Scottish Communists

Since its formation in 1920, Britain's Communist Party has insisted that working people can build a new type of society and a better world......

The starting point is the need to unite in our labour movement and progressive organisations to fight for the interests of working people against capitalist exploitation, crisis, fascism and war. The struggle for a left-wing programme of progressive and democratic demands can take working people onto the offensive. Inroads can be made into the wealth and power of the big business monopolies and the state apparatus which defends their system.

A democratic, anti-monopoly alliance can be built through action and solidarity, led by the organised working class. But to change society fundamentally, such a movement would have to take political power and use it replace exploitation by social ownership and economic planning. A massive extension of accountability and participation throughout society would begin to create a real democracy.

A left government in Britain based on mass activity and a Labour, socialist and Communist majority could pursue a genuinely independent foreign and defence policy.- Our principles of solidarity, justice, democracy and environmental security would become the new 'common sense'.

FOR WORKING PEOPLE

Who creates society's wealth? Who produces the goods and delivers the essential services? Working people - three quarters of the adult population. Yet the other one quarter (company executives, bankers, big shareholders and landowners) - own three-quarters of Britain's wealth.

Workers need trades unions to win better pay and conditions - but Britain's unions are still shackled by the most repressive labour laws in Europe.

Today's and tomorrow's pensioners are condemned to poverty in retirement, while fat cat company directors stash millions of pounds away.

That's why the Communist Party says:

Impose a wealth tax on the very rich, raise corporation tax on company profits, slap a windfall tax on banking super-profits, restore the link between the state retirement pension and earnings.

FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND SOLIDARITY

Divide and rule - it's the oldest trick in the ruling class book. That's why the big business press, the Tory Party and New Labour constantly try to divide working people - white against black, old against young, straight against gay, and everyone against asylum seekers and social benefit claimants.

But the real divide is between those who produce the wealth -and those who control and consume most of it.

That is why the Communist Party works to unite working people against all forms of discrimination and oppression.We say:

Repeal all racist asylum and immigration laws, raise women's pay through compulsory equality audits, end national minimum wage discrimination against young workers, fund higher state benefits from progressive taxation.

FOR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS

New Labour has launched a major attack on civil liberties as part of the bogus 'war on terror' to spread US military and economic power across the world.

Democratic rights muse be defended, not surrendered to unaccountable security and intelligence agencies.

Real power and resources should be restored to local government and the Irish Good Friday Agreement implemented in full.The grip of millionaire monopolies on Britain's mass media need to be broken.

• The Communist Party opposes the EU constitution, the euro and all other steps towards a big business-dominated, military United States of Europe. We strive for popular sovereignty in Britain, not domination by unaccountable bankers and bureaucrats in the European Union.

FOR PEACE AND INTERNATIONALISM

An endless round of wars, famines and floods driving millions of people from their homes to seek survival elsewhere ... Is this the 'new world order' we were promised after the tragic collapse of the Soviet Union?

The criminal and murderous Bush-Blair attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq have added another 25,000 innocent civilians to the death toll.

Meanwhile, the multinational corporations reap huge profits from 'globalisation', the leading capitalist states boost military spending, the arms producers make a mint - and millions die from hunger, curable diseases,'ethnic cleansing' and natural disasters.

• No wonder the Communist Party campaigns against all wars for foreign oil, minerals, trade routes and new US and NATO military bases. We need more humanitarian assistance via the UN and other international agencies - not US and British military intervention in the interests of big business.
• only the Communist Party and its programme Britain's Road to Socialism has this perspective for socialist revolution
• only the international communist movement links millions of revolutionaries world wide that's why you should be a Communist.