SLP 2007 Resolution on Fundamental Principles

SLP 2007 Resolution on Fundamental Principles

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mikelepore
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Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 697

Posted: 04 Sep 2007 03:15 pm Post subject: SLP 2007 Resolution on Fundamental Principles

From: SLP <thepeople@slp.org> Subject: [SLP] SLP'S FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 10:05:46 -0700 THE PEOPLE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2007 VOL. 117 NO. 3 SLP CONVENTION REAFFIRMS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF AN AMENDED VERSION OF THE SLP'S FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AS ADOPTED BY THE PARTY'S RECENT NATIONAL CONVENTION: The Socialist Labor Party of America, assembled at its 47th National Convention, reasserts the inalienable right of all human beings to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We hold that the purpose of government must be to secure to every citizen the enjoyment of this right. Taught by experience we hold, furthermore, that this right is an illusion for the overwhelming majority of people--the working class--under the present system of economic despotism that is essentially destructive of THEIR life, THEIR liberty and THEIR happiness. We hold that humanity cannot exercise their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without ownership of the land on and the tools of production with which to work. Deprived of these, the lives, liberty and fate of the workers are in the hands of the class that owns those essentials for work and production. Ownership of the means of life is today held by a tiny minority in society, the capitalist class, exercising through this ownership and control an economic tyranny without parallel in history. While that class owns the overwhelming majority of all wealth in our society, the overwhelming majority, the working class, owns a relatively insignificant fraction--usually no more than a home or a car in which a bank or finance company really has the largest interest. Put another way, most workers merely own the proverbial shirt on their back--and little else that helps them much in their struggle for existence. The ownership of the bulk of the nation's wealth by the few is conclusive evidence that labor is robbed of the major portion of the product that labor alone produces. Thus the worker is denied the means of self-employment and, by compulsory idleness and poverty in wage slavery, is often deprived of even the necessaries of life. We hold that the existing contradiction between the theory of democratic government and the fact of a despotic economic system--the private ownership of the natural and social opportunities--divides the nation into two classes: the nonproducing, but owning, capitalist class, and the producing, but propertyless, working class; throws society into the convulsions of the class struggle and invariably perverts government to the uses and benefit of the capitalist class. As the natural result of social evolution, the capitalist system now impels its own downfall. Having completed its normal development, this system and its political reflex, the state, are now outdated. No longer able to dispose readily of huge quantities of surplus commodities in foreign markets, each capitalist nation seeks desperately to crowd out its competitors, with the result that wars and conflicts convulse much of the world. In this mad struggle for survival, the working classes of all nations are the chief victims. Against such a system the Socialist Labor Party raises the banner of revolution and demands the unconditional surrender of the capitalist class. In this crisis reform measures are irrelevant, and history teaches that where a social revolution is pending and, for whatever reason, is not accomplished, reaction--dictatorship--is the alternative. Having outlived its social usefulness, capitalism must give way to a new social order--a social order wherein government shall rest on industry, on the basis of useful occupations, instead of resting on territorial, or political, representation. This new social system must be the Socialist Industrial Union form of government if the needs of the vast majority are to be served, and if social progress is to be the law of the future as it has been in the past. Upon the workers rests the duty of effecting this revolutionary change in as peaceful, civilized manner as possible, using the ballot and industrial organization to effect the change. We, therefore, call upon the wageworkers of America to organize under the banner of the Socialist Labor Party into a classconscious body, aware of its rights and determined to secure them. We further call upon the wageworkers of America to organize into integral Socialist Industrial Unions to enforce their ballot, and to fulfill the needs and purposes of the Socialist Industrial Union government. Industrial unionism is the Socialist Republic in the making; that goal reached, the industrial union is the Socialist Republic in operation. Finally, we also call upon all thinking citizens to place themselves squarely upon the ground of working-class interests, and join with us in this noble work of human emancipation so that we may put summary end to the most onerous threat to human existence, the barbarous class conflict. The land and all the means of production, transportation, communication and distribution must be placed in the hands of the useful producers as a collective body. Substituting the Socialist Industrial Republic of Labor for the present state of planless production, industrial and international wars and social disorder, a commonwealth can be built in which all workers shall have the free exercise and full benefit of their faculties, multiplied by all the benefits of modern civilization under a democratically controlled economy that is collectively owned by all.

mikelepore
Site Admin

Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 697

Posted: 04 Sep 2007 03:20 pm Post subject:

Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2007 10:07:53 -0700 From: SLP <thepeople@slp.org> Subject: [SLP] SLP NATIONAL CONVENTION THE PEOPLE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2007 VOL. 117 NO. 3 SLP HOLDS 47TH NATIONAL CONVENTION By Donna Bills Although the 47th National Convention of the Socialist Labor Party will go down as one of the smallest on record, it also will be remembered as one of the hardest working, best disciplined and most determined to be successful conventions in party history. THE PARTY'S MISSION National Secretary Robert Bills greeted the delegates with the following brief address before calling the convention to order shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 14: "It is my honor and privilege to welcome you to this, the 47th National Convention of the Socialist Labor Party, and to wish you all success in your deliberations over the next few days. What you decide here will be of great importance, not only as it affects the immediate interests of the organization you directly represent, but those of the working class in whose interests the SLP has struggled for the past 117 years. "During that time, the SLP has never wavered in its determination to advance the interests of the working class in its struggle to break the bonds of wage slavery and to overcome the destructive and antisocial effects of the capitalist system. This is not to say that the SLP has not made mistakes over the years. Undoubtedly it has. There is, however, one mistake that the SLP has never made, and that is to compromise, sully or in any way betray the fundamental principles to which it dedicated itself and which it pursued with untiring determination across the entire span of the 20th century. "The SLP still has a historic mission to fulfill. Its work is not done. It is our purpose here to ensure that it can continue to pursue that mission until the working class heeds the party's call to organize its political and economic might, to abolish class rule and establish the Socialist Republic. "In that respect, the task that confronts you is large. It may be too large to complete during your deliberations of a few days. Nonetheless, I am supremely confident that you will dedicate yourselves to accomplishing as much as can be reasonably expected in so short a time and that the SLP can then get on with the work that must yet be done to accomplish its great mission." THE CONVENTION'S WORK The convention then undertook the task of organizing itself by seating 11 delegates and electing the officers needed to conduct its deliberations. Ken Boettcher, attending the convention as an NEC member, served as chairperson. Donna Bills, attending as organizer of the San Francisco Bay Area section, served as recording secretary. The national secretary presented a report containing sections on "National Headquarters," "Party Finances," "State of Organization," "General Activities," and "Party Press and Literature." He also submitted a proposed resolution on immigration on behalf of the National Office. Following the national secretary's report, the delegates devoted several hours to discussing its various sections. The primary focus of those discussions, however, was the party's financial crisis and how the problem might be resolved. Those readers who follow the financial summaries printed in each issue of THE PEOPLE are no doubt aware of the SLP's declining revenue. As the national secretary reported: "The fundamental question that confronts this convention, and against which all others pale into insignificance, IS WHAT TO DO ABOUT THIS FINANCIAL CRISIS?" (Emphasis added.) When discussion ended, the convention elected every delegate to one of the three committees established: Headquarters and Finance, State of Organization, and Party Press and Literature. The convention also assigned specific tasks to each committee, which included the sections of the national secretary's report, election of a National Executive Committee and national officers for the 2007-2009 term, and consideration of the proposed resolution on immigration. The convention received two encouraging communications from SLP supporters in Europe. One came from Jim Plant of England and the other (read to the convention by Comrade Mary Brlas) was from Severino Majkus of Croatia. Much of the convention was devoted to committee work, which entailed more deliberations, closer attention to details and writing reports. When the convention was in session, the committees presented their finished reports to the assembled delegates for consideration. The ensuing discussions either led to adoption of the reports or referral back to committee for modification and eventual adoption. FREE IMMIGRATION A HUMAN RIGHT As a result of the delegates' long hours and hard work, the convention took a number of important actions. Among others, it adopted a resolution in which it reaffirmed the party's "commitment to the principle that unrestricted emigration of workers from one country to another is a human right" and "reiterated its demand for the abolition of all laws designed to restrict or manipulate the immigration of workers into the United States, [and] rebukes recent attempts by the Bush administration and by Congress to overhaul rather than repeal those laws...." The convention also declared that the SLP "extends a fraternal hand of welcome to all immigrant workers to the United States, and invites them to join in our efforts to abolish capitalism and establish the free and democratic Socialist Industrial Republic of free and emancipated labor in this country, in their respective homelands, and throughout the world." (See email entitled "Resolution on Immigration" for the complete text.) The convention also amended the Party's Declaration of Fundamental Principles for purposes of "updating language, editing for clarity and removing outdated figures." (See email entitled "SLP'S Fundamental Principles" for the complete text.) In addition, the convention attended to its constitutional responsibilities of electing a National Executive Committee and a national secretary for the 2007-2009 term of office. All of these actions are subject to approval by general vote by the entire membership of the SLP. The convention also commended the SLP's national office's "ongoing efforts to expand the offerings on the [party's web]site." PARTY FINANCES "The SLP confronts a financial crisis that is even greater than the one that had arisen before the end of 2003," the national secretary informed the delegates in a no-nonsense summary of the party's current financial predicament. "As of June 30, the party's cash reserves were down to $55,169.00...and the deficit for the year had climbed to $23,619.00....At that rate of depletion, about $3,937.00 a month, the SLP will be flat broke by the end of April 2008...." At another point, the national secretary reported that while "the NEC approved text for a new pamphlet on the Iraq war earlier this year...lack of funds prevented its publication." In response, the convention took important steps toward resolving the financial crisis. The convention directed that a credit card-enabled transaction function be added to the party's website to facilitate donations. (We are pleased to report that the party's website is now equipped to accept online financial contributions.) The convention also directed that a vigorous fundraising effort begin immediately with the short-term target of cutting the SLP's deficit in half. It called upon all SLP members to become regular contributors to the SLP Sustainer Fund and to assess themselves the equivalent of one week's wages. In addition, the convention directed the newly elected NEC to appoint a National Contact Committee to work under the supervision of the SLP's national office for the initial purpose of raising funds. The NEC fulfilled this obligation shortly after the convention adjourned and the contact committee began its work in early August. COMPOSITION OF THE CONVENTION This is the second SLP convention held since the party amended its Constitution so that members of the outgoing NEC and the organizers of the local sections would be seated with full voice and vote along side of delegates elected by a general vote of the party' entire membership. The purpose of the change was to combine experience with inexperience and thereby encourage newer members to stand for election to "learn the ropes" without being overwhelmed by the responsibility being a delegate implies. The change already has proven to be advantageous and resulted in an exchange of ideas that have redounded to the benefit of the SLP in the short run. In the long run it will help ensure that those who lack experience now will have gained it when it comes their turn to integrate even newer members into the democratic processes that have always been a hallmark of the organization. Indeed, despite the complex and exhausting nature of the work at the SLP's 47th National Convention, a spirit of determination, optimism and camaraderie prevailed. The delegates ended the convention on a high note of renewed dedication to the principles and program of the SLP and with the resolve to do all within their ability to overcome the current financial crisis and move the SLP forward.

PowerKord

Joined: 16 Oct 2006
Posts: 18
Location: East Coast, U.S.A.

Posted: 04 Sep 2007 05:16 pm Post subject: NO FINANCIAL CRISIS

Hi, Given the longevity of the SLP, and the excellence of its analysis and program, I assert that the organization ultimately does not have a financial crisis--it has a people crisis. The people running the SLP are mismanaging its recruitment, operations, and basic human relations efforts, thus alienating the people who are members, and the people who would be members. When I first learned of the SLP in the '80s I was about to join--until I learned that it had just conducted a mass expulsion of two of what I understood were their "best" sections (Camden and Brooklyn, as I vaguely recall). This event started an inexorable process of education for me about the movement; specifically, about what I came to understand was a catastrophically fatal historic pattern of excision of members by the SLP. Repeat: this perplexing organization is not suffering a financial crisis. This is merely a symptom of the larger problem just described. My remarks here imply no ill-will to the SLP. Best, vince de benedeto PEOPLE FOR A COOPERATIVE SOCIETY www.Cooperative-Society.org

davesearles

Joined: 01 Feb 2005
Posts: 522
Location: Vermont

Posted: 04 Sep 2007 07:21 pm Post subject:

The SLP has no crises at all. It is safe and secure. It is what it has decided to become. That it has expelled sections and indviduals is entirely up to it. I wrote to the National Secretary about the amendment proposal but have not heard back. Presumably the SLP has a better idea of how to proceed. Maybe when the SLP decides that it should have an actual online presence it could do something more, if it wanted to. But I doubt that is the case.