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CLASS WAR



WHAT WE BELIEVE



WHY CLASS WAR?



Class War is not just another party seeking to gain power or a new way of

telling people what to do. Class war is what happens when ordinary people have

had enough of being pushed around and decide to fight back. If you're one of the

people who've swallowed the crap about "we're all middle class now" or "we live

in a classless society" this is the time to stop reading! We live in a society

severely split along the lines of class,where capitalism,the State and the

ruling class dominate us. So what do we mean by this? 



Capitalism 



Capitalism is an economic system run purely for profit in the interests of a 

small class - the capitalists - at the expense of a larger class - the working 

class. The whole of our present society is geared to the needs of capitalism. 

It is the mechanism whereby we sell our labour, in exchange for money,to 

purchase the goods and services we need, which we also happen to have produced 

in the first place! However,we only get a proportion of the wealth that our 

labour produces, the rest goes to the capitalists in profit. This is fundamental

to capitalism - in order for it to work the many must produce wealth for the 

few. Western style capitalism is often hailed as being the free market,all it 

means is that they are "free" to exploit us. The situation is exactly the same 

in the so-called "planned economies" of the "Communist" countries. Karl Marx 

suggested that capitalism is a machine governed by natural laws - it isn't. 

It's an economic system run by a group of people who compete fiercely with 

each other for the right to rip us off. Capitalism has nothing to offer us 

except an endless cycle of war,famine,recession and unemployment. It is not 

inevitable that it will die of it's own accord,it could linger on for centuries 

yet,lurching from crisis to crisis,therefore it must be destroyed. 



The State 



Although capitalism is the major form of social organisation in terms of

production,there are things that it can't do. Broadly speaking it cannot supply the

`social' organisation of society, this hole is filled by something else - the

State. 

The State is the means by which a tiny minority control and dominate the rest of

us,in the interests of the ruling power in our society - the capitalists. To give

you an idea of how small a minority we are talking about,the often quoted figures

are still true - that 7% of the population owns 84% of the wealth. The state is a

set of institutions and bodies through which government is exercised e.g.

parliament, local government, ministries, civil service ,police,law,education, and

the church. The aim of government is to keep the lid on class conflict, and to

contol competition between the capitalist,to make sure of the smooth running of

society. It does this by enforcing the laws of private property, and the right of

capitalists to buy and sell it. It does'nt matter whether that propety is

land,food,health,sex,factories, houses or anything else that takes their fancy. 

But the State came before capitalism, and it has always been a form of control and

oppression in th interests of whatever ruling class is in power, and whatever

economic system they choose to use. In Britain we are given the `choice',every five

years or so, of what Party we'd like to govern us. This, like many other `choices',

is a false on, a con trick to fool us into thinking we can change things through

the vote. It also gives us politicians, as figureheads,to blame for our

difficulties. 

But the reality is that the power of the state lies with the capitalists, and the

states own officials - they pull the strings. With power concentrated like it is

there is always the risk that a small group can mount an attempt to gain control of

the state. For example Fascist or Lenin-inspired communists. This would be nothing

more than swapping one set of bosses for another - we want to sweep the lot of them

away. 



Class 



The Ruling Class 

About 5% of the population. 

Some examples: Owners of major companies, landowners judges ,top cops, church

leaders and the aristocracy including the Royal Family. 

The Middle Class 

About 20% of the population 

Some examples :professionals eg journalists,doctors,teachers,management,social

workers Also priests officers in the armed forces and the owners of small

businesses 

The Working Class About 75% of the population 

Some examples: Factory shop and office workers,nurses,technicians agricultural

workers, soldiers up to NCO level and the unemployed 



The above figures are not the invention of Class War - they come from the

State's own figures and were updated after the 1981 census. 



*The Ruling Class * 

In general there are two main factors that give you your place in the class

system : wealth and powere. The ruling class rule but they don't actually govern

- that is left to the State's politicians and officials They don't all sit

around in smoke filled rooms conspiring to opppress us, they don't need to most

of the time. So how do they keep us in our place? By the old trick of divide and

rule - settng white against black, men against women and worker against worker.

This breaks down any sense of class solidarity, identity and unity - without

which a revolution is an impossible dream. 



*The Middle Class*

Contact between the ruling class and the working class is very rare Most

inter-class contact comes between the working and middle classes. The middle

class is made up of many sub-sections and layers, all performing different roles

and functions necessary for capitalist society to run. Basically speaking they

manage us in the interests of the ruling class.

The most recognisable role for the middle class is the economic management of

business and industry e.g. work/factory managers, and accountants. These are the

top dogs, the highest earners in the middle class,because Without their services

capitalism would rapidly collapse. 

By it's very nature capitalism is filled with brutatlity and inequality. If left

to it's devices it would end in either barbarism or class revolution. Neither is

any good to the ruling class, so this must be preventedby capitalism putting on

a `human face` - the caring side of capitalism! a large section of the middle

class provide this function. Mopping up the casualties of class society, and

providing a `buffer' for class anger, and sometime channelling it into minor

tinkering with social conditions. they also provide the vitual services we need,

but at a cost to us - they have virtual control over whole areas of our lives. 

A not so obvious role of the middle class is to provide and intellectual and

cultural framework in which ideas that serve the interests of the ruling class

become part of our everyday thoughts. The endless repeating of certain ideas,

stereotypes and myths try to stifle our class consciousness and turn us into

`model citizens'. These can be the crude lies like ` all blacks are lazy and

thick' or the more sophisticated crap about the so-called `classless society'. 

Examples would be the media and advertising industry, education and religion. 

Capitalism must have a constant supply of new ideas to create new markets to

sustain its profits. It must also evolve in order to survive. Middle class

researchers and intellectuals provide the information necessary to make this

possible. This is true right from university professors to the new so-called

`green' entrepreneurs. 

Because of the varied roles of the middle classes there is often conflict and

contradictions within its ranks. When the class struggle comes to a head it

would split them, forcing them to take sides. As a general rule those near the

top would side with the bosses,having the most to lose. Those who come on our

side can only do so on our terms. Whish is to join us as equals, and not in

their usual role as leaders. 



*The Working Class *

The briefest way of describing our class is to say we are everyone who is not in

the middle and ruling class! This is not just a smart arse remark. Ingeneral the

working class are people who live by their labour, the ownership of property

that generates wealth is the dividing line - if you have enough property or

money not to work then you are not working class. 

The other part of class identity is `social power'. The working classes do not

have the power, we are the ones who are told what to do. We are defined not by

what we do,but by what is done to us. But this does not mena that we are

powerless - far from it. The state spends vast amounts of money and energy to

keep us in our place. Also,because our work is at the very centre of everyday

practical economic activity it is fair to say that everything hinges around

whether we want to `play the game' or not .

Class is a much disputed topic. the ruling class need to confuse the issue in

order tosurvive. If the majority of people have a clear idea of the workings of

a class society, social control would be impossible and the ruling class would

be toppled from their positions of wealth privilege and power. 

As captialism developedand class society became a feature of people's lives ,

the ruling class found it necessary to stifle class conciousness, and even to

get working class people to identify with capitalism. Myths like ` we're all

middle class now' or ` we live in a classless society' , are laughable and

contradictory. These are the rantings of middle class journalists, ad-men and

politicians, who want to wish away class conflict and try to create a false idea

of equality. 

With the rise of the `Consumer Society' and the easy availablity of credit,more

and more working class people can afford things like their own

house,car,holidays abroad etc, But this increase of personal wealth does in no

way increase your social power. At the end of the day these extra goods all rely

on your abilty to work. The day you lose your job and can't keep up the

payments, they all go out the window along with the easy credit that made them

available. and at the same time when we can afford a few extra goodies, the

wealth of the already rich and powerful rises fantastically. What counds is not

token improvements in our life-styles but the gross inequality in the overall

distribution of wealth and power. 

With the running down of the traditional heavy industries, the old image of the

working class has dramatically changed - massively so during the 1980's. In its

place are more white collar workers, and the rise in service industry,high tech

and part time employment. But it's ridiculous to say that just becuse there is a

more diverse labour market the working class has disappered! It has't, it's just

that to the middle class politicians,media people and journalists if you don't

wear overalls, a cloth cap, and get your hands dirty at work you aren't working

class. That's how thick they really are! 

The end of class society can only come about through working class revolution.

This is because the working class is the only social group capable of this

massive transformation of society, by virtue of the fact that we are the

overwhelming majority and because we have the interest, motivation and ability

to do so. History has shown us many examples of the working class's revoutionary

ability, there is no good reason for thinking that this will be any different in

the future. 



Class Struggle 



As we said earlier, once you are aware of how crap this society is you either: 



1)Do nothing about it because you belong to the ruling class or middle class and

have a lot to lose through a revolution 



2)Take a cynical `why bother' attitude, believe that this is the way it will

always be and go back to sticking your head in the sand 



3)Or you believe that things should change and that we have to organise and

fight back to do so. 



How you go about doing number three depends on how much `change' you actually

want, and what exactly you are prepared to do. Some people feel thay are

changing society by voting Labour, joining CND, becoming a vegetarian or joining

the Green party. There's nothing wrong with being a Green, vegitarian member of

CND, but it is being criminally naive if you think it will really change the

overall structure of society. The same goes for those who think that by

`dropping out' and living some sort of `alternative lifestyle' they are doing

something to change society. They aren't. The State can tolerate millions of

its's citizens wandering off and living in teepees. and would probably prefer

them to do so since they would then be not harmless , and no threat to the

State. Others think that by voting Labour they'll achieve change. We don't.

Class War doesn't prattle on about `waiting for a Labour Government" or electing

Socialist Councils because the Labour Party is about as revolutionary as a pond

full of ducks! It's political aims and ideas are just a `soft' version of

capitalism. It also has a negative and destructive influence because it pretends

to be the political voice of the working class. The reality is that it' s run by

a motley collection of bloated, corrupt union offficals and trendy-lefty social

worker types who are nothing more than a load of parasitical, careerist

bureaucrats, easing their `radical consciouness' by naming tower blocks after

obscure Latin American freedom figherters and drinking Nicaraguan coffee at

their smart parties,in their smart houses in Hampstead and Holland Park. 

Some people join Left-wing groups like the Socialist Workers Party, or Militant.

They do want to change society and realise(well some do) that it will only

change through a revolution. Class War believers this too ,but how these groups

see the coming about of a revolution, and what type of society will be formed

and by who, is fundamentally different to what we think and want. 

Firstly Class War is not another `Party" trying to gain power. We don't want to

swap one set of bosses for another,no matter how `radical and progressive 'they

pretend to be. They talk about `democratic centralism' and how the working class

needs `their leadership' - What a joke! We don't need them anymore than we need

the Tories or Labour - THEY NEED US! We have no intention of destroying

capitalism just so that it can be replaced by a NEW state, and new laws. Quite

apart from anything else, the very nature of these tiny bands of

`revolutionaries' who seem to form new groups, and splinter groups, at the drop

of a hat means they usually have an exclusively middle class membership. The

working class members soon leave. As a result they launch endless new `fron

organisations' to try to recruit members. Based around issues such as the war in

Ireland,anti racism and sexism and gay rights etc. The damage that has been done

by their guilt-ridden brands of anti-racism and anti-sexism, in particular, is a

disgrace to see. In reality though, these obscure left wing groups are little

more than a talking shop wherer their members prattle away to their hearts

content about `the political relevance of one-legged tea pickers in Tibet'.

While the rela world passes them by... 

Unlike the Left we see the community as of crucial importance to our class. It

is obvious no what any major industrial battles will not succeed without massive

community support, such as during the Miners Strike. Crime and other anti-social

behavior,racism and sexism must be fought from within our communities, we can't

sit back waiting for someone to do it for us. This is what the Left want us to

do, leave everything to them and they will sort it our for us. But what usually

happens is that as soon as something else appears on the horizon they're off

like a shot! A good example of this is the Poll Tax - as soon as it was annouced

that it was going to be scrapped they dropped it like a hot potato, probably

relieved that their would be no more riots in Trafalgar Square that would

threaten their cozy lifestyles. 

To the Left the working class are there to be ordered about because we are too

thick to think for ourselves. The new concerns of the Left in this country

relect the political,economic and cultural hopes of the middle class more than

ever before. Tragically any decent revolutionaries within these groups usually

become burnt out, disillusioned and are wasted. Class War makes no

`revolutionary demands' on behalf for the working class. But we do see the need

to play up the revoutionary elements witnin our struggles, towards an objective

of creating a popular `culture of resisitance'. This is the popularisation of

the ideas of class struggle, class pride and identity, and the values of

solidarity, self-management and internationalism. Fundamentally this is about

bringing politics into all areas of peoples lives. At present the capitalists

invade all areas of our lives - in turn we will have to retrieve every part of

them. 





Class War makes no "revolutionary demands" on behalf of the working class. But

we do see the need to play up the revolutionary elements within our struggles,

towards an objective of creating a popular "culture of resistance". This is the

popularisation of the ideas of class struggle,class pride and identity, and the

values of solidarity ,self management and internationalism. Fundamentally this

is about bringing politics into all areas of peoples lives. At present the

capitalists invade all areas of our lives - in turn we will have to retrieve

every part of them. This development will become the foundation and energy

behind any possible revolutionary movement. In areas of the world where this has

happened,like Spain,Italy and Russia, the traditions have lingered on

generations after the orginal movements were crushed - its powerful stuff! 



Get in touch 



   SCOTLAND: PO Box 1021, Edinburgh EH8 9PW 

   WEST SCOTLAND: Glasgow CW, PO Box 1008, Glagow G42 8AA 

   NORTH EAST: Leeds CW, PO Box HH57 Leeds LS8 5XG 

   EAST AND WEST MIDLANDS: PO box 2531,Smethwick,Warley,B66 2NH 

   WALES : c/o CSG PO Box 368,Cardiff CS2 1SQ 

   EAST ANGLIA: PO Box 467, London E8 3QX, 

   LONDON: As above 

   SOUTH EAST: Temporarily use above London Address 

   SOUTH WEST: PCW PO Box 108 Plymouth,Devon 

   IRELAND:PO Box 5,Derry,Ireland BT48 6PD NATIONAL SECRETARY:PO Box HH57 Leeds LS8

   5XG 

   INTERNATIONAL ADDRESSES: Contact International Secretary 

   CLASS WAR internationals Secretary: See National Secretary Address. 



Class War is active in most UK towns and cities. If you want to find out more 

and get involved in your area. Write to your closest regional secretary.