The Washington socialist. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1914-1915, 1914-08-27
SOCIALISM.
0y AIgernOn LeoD

The Socialist movement dates from
the revolutionary period of 1913. Karl
Marx and Frederick Engels then wrote
the Communist Manifesto" which
stll serves. with some slight qualIfi-
cation, as an authoritative statement of
Socialist principles and purposes. So
ciaist theory begins with n critical
analysis Of the existing economic sys-
tenn, in which the means of production
(land, mines, railways, factories) are
operated chiefly by the joint labor Of
many nonpossessng wage workers,
but are owned as private property by
other persons, known as capitalists.
The workers wages are determined by
competition in the labor market, and
cost of subsistence. The net yalhe of
their product however. Is determined
by the amount of their labor, and vast
~ exceeds their wages. The excess of
the net product over wages falls to the
capitalists, solely by reason of their
ownership of things which other men
The workers are thus automatically
exploited and kept in poverty, while
wealth accumulates in the hands of the
capitalists. The economic interests of
capitalists and wage workers are dia-
metrically opposed The former de-
sire. at the minimum expense to them
from the workers: the latter desire
less labor and larger return for 1t.
The Class Struggle.
This conflict of interests shows itself
in the organization of labor unions and
employers associations; in strikes,
lockouts, boycotts and blacklists; in
the struggle for laws and judicial de-
cisions favorable to one class or the
other. From the economic field the
struggle extends itself to that Of poll
tics, and the Socialist party expresses
the revolt of, class conscious wage
While promoting Immediately practic-
able reforms, the Socialist movement
also aims at an ultimate reorganiza-
tion of the economic system which
shall put an end to the private appro-
preparation of profit, interest and rent,
and to the distinction between capital
/ frfg nd Fntlyn oil eft Nd
such a reorganization as a necessary
outcome of the economic and social
evolution now actually taking place
an outcome which their scientific
analysis enables them to foresee and
which their conscious efforts may fa-
cilitate. The increasing organization
from their original functions of man.
agement and superintendent, which
are now performed chiefly by the hired
workers. In the competitive market
large capital has an advantage over
small capital; thus competition among
capitalists tends to bring about concen-
ism, itself, on it's full development
thus renders capitalists unnecessary;
it creates the antagonistic force of the
wage working class; it trains these
into habits of joint action and admin
istration; it points to public ownership
of the means of production as the only
alternative to private monopoly; and
it prepares for the specialization of in
dustry by organizing it on a national
or international scale. Socialism, as
an ideal of social reorganization, does
not involve regulation of the peoples
private lives nor interference with
private ownership of consumption
goods" and individually used means of
production. 1t involves public owner
ship and democratic control of only
such means of production as are So
cially necessary and require the Joint
labor of many persons to operate
them The Socialist movement seeks
to educate and organize the working
classes for political action to use the
powers of legislation, taxation and jur-
isdiction in establishing such public
ownership. 1t regards labor unions
and cooperative societies as valuable
allies.-From American Year Book,
Appleton's, 1910.