The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-03-17

entire significance of the difference between
unemployment in the first socialist country
and in the countries of capitalism.
In the capitalist countries unemployment
has so-called Structural" character. 1t is
due to the very existence of the capitalist sys-
tenn of production, for the existence of a con-
slant reserve army Of unemployed represents
an inalienable feature of capitalism. This
army has been growing particularly of late
years despite the simultaneous increase of
capitalist production, since this development
of production has been achieved on the basis
of extensive concentration and vigorous ra-
tionalization as result of which large masses
of workers have been thrown out into the
streets.
In the capitalist countries the overwhelm-
ing mass of the unemployed consists of 100
per cent proletarians. A considerable section
of them is composed of skilled and highly
skilled workers who are being replaced as
result of the development of machine produc-
ton by the cheaper labor power of the I'M
skilled workers, women and children.
In the Soviet Union the existence of unem-
ployment is due primarily to agrarian over
population. Parallel with the development of
industry we see constant growth OF the num-
Der of workers employed in production. The
naturalization taking place in the U.S.S.R.
differs from capitalist naturalization precisely
in that, while introducing technical improve
ments, a more efficient organization of labor,
it does not affect the workers and does not
lead to reduction of employment in industry
as whole. Thus, the socialist naturalization
carried on in the U.SS.R. does not constitute
factor making for an increase of unemploy
ment.
Among the unemployed in the U.S.S.R. there
III H. IL
workers. On the contrary, the Soviet industries
are suffering from a considerable shortage of
skilled workers. The overwhelming majority of
the unemployed in the Soviet Union consists
of recent arrivals from the village, unskilled
workers, boys and girls offering their labor for
the first time, seasonal workers, etc.
Further, while in the capitalist countries one
frequently meets with unemployed workers who
have been without work for one, two and even
three years, the unemployment period Of in
dustrial workers in the U.S.S.R is far shorter
and usually does not exceed six months.
AS has been already stated above, during
the last year unemployment in the U.S.S.R.
has been definitely on the decline. This has
been due both to the adoption of the seven-hour
day and primarily of the continuous working
week in consequence Of which employment in
factories introducing this system has increased
by about 20 per cent.
The consequences of the agrarian overpo-
puation in the U.SSR. are now being largely
eliminated by the policy of agricultural collec-
Invitation and the creation of giant state farms.
The collectivization of agriculture undoubtedly
leads to growth of production while the state
farms also employ tens and hundreds of thous-
ands of new workers.
We thus see that the socialist system of
economy in the Soviet Union constitutes an
effective factor in overcoming unemployment.
This also shows to US the entire difference be-
tween unemployment in the U.SSR. and un-
employment in the capitalist countries.
By following the example of the Soviet pro-
letariat which overthrow its bourgeoisie and
is now building its own economic system, the
workers of the entire world will deal power
full blow also at unemployment which SO gravely
affects the conditions of the workers in all the
capitalist countries.