Anti-Party: What do you believe in?

Pro-Party: I believe in the Socialist Party. I believe that Capitalism is responsible for social ills and that we need a new political party to take over the government.

Anti-Party: How do you believe that a Socialist Party is the best way of tackling this?

Pro-Party: It is because the political party can shape the laws of a society, and therefore elevate the condition of the poor, the working class, and the exploited.

Anti-Party: What about just a regular group of people? They could be leafletters, they could be union organizers, they could be demonstrating and picketing. When they give that all up, and decide to form a political party, how does that benefit them?

Pro-Party: Well, in a political party, everyone is afraid of being expelled. So, that keeps the people from straying from the path of their leaders, even if they think that it is against the interest of the workers. It provides a method for control, domination, and even exploitation, where it is necessary and due.

Anti-Party: A political party can do more than any other association. But if that political party threatens and holds control over its members, does it really serve to change a social order based on threats and possession? Doesn't it just train people to be controlled and possessed?

Pro-Party: But this political party is different! It is the Workers, Revolutionary, Communist, Socialist, Bolshevik, Leninist, Marxist, Maoist, Trotskyist, and/or Leftist Party! Its control will eliminate the power of oppressive governments and capitalists!

Anti-Party: But all leaders have said that they understand and sympathize with their people. Ancient leaders in China said that they were given a heavenly mandate to govern their nations. And thrones in Europe have been blessed by the Catholic Church. Liberal and Conservative governments alike all talk about the best interests of the people. It has become a meaningless trend of politics. All Socialist Parties have either created dictatorships or have compromised completely with Capitalism. Why is your party different?

Pro-Party: I suppose it isn't very much different. How do you suppose we organize to overthrow the Capitalist system and the oppressive state?

Anti-Party: The one, big union of all members of the working class, and through that, the General Strike!

"...it is an historic dictum that those only succeed who are impelled by a consuming conviction, a conviction that is based on a true interpretation of historic facts and historic tendencies."
          --John Maclean, 1919
          "Capitalists Everywhere Accept Marxism"