The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-03-09
Socialism
Summarized

Socialism Is conscious endeayor
TO substitute organized cooperation
for existence in place OF the present
anarchial competition for existence,
or the system OF social organization
calculated to bring this about. This
definition, though it gives. perhaps.
adequate expression to the active
and practical side of Socialism
leaves out of account altogether its
theoretical basis. From this point
OF view. Socialism is an attempt to
of sociology, which shall enable
mankind, by thoroughly understand
ing their past and present. to COM
prehend, and thus, within limits, to
control the movement and. develop
ment of their own society in the near
future. Consequently Socialism in
its wide sense is not, as is still COM
monty thought, a mere aspiration for
a better state of society, still less
only 4 series of proposals to miti-
gate the evils arising from the pres
ent social arrangements.
Modern scientific Socialism essays
to give an Ineligible explanation
of the growth of human society, and
to show that as each step in the long
course of development from the in
stitution of private property.
through chattel slavery, serfdom and
wagedom, was inevitable, so the next
step from capitalism to Socialism is
also inevitable.
The object which Socialists have
in view is that this, the final trans
formation, should be made con-
sciously by an organized, educated
and intelligent people, instead of un-
consciously, and therefore tempes-
tuously, by groups of discontinued.
embittered and ignorant workers.
Agitation against the injustice of the
present system of production. there
fore. is only valuable so far as 1t ed
ucateS men and women to appreci.
ate the tendency of the time. and
leads them to organize for the at
tainment of the definite end which
the evolution of economic forms has
made ready. Whether the great
change will be brought about peace
ably or forcibly has no bearing upon
Socialism in itself, but depends upon
the stage of development which has
been reached in each civilized coun-
try, and the attitude which the
dominant class may adopt in relation
to the demands which the economic
situation impels the producing class
to make
With the establishment of nation
al and eventually of International
Socialism, mankind resumes the def
mite control over the means and in
struments of production, and mas
tets them henceforward for all time
instead of being mastered by them.
BY such cooperative industry, whose
power over nature is increased by
each fresh invention and discovery,
carapace of repression is lifted
from the faculties of each individu-
nj. and wealth being made as plen-
tiful as water by light, wholesome
labor. all freely contribute to in
crease their own happiness as well
ture assumes n new and higher char
acter in society in which the sur
roundings are such that life is not
as today, n constant struggle against
the pressure of want and the temp
tations of misery Instead of the
personal. limited. instrospective, in
dividual ethic is the social. altruis-
tic. broad ethic in which the duty
toward social necessity involves the
highest duty toward a mans self
Woman. relieved of economic and
social subjugation. will assume her
place as the social equal of man.
So far, therefore. from individual
initiative and personal freedom in
the highest sense being limited and
stunned. human beings will have the
opportunity for attaining to a level
of physical. moral. and mental devel-
opment such as the world has never
seen. The golden age of society is
indeed. not in the past. but in the
future.-H- NJ II.