Membership subs:

Help fund the alternative to big business politics

More and more people are looking for a socialist alternative. They are drawing the conclusion that it is capitalism itself, a system based on exploitation for profit in which crises are inevitable, that has brought the world economy to the brink of disaster.

Naomi Byron, Socialist Party finance department

As governments and big business attempt to make the working class and poor pay for their crisis, the Socialist Party calls for the defence of our jobs, homes and public services.

But we go further than that - we call for an end to the dictatorship of the market and for the nationalisation under democratic control of all the big companies and banks that dominate the economy. We are fighting for a society where resources can be democratically planned by the majority for the benefit of all, where poverty can finally be abolished.

As more people question the system, we need to be able to produce more leaflets, pamphlets and books to explain Marxist ideas and how they relate to the situation today. We need more posters and stickers to let people know we are here and we need more members taking the arguments for socialism into their workplaces, colleges, local areas and on our public campaign stalls.

The Socialist Party, unlike all the main political parties, gets no money from big business. We rely on donations from members and supporters - ordinary working people - to finance our work.

Every member pays membership dues (called subs) which we rely on to pay for our day-to-day running costs as well as supporting the work of the Committee for a Workers' International, the international socialist organisation of which the Socialist Party is a part.

If you are not yet a member of the Socialist Party, join us and start making your contribution so we can expand our party into new areas of the country and reach more people who are searching for the ideas of genuine socialism.

If you are already a member and you haven't already increased your subs this year, think about whether you can do so in the New Year - every increase, from 50p a month to £10 a week or more, will make a real difference to our work.

Already this year our subs income has grown because our members have seen the correctness of our ideas confirmed by events and understand the importance of finance in getting out socialist ideas to as wide an audience as possible.

New members can also enable us to reach our full potential by taking on roles and responsibilities in the branches, including campaigning on membership dues and helping organise our public fundraising (fighting fund).

If you are interested in becoming a Socialist Party finance organiser in your branch, come along to our national finance meeting in January 2009. Please get in touch with the finance department at our national office to find out more by emailing naomibyron@socialistparty.org.uk or by phoning 020 8988 8788.