Communism; Industrial Workers of the World; Socialism
Morris Hillquit, a ring-leader among Socialists of the United States,
writing in "Everybody's," October, 1913, page 487, informs us that the
term Socialism is used indiscriminately to designate a certain
philosophy, a scheme of social organization and an active political
movement.
Socialism, used to designate a certain philosophy, may better be
distinguished by being called Socialism in theory. Socialism as an
applied scheme of social organization may be termed Socialism in
practice, and means nothing other than a form of government according to
the principles of Socialist philosophy. Socialism, as an active
political movement, means the Socialist Party. Thus, when we say that
Socialism won several times in Milwaukee, we do not mean that the system
of Socialist philosophy was voted upon and accepted by the majority, for
most of the voters knew practically nothing about the philosophy of
Socialism; nor do we mean that the form of government in accordance with
the principles of Socialist philosophy was adopted at the polls, for, as
a matter of fact, we know that the government of Milwaukee has never
been in accordance with the Marxian principles; but we mean this, and
only this, that the active political movement of the Socialists, in
other words, the Socialist Party, elected its candidates. No doubt the
victorious candidates would have ruled Milwaukee according to the
philosophy of Socialism, applying the Marxian principles to their
government, if they could have done so, but the Constitution of the
United States as well as that of the State of Wisconsin would have stood
in the way, as will be seen when Socialism is explained more in detail.
The first form of Socialism to be explained in detail is Socialism in
theory. There seem to be about 57 hundred times 57 hundred varieties of
Socialists, owing to the conflicting views that members of the party
hold on different subjects which they wish to include in Socialism, and
also because of their different interpretations of the fundamental
principle of Socialism. There is, however, one underlying principle that
seems to be held quite generally by Marxians the world over. No matter
what other radical measures individual Socialists may favor or wish to
see included in the Socialist philosophy, and no matter how many
different interpretations are given to the principle of Socialism, the
basic principle that stands out above all others and is accepted
generally by Socialists the world over may be said to be the demand for
a government, democratic in form, under which all the citizens would
collectively own and manage the principal means of production,
transportation and communication.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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