| The call to hold a general election comes after a long list of failed attempts to sort out the contradictions within the British ruling class over the direction of the economy in Britain so as to best benefit the demands of the financial oligarchy and the US striving for world domination and war preparations. They have taken the form of whether to remain a member of the European Union or not. Neither the Brexit referendum, nor the subsequent general election called to get a solid majority behind the Brexit talks, nor a string of failed votes in the House of Commons to get approval for one deal after another, have sorted anything out. On the contrary, the divisions within the government between the factions called political parties, and within the political parties themselves, are sharper than ever. Along with this, the crisis of credibility and legitimacy in which the so-called liberal democratic institutions are mired is deeper than ever. This includes the form of government and the form of decision-making. Confidence in the government, the parties which form a cartel party system and the House of Commons are at an all-time low and confidence that an election will sort the problems out is also lacking. The Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) explains the matter as follows: "It is certain that the election will sort out nothing for the ruling elites, embroiled in their own civil war. The old parliamentary system and its electoral mechanisms have had their day. They no longer function in letting power flow from a party in office to the party in opposition which also represents the status quo. The powers-that-be can no longer look towards a champion who will provide a measure of stability." The desire of Britain's working people is to have a labour party which is not part of the status quo. This requires blocking the factions within the Labour Party itself that support a neo-liberal agenda and status quo of power and privilege, which is what has caused havoc in the British economy in this period. By destroying the welfare state, the ruling class has privatised the systems of health care, education and civil services as well as transport and turned other sectors of the economy over to war production and the oligopolies which are marauding all countries of the world. RCPB(ML) writes: "[T]he working class and people can make a difference by rejecting a vote for the establishment, at the very least preventing the Conservatives from forming a majority government, on their own or in alliance or coalition with any other party, and instead firmly voicing their own concerns and agenda, not relinquishing the struggle for their own rights and interests." "The dysfunctionality of the old parliamentary system of 'representative democracy' has underlined that the people must use this election to speak in their own name, and in this sense empower themselves. That is, it is not only a people-powered campaign that is called for, but that the striving of the people themselves for their own empowerment is the call of the times." RCPB(ML) calls on the people to reject the pro- or anti-Brexit agenda which the establishment wants to impose on the people. It calls on them to take up the agenda of the concerns of the people. "This election provides an opportunity for the working class and people to speak in their own name. It provides the opportunity to go all out for democratic renewal," the Party says. |