Socialist parties, would you vote for them?

I mean, vote if you like, i'm not dogmatic about it. But its very much a case of vote and carry on organising and struggling the next day. There are minor differences between parties, sometimes millions of peoples lives are affected by those differences. But we improve our lives through excersising our own power by organising as a class - only when our power in some way threatens the state are reforms granted to try and diffuse the grassroots power we've built.

Specifically, the record of 'left' parties in office (and out) is at least as bad as the 'right' - e.g. the german social democrats crushing the german workers and paving the way for fascism, or labour (in opposition) refusing to support non-payment against the poll tax:

State power by its very nature is an instrument of class rule, it cannot be captured and used for good as the history of reformist social democratic and 'revolutionary' leninist parties shows.

thats the other point i was going to make - think how much effort, time and money it takes to get someone elected, and think of all the things that could have been done with it to directly improve our lives and our organisation.

Well, he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about it. He said something along the lines of they are marginally better than the Republicans, and it might make a small difference. He also said something along the lines of general elections are mostly a pointless exercise in selecting which faction of the business party you want ruling over you, but that local elections might having some meaning.

Personally I don't vote because it only encourages them. Labour looked a little rattled after the last general election due to low voter turnout, and starting muttering about making voting (or at least registering to vote) compulsory, if only to tick a box marked "abstain". Voting has more to do with the government seeking legitimisation, than voters making any kind of (positive) difference in their lives. Plus I can't really see how a socialist party (not that I would vote for one) would be able to get the funding or media support to seriously challenge the corporate funded business party -- as seen on TV!

The way I see it, no (genuinely) socialist party stands a chance of getting into power without money and (positive) publicity via the media. When capitalists control both of these, it makes voter support for socialist parties nigh on impossible. Now you could argue that people should build up support by organising at a grass roots level, and making use of the internet to bypass the media, etc. But if you are going to do that anyway, why not organise an anarchist alternative?

Never ever. Gets us nowhere.

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Hi

For a lot of people, it does allow a reasonable emulation of being free though, depending on personal taste. I think that’s why some people still vote, I mean it’s no stranger than wearing a set of grillz.

I tell you, I live in a LibDem constituency / district council, and we’re right next door to a Tory one. My MP’s constituency office has full time welfare advisors helping constituents with tax credit repayments, housing and poverty problems. The funding for local CAB and voluntary agencies isn’t lavish, but it’s there. Over in the Tory constituency (corruption and incompetence ousted it’s LibDem councillors) they are totally screwed. You can see little bits the district shut down daily as capital gets transferred (broadly) from the working class into the pockets of the local bourgeoisie.

It makes a difference. The ideological profile of local and national government has an impact on everyday life, although not always the one you'd expect.

Love

LR

Would I ever vote for a socialist party?As a former member of the SWP I can honestly say:NEVER!and neither would i bother voting for anyone else.Politcians are parasites!