IS DEDICATED to fighting for a world free of all exploitation, racism and sexual oppression— a society whose productive resources are democratically owned and controlled by the working-class majority, and where human need replaces capitalist greed.
Who owns what?
Socialism is the collective ownership by all the people of the factories, mills, mines, railroads, land and all other instruments of production.
Who benefits?
Socialism means production to satisfy human needs, not as under capitalism, for sale and profit.
Who run things?
Socialism means direct control and management of the industries and social services by the workers through a democratic government based on their nationwide economic organization. Under socialism, all authority will originate from the workers, integrally united in Socialist Industrial Unions. In each workplace, the rank and file will elect whatever committees or representatives are needed to facilitate production. Within each shop or office division of a plant, the rank and file will participate directly in formulating and implementing all plans necessary for efficient operations.
Local and national Government
Besides electing all necessary shop officers, the workers will also elect representatives to a local and national council of their industry or service--and to a central congress representing all the industries and services. This all-industrial congress will plan and coordinate production in all areas of the economy.
Democratic Control
All persons elected to any post in the socialist government, from the lowest to the highest level, will be directly accountable to the rank and file. They will be subject to removal at any time that a majority of those who elected them decide it is necessary.
Such a system would make possible the fullest democracy and freedom. It would be a society based on the most primary freedom--economic freedom.
Individual Rights
For individuals, socialism means an end to economic insecurity and exploitation. It means workers cease to be commodities bought and sold on the labor market, and forced to work as appendages to tools owned by someone else. It means a chance to develop all individual capacities and potentials within a free community of free individuals. It means a classless society that guarantees full democratic rights for all workers.
What Socialism is not
Socialism does not mean government or state ownership.
It does not mean a closed party-run system without democratic rights.
It does not mean "nationalization," or "labor-management boards,"
or state capitalism of any kind.
It means a complete end to all capitalist social relations.
http://www.internationalsocialist.org/
Socialism Never tried
Socialism has never existed. It did not exist in the old U.S.S.R., and it does not exist in China. Socialism will be a society in which the things we need to live, work and control our own lives--the industries, services and natural resources--are collectively owned by all the people, and in which the democratic organization of the people within the industries and services is the government. Socialism means that government of the people, for the people and by the people will become a reality for the first time.
How We Can Get Socialism?
To win the struggle for socialist freedom requires enormous efforts of organizational and educational work. It requires building a political party of socialism to contest the power of the capitalist class on the political field, and to educate the majority of workers about the need for socialism. It requires building Socialist Industrial Union organizations to unite all workers in a classconscious industrial force, and to prepare them to take, hold and operate the tools of production. You are needed in the ranks of Socialists fighting for a better world--to end poverty, racism, sexism, environmental disaster and to avert the still potent threat of a catastrophic nuclear war. Find out more about the program and work of the Socialist Labor Party and join us to help make the promise of socialism a reality.
