The truth about socialismBenson, Allan L. (Allan Louis)
General
The truth about socialism
Benson, Allan L. (Allan Louis)
Socialism
When E. H. Harriman died the Harriman heirs found a man to head the
Harriman system of railroads. The man they found—Judge Lovett—is not
even a railroad man, but the Harriman lines go on. The Vanderbilts,
Goulds, Rockefellers and Morgans also find men to manage their railroads
and other industries. What these capitalists have done, the President,
his cabinet and congress, will probably have little difficulty in doing.
Opponents of Socialism make ridiculous statements about the slavery that
they declare would exist if the people, through the government, owned
and operated their own industries. The workingman is told that, under
Socialism, he would be ordered about from place to place as if he were a
child.
This charge is no more ridiculous than another charge that is sometimes
made, by which it is represented that, under Socialism, the blacksmith
would burst into an opera house, demand the job of leading the
orchestra, and start a revolution if he were denied the job. The fact is
that, under Socialism, industry would proceed, so far as these matters
are concerned, in much the same manner that it now proceeds. The workers
would be free to apply for the kinds of work for which they regarded
themselves as best fitted. So far as the necessities of industry would
permit, the applications of the workers would be granted. But, in the
long run, the workers would have to work where they were needed,
precisely as they now have to work where they are needed, and, then as
now, particular tasks would be given to those who were best fitted to
perform them. Under Socialism, the worker would have to apply for work,
at this place or that place, precisely as he does now. The only
difference would be that he would always get work somewhere, that he
would work fewer hours, under better conditions, for more pay, and,
that, as a voter, he would have a voice in the management of all
industry.
Such are the replies made by Socialists to the chief objections that are
launched against Socialism. There is another charge—not an
objection—that should also be considered. It is the charge that
Socialists are dreamers, striving to establish a Utopia. Nothing could
be more absurd. Socialists are evolutionists. They do not believe in
Utopias, because they do not believe there is or can be such a thing as
the last word in human progress. They believe the world will always
continue to go onward and upward, precisely as it has always gone onward
and upward. Much as they are devoted to Socialism, they have not the
slightest belief that the world will stop with Socialism. They believe
Socialism will some day become as outgrown and burdensome as capitalism
now is, and that, when that day comes, Socialism should and will give
way to something better.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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