process become aware that they have the power to fundamentally challenge the capitalist status quo and establish socialist societies.
We fight to rebuild, qualitatively expand and democratize the US labor movement and fight for the formation of a mass democratic independent trade union-based Labor Party in alliance with all the oppressed and exploited, that champions working people’s interests at the point of production and in the political arena.
We are a party that unconditionally supports the right of self-determination of all oppressed peoples. In the US, in the tradition of Malcolm X, this includes the formation of independent Black and Latinx parties that fight to defend and advance the interests of the nation’s oppressed nationalities.
We fight for women’s liberation in every aspect of society, including the unqualified right to free abortion, health care, childcare, equality at the workplace and an end to all of capitalism’s sexist and discriminatory practices.
We fight for a united, democratic, inclusive, mass action-oriented antiwar movement that categorically rejects all US wars.
We champion the freedom of all political prisoners from Mumia Abu-Jamal to Leonard Peltier. Free ‘em all! Free all capitalism’s imprisoned freedom fighters.
Join us in fighting for the socialist future today! Donate at our website to our revolutionary socialist cause. socialistaction.org
Join us! Contact socialistaction@lmi.net
