The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1901-09-26

system, large production will develop
more and more and constantly absorb
small industries.
What we want to explain to the people
before all things, is, therefore, that we
DO NOT EXPECT THIS SOCIETY
TO JUMP ABRUPTLY INTO AN
OTHER SYSTEM.
Edward Bernstein, one of the best
writer's on Socialism in the German Ian
guage.
The Social Democracy has neither to
expect nor to wish a near approaching
downfall of the existing economic sys-
tenn, if such is thought to be the product
of great devastating crisis. l openly
declare that l have not much concern
nor use for what is commonly under
3rstood as the ultimate aim of Socialism, y
This aim, whatever it may be, is of no
Importance at present-the movement is
of all Importance to me. And by the
| term movement / understand not only
the general movement of society, i. e.,
social progress, but also the political and
economic agitation for effecting this
progress.
If the Social Democracy would in the
present state Of society actually obtain
possession of the political power, it
would at once be confronted by an I'M
solvable problem. 1t could not decree
away capitalism; indeed, not even dis
pense with it; and also, it could not
| guarantee capitalism the security which
it must needs have in order to perform
its functions. Thus the question is
raised whether this state of things would
not postpone the realization of Social
ism to never-to-come day, or at least
postpone it for generations to come. If
under realization of Socialism is under
stood the establishment of a strictly
regulated communistic state of society,
then have little doubt that such seems
as yet very distant to me. On the other
hand, it is my firm belief that the present
generation will see the realization of
much Socialism, if not in the patented
form, then certainly in a material way.
-Neue Zeit, No. IS, Jan. 20, 1893.
Bernstein is in reality only supple
menting what Kautsl<y said in his book,
as we have seen. Both of them repre-
sent the true school of Marx, seen at it's
best, although at present they are at
outs on the question of tactics.
We cannot reasonably expect anything
but fight and resistance from the capital
list class, although even this class suffers
from the ills and contradictions that are
typical of the present system. While
some of its members are spoiled by idle
ness and over plenty, others wear them
selves out in their insane chase after
more wealth and more profit. Even of
that class some philanthropists may help
us by and by, as individual capitalists
have done in Germany. We do not and
cannot feel sure that such will be the
case. personally would be a little care
full before I would trust the movement
into the hands of any millionaire So
cialists" of America.
But the wage-workers, artisans and
farmers-in short, the producers of the
nations-those who work and produce
with their hands and brain, have virtu-
ally the same interests in the end.
It is foolish to think that the workers
of the factory, who have lost control
over their implements, should antagonize
the workers of the field because they
still retain control over theirs. Any mo-
mentary advantage any of these two
classes gains over the other-for
instance, by higher prices of food pro-
ducts-is sure to come right home by
smaller consumption.
What the farmers and small tradesmen
need in that connection is proper infor-
nation about the inner working of the
present system and the class struggle in
a broad sense.
The right kind of expression for this
class consciousness will then come by
itself.
The lower middle class has a hard
time of it fighting capitalism.
Thus far the members of that class
have been the easy prey of every quack
who promised relief, whether by high
tariff, by free trade, by the free coinage
of silver, or by any other humbug. The
one thing of which the farmers instinc-
lively have clear understanding is the
absolute necessity of owning their imple-
ments of labor if they want to preserve
their system of production. If we can
make them understand that it is not
socialism, but that it is the development
of capitalistic production that is taking
the implements from the middle class
furthermore, that socialism will not take
their instruments of production away so
long as in their particular branch pro-
duction is individual-we will be then
their natural allies. But we must come
as class conscious friends, not as class