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If We Are To Survive
(Reprinted from The Western Socialist, January-February, 1942) If ever there was a term whose constant use is rivalled only by an equally constant misuse, that term is Human Nature. Rich man, poor man, beggar man, and politician—all consider themselves qualified, if not expert, to discuss the whys and wherefores of human behaviour. And yet, in spite…
An die Sozialistische Arbeiterschaft
From the January 1905 issue of the Socialist Standard Genossen! Der Socialistischen Partei von Grossbritanien ist vom Sekretaer der britischen Sektion des Amsterdamer Kongresses eine Zuschrift zugegangen, worin unsere Partei unter anderem befragt wird, ob sie geneigt waere, an einer gerneinschaftlichen Beratung teilzunehmen, da beabsichtigt waere, ein Nationales Comité einzusetzen, welches sich mit der Erledigung von Kongress…
¿QUÉ ES ECONOMÍA?
Abra cualquier libro de texto sobre economía. El concepto de “escasez” pronto aparece, tal vez incluso en la primera página. Y leerás que hay recursos escasos y deseos ilimitados, y que la economía es el estudio de las decisiones que las personas toman para lidiar con esta situación. El concepto de “escasez” utilizado en estas…
The Imagination of the “Impossiblists” 6/6
EducationEducation is an integral part of any social system. Feudal society required little of the peasants by way of education. The Industrial Revolution demanded more – workers who could make, tend and repair machines, and some who could keep records and books. In the 20th century the process was continued – mass education was fashioned…
The Imagination of the “Impossiblists” 5/6
AppendixHousingHousing is one problem of capitalism which has been a constant source of difficulty and is part and parcel of working class life. Few members of our class escape some aspect of housing trouble. Whether it is the complete crisis of homelessness, or the stress involved in keeping our homes through paying rent or repaying a…
The Imagination of the “Impossiblists” 4/6
Being Practical Socialists have tended to refrain from extensive speculation about the precise organization of a future socialist system but the above descriptions of what is possible demonstrates quite clearly that socialists are not planning an unachievable Utopia. Capitalism has made abundance a possibility, and made workable the “Communistic abolition of buying and selling”. We…
The Imagination of the “Impossiblists” 3/6
Steady-State Socialism Another important point not to overlook is that we are seeking a “steady-state” economy or “zero-growth” which corresponds to what Marx called “simple reproduction” – a situation where human needs were in balance with the resources needed to satisfy them. Such a society would already have decided, according to its own criteria and…
The Imagination of the “Impossiblists” 2/6
Allocating Resources Stock or inventory control systems employing calculation-in-kind are absolutely indispensable to any kind of modern production system. While it is true that today they operate within a price environment that is not the same thing as saying they need such an environment in order to operate. Most students of logistics will be able…
The Imagination of the “Impossiblists” 1/6
When one talks to people about socialism or communism, one very frequently finds that they entirely agree with one regarding the substance of the matter and declare communism to be a very fine thing; “but”, they then say, “it is impossible ever to put such things into practice in real life” – Engels Fantasy is the first…
Manifesto of the Equals
This manifesto, drawn up by Sylvain Maréchal, for an attempt to organise an insurrection in Paris in 1796 known as the “Conspiracy of the Equals”, was never formally adopted by the conspirators. It is nevertheless a fine appeal for the establishment of the same sort of class-free communist society as Winstanley and the Diggers had advocated in…