It makes perfect sense that capitalists would push the idea that workers are not capable of running the world. For the same reason capitalists and their supporters claim a few rich people “own” the collective means of production: These are ways to justify minority rule. In effect, the one per cent minority is telling the 99% majority: “Our money gives us the power to run the world and you’re too stupid to do anything about it.”
Bullshit of course, but there’s a question to answer before rebutting these two piles of propaganda poop: Why would workers want to run the world?
And this is not just some rhetorical question. It is a summing up of dozens of questions and statements that I hear everyday from people around me, all workers who should know better. Here are a few:
“Let the managers manage — it’s too much of a headache.”
“The world is so messed up, it’s too late to do anything about it, anyway.”
“We’d fuck it up.”
“There’s no collective solution, the best we can do is look after ourselves.”
“My friends and family, that’s all I care about.”
“I’m not here for a long time, just a good time.”
“Go back to the land.”
“I can barely look after myself, let alone run the world.”
“It sounds good, but it will turn out bad. It always does.”
In other words, why even consider the project of the vast majority of people, who are workers, getting together and trying to make a better world?
The easiest answer is: We’re screwed if we don’t. The one percent that currently rules the world is doing what small ruling classes have done throughout history — run their world in their self-interest. If they get rich from war, there will be war. If they get to choose between health care for all or more profits for themselves, they’ll choose profit. If lots of money is to be made by pouring ever more carbon into the atmosphere and capitalists are running the world, global warming will get worse and worse.
Workers must take power away from the greedy one percent and run the world in the interests of all because if we don’t things will keep getting worse.
And workers, organized together, are the only people with the potential power to create a democratic economy, which is the only way of taking power away from the ruling minority. If we don’t do it no one will.
“Is that the best you can come up, a negative reason?” some might ask.
But in fact there’s lot of positive reasons. I can think of a few right off the top of my head:
Changing the world to make it a better place will be fun. All those who participate will have the time of their lives.
Your grandchildren and their grandchildren will love you for doing it.
It is the right thing to do.
Imagine a world where everyone was actually given an opportunity to develop all their potential and be the best person they could be. That would be good, wouldn’t it? Trying to achieve a world like that is a very good thing.
I’m sure others can come up with a lot more positive reasons why workers should want to change the world.
Think of these reasons as the tools we need to build a movement.
You’ve got to start someplace.
Ernie Peshkov-Chow
New Commune-ist Manifesto 