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Title: Where We Stand Author: Anarchist Workers Group Date: October 1988 Language: en Topics: principles Source: Retrieved on 15th October 2021 from https://zabalazabooks.net/2013/08/22/in-place-of-compromise-why-we-need-a-rank-and-file-movement/
UNDER CAPITALISM the workers produce the wealth of the world but neither
own nor control the produce of their labour. Capitalism creates poverty,
starvation, unemployment, waste, pollution, war and the threat of
nuclear annihilation. Only when the working class seize control of, and
plan production, for use not profit, can human needs be satisfied.
THERE IS no parliamentary road to socialism. The company directors, top
civil servants, security and army chiefs and lawlords exercise real
power and will prevent parliament from legislating for fundamental
social change. The power of the ruling class can only be contested
effectively at the point of production which is primarily where
socialists must organise.
THE STATE is an instrument of class domination and cannot be used in any
way to further the interests of the working class. All gains conceded by
our rulers can only be defended through the class struggle. The
capitalist courts, local council and industrial arbitration bodies
cannot serve as a substitute for direct action by workers. The state
cannot be reformed, bypassed or brought under democratic control. It
must be destroyed and replaced by the power of workers councils.
THERE CAN be no socialism in one country. Capitalist production is
international and therefore social revolution must be international in
order to succeed. The working class has no country; British workers have
no common interests with their bosses. As internationalists we side with
all oppressed peoples fighting imperialism whilst promoting the primacy
of working class interests in all such struggles.
THE TRADE unions exist to defend workers’ interests within the limits of
capitalism: they cannot be vehicles for its revolutionary overthrow. The
trade union leaders are a bureaucratic caste whose existence depends on
the maintenance of their role as professional negotiators. This role
fosters a conservative outlook which acts as a brake on militancy. It is
necessary, therefore, that workers organise a rank-and-file movement
within the existing unions across sectional divisions and independent of
bureaucracy. Such a movement would act, firstly, as a political
counterpoint to the reformist bureaucracy and secondly, provide, in
times of struggle, the organisational framework to bypass leaders who
always side with the bosses in a revolutionary crisis.
THE LIBERATION of workers must be achieved by the workers themselves.
This task cannot be carried out on behalf of the workers by a vanguard
party. Any attempt to usurp the role of the mass of the workers must be
opposed. There can be no socialism without workers’ democracy. Therefore
we do not consider the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, China or Cuba to be
socialist.
CAPITALISM generates systems of oppression which divide the working
class. To create a unified workers’ movement and a genuine communist
society we must fight all forms of oppression in principle.
To this end we oppose the oppression of women. In the family women are
burdened with the main responsibility for childcare and domestic labour.
We stand for free abortion on demand and the socialisation of childcare
and housework through free provision of 24-hour nurseries, laundries,
dormitories and restaurants.
We are opposed to all forms of racial discrimination.
We are opposed to all immigration controls and support the right to
physical self-defence against racist attacks.
We oppose all forms of discrimination against lesbians and gays and
stand for the full decriminalisation of homosexuality.
ALTHOUGH WORKERS learn through struggle they do not spontaneously become
revolutionary. Therefore we advocate a political organisation of
anarchist workers which can win workers to libertarian communist ideas
and intervene decisively in the class struggle. We stand for the fullest
democracy and independence of all workers’ organisations and defend the
right of all revolutionary currents to participate within them.
We urge all those who agree with our objectives and policies to join us
in building such an organisation so that Libertarian Communism can
become a reality.