Manifesto

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 80, 20 September 1912, Page 7

Manifesto

—Of the— NEW ZEALAND SOCIALIST PARTY.

We. the New Zealand Socialist Party, declare our distiuctiveness from all other political parties, inasmuch as we realise that there is existing a CLASS WAR. This war arises from the inevitable conflict of interest between the Capitalist Class, who control the means of life, and the non-controlling Producing Class. Wo realise that the control of the land and the machinery of production in the hands of the comparatively few places the many at the greatest disadvantage and sillicts the gravest injustices. The result is inevitably a very unequal distribution of wealth, with hardship and sun Wing the lot of the largest proportion ot wage-earners, whilst insecurity of livelihood threatens u'l producers. The Class War can only be terminated by the ending of contending class interests through the establishment of a Co-operative Commonwealth, in which the mean* of life being Collectively owned and managed exploitation will cease. To tin's end, therefore, we will not enter into any endorsements, fusions, bargains, or mutual understandings whatsoever with any other party which shall in any way compromise our principles, for our determined purpose is tv overthrow Capitalism and abolish ihe wage-system onoe and for ever. This will be accomplished by the workers securing to themselves economic and political power by uniting on the industrial field into One Big Classconscious Union, and on the political field into one Socialist Party—botli national and international in character — thereby finishing the Class War by the supremacy of the working-class and the \ establishment of working-class ideals. In the meantime, s\ich measures of relief as may be forced from Capitalism will be taken advantage of, but in the securing of such tho Socialist Party will always and everywhere guide itself by this question: Will this proposal advance the interests of tho workingclass and the workers in their Class Struggle against Capitalism? If it will, the Socialist Party is for it; if it will not, the Socialist Party is absolutely opposed to it. We, the Socialist Party, strenuously advocate and uphold Industrial Unionism as the logical extension of Trades Unionism, and consequently oppose compulsory arbitration and similar legislative enactments as disadvantageous to militant and basic action, and as fostering a seeming mutuality of interest between Capitalist and Wage-earner— robber and robbed —which obscures and harasses sound working-class organisation. We, the Socialist Party, are uncompromisingly hostile to all forms of militarism, recognising that while the Class State exists the armed forces will be used to buttress up Capitalism and to hold down the workers. We further affirm that all the energies of the working-class can be most profitably utilised in building up its industrial and political organisations, which shall finally render war impossible, and which organisations, by international affiliation and alliances between the working-classes of all nations, are at present the chief guarantee of the peace of the world. We do not seek political office except* j it be at the hands of a. majority of class-conscious voters, for ours is a revolutionary work, and Parliament as at present constituted will be of little use to the Industrial Democracy that we aim to establish, and it will need reorganising. Therefore is our policy built upon basic principles, which we will not lose sight of nor deviate from. In keeping with these, we seek an immediate extension of democratic power, and whatever government is in office we demand the Initiative, the Referendum! and Prdportional Representation, with Power of Recall, thereby putting full and Tapid power into the hands of the people. ' For the Socialist Party of N.Z. E. J. HOWARD, President. F. R. COOKE, Secretary. Headquarters: Box 943, G.P.0., Christchurch.