SWPE is not contesting the 2015 General Election in the UK. This does not mean that we are staying impartial, or limiting our activity to attacking the Establishment and all who profit from the exploitation of our people. SWPE actively supports those who have the best interests of our people at heart. A political party which shares many of our ideals is the Populist Party. Their Statement of Principles is as follows:
Anti-Materialism
Populists believe that people should come first, before profit. We believe that the family and individual suffer under greed and excessive consumerism. Companies expect their employees to work longer, more unsociable hours and workers accept this through lack of power to oppose exploitation, but also voluntarily sometimes as they attempt to "keep up" with the latest fashions and technology, believing that they have to have the "latest" of everything.
This disposable society creates little of lasting worth. The system throws one person onto the dole, whilst expecting others to take on that person's job without an increase in pay. It is wrong.
Populists are wary of sponsorship. It is an American concept. The American way is to promote a globalised cosmopolitan culture based upon greed and standardisation. Populists oppose the Americanisation of societies.
Localism
Populists support the decentralisation of power on community lines, with each community being free to conduct its own business in whatever fashion its people see fit. The size of these communities is defined such that their members are both familiar and dependent on each other — a size something along the lines of a small town or village. Localist movements are often organized in support of locally owned, independent businesses and non-profit organizations. Populists support "buy local," "support local food," and "bank local" campaigns, local food networks, such as farmers' markets, allotments, food cooperatives, and restaurants that serve local food. Locally owned, independent businesses, including community banks and credit unions are our preferred model of economics.
Populists oppose the process of globalisation. We oppose the power of organisations such as the World Trade Organisation, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and major multinational corporations. Economic globalisation often works to the detriment of, or does not adequately promote, human values such as protection of the environment and climate, economic justice, fair treatment of the workforce, and leads to the destruction of indigenous cultures.
Conservation
Populists support the preservation of nations, cultures, peoples and species. We note how the native Americans, the Lapps and the Maoris have fought to keep their identity in the modern world. We believe that western nations (especially the English) face the same challenges in the future as a result of mass immigration. The Australians limited immigration via a points based system, where only those with the skills needed were allowed to reside in their country. Germany had a "Guest Worker" system. The UK has open borders. Populists believe that free movement of peoples across borders without proper controls leads to overcrowding in developed countries, with the result of erosion of the countryside as new homes are built to accomodate a growing population. The mass movement of capital and people undermines wages and threatens jobs. Populists also support preservation of history through museums and galleries, conservation of nature and greater listing of buildings of historic importance. We believe that nations and peoples that forget their history face a bleak future and that the countryside should be nurtured and treated with respect. Rural life should be defended against the developer and that we should guarantee the land for future generations. A clean earth is our birthright and we should see ourselves not as the world's owners, merely its stewards.
Sovereignty
Populists support self-determination, which means the ability of the people to govern themselves without outside interference. Populists oppose any moves toward world government, believing that local people best know how to run their own affairs. We oppose the existence of organisations such as the European Union and believe it will develop into a tyranny little better than previous attempts at creating transnational empires such as the Third Reich and Soviet Union.
Populists support "Food, Water and Energy Sovereignty" -- this is the ability to provide these essentials, rather than being critically dependent upon outside sources, which can be cut off at any time. These utilities must be nationally owned. Populists oppose attempts to police the world and convert nations into "Western Liberal Democracies". These missions are doomed to failure and the so-called "war on terrorism" would not have started if the Americans had not interfered in the Middle East. Populists support a policy of Swiss-Style neutrality as the best way to avoid unnecessary wars.
Public Provision
Populists support the great strides made in the 20th century to create a welfare system to protect ordinary folk from hardship. The welfare state can be comprehensive, as in Scandinavian states, or a safety net as in many other nations, but it must be fair and it should not act as a disincentive to work. The breakup of families and increase in personal debt has led to the benefits system spiralling out of control. Populists believe that measures to help the family structure and get people back into employment are crucial to reducing the reliance of people on benefits. Populists aim to make state provision of education so good that private education is no longer necessary. A selective system which allows students to advance at their own speed usually works best. Schools should equip children with life skills which will enable them to get a job and set up home. Not just essential verbal, written and numerical skills but also basic plumbing, electrics, and home economics.
Populists support the principle of of good healthcare standards regardless of income or personal status. All healthcare (including prescriptions, optical and dental tests) should be free at the point of use. Personal health and hygiene products should not be subject to tax.
Populists support public transport that is under public ownership. It must be clean, safe and crime-free for the commuter.
Producerism
Populists believe in full employment and the fair distribution of work. Unemployment is a waste of talent and resources. It leads to alienation, lethargy and crime (the saying "the devil makes work for idle hands" is as true as ever!). It is impossible to plan for the future without a job or regular income. Full employment leads to greater purchasing power and lower welfare costs. A producerist society is one in which those who work hard get a just reward for their work. Companies which introduce the "living wage" should pay less in business taxes in order to allow them to do so without incurring huge losses. Populists believe that the current employment "pecking order" is bogus. It should be about who provides society with something of lasting value. Which workers would be required in a "survival situation"? The builder who provides the roof above our heads, the cook, the doctor, the farmer. Who makes the most money in the "real world?"..... the pop star, the catwalk model, the speculator, the premier league footballer...
It seems those who would be the most useless on the proverbial desert island get the most out of the "free-market" system. Populists would change the tax system to redress the balance in favour of those who produce.
Our sympathies lie with those who live off the fruits of their own labour, rather than those who live off others. People who do "real" jobs, not agents and middlemen who live comfortably off the hard work of others. Populists support "Producers First" against those who scrounge off others or make their fortunes by shifting money between different countries.
Populist Economics
Populists believe that business should be the nation's servant - not its master. Proper sovereignty means a nation state keeping its own currency, trading with whom it chooses, controlling imports and exports, and regulating its currency to protect against speculation. National independence means nothing if not accompanied by economic independence. Populists oppose the international finance model of economy and private usury (money lending). Banks present a friendly facade whilst crippling small businesses. Populists prefer a National Investment Bank to ensure that money is ploughed into national economies rather than being "lost" to foreign competitors. As regards trade, a home industry will always be undercut by workers in poorer countries with slave labour wages. For fair pay and job security people must be encouraged to buy the goods they produce and the products must be affordable. A system which protects national industries from unfair competition and phases out multinationals and other overseas ownership of the economy (an idea known as protectionism) is the way to achieve this. Only goods which cannot be grown or produced here should be exempt from import tax. Populists support credit controls to ensure that money is only paid to those who can repay - thus avoiding the huge personal debts incurred by those with credit cards. Populists support a small-scale economy where the tax system works to break down department stores and supermarkets into smaller units and breaks up monopolies in retail distribution. We support mutuals, co-operatives, the self employed and the small shop.
Popular Democracy
In a Popular Democracy -- rather than a Representative Democracy -- the people retain and exercise the policy-making and law-making initiative, rather than being subject to it. In a Popular Democracy, the government is the servant of the people, not their master. Its job is to listen, respond and deliver to that which is demanded by the people. Initiative allows a percentage of voters to propose a law, or choose one for repeal, the results of which are binding. Recall allows voters to remove corrupt or inefficient politicians from office mid-term, rather than only at election time. Referendum is the right to petition for a vote that has already passed through parliament (or local council/canton) but not yet taken effect. Populists believe that all representatives should have no other income or rewards beyond the wage they receive as a member of parliament. Political parties should be funded by individuals, not businesses or trade unions. All public bodies should be elected and accountable - not unelected QUANGO's.
Popular Justice
Populists believe that all people should be criminally responsible for their actions and that the "punishment should fit the crime". We feel strongly as ordinary folk suffer disproportionately from crime. Victims of crime should always be put first and we support the right of self defence. Populists view justice as a universal concept. If a citizen commits a crime abroad they should be subject to their host's law and not extradited. We say that duties are as important as rights and societies that work are ones with agreed standards of behaviour. We oppose what is known as moral relativism.
We also say that crime is not to be defeated by moving the goalposts and decriminalising illegal acts, but by tackling the problems head on, so people can live free from fear.
Personal Freedom
Populists oppose any attempt to curtail free speech in the name of political correctness. In a free society the individual should have the right to participate in political activity without fear of being made homeless, jobless or any other punishment. Populists support the right to associate with those of one's choice, to have freedom of conscience and belief, and the right to trial by jury.
SWPE agrees with the Populist Party on the above Principles, with those parts highlighted dovetailing with our own ideals. SWPE urges everyone who lives in an area where the Populist Party is standing, to vote for them. For SWPE Members, voting for the Populist Party in the UK 2015 General Election must be not just a recommendation, but an instruction.
SWPE endorses the Populist Party in 2015. All Members and Supporters are urged to visit the Populist Party website to find out more about them. Unity Is Strength.
Visit their website: http://www.popularalliance.org/
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