Issy Beauvoisin, a Palestine activist at the Leeds University encampment, reviews Why You Should Be A Socialist
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Tuesday 28 May 2024
Issy, a socialist student, on the university bloc of a national demonstration for Palestine
This book is a must-read for every new activist who knows that capitalism is at the heart of all the crises we face today. In a time where the Tories are getting worse and Labour isn’t much better, many are looking for an alternative to the capitalist system.
The job of this book— as well as a revolutionary party—is to argue and fight for a political alternative to the capitalist system.
This is why revolution is a central message of the book, as it argues for the necessity of a complete overhaul of capitalist society.
It details the history of the capitalist system and how the ruling class exploits the working classes and marginalises people for the sake of profit.
And the book explains the material basis of racism, sexism and transphobia and the necessity of these ideas for capitalism, as they are used to divide workers.
It argues that capitalism is a system that reinforces and takes advantage of the oppression. Oppression helps the bosses exploit workers.
The book argues that the importance of a revolutionary socialist party is to push the working class towards the most radical conclusion.
It argues that to do so revolutionaries need to be at the heart of social movements and at the centre of anti-fascist groups. Fighting on every issue means a revolutionary party can relate to the working class in all the struggles they face.
And the book analyses the 1917 Russian Revolution, with a critique of Stalin’s counter-revolution opening up an awareness of why socialism from below is necessary.
Today, we are seeing more and more the imperialist interests of the ruling class play out in terrible ways.
For instance, Western imperialist nations ignored Israel’s genocide and oppression of Palestinians in favour of profit and power.
But the people rising up against the capitalist system that allows these horrors shows the revolutionary potential of the working class.
The radicalism that the Palestine movement has created must be sustained—and political education mustn’t be neglected. This book puts into context how capitalism creates the conditions for genocide—giving both an explanation and a path for resistance.
If we are able to imbed the revolutionary politics that this book details into the Palestine movement, we have a chance to bring about change for the Palestinians and make a dent in Western imperialism.
