We live in a world dominated by war, racism, poverty and environmental destruction. We are told that these disasters are inevitable: they result from "human nature" and we can do nothing about them. But there is no human gene that causes misery. It is a product of the system we live under — capitalism.
Under capitalism, a tiny minority own and control the economy. They run it to maximise their profits, not to the meet people's needs or sustain the environment. The drive for bigger and bigger profits is the direct cause of the widening gulf between the rich and the poor. The majority of the world's people live in dire poverty, while a tiny minority squander unprecedented wealth.
War is capitalism with its gloves off, the logical result of a system driven by competition for control over resources and markets. It was not the madness of President George W. Bush that fuelled the war on Iraq, but US capitalists' drive to control Iraq's and the world's oil.
Democracy under this system remains a charade. Where is the democracy when the government invades another country against the wishes of the majority? Where is the democracy when "regime change" and "liberation" mean bombing thousands of people and shooting peaceful demonstrators? Under capitalism, "democracy" means voting every three years or so for one or the other of the pro-capitalist parties.
Using racism, nationalism, sexism and homophobia, the capitalist system aims to divide us.
Resistance is about uniting the oppressed in mass action against our common enemy, capitalism. Resistance fights for socialism, a society based on real democracy. Under socialism, the means of producing wealth will be owned and controlled by the majority. The economy will be run democratically, according to people's needs and not corporations' profit margins.
We're taught that we're powerless, but this is far from the truth. Through collective action, we can change the world. It's the majority who keep the factories, workplaces, farms, schools, hospitals and public transportation systems working. It's the majority who make society and the economy function. If workers don't work, there are no profits. The overwhelming number and economic muscle of the working class give it the power to overthrow capitalism and replace it with a more democratic and humane system.
Resistance is taking action today, because tomorrow is too late. War, poverty and the destruction of the environment create an urgent threat to humanity's survival that cannot be ignored just because it may not be felt so intensely in Australia. The ability of the leaders of the "free world" to wage their permanent global war relies on pacifying and demoralising our generation. We have to resist.
The corporations and the pro- capitalist politicians know that young people were a key force in the anti-Vietnam War movement. Every time governments have been forced to back away from attacking working people's rights, every time major reforms have been won and every time a repressive regime has been overthrown, young people have been at the forefront of the movements to force these victories.
Resistance is about uniting radical young people and empowering and inspiring them to be lifelong activists for social change. We formed out of the movement against the war in Vietnam and have helped to organise and lead struggles against injustices including campaigns for women's rights; to defend free education and against its privatisation; defending the environment; and international solidarity campaigns with progressive struggles around the world.
Resistance led the nationwide high school walkouts against Pauline Hanson's racist policies in 1998. We are part of the movement to end mandatory detention and to free the refugees. We helped lead the massive 2003 protests against the invasion of Iraq and the Books Not Bombs student strikes and we are spearheading campaigns in solidarity with the Cuban and Venezuelan revolutions.
As individuals, we can change some things some of the time. But by joining together and taking action with others, we can change the world. Join Resistance!
[This is an extract from What Resistance Stands For, available from all Resistance Bookshops.]
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, March 15, 2006.
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