Fight for the Future

 There is very great need to-day to clearly define what is socialism. Needless to say, it is irrevocably hostile to capitalism. Socialism has been attacked at all times, but never with more animosity than recently. Socialists are reproached with every kind of evil. If the workers, however, attack ocialism it is not from a clear perception of the aims of socialism by which their judgment is guided, but by a dim and vague ideas spread by disinformation and misinformation.
 About socialism many lies have been told, especially by people whose interest it is to do so, i.e. by those money-making idlers, so that now most people cannot but connect with the word socialism with negative ideas. Therefore it is not an easy matter to speak of socialism without running the risk of being condemned before one commences. Many people will not hear, will not see, will not judge. Their verdict is formed. All social prejudices are awakened and called forth by this expression. For that reason it is very difficult to come to a quiet understanding about it.

What do Socialists demand? The abolition of every form of expropriation and oppression of man by man in social, political and economic life. Men and women shall be free and equal without exception and they shall be permitted to fulfil their life as human beings. And in order to attain this object, mankind ought not only to have the right but also the opportunity of harmoniously developing and educating, in accordance with its needs, the physical and intellectual capacities which nature has given to humanity. From this arises the need for society to increase both the quantity and the quality of the means of life and of culture, so it shall prove adequate to meet the very highest demands that can be made upon it; and it follows, therefore, that it is the duty of everyone to co-operate in accordance with ability in the production of these means of culture and life.
 Consequently, “all for one and one for all” will be the principle of the coming socialist society. The goal of socialism is not to destroy civilization nor to throw humanity back into barbarism but, on the contrary, we desire to lift the whole of humanity to the highest thinkable level. We wish every individual without exception to have a share in the means of culture and education according to his and her needs. This ideal is possible today because it is only now that, in consequence of the thousands of years of progress, we only now are all the means and possibilities given through which we may realise this ideal condition. Socialism is a society which serves the needs of mankind.

  Socialists do not desire to "divvy up" wealth more equally, as some would have us believe.  Baron Rothschild took a walk and two labourers accosted him: “Baron, you are a rich man; we want our fair share.” The Baron Rothschild took out his purse good-humouredly and answered: “Certainly! We can do that business on the spot. The account is easily made. I own 40 millions of florins; there are 40 millions of Germans. Consequently each German has to receive one florin; here is your share;” and giving one florin to each of the labourers and then he walked off smiling.  Socialists do not intend to introduce division of wealth and property; on the contrary, we are for abolishing its division. Socialists are of opinion that division of property is flourishing in our society at present, and further they are of the opinion that this division is carried on in a very unjust manner. Socialists do not intend to divide, but we do intend to abolish property.  But it is a firm principle of socialism never to interfere with personal property or possessions.

 Think of our millionaires, and say whether those fellows did or did not understand how to divide and to appropriate to themselves large sums of money. Think of those swindling industrialists and bankers. How many honest working-people have been swindled by them out of the little sums of money they had gathered by hard work and saving? We see how those who work hard do not make money, do not amass riches – on the contrary, many of them suffer. But those who never worked, or whose work hardly deserves the name of work benefit from the working class. A few workers may succeed but do they ever reach a state in which they are safe from sorrow and strife.

 Those who have a little shop or a small business of their own and work on a small scale have to battle with poverty and too many of them fail in this battle; they give up their small enterprises and turn wage-labourers. One manufacturer on a large scale deprives hundreds of small establishments of their independent existence; one large shop or even “co-operative” store crushes out fifty small shopkeepers. As things stand to-day, only those who command great amounts of capital succeed. Merchants with small means rarely do a good business; many go bankrupt. Merchants with large means grow richer and richer. It is similar with farmers. Owners of small farms just eke out a scanty living and have to work very hard. Very oftn, we find that small farms are bought out by owners of large commercial farms. For toil and sweat scarcely a living! No sensible person can approve of that. This state of affairs cannot and must not continue. It is wrong, and therefore it must be changed.

 In everyday life of capitalist society everybody looks out for his or her own interest, even at the cost of their fellows. Egoism and selfish self-interest rules supreme. Everybody thinks of his or her own welfare, and does not care whether by doing so they destroy the welfare of others.  Socialism is nothing but the principle of the common interests of society where  beneficent and useful institutions are established by the whole people in common. Whoever declares him or herself opposed to socialism confesses to be an enemy of common interest, an enemy of society and mankind.


 Capital becomes a means for enslaving workers forcing them to give up the greater part of their produce to him who owns the capital. Might is right, and by the title of such right the slave-owner considers the fruit of the work of his slaves his property; by this right, the feudal land-owner made his serfs work for his employment and benefit. Slavery is injustice; serfdom is injustice; so the right which capital claims to the work of the worker is injustice. As far as anything is the personal property of a person he may enjoy it as he chooses; nobody has a right to interfere. But as soon as he tries to use this property to enslave other people, he steps beyond his domain and must be checked. Nobody has a right of ownership over his fellow-men. Slavery has been, abolished, serfdom has been abolished, so the power which capital exercises now will be abolished: its place will be occupied by the natural and sacred right of the worker to the proceeds of his work.

 Socialism, far from intending to abolish any property to-day or to-morrow, only predicts that there will be a time brought on by historical development, when the working people will insist upon their right to the product of their own work, against the privilege which property enjoys with regard to the work of others. Freedom and equality will then be no longer empty and cheap phrases, but will have a meaning; when all men and women are really free and equal. Working people will then no longer be deprived of the fruits of their labour.