The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-07
AND
ANSWERS
The Daily Worker will answer in this coll
umn questions which are sent in to its Work
ers Correspondence Department

umn questions which are sent in to its Work
ers Correspondence Department.
Since several of our readers have asked the
following question: we are answering at more
length than usual We suggest that those in
terested read the Communist Manifesto, the Pro-
gramme of the Communist International, or the
Eighteenth Brumaire by Karl Marx.
Question-What is the difference in principle
between the Communists and the Socialists?
M. b.
First we must understand the different classes
which the Communists and the Socialists re-
present. The differences in program and prin-
ciple begin and flow from this source
The Socialists do not really represent the
working class but represent dissatisfied small
business and professional men, such as small
shop-keepers, small tradesmen, certain groups of
lawyers, preachers, and the like. Thus while the
socialists dislike the evils which affect the petty
bourgeoisie, nevertheless, their chief con-
Germ is to preserve the capitalist system, which
creates these evils. They are interested in "re-
forming" capitalism, making little changes rather
than in doing away with 1t. They pretend to be
the champions of the workers, but actually there
is nothing they fear more than working class
rule. Because of their activity, they, in connec-
ton with the A. F. of L. leaders, are the main
enemies, in the labor movement. of revolutionary
communism.
The Communists, on the other hand, are the
leaders, the vanguard, the most fearless fighters
Of the working class against all Of its oppressors
the only interests of the Communists are those
of the toiling masses.
main difference In principle is that the
Communists maintain that in order to establish
socialism, 1t is necessary to organize the working
class in alliance with the poor and middle farm
ers under the leadership Of the Communist Party,
to forcibly overthrow the capitalist class and es-
tablish the dictatorship Of the proletariat the
political control Of the working class; whereas
the socialists in order to keep the masses from
taking the revolutionary path and destroying the
capitalist system pretend that socialism can be
established gradually and peacefully in coopera-
ton with the capitalists themselves. Hence they
represent and in practice support the continual
ton Of the capitalist government promising
that in the future" it will be chnaged into q
socialist government. We Communists call them
socia-fascists, because in words, they mouth $50
cialist" phrases, but In deeds, they act against
the worker and for the capitalists. In the name
Of Socialism" the socialist Mcdonald has
killed, manned and imprisoned Indian toilers In
the interests of his British masters, bankers and
capitalists. The life and blood of workers is on
his hands.
The Communists maintain that the contra
dictions Of capitalism as for example "too much
production" In the warehouses while workers
starve and go without work, are becoming
greater that the class struggle between the work.
ers and capitalists Is becoming sharper, that cap
italism is becoming less able to provide neces-
stiles to society as the present crisis shows, and
that the capitalists will not give up their rule
until they are compelled to do so by the working
class. They say that the workers must continue
to organize and fight for what they get that 1t
is ridiculous to think that the capitalists. whose
very existence depends upon the CAPITALIST sys-
tenn, will peacefully allow any other class to con-
troll, or allow the government to change peace
fully into socialist one; evidences Of this are
their use Of the courts, the schools, the press.
their troops and police against the workers. and
the way they condemn unemployed to starvation,
kick workers without rent into the streets, and
cut wages at every opportunity.
The socialists deny the class struggle, and
try to make the workers believe that capitalism
is continuing to grow to develop, and become
more organized The socialists believe In class
peace, in keeping down strikes, In ending strikes
as soon as they can, and collaborating with the
employers. They lead to direct sell-out and the
most shameless betrayal of the workers.
The Communists maintain that imperalist,
commercial wars in which workers are slaughter
I'd are inevitable SO long as capitalism Lasts and