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Young people are searching for an alternative - find it at Socialism 2017
Young socialists on the march, photo Mary Finch (Click to enlarge)
Rebecca Gardner, Southampton Socialist Party
Millennials, loosely defined as those born between the 1980s and early 2000s, are significantly more anxious than the generations before us. We have grown up with the horror of imperialism in the Middle East, the misery of austerity and the failure of capitalism to solve the issues of climate change or global poverty.
Our generation is expected to be the first in modern times to be worse off than our parents. We either find it hard to get work or are forced to stick it out in low pay jobs, buried in student loan debts we will likely never pay off.
The housing crisis and cost of rent means we are forced to live with our parents or house share until our thirties.
But we are not only anxious, we are also angry. And we are drawing conclusions.
The majority of us now reject the capitalist system. We are more likely than others to sign a petition and twice as likely to participate in a protest.
More than half of us have suggested we would join an uprising against the government if it was called tomorrow. Young people know that capitalism means crisis. But what is the alternative?
More and more people, especially young people, are turning to socialism. In fact, most young people see socialism more favourably than capitalism.
This is because socialism means power and control is in the hands of the majority. It means society run in the interests of everybody and not the privileged few.
We can win
How we get there depends on people coming together to mount a fightback against the system. Where people have got together and defended their interests, they have won.
Like in Seattle, where a socialist campaign has seen the introduction of $15 an hour minimum wage and a $29 million investment in affordable housing. Kshama Sawant, Socialist Alternative councillor in the city, will be joining hundreds of others to discuss the way out of capitalism at our upcoming event, Socialism 2017.
This generation has the potential to change the world, join us in November to discuss how.
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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
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