Produced by Audrey Longhurst, Jeannie Howse and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net * * * * * +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: | | | | Inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has | | been preserved. | | | | Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. For | | a complete list, please see the end of this document. | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ * * * * * THE COMMON SENSE OF SOCIALISM A SERIES OF LETTERS ADDRESSED TO JONATHAN EDWARDS, OF PITTSBURG BY JOHN SPARGO Author of "The Bitter Cry of the Children," "Socialism: A Summary and Interpretation of Socialist Principles," "The Socialists: Who They Are and What They Stand For," "Capitalist and Laborer," Etc., Etc., Etc. CHICAGO CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY 1911 Copyright 1909 BY CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY TO GEORGE H. STROBELL AS A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE THIS LITTLE BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION 1 II WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH AMERICA? 4 III THE TWO CLASSES IN THE NATION 12 IV HOW WEALTH IS PRODUCED AND HOW IT IS DISTRIBUTED 26 V THE DRONES AND THE BEES 44 VI THE ROOT OF THE EVIL 68 VII FROM COMPETITION TO MONOPOLY 81 VIII WHAT SOCIALISM IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT 94 IX WHAT SOCIALISM IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT--_Continued_ 118 X THE OBJECTIONS TO SOCIALISM ANSWERED 136 XI WHAT SHALL WE DO, THEN? 170 APPENDICES: I A SUGGESTED COURSE OF READING ON SOCIALISM 175 II HOW SOCIALIST BOOKS ARE PUBLISHED 179 THE COMMON SENSE OF SOCIALISM I BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION Socialism is undoubtedly spreading. It is, therefore, right and expedient that its teachings, its claims, its tendencies, its accusations and promises, should be honestly and seriously examined.--_Prof. Flint._