Rise and Shine!

 By John Maryon

Originally forming part of a biblical verse from the book of Isaiah that calls for God's light to shine, today it has become an idem to encourage anyone to get up and achieve something. And in the context of the working class to stand up for their rights through class struggle. An essential time to take the path of building socialism and lay the foundations of a beautiful communist society. The New Communist Party of Britain (NCP) is part of that struggle and recognises that complete emancipation from capitalism and imperialism can only be achieved by a revolutionary change.
Our chosen route and rate of progress will be influenced by both internal social and economic conditions and also the international threat from imperialist aggression.  We may face trade sanctions, attempts to cause political instability and “colour revolutions” or direct military aggression.  The British road would have been much quicker when the spirit of revolution was in the air immediately following the Second World War. and before Mrs Thatcher sold off the family silver. These events are history so let us examine the prospects for building socialism in Britain today.
We must through our political work overcome the apathy and servile acceptance by the masses to their deteriorating social and economic conditions. Within a socialist society people would not be left to shiver in the cold, too afraid to turn on their expensive heating.  Bringing back the Electricity and Gas Boards would provide a mechanism to control prices and allow for long term strategic planning that would provide secure and affordable supplies.  Engineers, not marketing men, would decide how to invest and provide the best possible service to their consumers.  Events such as the Heathrow outage would become impossible and energy costs would be a fraction of today's inflated values. State owned utilities are much more efficient and accountable than rip off get rich quick outfits.
Water, fresh air, shelter and food are all basic human requirements. Water and sewage systems were once upon a time in England provided by local councils and paid for through the rates. Public ownership of these essential public services ensured affordable services that were the envy of the world. Millions of pounds wasted on water meters could have been spent fixing leaks. In the good old days we could water our favourite flowers and vegetables with confidence. 
Socialist housing would mean a roof over their head for everyone with rough sleeping just a horrible nightmare from the capitalist past. A National Housing Board should be established to build enough wonderful council houses  for all who need them.  In the Democratic People's Republic of Korea housing is now becoming a free vital service paid for from the profits of State enterprises. This is the power of true socialism.  How unlike Britain where rents are becoming unaffordable and homeowners struggle all their lives to pay the mortgage on a home which may then have to be sold, to pay extortionate fees for private care homes, when they become elderly. 
Education is an investment for the future. A proper socialist government would make education free up to university level and create trade apprenticeships for all those that need them. Every one would reach their full potential and society would flourish.  In Britain today the children of deprived or broken families are not encouraged by the system to make an effort. They remain destined to live a dull, hard life in some dead end job on minimum wage.  To build a successful socialist society we have to enable these children to rise and shine. A full socialist society would overcome the social barriers between so called manual workers and those who occupy white collar professions.  It is important to note that the so called middle class are just better off members of the working class itself. They also serve the super rich capitalists who run their world. 
Those who are fortunate enough to live in a low stress caring socialist society are starting to become more healthy and live longer than we are.  Rebuilding the NHS to the body it was intended to be would provide free full dental treatment, free podiatry care and free prescriptions and full medical and social care for long term sick and elderly. And importantly proper loving care for those mentally ill. Rapid referral would avoid waiting for years in pain for treatment.
We seek a return to a fully funded aftercare service to allow patients to stay in convalescent homes before being returned home to an often cold bleak house without proper food. And of course under socialism, doctors, nurses, ambulance staff and all ancillary workers would be paid properly with secure defined benefit pensions.  New hospitals would be planned well in advance of need and steps taken for proper full funding. No PFI would be allowed. When the NHS was founded in the 1940s it should have been allowed to manufacture its own drugs and equipment, which would have saved a fortune. 
People's China has demonstrated how its people's have been able to rise and shine under socialism.  What, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, it has managed to achieve is amazing, improving the quality of life for over a billion people with infrastructure development and a dynamic expanding economy.  A socialist Britain would recreate a national public owned integrated bus and train network for a safe, green and stress free environment. Socialism would make available large amounts of cheap renewable energy to power a new transport system. 
Socialism is far more than just improving people's standards of living and welfare. Under it's benevolent wing the arts, music, books and films are able to flourish, stimulate, enrich and nurture an ethos of comradeship, harmony and cooperation in opposition to the selfish individualism of western society that leads to conflict and aggression.  The working class may create and enjoy its own culture, one without elitism. 
One may well ask where all the money is coming from to construct and develop our brave new world.  I have a little list.  Major fiscal changes to tax the wealthy and use the money to help the less fortunate in our society. Modest profits from the nationalised utilities and industries would be ploughed back to improve and expand services.  An end to outsourcing by the NHS and other public services would lead to impressive savings. Slashing the obscene levels of military expenditure, and the funding of neo-fascists, would enable billions of pounds to be directed to peaceful construction and building a better life for everyone.  As the economy expands under socialism greater public income would be generated to make tax cuts a reality. We would quit NATO, forget the European Union and join BRICS for expanded trade.  And finally we could join China's Belt & Road Initiative to benefit from infrastructure investment projects. 
Socialism offers a bright future in which we all can excel. With it would come a new spirit of fraternity and comradeship.  Capitalism has little left to offer apart from continued recession, economic decline and endless warmongering.  I know who I am batting for.  Support the NCP and hasten the day we can all rejoice!