Labor and Freedom: The Voice and Pen of Eugene V. DebsDebs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
History
Labor and Freedom: The Voice and Pen of Eugene V. Debs
Debs, Eugene V. (Eugene Victor)
Labor -- United States; Socialism -- United States; Socialist Party (U.S.); Working class -- United States
There is but one issue that appeals to this conquering army--the
unconditional surrender of the capitalist class. To be sure this cannot
be achieved in a day and in the meantime the party enforces to the
extent of its power its immediate demands and presses steadily onward
toward the goal. It has its constructive program by means of which it
develops its power and its capacity, step by step, seizing upon every
bit of vantage to advance and strengthen its position, but never for a
moment mistaking reform for revolution and never losing sight of the
ultimate goal.
Socialist reform must not be confounded with so-called capitalist
reform. The latter is shrewdly designed to buttress capitalism; the
former to overthrow it. Socialist reform vitalizes and promotes the
social revolution.
_The National Convention._
The national convention of the Socialist party recently held at
Indianapolis was in all respects the greatest gathering of
representative Socialists ever held in the United States. The delegates
there assembled demonstrated their ability to deal efficiently with all
the vital problems which confront the party. The convention was
permeated in every fiber with the class-conscious, revolutionary spirit
and was thoroughly representative of the working class. Every question
that came before that body was considered and disposed of in accordance
with the principles and program of the international movement and on the
basis of its relation to and effect upon the working class.
The platform adopted by the convention is a clear and cogent
enunciation of the party's principles and a frank and forceful statement
of the party's mission. This platform embodies labor's indictment of the
capitalist system and demands the abolition of that system. It proclaims
the identity of interests of all workers and appeals to them in clarion
tones to unite for their emancipation. It points out the class struggle
and emphasizes the need of the economic and political unity of the
workers to wage that struggle to a successful issue. It declares
relentless war upon the entire capitalist regime in the name of the
rising working class and demands in uncompromising terms the overthrow
of wage-slavery and the inauguration of industrial democracy.
In this platform of the Socialist party the historic development of
society is clearly stated and the fact made manifest that the time has
come for the workers of the world to shake off their oppressors and
exploiters, put an end to their age-long servitude, and make themselves
the masters of the world.
To this end the Socialist party has been organized; to this end it is
bending all its energies and taxing all its resources; to this end it
makes its appeal to the workers and their sympathizers throughout the
nation.
_The Capitalist System Condemned._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account