Communist Party of Great Britain

The British Road to Socialism (1977)

Publisher: Communist Party of Great Britain
Published: March 1978
Printer: Farleigh Press Ltd. Watford, Herts. - CP/E/45/2/78
HTML Markup: Pierre Marshall

This is the fifth edition of the programme of the Communist Party of Great Britain, The British Road to Socialism. Previous editions were published in 1951, 1952, 1958 and 1968.

This edition was prepared as the result of a discussion on a draft published in February 1977, which culminated in the 35th National Congress of the party in November 1977. Over 2,600 amendments were submitted by Branches and District Committees. The Congress took decisions on the main issues of principle, and instructed the new Executive Committee to prepare the draft for publication in the light of those decisions and the views expressed on the amendments. The essential points of 780 of the amendments have been incorporated.

Introduction

Chapter I. Why Britain needs socialism

1. Contradictions of capitalism
2. How capitalist rule is maintained
3. World balance changed
4. Britain’s crisis
5. Strategy for socialism

Chapter II. The forces for change in Britain

1. Classes in capitalist society
2. The labour movement
3. The Communist Party
4. Social forces and movements
5. Alliance — not isolation
6. Winning a new popular majority

Chapter III. Towards socialist revolution

1. Next stage in the revolutionary process
2. Economic policy
3. Extending democracy
4. A new foreign policy
5. A new kind of Labour government
6. The relationship between governments and the broad alliance
7. The revolutionary transition
8. Meeting capitalist resistance

Chapter IV. Building a socialist Britain

1. The economics of socialism
2. Foreign policy
3. Socialist democracy
4. Popular democratic power
5. Women and socialism
6. Political parties of the working class
7. Towards a communist society

Table of Contents