Anti Austerity Marches: Protest Walks Without Direction

Yesterday, 250,000 people descended on London to have a Protest Walk from the Bank of England to Westminster.  Other parts of the country also had protests, making the number of ordinary people taking to the streets phenomenal.  Whilst it is of course great to see the level of opposition to government corruption, this type of protest is largely ineffectual.  The anti-War rallies in protest at the invasion of Iraq achieved nothing.  The Countryside Alliance marches did not stop urbanisation.  The Poll Tax protests led to the hated tax being renamed from Community Charge to Council tax, but the Poll Tax remains.

The problem with protest walks or marches is that they are ignored by politicians.  In a country where democracy only exists on paper, there is very little which can be achieved by the old methods of voicing dissent.  This does not mean that we should not protest, merely that we should be aware that nothing will come of our efforts.  At the very worst, protests have become ways for the people to let off steam and for the government to control the opposition.

On the 8th July, the government is holding another budget, in which they will reduce pensions, cut benefits and increase foreign aid.  The Ruling Class is systematically crushing the Working Class of this country and making itself richer.  The Middle Class is being squeezed, which is a positive outcome which will lead to an end of the false class consciousness which sees them identity with our common oppressors.  The Ruling Class has such contempt for the people that they are accelerating the proletarianisation process which is vital to their overthrow.

Pensions are not a benefit, but a means for support for people who can no longer work.  The raising of the age of retirement to 70 means that many people will be forced into wage slavery and have the bulk of their earnings stolen through taxes (direct and indirect) and not live to enjoy time when they do not have to work.  For those who survive beyond 70, the time they have left is being reduced to one of misery where the money stolen in taxes is withheld and access to health provision is restricted.  For the few who survive Wage Slavery, life  is now followed by a short period of ill health and poverty leading to an early death.  SWPE demands an end to Wage Slavery and in its place the freedom to work as much or as little as the individual wishes, within the protective confines of a system of self sufficiency and mutual support, or to use a single word, Socialism. 

Foreign Aid is a means by which the Ruling Class extract money from the poor of this country and give it to the Ruling Class of other countries.  The idea that the poor abroad benefit from Foreign Aid is fantasy.  Money is siphoned off by the corrupt politicians, capitalist oligarchs and servile bureaucrats with the end result that the people may receive a few scraps but the lions share of the aid goes into the pockets of the peers of the Ruling Class of this country.  Most of the people seeking to migrate to Europe due to absolute poverty and despotism in their homelands come from countries which receive Foreign Aid.  If the money reached them instead of their rulers, why would they leave?  India is a rich country with a massive army and nuclear capability.  The poor of India are victims of the corrupt capitalist system.  SWPE demands an immediate end to all Foreign Aid and reparations from the countries who have colluded in the theft of money which belongs to the Working Class of England.  Foreign Aid helps prop up corrupt regimes.  Ending all aid would encourage the people to rise up and take control of their own countries.  Aid keeps Capitalism in place.  Worldwide Socialist Revolution needs the end of Foreign Aid to create the conditions in which the people will not tolerate their oppressor to live for another day.

We understand that protest walks are largely futile, but they do serve as opportunities to link with other organisations and individuals.  This helps to share ideas and to discuss tactics.  We plan to protest the Budget.  Members and supporters who may need (or who can offer) transport, should get in touch.