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  • Writer's pictureMatthew Smith

A guide to action

Let us start this paper as we intend to go on. That is to say, let's discuss what action a typical worker should consider taking right now.


Naturally, one should consider joining a socialist party where you can form important networks with fellow socialists and plan group actions so as to maximise your impact. If you live in Greece, choices are plentiful as there are parties which follow an orthodox Marxist line such as the KKE and countless anarchist groups if you are so inclined. However, the imperialist nations, where global plunder has raised the conditions of the working class just enough to nullify there revolutionary character, choices are thin on the ground.


Here in the UK the so called "Labour Party" has reverted back to Blairite centrism so one must look at the smaller parties. Of these parties, the vast majority describe themselves as Trotskyist and resemble vestigial body parts. these parties express no intentions or plans to grow socialism and seem satisfied in their status as fringe clubs. Two exceptions to this general rule would be the CPGB-ML and the WPB which have proven to be divisive due to their leading figures. Joti Brar has expressed what appears to be Transphobia disguised as mere class reductionism While George Galloway has divided opinion in the UK for decades. Even so, if you live in a nation dominated by bourgeoisie parties, you should still join a socialist party as they aren't going to change without new voices and they could still act as a meeting ground for new comrades.


Naturally, your actions need not stop here. It has been said before, but a great deal can be achieved by introducing your friends and family to socialist ideas. If every socialist managed to convince just one person every year of the scientific truth of socialist principles, the laws of exponential growth would bring us a revolution promptly. Alas, not every socialist will convert someone so it is up to those who are determined to pick up the slack. For what it's worth, Liberals are often susceptible to socialist ideas as many are compassionate people who want to help those who are less fortunate, but they are simply unaware of the fundamental contradictions of capitalism and the failure of liberalism to address these flaws. That being said, even some ardent republicans are furious with a ruling class making their lives difficult, if you can convince them that this ruling class is the bourgeoisie rather than the race which happens to frighten them most then then they'll find themselves launched to the other side of the political spectrum. This is not unheard of, Emerican Johnson was once a devout Libertarian (in the American sense) before becoming a Libertarian Socialist.


If you struggle to make points under the pressure of an argument you could also consider leafleting. This allows you to prepare your arguments in advance and write them out as clearly as possible. Alternatively, many socialist arguments have been articulated brilliantly in other designs, so you could print out some which are already made. There is no need to wait for an election cycle to do this as socialist organising must transcend the narrow windows of time in which the Bourgeoisie says we may participate in an economically rigged election. There is never an inappropriate time to raise class consciousness so go out and do it today. As it happens, I live in a wealthy constituency where the re-election of the most bourgeoisie candidate is a certainty. It would be easy to think there isn't a working class here, but that is only partially true. While poor workers do certainly drive in from poor towns to make the Lattes for Tennis mums, I have found a remarkable amount of working class residences. When I last leafleted in this town, I found cheap apartments above shops and in the back alleys behind them. These are the letterboxes to target as a worker struggling to pay rent is more likely to have experienced capitalist exploitation directly and brutally.


Finally, there is no shame in co-opting existing movements for the purposes of spreading socialism. A notable example of a movement which is in desperate need of a socialist character is extinction rebellion. This movement blocked the streets of London and caused general disruption beyond the typical legal bounds of UK marches which achieve bugger all, but it lacked class consciousness. The movement demanded governments, "Tell the Truth" about climate change. It did not advocate a movement away from the profit motive which has caused this unsustainable resource extraction and the decisions of the movement are made by a bureaucracy which is in no conflict with the ruling class. This disappointing condition reached its zenith when they condemned the democratically elected social democrat Evo Morales and essentially back the coup which was led by a christian fascist. Despite this, many people within the movement are willing to get arrested and risk their safety because they think the movement is doing something. These are valuable potential comrades and I would encourage fellow socialists to set up an Extinction Rebellion Socialist Caucus to recruit these activists into an environmentalist movement with class consciousness. Currently extinction rebellion is desirable for the bourgeoisie as it allows the people to release their anger in a controlled and non-threatening way, if we organise and siphon the momentum of these movements we can make something the bourgeoisie is actually scared of.

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