No to war in Ukraine, photo London SP
No to war in Ukraine, photo London SP

Capitalism is guilty – fight for socialism

Lewis Melville, Liverpool Socialist Party

Last year, the world saw a record 75.9 million people living in internal displacement due to conflicts, violence, and disasters, up from 71.1 million in 2022. Of these, 68.3 million were displaced by conflict and violence, the highest number on record. Countries like Sudan, Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Colombia, and Yemen host nearly half of these displaced individuals. Over the past seven months, the war on Gaza has led to millions more being internally displaced.

Global crises have further intensified over the past five years, with a 49% increase in displacement due to prolonged conflicts in Ethiopia, DRC, Sudan, and Ukraine.

Capitalism’s inherent drive for profit and domination fuels these conflicts. Globally, resource wars and capitalist exploitation lead to continuous violence and instability.

Natural disasters also contributed to displacement, with 26.4 million new displacements across 148 countries in 2023. Severe weather events and earthquakes disproportionately affected regions already suffering from conflict, exacerbating the crisis. The severity and frequency of extreme weather is made worse by climate change, another consequence of the capitalist dash for profit. And, as was the case in Turkey and Syria in 2023, earthquakes and other natural disasters have a greater impact in countries where infrastructure has been cut and building regulations undermined. (See ‘Turkey-Syria earthquake – devastation amplified by capitalism’s failures’ at socialistparty.org.uk)

The Socialist Party fights for a world that puts people over profit. We fight to link up mass movements that can decisively get rid of capitalism, redistributing the wealth out of the hands of the bosses into those of the working class, for a socialist green transition and international working-class solidarity instead of capitalist competition. We can end the cycles of violence and displacement, and build a world where every individual can live in peace and with plenty.

Socialism offers a path to a just and equitable world, free from the violence and instability perpetuated by capitalism. It is time to unite in the fight for socialism to ensure a future of peace and security for all. The best step if you want to join that fight is to join the Socialist Party.