Fight for a socialist world
Joe Waters, Gloucestershire Socialist Party
Keir Starmer’s Labour government has re-emphasised its ‘cast-iron’ commitment to raise military spending to 2.5% of GDP, an increase of around £22 billion per year. Though the usual references to the need for ‘fiscal discipline’ and economic growth were made, Starmer has made it clear that increasing defence spending is his “top priority”.
Money can be found for destructive weapons but not to scrap the two-child benefit cap or give NHS workers a decent pay rise? £22 billion a year could give nurses a 32% pay rise, for example.
The government has commissioned a ‘strategic review’, led by former Nato secretary general and Labour cabinet minister under Tony Blair, Lord Robertson. He is one of many former politicians and lords snapped up by the arms industry. For example, another former Blair minister, Lord Hutton is chair of Pearson Engineering – an arms company recently bought out by Israeli-state owned Rafael.
Increasing conflict
The world is increasingly conflict-ridden and unstable, and a section of the capitalist class profits from the destruction and devastation. But it won’t get any safer with more arms production enriching a few super-rich bosses.
A stable and prosperous future without war and conflict is possible, but not on the basis of profit-driven capitalism based on competing nation states. Imagine if the vast sums of money spent on weapons could be put into meeting the needs of the working class in Britain and globally, not to mention the money wasted by duplication under capitalist competition, or the money sitting idle in the bank accounts of the super-rich.
More than enough money, and the necessary technology, exists to provide for the needs of all, but that wealth and power is in the wrong hands. Big businesses and the banks that dominate the economy should be nationalised under democratic workers’ control and management, the arms industry too. A democratic plan, drawn up by the working class, could ensure the needs of all are met, including the environment.
A socialist world is possible. A world based on international cooperation of the working class in our common interests. But we need to fight for it. Join the Socialist Party to get involved fighting for a socialist future.
