The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1911-05-04
Socialism Defined
(By Charles Fl. KERR


The word Socialism is a growing
word. Most dictionary dennations
tell only what the word used to
mean. The latest dictionary deiini-
tons tell what Socialism looks like
from the outside. But the word has
come to stand for very definite
thlnS. that is 10 say, for a movement
which started with the Communist
Manifesto of 1S4S and which now
enrolls many millions Of workers in
all civilized lands. They know better
than the dictionary makers what So
cialism means. These words of Lieb-
knecht, a German Socialist, who I'M
til his death knew perhaps better
than any other man the spirit of
modern Socialism, explain briefly
and clearly.
What Socialism is Not
Pity for poverty, enthusiasm for
equality and freedom recognition of
social injustice and a desire to re-
move it. is not Socialism. Condem-
nation of wealth and respect for
poverty, such as we find in Christian
tty and other religions, is not So
clalism. The communism of early
times, as it was before the existence
of private property, and as it has at
t'iA tiihS.o anu stIHou ak peoples yDetn
the elusive dream of some enthus-
lasts is not Socialism,
In all these appearances is lack
ing the real foundation OF capitalist
society with it's class antagonisms
Modern Socialism is the child Of
of capitalist society, and is class
tagonisms. Without these it could
not be. Socialism and ethics arc
two separate things. This fact must
be kept in mind.
) What Socialism is.
Socialism is the International
movement of the wage-wOrkers of
the world for the destruction Of the
profit system, under which the tools
Of production are owned by capital
lists and used for them by wage
workers, and the establishment Of
system under which the workers
shall own the land, the tools and the
product. In other words, Socialism
means the overthrow of the capitalist
class and the abolition of the cap
italist.
Fundamental Principles of Socialism.
AS Professor Eeblcn has we'll
said. The Socialism that inspires
hopes and fears today is of the school
OF Marx. No one is seriously ap-
prehcnsive of any other so-called
Socialistic movement All the So
cialiSt parties of the world are based
on the principles first stated by Marx
and EnScls over sixty years ago.
| These are:
1. Economic DctcrniniSm.-The
| thoughts and feelings of any great
, mass of people. the customs they fol-
| low. the laws they make, the praise
| ana the blame they express for differ
cnt kinds of acts--all these are the
natural and inevitable results of the
| way they get their living. the way
they supply themselves with food
land other necessities
Apply this law to present day
Americans. and you will find Thorn
divided into two groups. The smaller,
but up to now the stronger group.
| consists of capitalist s. who live in
comfort with little or no labor. be-
cause the people of the other group
( have to work for them
Tho capitalists believe that to
make profits from the labor of wage
workers is good. lille for wage
worker to steal from capitalist or
even to diminish his profits by TAX
ing part in strike is bad. And the
capitalists employ teachers, preachers
and editors who hypnotic many
| wagc-wOrEers into thinking Just rs
the capitalists do. But the more in
|tClligme nt wage-workers have de-
velopcd n new moral code Of their
own: they praise the workers who
is loyal to the interests of this class
and they hate worst of all the SCAn
the traitor.