Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-03-29
SOCIAL|S S M.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF IT'S ORIGIN
AND
PROGRESS IN GERMANY.
BY HUGO VoGT.
(Continued.)


The platform of the German Socialist
Labor Party, which as, previously stated,
remains to-day the same as when adopted
by the Union Congress at Gotha in 1875,
has been subjected to some very peculiar
comments by the press since it was
sustained by one million and five hun
dred thousand German voters on the
Goth of last month. 1t has been said
that the programme of the German So
cial Democracy was far from containing
such extreme revolutionary demands as
are made by the American Socialists and
that the German movement aims at
little more than radical political
change, namely the establishment of a
republic. One glance at the German
platform shows the absurdity of such
an assertion, which is plainly inspired
by desperate desire on the part of Ca
pitalist scribblers to deceive the world
and their own frightened souls as to the
SciiouohCoo vi IilC oitudtlOu. III view Oh
such misleading statements it may be
appropriate, however, to publish this inn
portant document in full. Translated
into English as literally as is compatible
with correctness, 1t reads as follows:
THE GOTTA PROGRAMME.
l. Labor is the source of all wealth
and of all civilization, and since ge-
nerally useful labor is possible only
through society, the whole product of
labor belongs to society, that is to all its
members, it being the duty of all to
work and all having equal rights in pro-
portion to their reasonable require
ments.
In the present state of society the
means of production are the monopoly
of the capitalist class; the dependence
of the working class resulting therefrom
is the cause of misery and servitude in
every form.
The emancipation of labor requires the
conversion of the means of production
into the common property of society
and the cooperative organization of all
production, the product of labor to be
used for the common good and Justly
distributed.
The emancipation of labor must be the
work of the working class itself as
against which all other classes constitute
but one reactionary mass.
ii. Starting from these principles, the
Socialist Labor Party of Germany aims
with all lawful means to establish the
free state and the so ,ialistic form of
society, to shatter the iron law of wages
by the abolition of the wage-system, to
do away with exploitation in every
form to put an end to all social and poll
tical inequality.
The Socialist Labor Party of Germany,
though at present acting within national
limits, is conscious of the international
character of the labor movement and is
resolved to fulfil every duty which that
imposes upon the workers in order to
make the fraternity of all men
reality.
The Socialist Labor Party of Germany
demands, for the purpose of preparing
the way for the solution of the social
question, the establishment of socialistic
productive associations with State sup
port under the democratic control of the
working people. Productive associations
are to be established for the industries
and agriculture on such large scale that
the socialistic organization of all produc-
ton will arise therefrom.
The Socialist Labor Party demands as
the fundamental basis of the State:
l. Universal, equal, direct right of
suffrage and election for all persons
belonging to the State) over 90 years of
age, at all State and municipal elections
and votings; the polling to be secret and
obligatory, and to take place on Sun
days or holidays.
2. Direct legislation by the PEOPLE.
Decision on war and peace by the peo-
pie.
3. The people to be equipped with and
drilled in the use of arms. A peoples
guard in. place of standing armies.
4. Abolition of all exceptional laws,
especially the laws respecting the press,
associations and meetings, and in gen
eral all laws restricting the free express
sion of opinion, free thought or inquiry
s. Administration of justice by the
people and free of charge.
6. Universal and equal education of
the people to be provided by the State.
Universal compulsory education. In