•
,
America's Road
To Socialism .~v
'"
'
. by JAMES P1ANNON '
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•
Six lectures I'iven at the
_ Los Anples Fri...
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•
,
America's Road
To Socialism .~v
'"
'
. by JAMES P1ANNON '
-
•
Six lectures I'iven at the
_ Los Anples Friday Night Forum. J)e(!ember, 1952 ,
January, 1953
'
• •
New York
Pioneer Publishers
1< .. UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN Or
•
PUBLISHERS
PIONEER
New York 3, N. Y.
118 University Place
, ".
,•• \
•
, "
Published October 1953
on the oceasion of the 25th Anniversary of the American Trotskyist movement
•
Th"",., lecturt8 wer"
•
•
fir~t
prjnt~
in
th e we-ekly newspaper THE MILITANT
, •
•
Set Up, Printed and Bound by Un ion Labor in the United Stales of America
0."", .1 """" UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
• I
CONTENTS
LECTURE 1 - America Under Eisenhower ..... ..... p. 5 •
the Roosen lt-Truman E r • .• illnified for upillli ad 1.!x>r and ... hy it ume to an ~nd . .. •Analysis of t he ,,1...,1;0" rn "lt" and the prOSPKIK for la bo. and war alld p.r.U f i .. the new Eisenhower Er •• Wh ~t
LECTURE 2 - The International Pro,pl!cu
0/ Capitalhm "and Sociali,m ............................. p. 16 Analytical review of world nent .. and trends in the flrat h."lf of the 20th eentury•••• The dual role of American im_ ~ri.li ..... chief ilUlti,lttor of revolution in forel,.1I lands and (jIlef or •• ni~er of «>,n.ter.uyolulion .• . . Pre"; e'" or th . lied 61&"" of developmellt on the 1nl" ..,.I;on,1 fi eld.
LEC'I1JRE 3 - Prtnpect. oJ Capitalism ami ,J, . , .
SDew..' .
In .... ~rKW ..... ..... .. ...... ......... ... .. ...... .... p.
27
The eonlradidiollB of A"'erinn domination or a d td inin. tapilaliB! work!. . • . Wlo.t th e U"iutl Stat.... won . and 10>01 i_ World War Jl and ilB dt ermath. The uisl~ latent in the arl'llB ·l'COIIomy and War pro......... Can A~ri~.n tapilali.. ", rfm ft in stable In a world of /Iocial re\'oIution and folonial rnolt!
LECTURE 4 _ The Coming Struggle for Power p. 36 Ho .... the impendlnll' IOClal crisis will nI/se the bruk,"p 01 Ihe two-party sY8tem. Deeline and deuy of traditional American democr.cy. . . Prospecti"e paraliel d~v.lopment of Ame";" ... f."cis III and a radicallu:d t.bor mo .. emenl. Co ndit ions and pro~ pects for the worku .. ' victory nnd the Inalllllr.li"n of a "oTken government.
LECTURE 5 - America Under Worke-,.,· Rule
w.,.
p. 47
Ho .... the Ameli.,." of lite will be ch. nlled snd reor«.nlnd in th e transition period from ca pit. li$m to .ociali~ m.
LECTIJRE 6 - Whot Socialut America Will Look Like .. .......... .... .......... ......... .... .... ......... .... .. .... .. .. p. 65 •
H ..... transformation of the ,,
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would Bay. In thi, fundamental a coalition of th~ capitalist class, ff$pect both parti ..! are the same. or a seet\on of It, with socialid But in re«!nt )ime, their ba" of and laOOr and even Stalinbt par~upport and their forma and ties. This eOll.lltion of capitalist methcd. of fuUUlInlt this role and workers partlelll came to be have been. different. known as the "Peoplu Front," From that !tarulpolnt the the fancy decoration. bestowed on remlb of the eleetioM reprelJent t'l>ia monll.ro!lity by the Stalin· an. imprta.n.t eh.nge ~ich should ists. be carefully noted and studied. In aubstane.e tfle ROO8eWllt.'l'ru. especially by people who are in. man Era in .polities and governteruted in makin&, a far moJ'e ment waa au American version Important ""-.n&"e. . of the Peoplu Front. To be lIUr9., Tile gr the I'.epubiicans, b a caplta1!!t leaden. who are no doubt busy government a»nrina- the rule of with a worldful of Wi:lnderlul Big Capital in this I!()Untry. But thinel , haven't yet had time to Intern...tional experience h •• organiu an Independent Labor dearly demonstrated that bour- Party. The best they have been ~I. class rule can be exercised able to do so far bas been 10 in a number of different WIlY", constitu~ a faction in tte Demo. and through a number of dif. cratic Party. feffnt political forma. depending It b wilh thil t.ction of Jabor on t!lle degree of stability of the leaden and also with the reform· rocial system and the tenaion of Lrt lesde ... of. the- Negt"o movedass relations at a given time. tflent, that Roose....e4t. the best When it feel9 .trong snd ture polltieal repffsentative and leader of itM!lf, Bil" Capital CM rule in of American capitalism. fonned its own name, through Its own the cor,!itlon upon whkh the gov· preferred party, untnen.l:. I t is easy to _ who got the but III the barga in and why Big Capital found It e~>err.t to IIlIpt>Ort the Rooaevettian Peoples Front In Ill; vernal se&llon. The . Roonvel.lian Ne... Deal" hoW'n'er, liner NlYed the economie crilill, .. tile o..oen.tie Part,. poUtlcla.. _Dd llIe le) " Iftoden el.l.ed la the last .elee_ tiorr.. It took the araz3'!.11I h and the war ex, 77 'itarea to . . that. By 1937, four ye&n after the begilH"Jing of the ItIoOlII!ve&t.l... New Deal, the eoonomk nostrums of the "Brain Trult" had run their course and fa iled to eIIre the liek economy. Production .... in )Hummeted dow' ....rd at an ominOll. rate. The banlmlpt:oy nmake a shi ft in governmental r.lled to> it. But they ""ould dear_ forms, deApi te the ri.ks it may ly love to get it cheaper. They [9] 0."", 01 ""'"
UNtllOOri Of MICHIGAN
,
,...nt somebody to "get it for th= wiIohlllh." And wt.ile spluqring on fOHign aft.i.... they are becinnlng to think JNlnimol>ioudy of cutting aU pollllible expeneea in domestie affain. 00 r1etel,. a ......are 0( the co.k 8 ....,.., tIo.e,. will eut iD 1r.ifIotory, tlM,. freeI.r .....H
to the
.SPIT 'iture of .dron_kat ._11 fOl' war and cGnquest abroad, uuI. thftl ever every doll... to be er Lilt at Mm. to 1leC1Ire tlIeI.r b_ of operatipu.
_,Cl"
The,
They ,.ant lower taxes. ,..ant eeon.om.y in I'Ovemment. Tbey .....ant to 'I\It out all item! of gmt alld colTllption in II"C'ftrn. Ment, wJ1ieh, noeuured by th.! total upeuditureH, are mere chieken feed. And "bon &)1, they have besrun · to Jooil: with jaundi«-d eyes .t the proprtil)tl of tile ...tional _ ineome taken by the .....,rkei. in · the form of ~". They WIIDt to cut w~ and "ocia.! benefil.il with !.'he help of the government. - Tlllrt "'a. the thief motivation of tIIew election policy. The barrier in the _y of this program is the QrK&Iliztd labor movement. That'. quite. barrier: ita remO"laJ will take a bit of doing, as our EnglMlh cousins In order w. cut ",.goes would d ..... tieally .nd rNuUS artillery bard«e deann" the ground ror lattr ad-
sa,..
ag&inst the ~e,.,..,h9d position of the union!!. The monopOl~tB wflllt about th is preliminary stage of their eampaign Vf!rY deliberMel.y and systema tically. The support of Eiaenhwer in tlle t.,. eirclel of American ce.pitalism "88 almoet unanimous, and every 'ono of' pressure .... as bl'Oug!1t w bear to f(leee smaioler elemeIIU and de~ndent capitaliatB, ul.;ed empl oYeeal reality. The 'Republ.1ean Party as at· ,,",Bent OO1'Iltituted. la by no ' mean• • fa~i.t party, and It' ..OIi\d be quite tabe to clt~, acteriu the iDn complete at this time. A close examinlltio n of the vote In indu strial localities ahows that they IC"t ont a bill'gf:r vote from tne orranh:ed workerl and from the Negro peop~ _ than In Th~
19~,
&t tbat wun't enough. What 1I'&lI needed to meet the con.scious cJass polley of flIe big monopol_ Uta with their alJ-I'mt campaign _ and what was lackin. _ was a eonscil)Us, con,lstent c1&H policy, and the dynamic .ggtusivlsm f\O'IVing from It, designed to mobilize the imorranized worken, the wbtte-collar clement.. and the petty-bour~oisie ; the ele_ ment~ who tend to support the ..uon,lrest s ide whic h appears to be rnO!lt suN! of Itself. The 'pt'esent leaden of the Ameri.can labor unions weren't eapablmpllred to some palt time. in thill country &.lid to the ~sent ,i tUII' jOIl in oth
agenda on the day of hi~ inaugu_ r ation. It li slll U.em under the intriguing tille, "'I'r.... bl"" for Eisenhower Around the . World." Each ''trouble'' is gi"f'" only one Hne of t ype, - but the list fills a whole page. H you think y .... are the only one got t roublell, just listen to E i~enhower's troublO!l'l, a s lisled by V.S. News snd World Report: Britain: Still g'(Iing broke" British ask help. Germany: Socialists, antl American, may take over. France: Toudl y French could upset European defense plan. Italy: Communists and Fascist. thN!aten pro-V.s. Government. North Africa: NatiVe! demand home rule wheN! US. has air bues. Egypt: No agreement yet 011 Middle East defense~. Iran: Break with Britain i~ un_ healed; Communists stronger. lodia: U.S'". aid ~ught; quarrel with PakiRtan 8"oe~ on .. Burma-War, Guerrillas keep new Government wobbly. Malaya - War' British tTO"P! light guerrilla bands. Indo. China. War: Communist. le-
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·& t ti.ere il aMolutely no Huon r.... to pennit ~mpl(1)'e" to Id to belie... that he ean bave a ny inj wage demands. And if ' !'evolutionary Chinl, ll'ainl t tb. there I. the begillnin« o.f _ col onia l mane. in voJeanie \Jp. deylrel!illo n with conu~uent un_ bee.. al ap illSt lrnperial~ . and employment, whieh III certain u n_ ap inst th~ workt-n In thl! capital. le.. military upeDditure. ar, lilt coun tries ",ilo are dri"en more kept 9P tnd evl'D il'lQ'MH d, and more to r adical iMn ... 01 re.-o. m.y lee deliberate _tle.pta on )ution by America's dom ination tlle p*rt of the mea .·UIU to of tbe ..orld mar ket and Its pl'Ovoke atrikefl aDd ImIt.k the . refusal to pennit any single on. un ions with the dlreet or ",dinct of t he otber elpittiillt c/llJntri .. help (ht me, ..,ore tha .. 41} yean ago, to an o~n forum auch as this, condueted by the SociaEat Educat!onal SOle of further been e"'PBndiTtg, the enslaved pro"ru~ive development on a tll('('8 in the colonies of Afric. and, world lleale, and la tnerefore in_ Aaia were bei~ freely plundered. vulnerable apinst an )' attempts without fear of revolts, and the t o change it in a nulica l ma nner, workers in the advanced coun_ thn lhere is not much pin t in tries, partly sbaring in tbe ~"'P"I'" .rguinz that 8oc:iallsm would be prolltR of the colonilll plunder, • better !ystern. enjoyed. a Rm,:,ll, but real, lm [171
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pro¥ement in their .t.., ndard of jivi ng. De.m~raey f1ourillhed. Unde r IlUch cond ition. thef$ could be no prospect of .. work_ en' revolu tion. Soela Harn .... u re· legated to an ultim.te goal whos ~ r e.l ization WM pu,"" ed far into the !~tu re. Man.', prdietion. about the inerea.ing misery of the worken f or.: inl" them to 11Ovolut ion, Hemed to be muted. The up italisu ,for their p.rt. in U").;!e Car'KQne hakyon day., grew rich .nd complacent, fat and "SS), and sel f-ronfldent. With th eir trained teon ..... i. 1I at thei r elbow., they .,.riocllc.aU,. ralHd their "oies in • hent,. and happy chorul of a Hnll" th.t .I,ht hIYe Men called, "E ..",..,.thla, is Loo·el,. and iJle G_ Banp K I......
Then IIOmethinl" ha p pe n e d. Some~ng we nt wrong. The .... or]d ihad ~ uddenly grown too tm.1I tor the riv.1 c.pitalist powe ... l n their mad IJCramble .nd competition t or market..., co]onial territoriu and apheul of Influence. The conllict ludden ly exp]oded, In 1914, In the F il'll t World Wa r. Th il war, ....hich luted '1110"' than t our Yeln, COlt 12 million dead and 00 mll110n woun~d . .... redeed the economy ot Europe, expanded the economy of Am erlca a t the ex-peMe of Europe, raised Ameritoa to IIrll place amODIr the Impe rla liAt power., and, IU a aort Df b ~··p roduct, r u ulted in the 'Ruulan Revolu· tion, which ton one.aix th of the earth's u rfaee out of the capital. lit mc rket. noil ",.to..l make.up, "r"'l'ht lbout b,. the Fint World War, CUI be put d01l'll .. Mer the head of FACT NUMBER ONE. qatl .. • fact, you "Ullt adMit , .... hMfl I"ked bad (or ..,_pIIIUlm at Ihe time, I nd hll Men .etUnl' WOr1Je eyer .ince. Thl" ..... r ........ a devaltati nlt blow to clpitalism, It luat 11 f ar ..
Europe WII conce ''Ded. If ita goo~e wlln'! cooked, at least It didn't hanr h irh an,. mort .. America, rtmole f rom the _ne of actual conflict, enriched ltaelt on the "1>OlIs, but thl world sYl tern hd been inemediaIJ ly d; . loclted. Its daYI of elClplJ'l$lon ....ere ooruptly ended. In the po.n_ war period the .Ieeping eolonie'. began to I tir. In the metropolitan eente" of Europe economy ltagn.ted, and the living ltandlrd, of worke u d ras tically declifll cL The ",ar, a nd the terrible poverty resulUnr f rOe/'acy. Th .. ~Oftlltllle crisis of 1929, and the rNOr.t ut eapltalllllll In Itllly aNI Germuy to the monatrous "ti8ia-rule of f.-iBm, "liD be put .own a. illlportallt FACT NUM_ BER TWO. 'nil.. wu 1.1110 bad for Ihe p~oepecta of "apitalisAI, for I1 "howed 11. _ k .,.stem to be ..... kCftN, "aken .1Id. dediti_ inK. Meanwh ile, earlier attempts of the grellt pooovera to overthrow the workers govermnent of ~ iSoviet U'nion were ~fe&ted, the victory of the revolution wu eon , oli dlted on the buia of n ationa1i~ and planned economy, with a monopoly !Jf foreign trade. This dosed ott the Ruuian market to capitalist Uploitation from abroad. During the crisis, which drllfll'ld 011 In the capitalist world tor a nll'mber of yeau and "14 !>I'ver rea1iy 0 v ere 0 m e, Ruuian induatry under the tlve_ year 'plans progressed by leap s and OOumlB, multiplied Its output msny timel and eventually brought the Soviet Union to lC('ond place iD lndustrill pro_ duction. The survival of the Soviet Un ion ;n • hOlltile capitall!t wor ld, and lu ability to ir>erease and even multiply its productive capacity, while the economy of the eapital18t c(M!!.ries __ declining and .tagnatinz, raise_ in th e ln08t striking and inefu_ .
• table 1a~hion a hitberto unproved a . sertion of Man:i8'lll: That ia the s uperiority. as a productive fome, of nationalizP!('>nomy _ w~ ill immune from crisis _ over the allarcilie, unplanned economy of capitalism which escape periodic opi.nion, I_ develop-
new ones.
on the other in the First World War, and auffoc:a ting in ita Nlitrieted barrien, had to n:pand I1r perish. The u.ne w ... true of lUlly and J!l.pan. I think history will record th e year 1939 as the fateful year of decision, ..midi flu!!y sealed the fate of capltalhlm a. a world system; the year In whieb terrible eeonomle dl!ficultie&, b r 0 u g h t ,.bout by the operation ot the l&wa o.t eapltaU8'Ill. were aupple!1H'!nted and enotmoll!ly ag_ gra'l'llUd by the bankruptey of political and military deei sion. Cap ital;,.... lost the power to th ink for ihelf.
[19]
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Here was t he si tuatintl In 1939: tbe ... ..., h·", to un ite for thq The rival b>g powe r. of capi talism nlldal aJld indilpe .... bte lu k contl'Onled eac h othe r .. riulA of 1'39, to H ¥e or at ledt 10 proloal' their ."·n life, ... " .. h•• y optlli6a, lhe .. lIIe klad, of lhe u .u a,..t.... in tha tight Cor a dim_ Ihe nfU! ail' n of thelr h. r delenna lloft and deeaY, m ...lfe..tini~hI"i" world market for trada eel by o..; r inability nea to dllnlt a nd" invutment. The Soviet Ullioll , embradn&' for Ihemael1"N an y I.,.,e r. • one-.i"t.b of Ihe eartl'l'1 aurfaoe, It dOllsn't help matte,.. any to confro nted all of them .. a ri.al Ray that It w at all Hitler'! fault of a ditterent kind, a rival snd that Hitler ...... a madman. np~8f! ntinA' a new and different Tha i la true enough. Blit wh.t lIocial 5y.tern, ..hose superiority kind of aoclal .yltem ia It when over tha social Iystem or e;o:pital- m D.dmen ean make it.8 m Ollt imism IU a prodll(:tive fo~e had portant decisions! An hiltorlca.1 ~fn OOmonatrated to the h ilt In la.. reauerted itaelf in t his t he p ro\onl'ed erisia. The Soviet d reumltanee: the law that social Un ion confronted tha capitalilt ~ysl em. whk'h han outliftd their "alions All a rlvll whOle Curther lime can't do a nything right any exi. tenee and pouible ex pansion longu. I n.-tead of unltlnl' to fould spell o"ly death In the long attack t hl Soviet Union, l hl ri1"a1 "In ro r the ri val &ystem of capit.Ult Imperiali.t ~en em. capitali,n,. bark«! upon a ..... r &ll\ong thamM"rc'''''er, the territory 0(':_ &el\'ell. The Soviet Union wu a t eupied by the Soviet Union had til1!t on the sidelines, and later befn w ithdra,,", f Hlm Ihe capItal_ enpCl'd In the ..... r ,.ith t he i_t markN linee the revolution of powerful alllH , America and 1917. And this tact in itllelf had Great Britain. T he rewltl of the contr luuted tnormously to tha war are well known. Gnmany and t eonon,k diJl'Ieultiel _of t he capl_ Japa n, wt.ich previously had tal ilt nationl , in Europe par _ menaeed the Soviet Un ion from lieul"b'. the West and from the Eut, It WitS t he mo~t ' impe rativ e were crulhed. Th e colonial and nel.N
,.ere not 1011( IInrokiipg In the ~t-war perial. Formally ~8'king, the Axi. powers _ Germany, Italy and Japan - loet tlle ",ar, and the Allied powers, the United State., Britain, tbe So't'iet Union and FraP'!e, ",cm It. That'. the 'I'I'Iy formal history reeorvernment Sour examination ~how~ that the countrics ·of Eastem E!.Irope. A merica haa T)(lt only been 1",-1nc AM that i, precisely wh.t k' c round , but is the ehief author did in t he first three yean of the of it. own set-backl!, the odds on pOll_war period. He went f\l~ the final oukom .. must be changed and offered to guarantee tht radically. No fighter ia 110 ~re to capi tali , t system of pnductloa lose aB the one :who knock! and cap italist political ",gim.. him ...,lf aut. And that, my frimdsl in Italy and Franee, whcre t!t"", were badly shaken. _ andor obliges me to report i~ p1'eCi.sely what OIIr great and And that is pl:"'eei ~el y ....h.t he glonal'!! nr" to them f Did e!ril War. Chinellf! capltali , m, de- S.nta Claoa pro:>m\ae them Ch i". l e rmel! in its development by col_ f (lr Chrl stmu and then fall to onIal e.pioitation (If the rred deliver! Did s(lmebonomy, -China eauldn't be developed On IL .. apitaliat basia without a tre· nlendous Influx o:>f foreign capi~l 1'1 the form of loans. credit. and
ir,vestmenta, Deprived- of, thia blood transfusion, weak, Wldev.,l. opell snd shaken, Chinese capital' ism _ whatever may be left 01. it at this moment _ Us condemned tc die of anamia, It _ "' be put out O)f its misery as the Pl"Ilmndt. tlon for the revival and development 0)1 Chlne118 .iDdUBtry and agriculture. If O)ne i, willing to recqgnize I'eali-ty, regardle"", O)f what hl~ pE!l'6Onal wi shes might be, h. ean safely predict that China will wit. nelll! the develpmel:tt alnee 191..... to Indicate .... 1111_ mistakable trend. Th.t trend 11100,,"' ell'pltali Bt eeonomy r iddoln everywhere b y incurabl e cr~i., ~I!Ding .nd deca yl"". On the ' oIMr h.nd. the biatorial trend ahOOl'I the sector aI. nationaliKd . eeonom,. e:mpe.nditl«. . n i rterUllill&' radieal iu t io;m of tb. worUl'lI in the criai .. n,'A :n ~\lo hh:1 of clllltan,t Euro...... .rtd a Tt'I'itabl. p .... lrle - ar.:. of . ~loni.I ·",To!ut!OfII breakilll;' nut IlTeI )' wlier
dedi~. Th. ~tIt
fol' natiOl\aliMd ItCOIlOftly IItId the further .pr.sM of r..ue.lh
of
le
[29]
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o
Ameriun eapltali$n, &merging from the Clvil War with. \lni1l.ed eountry, found th_ new to .... ritorie• • • markets right in It, .wn back yard. It found a whole continent, ialwer in area than the Eumpean heartland. of eapitaliam in the ninel'Alnlth century; llUIer than all of eomnental Wntern Europe, phae Et!.giazul, Irel&1ld, ~otl.nd .Dd Wal. and the Islands of the Hebridu. Ameriean capitall.., fOllnd • eontinent '.buIously neh in fertile landa, piu. eoal, Iron, timber, 011, metal _ an the natural J'MOUI'Cea nee-"T)" for an 9I'andilll'~' _y. And It "'.. all their own. Tbei~ e:.:chllive ric'ht .. nd title to It w ... eupj.lghted in ..11 I.. n. &'U'gu, ineh>di.... the Sundin-.vian. . The re~l polition of :American eapi~m ..ave it I"'eat adva~1 over its EuropeI.n rival...nd gu&l'anteeci its vietory III'ftr them In the 101lfr run. While the Ealopnn state., ItlfllTll' 'lrithin their !'eIItrieted nmtlon.l llarrierl, were eomp opportun iti e~, unknown In Europe, for WOI'kera le rise out of the proletarian elall and beeome small farm"n 01 waines. men. At the aame time, the rel .. tive l.bor Ihortare u.,.. proved t~ polition of the Amf!ollo iean ...orken In the Iabo.- market and eompelled the emflloyt'n to pay higher ......'" U,an we~e paid to) the work ..ra of Europe. The net resuit of all thl. _at to sl o... doWII the development of clan conlClouBtteU, to cut the g'l'ound from bene.th a radical and !Weialist labor movement, anil to usu1'8 the political stabillty of the bourgeoi l regime in the Un ited State•. At the urne time, the Jabor llIovemettt of Eul'or foree. Finally, and perhaPl! most im. porant of all, European eRilIta1iam sUmulat.ed and helped the bothGIl.e grtIwth and expansion
of it. A.memaa rival by h .... 1..vllltmen1a Gf It. 1fW'Piu.J capital • . The building of the Amerka.D r.IlrolId .yawm, for eXlUI"lple, .... ftnaneed mainly by E",lWl Ca.pi4 tRI; Holland, FTliJlee, Switzerland. and GelUlany w.o c:Gntribllted a eGIII~erable volume. . So. In auaaiJlr tkiara _Po wlU! d ... recari t. tlte facta. we ou.rk t. ad.il, iD. all fn·.'p · z, UaaI Nw. p~ rntW"th el tke Aae..x.D ~CMl k riot, aam u crew biner th. . "1.11 othere a_ o ..er" adowed an otlo.era, ..... i.ot .ntirelydae to the cuiu of A ..erkan buineQ _eR ud ballk.~
Two revolutions 'were tbe atart. Ing impuUion. Great namr.i and geograpl:ie advantages proYided thl! ar2ua. The 'PGlItieal and eco_ nomic di$unity of Europe ,..... A mer I e a another advantal"e, European capital IDveatmentlo speeded up the eonstruetion of the I'l"eawlt enterprises. And European Iabor provided a ~at deal of the skill and elbow &teas, to build up the industry and agriculture of this country. . European eapltalilloln did all t;hi~ blind ly, not with any good intentiGu, but bec:ause it couldn't help itself, and therefore deserve. no ij)et'ial fTatitude. But the rich Amerie!n capitali!ta really shGu!dn't begrudge the few bil_ lions in loan! and gifh which they are now handin&" out to Europe ·U a be"III"'1 dole. Charity 11 doubly sweet to the donGr ....hen it can be belItowed Gn a fonner benefaetor at • big di8count. .. Along' about the turn of the celltury, America'a conqunt Gf Itz, $i4ion , under Jncteasing\y -~a""ed its hands by the fire. Remaining benevolentl~' Mutra\ degrading coridition~, ever sin~. The Fint World War brought on the aide of the All ies f or the first three yU.f$ of the war, America to the position of leadlng America found . in thp, war ihelf power in the capitalist world. the richest ma,'ket it «Iuld e\'er h ....;ng no further need of any have dre&med of. mote -C'&pitai in\'utrnents from iW~!;e the nOI'mal peaCT ...1...cI,
T.he u isi. of 1929 . .... hich lalted ten yeaH, with !!Ome ups .nd cknm ~ within t.IIe e"l'U11, __ never !!DIved ex~t by the artiflcill means of ezpenditur.!s for war .nd armament& Th.t ...... no solution, it wa. only. po9tpone. llIen! . The un Bolv~ trlsl. wu stlll latent in ~Ite Amerie.n economy after the end of World W.r 11 and "'as making its way OfIIilWuly to the aurfadi~. fClr arm .... ments, and even far _r, provide " perma.... m CUf'C for the siek eeOint, and cannot be further erlend~. Th e
,"",,""IIt!.
[34]
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Iron tier territories, _hich once absorbed huge amounts of aur· plu s good! and upital, are long • ince settled UJI and fully de· veloped; and MOlIt of them now prod~ their own IlUrplulIfll. Our own st.te of Callfontla I, • .... ining exwnple of • fonnel' ''importer" beeoming an ~"e][porter." Any prospo:t of &tabm",in1' Amer;".n economy 011 th~ buil of its internal market I, tohaolutely f!x.:luded. In,... seed forel~ uaoie, won by the Un.ited State. as • l'e5l.l1t of tJoe First World War, helped to spark the If"OI't eeon.... ~ boom of 4:1Mt Twenties. But
the world market, wh\eb Amer;"" domm.tes as • result of Its economic prepoiwleranee and 'tile kl1kruptey of itli rival., 110 longer oilers an adequ.te outlet for America's glut of eapibal and ."rplu! good,. To IH! 110ft, tJoe baelnratd COURtriu need what Ameriea produe,. to eneu, but tMy can'4; pay f(}r It. That ditfteg!ty might be OVeTe(lmf by looma and credit. If these counme. had lltable bour~i8 I'OVHnme1lts ",hklb the United State. _Id trust to Ir"arantee eventual payment. But thel"e are very few .ueh governnrents lert in the world, an.:! their number la deereuhl,:' The advaneed Indtutrlal countries, on the other hand, need to Increase their own e:q!Orts. They not only need to __re in the wnrld market, where Amnia erowds thtKJI oot, but a110 want aecul to the Arnenea.n market, whkh America bM'll by tariffl. The .domi)'lation of the world market, _hklt America fell heir to in tlia apoch of capitalist decline, ofteTII no solution of her economic prnt.len!. Of the various faetoTII ..... ieh on~ contributed to the ri~ and 1l<MV,
expatUlion of Amt¥riean capital. ism, there remains ouly the faetot' of revol~tion which provided ita tint big impulsion . Revolutiona of tb
It lookin g too far ahead 10 put ·\hi. quesliol\ lip for cl.h.c:uQlon. now1 I don't think 10. I know that many people un't Ut this taming struggle for pown In our land, ~ause im. mediate indieat!ons are not ob~ tcrvable to' them. They see wIl.t', Itspeened in the Hst of the wO'tld, but imagine that Am erica nu lomt special immunity, They IU
profound ly miataken. The work. ers' !'evolution Is on the historical agenda in the United States, and not too far down on the agenda at that. Ev erybody kn(rW$ that the rest ,of the world is badly shaken up. Hardly a week glyinll, "We must e~ that ~volutions and _ra and rumOrl there i~ ,"oinA' to be a leftlinl{ off oJ ....ar. And now that Ameri.::a of th e military eXpt'ndlturea. hna" become the maawr of the 'I'hen we mUM expe
[37]
• depr("Ssion, 01" something o( haven'l been .ble " to conquer It that ~ort,H . yet. And they tisve alnlady go, What they really mean to say hundred. of thO\lu.nds nnd even is, tlla! if they don't \loop spend- millions of Americ... mofhen all4 wives so agoniud over their .o~ ing 60bi'llion dolls" a year 'hrowi~ it away, 1. 1 fu 1.1 any li nd hu&bst>ds in Korea, that th8,. economi c usefulnen il concerned t urned the recent eledion'- on th.. _ and if they don 't even incna!le iosue, That's jll,t one peninsulL The lit, and don't have a war, there ia DO way to Ivoid a depren!on. Third World War they have i& .such a deopresaion caD. be the mind is to ftrht the entire world, precipitant ~ what we eaU a on all fronts of the world. ADd dO) .odal crisis. Or, il, they .tart tb" you think they ea.n conquer the War in order to prevelIt the worl d in six montha if the,. deprf!u ion, amon&" other reaSOM, couldn't conquer Kona in tor.. then a social criais will ariM out y~llrd! No, you ,muat antieipat. o.f the war, in my opinion, in a military defeat.. and COf\i'leqUW eomplLI"ati~ly abort time. en:rietiel, angn and protest, 0'1 This war in "reparat\on I.. not which the reliction to the K(I~ the war against Sp"in of 1896, .. WII .. It a mere .aminl". maN; adventure againat a helpleu Out of all thil, war or na war, foe. It ia not the Fint World War, ll!:d ~rlklll.rly if there ia a war, where America ....... not really the stable fl!lationdip of u.. engaged and enriched iue!f ....hile dUle8 in this wuJlhy "ilI "' the others fought, coming in only knocked to amlthereen., and .. at the cnd of the w.ar to tip the cri9js RUch as we have never BMa scales. It is not the Second World o! hII'd o! will begin to unfold. War, in which America aaain Wall Th;, criril "hkh I antleipate, immune from atta"k, and gained as do .11 ' lHan:ilts, will ' be .. an.d ll1"(lfited out of the egOl1y drawo..oot allair. III the COUI"M of and slaughter end devastation of ita develoJm1ent, not _ _ uri1,other countrie.. .11 at one ..nr... .. Iandard.. That will be OM 'I:h~y a .... not simply the peoeuliar .,lement .,alrlnr for a aocla' crt.ia. invention ot Amer"'an }loliticlJ. And then the". is the tenlble, geniu s. A peculiar Ameriea.a. ominous, unprecedented Jll"OlIpeet eireUIll" tance, rather, has made for Amenea, the Pr
_",We ill III lMl_t for. 0111,. as lOll" u capital. was aJWj 8troll.
... cure aNI uceadlnt: In a atable apitalilt world, and when there no labor' ehallenge to th e capitallat MIte In the (oantry. Th_ condition. are r"dlnl' .... ,.. The two-parly ..,.&te.., in fact, has already boeen ..doltsl,. ,haken, thowl'h ollt".rdly die 1.., eleet!... sII_ed Repablkan n ...... ne-Krat •• tll_1'1I 1I0thilll' h.d h""penl. III • IIl1lW1red yea .... III r",allty tile eriak of tbe 30'a al. ready ""I'an to undermine the t ..o-party Iy"t_. Laoor )).,gan to organize by the millionl, to awak",n to politie" and to participate in an o"".nized manner in -tbe electiOn!. Th e ~8ul t of thla uprising of the work~ra, engenden!Ci by th e eril;a, ....1lI the Demoeratle.labor eoali· ti(,n of RooBE"velt .nd Trum.n. Th", t .... ditiona] ay.tem :rem.ined forma lly Re,:.ublie.n and Demo. era\, but the great change Wal that the Democratic Party bt!gan to repre~nt, u I explained in iny fint I~lure, • fonn of eoalition of a section of the capitalist daBI w ith th", organiUld labOI· move-
w..
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m~nt.
~oaIition
is IIgnit\cant hiatoricall, . not for what' it did, alU,ough something .... done, but for the lrend it !lignified. The aignificance was not the coalition 1t$elJ', and not ev.. n the ...... gains whieh accrued to the woI"kers in the eourse of the 20 year. of the Roo""""lt· Truman regime. The f1!al significance ..... th", fact 01 labor participation in polities in an ol'ganized manner, lor u,., first tim",. Despite the dilltorted fonn tha coalition of the Democnb and labor movement took, dupite all the 1!111~loD.II and disappoinf,m",nta that i' brought _ and it certai nly ;,rougbt plenty _ this entry of the I!nions into politiC! In a df'irberatc, organized manner, for the IIr~t time, ..... a tremendous ~tep In a direct i01l thlt cannot he ",versed. Labor is in polities to shy. That'. th e eoncl",ion we h.lYe to draw from the present development of the Democratic_ labor coalltion. The old Go.pe.. policy is dud. It i~ a great lIIisrepresenlstioa for 'JWOpl", to MY, "All ..e'... d(>hlg ia the Iabot" Dlo""'_",nt ia ..hat Goapen ...lIed a .... Gom_ pers' 1lI0ran .... "No politia! ID the IInlon." o.t I.. thi~ ne .. d~\'elopmenl, .. illeh ........ uncler R_velt, not OIl.,. do the work. ~r. . . individ.... 110 to vote at the POlls, but the unlonl a, union~ 11"0 Into politiu. union in Ihe coulltry thal Isn't half asleep or half ' dead h.. III Political Action Co_itte", .nd ill! political worken. ... .,.. are jU11 •• mllch a part of the .aehinu,. of tile ani.. la the b",.inl!8. .~ent. and the· otlltr otfl~e ... LRbor is in politic. to lltay. But !abor ,. not going to stay in the Democratlc Party. And for I!Ood ",'II~OnS, T./Ie imperative dHnanQ ... hieh labor mu st rai se under conditions of the i....-pend _
'.1
E".,.,.
This RoolleVclt . Truman ·Iaoor [-to]
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1nl' _i81 criala, .,,111 not and Cllnnot be aatlllled in tha Demo: nat;': Party I. it ia now eon_ ~tituted. EveD. under U!e mOlt fllvorabie eond!tionl" the par_ ticipation of the orpnlzild labor movement in politki 1\,11 a faction of the -D emocratic Party hall yielded very mu.~r l'e!Iulta. For the pan ,Ix yun the top leg-jlbEv!! demands of tha unions have been a Fair Employmen t Pn.etice~ Jaw and the repeal of the Tart-RaTtle)" law. ,'X"e)' erovide une.mployment in surane! and old age pensions; legalize labor's rig-ht to organl:r.e. All IhlB made the app!arance of a great ( oneession 10 the working elas~. whicb it was from the $tarting p"'i~,t of $la1""VatioD. . But In the eGmhlg period, the who~ impal"" aM drin aDd nI'Ct!!IUy 01 the rulinr elalll! i~ l oi"l" to be not to I.pro .. e SOti ..1 nnditions, not to raise ..·ag!. and I;'·;ng .tandud... but to .!.~h I"fm. n.al'. what tbe crisis will be about, and a coalilion I"o ..... n_ "lent won'l be able to do an:rlhing about it. Cons~qu~ntly a eoalition f Of elass ~ollaboration In government will no! work tlle ned time. Not under cond ition, of aodal cril'" when on the one hand the .... ork· er..' Mmand! w i!! be far more exten$ive and imperious, and wben on the othe!" hand they will be threatened with the destruc_ tion of their un ions. Labor will be enmpe\ld to take ·tlle next ~ 'ep in polittealll'Ction _ to bnak the coalition with the Demoerat3
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l:>n«! and for all, a..t IlO foJ'JIII
m
party. That, in my opm;eer maybe anotbn ~xperime-t Or BO, \he final break-up of tM DemoeratMolabor coalition, and -the lawtChing of an indfpendent IROOr 'Part.j. by the wOrkf U. Thf:J'e • alread,. a Btrong ~timent ill the worldnW cluB o-f thi ~ country for II\ICft 11 !!tel'. Ford Loeal 600, the biqe.t local onion if!. the world, voted the "ther day, after t~ election, tOT '1 labe,· P ~I-ty. 11le United EtK-trieal Worker! and TJA'W con...entions haW! atwaya bten ready to pus rf!8olutions for " iabol' ,any, if th ey had bad" free hand from the official!!. ~ ...mtiment for a lubor party i! held"""'" by t~e bU ..,aucrats, who think they can do better by dMb with the rJernoo::ratic Jakeu and the Owet;.wr:
cral6. Thf' bllno auc.ate O'OlIld put over
th i. policy as loag 8.3 workers Wel'(O fully pMj)loyel'Kken tryi"(f- to pre'n!nt the 0lYanlza , lion af the unoYIanille f or med under conditionl ~.mi1H r 10 those under which the C IQ "'tU OO'g.nl~ed. A.. d the party Yorme
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UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
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riole .develop.ent, ..-hich h .. theorizfld it ~ bf,(GI"t it bef.... will find it, own native en"lron_ "ent, it....tu ......,Id of work. It 11'111 ~ome. ia. . tbt. I'"at e,.._ panding ~tllatIGII. what i. Hid i. the aerlptura. the leaven that
leueneth the whole IIl.p. The revolutionary party rep_ l'eKnh the (ub.lre of the work_ -"[$' movement in the pre~ent. It begins with. tAOOrdieal p~.m whieh toreNes the whole line of 80t be fit for leadeuhip in the M,W situation. any more than the old AFL skate, were fit for the leader~hip of the insurgent move_ ment ·of the workers in the maal production industries in the .itd"",,'Tl s,rikes of the 80's. Thel"$ will be no bargaining table •. No government boards to ~ett1e thin",s amicably, · re the worken will have no mein. of defense aeainst the cutting of wages and livinl' standards . That', what i~ in the cards. No friendly compromi..es at tlle bargaining table., but olily mass battle! and man testa of strength. The wo,ken. liMe. aud! conditions, .. u" aIM! will IlIm le ",;Utaney anoi. throw up leadera of a neW molcl. 11141 .. · Ihe "Work. ers in the 30'. thre.... liP DeW" trade uni ... leden oat of lhe ranb. And It ill h. jllsl aKh • .itu.li..... "",,,,11. dUI eollabora. tion is out the ...-Irldow and Ihe rlus .Inlllle la OR the a.enda, that the BlIpr_e e:l[prruMm III Ihe elau .lnI.,le, Ihe ",TollI' tlonar,. M.n!.t party, will ,et a hearinr and beNollle the JIIentor 0{ the .mtallt new ataff of lead· .frs arls;nl' out III the ahopB and. lhe fadori~ • That's the Pro:NlPt'Ctive chanp on the .ide of the workinS' cIa" .. chllnjfe · to.wanl a new militancy, " ne w leadeuhip. !lnd the ~"olutionary political party rising In !n(]uence and po-.rer by virtue of its character and HI p~orram. And OD the oth
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the tapitali,ta must and ..... HI discard all temporbin~ Dln.suHI, cut off the demoul tlc f acade ,..hld, tbey ean no lonrer afford, "nd turn to wholellle ... io]cnee lts:ailUlt the 'II'Orken.
F.,.t:ilt bandl WIll be sulnidiud a nd armed and hurled 'pinat the strikel'll, sphut the union hall, a nd all other workers' ratherinr plaees Ind inatitutlon,. Thl! work. f'U , f or their part, ,..ilI ha"" )10 choie1!, if they don't want to he ddeated IIInd enslaved, as the Ger. man _rkerl "ere defeated Ind entlu....t under H itler _ thcy '!rill hue no chok:e hut to of'pnize theh' own dcrenae g'Ulr'ds, n'~t the fascis t band. on th eir own term. and u rry the battle to • them . Ameriean capitalism Is' not In love wIth democracy. It', nO) pr;n_ .. Iple of American ea pitaliam that we mutt mainta in ,11 the demo. cra tic forma - free SpftCh, ft'eii prc.. , frH rICh!. to orr.nj~e, and all t hl! relt. The only prineiple the Americ:an apltali'lI have h the eJ:1I10itation of labor, the eJ[_ tTaction of profi t., and the enrich. ment of themulvcs at the u_ J>E'nte of the worken. Tbat', their p";nclple. If th.,- can do It In ' n euy and ~th and quict and peaceful way und er political democrac,. O.K. That', the dlupe.t ..... ~UI wh~ th.t doesn't work any Lo n,er, OUr wonderful, democr.t ie eaJlitaUata will turn, wltb the unre fury of the Genn.n and lta li. n capitalllta, to the 'blood,. violence of f.kltm. They win finanee and &quip • fakllt move_ Men t, .rod eheck it , tT'I,hl I>p to th~ labor mO'l'emellt ~ " What ILre ,.OU coin, to do .bout It? Thel'i! a~ COlll, to be 110 mOlll! debatu .... ith YOU, It's 1'0;111 to be fight."
1':
It wlll be. Ipt to a "al.h.
a"
it ' will be Coapt on all front .. £rolll election ca .. pai,1I1 to .. rike. and l,h18 with r __ illt ,an,awn In -the "reels. Ullller Ihe powur1l! illlplLlllon 01 the lOdal cria~ ;.bld!. Alllerie.. e&jlltaRea c:anllGt a'fOid, and _ hich it alread,. ripenin, .... itM. III bod,., .11 tll_. dnelopmenta pr..ud""- hel'4!, and ... 117 more, will er.ltt apon. la _ _Iy, a.ullan_I,., In ()tie renwa' proce... whidL U.fLnol be lIrrealeci by an,. dnkl ie\'ea in the ft~-olutionary vie.
•
•
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• [45J
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•tory,
and. eOlUociwliy and ,da_ liberately preparea f or i t In advanoe by theoretical aWdy and lIeriDU3 oreanisation. -wm the _ workers find these things when they need them in the l~doWll, whe:D the ItrucgJe fM power will be ~1 ,That is the question. -We thlnk they ,will. We 'think the worUn and colonl.l peoplu, In revoJutioll thrtlll&'hout the world, will power. .f ully irdllltlllCe the Ameriean worker. by their ,:.:ample. When all the world i. In revolutlon, tb, A muican workeu will nmembel' t hei r 0WlI aneestry and take ftl'e
• •
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We think the Amerieln wod:.
en, who h&Ve never be-en Quake~ w ill dlJl1\onltrate IIneumpled. enerwY. courage and declllioa ""hen it beeomea dear that thell' own dl/llltiny is at . take. W. thillk t..'ley will find the conllclouenen, .and tber.!'lll'it'h the leadership, for victory ift the atrunie for power, And we thiD.ll:, Ibwl,.. that it .. our dllt,. "",8 11011', la "uru" j .. the
period" I
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In draw ing up their conclusions from the experien«! of the Pari5 Commune of 1871. the flnt attempt of the worken to set up " state 01 their own, Mux and , oth~. . Engel~ ~tated · their theoretieal That'~ the eMraeter of the pl'eBent itate in thi~ tountry. conc!tl9;ons l;t all t11e eapitalists and land!onl~ of Russia, but again . t the entire capitalist world w"hich blockaded th.,m and tried to over. throw them by military fOrei!. Our Pl'Ogrammati" statement that the work,"", will set up a I!'Onrnment of ttreir O'\\'n In this eountry, can hardly be di~missed
as a utopian speculation - not after the demonatration of the Ru~t!~n Revolution. Our ",,"fldent assertion haB th "erification of praotica! experience as well as the lICientiflc theory of Marxism behind 11. The !!eCOnd f&et on tile positive side of the Russian e>:perience kI the colossal achie"ernent i,n the field of produetion. Czarist Ruse!. wu the most backward of the big capitali~t . countrie.o. . Capitalillt larga-scale industry w&8 only feebly developed there; It was far behind thnt of America, England, France I!nd Germany. But even with diftenmUy In maintain the new regime. this country, and t.h_ will b. Tbe h.. meotlMe rellUlt wu not both diftkulti08 and &dV1lllta~ a developmen" n~ the productive in tbe diCference. The diffie-..ltI. ... force-s but ~ f .. r"'ler diaorganlza_ "'ilI come fint. The c/I'pitali,t t;mj Ilnd di ...... ~t'''n. Everything- class in th.i8 country is. stro~ hnd to be ~"hord'nated to · the than;t WII in Ru.nIa; it has ,l emands of th, "'.1' for .urvh-.J more reSO llre≪ aJMi it ...ul flgilt ~/I:"lin5t a "W"". "f ""'leTlIiee. 'NJ.ere .ith the dMpera.te fury 01. a.n. wu .. -mty of the ha.N!It outlived cl....,· In U. la.rt IItronc• [501
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-hold. Bu t once the powq has
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taken b,. tM worlrer. In Uti. country eVflrythblg will be eh'l\~ In their rlvor. And 1~ tlle pme _ . '\¥be", Itu..ia "'u POOl" a nd bldu ltriaUy baen.rd. hnuica
i. rich and hlabb d.veloped. Capitalllm h .. done fbl: hllJtorie woric In tbt. eoufttz't. and l or that w • .taOllld be duly .pprecjwt.i~. You .ee, we'nI not Intl-eapltaliat 100 percent: w,'n , _ pltallst .. lP/nit feuQJ\lm, and eh,tiel "very, alId Iftdumial baek.
.&l'dnl!lll ;1\ &,_ral. W. an pre.
hpitalllt In _&1:1111\1' the , p roJ'TURVI hktoric roll capital. ism played In deYeloPin&" die 'orcet of proctuctiou, as ilhlll' trat.ed to the hicheet de1ft
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UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
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ferenee. InsU&d of a clique I>f r.on-pl"OduC"'I1J directinl' them for privllte profit, u .t present, they will ~ nationll1i~ IInd made th", property of the workers govern. ment, to be operated for p",blie u ~e aAd n",fod, and not f OI" anybodY'8 pe~na] profit. Will thne induatriet; be uquir_ ~
by (ompen"ti!>n to the present O'pment of . a civil w~r. The government could do th~t, and might do i t. It depends on the capilali~ts. H t."ey get nuty .. nd continue fighting D&,.in~t the sovereign ,,·ill of the majority, then they won't get anything. I take it for 2rant..d that, onee the workeu t.ave be-en victorious in a re volution ~nd ha"1l set up their wn
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li;overnnlent, they aren't going tQ be fooling any mare. E'~1j'thing is going to be senu! and ded. ~ion$ will ha~ to be carned ouL The next day after the na_ tionalization of industry, or nla}'be Qn th~ [ame da;, the new workers gorm 1"'1'1... and trying to get them lofavor one ;denti~nl produc't over .nother, lIr to buy Mime· thi n~ t hey don't net!d and that w on 't do them .ny good, a nd . then bay BO loud-mouthed politician!, no banker.!, no lawyers; I doubt whetner there will be any preeohera. But I 1"'ould 811Y, representa_ ti .. ea of the unions, farm eo_ (Operative., oconomi,ts and ,tatil_ lieianll, IICientists, ~hnicians and e6nsumerll will be appointed as pl e to "give a dime" to fi,ht tnf«nW e paralyais. The rovern. rn t nt w ill app~riate billions and !lend ,n army of ea,er and df:Votf'd .eienU,ts into battle apinl t polio, el\neer, heart disease and other e nemlu of the humIn face. A comp rehensive prOlZ'u m f or publle lIeolth will com e under the !lead, not only of humanIty, 'and of monUty, but al so tit economy. M en the peopl... 's health Is taken care of better they .... m be more prodD(tive at work, and more ftOOIb of all kinds will r oll out of t he f actorin and hml'. W, elln say p(>sith'ely, on the brulis of e~rien~e II f'('ady aec:umulaW under untavoratole con-
d ition. In the SO"let Union, that the eArly, the fint, re.ult.ll of planned eeonomy - eliminating all private profit. and other ... a I t e, conleioul ly enw1oyiOJr more tcientillc method.. safeguard in, the people'. healt h will be to double the plteent income of the 1\"orbrs, If the)" want t o take \t Ill. Or the,. .... I Y, and probably will, elect to take part of it to mak e a 50 pe~t improvem ent in thel.. living . tanda rd . and devote the otherSO Jlf'r«nt to rebuildi ng and modernlzln, the faetoriu and expo.ndin, the productivl plant. I'm not Ipeakinlt nC/W' of the I g. , eialist lociety. I'm .-peaklnlt of the firs~ yelrs, maybe ot,the fil"St live _ year pllln of .the woriten ,overn ment. The lint II-ve - year plan wn\ work sueh m l",c1t1 i n the field of production .. to rail!e t.h e proble m of ",u per . aoon_ dance ," a nd what to do aboat i t. Th e fflult ot 8uper·pundance. or ove",roduetion, aa it la called, under t he present lyatem, .,. ·'depl'M.lon"; idle plan b, and idle men : hunge r: ml!lelT: homes broken up: children's edllcatlon 8TTettt-d : hopeleBlnu. for mil. hons of people. The l\Iper. abundnnt production reaulting' frC*n t he open.tion of plsnned economy, very likely In the period of the fi rst fiv..... y .... r plan. will appear to the people a . a bie..!ng, n.t her t han a thre.t. They ter_ tainly will not · Ive n thloli: of shutting down the foMtories and throwing people out of 'Work. The "problem" enn be dean lYith in ... riOll, wa,... The fint "od mOlt neroral ~acl [on of the work,l"S will be fonnlllated i n a qunt ion: "If _ 're 0.11 doing well and livi ng good, produdng more thin wo reaUy need in .n elgh t_ hOllr dRy _ then why the hell sh ould we work SO Ion, !" Thil
{50'
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arise in the council! of the work",.. In the shops at the bottom, and will be carried up through their delegates all the way to the top of the governIIl &nt. And Ihe logk., a1Ul1.. er 'Will &,0 aMI( with the qlleflt;OtI: "Let'. the worlrill&, day, W.hJ' "h... W we ......k eia:ht hOllr3 .... et\ _ ca. proJW«! .11 we nMe!. in (ou?" That •• ,. 1IIPP •• r 10 be .. .t.-ple an.wet' te .. COlllplleated
,h«t_
question. Blit lIIany thin,_ ..Ill be
hhllpJiled . . . the an.nh,. of capltalct lKOd_tion for prolt h replaced by pl.aJlllecl produc:tiO)ll
'M_
' T.ht'~
Clrn
only the begi nning. You
roll!!t 011 11 BborteT 'WOrk day,
and there will .tffi be abundanc('l .md super - abundance. Then annUlet' qaestion will logielllly ari3e in the m ind. of the enlightened .,iti:tens of fl'ee and prosperous Soeiali. t America. Tbey will not be n.n ow _minded, ignorant .l)d a lilfteh i""laUOI1iSte, but win regard themH!vea tu! citizens of t he _Id, e(lroCflned "'ith all the aft.irt of the world and all iu p(!QpIM, and will seek fraternal fluoelation with them on tile bIlR; • ., equality. It jl!ces withou.t uying - that they win grant Immediate !nd... pendence Ot> statehood to the Puerto Riean people, whichever they ptefu, and renoW1~ all impertahlltie priTilel'!s and eones_ eions e:rt.orled fro;om other peoples by tile- ~ capitalist ~gime. They .Il! .. farther UId u,.: "We'Ye rot klnfolk in SomIt Anleriea and Ce .. tr.1 Am .... ~ Je. Old in- rONJ.... I.nd....bo ~""2!2't 1tad tJt,e b .. ~t of tile If....' ea)lttalillt ....elop.nt 01 inllnb'y 1Ief_ tile,. csJae to ptnrer. 'llIa,'re .till 1I"ortdnr with illl .... qaate _lIclo.bo ....,., tMIII and I .. )II_ _ ls. 1VIrI,. Mouldn't .... e
11....
belp Ihem to rise to our slandaru, not onl,. u a simple &et 01 h....... IIOlid.rlty, bat a1&oo to pnt a ....t'I' f,"mdalion nnder the ...-(trlll .,.atem 01 soci.llAt eo· o!)eralioa 7" nw. Ameri~an work",l'$ will so deeld(', froel)' and voluntarily. I can S~ them doing th at out of the generosity of spirit and the world outlook which tile vbion of soci.Ham nu given to them. I can IIef! thecm deciding, ~Iy and voluntarily, to work, say, an extra 'hottr O~ toro a day, for a em ain period, to produce agrie.lltural maeh i .. e ry, fertilizers, auto· mobil(lll, truck!!, maehines to make machines, and other things to ~peed ap the Indult r ialiution of the U'!Idevelooped eountri",*. And this will not be a loan Or a piddliTII: "Point f the Soeialil t Unlted S tates of Americ. to help yoa catived C>! the ~upport of the n>ementoes of hygone d&yB -eapital;,t interests. They will and gi'-e them enough- caviar and have to get out of the real utllte ehamtngne to finish out their business and ~he charity racket; useleu l;,-es, while the workel'l!l nobody will need their charity. 11'0 on' with their work of con· Each ehureh, each religion will ~tructing a new and better lIOCia) h:w" to stand or faH on its ap- order. That's wh&t Trotsky aa.ld. peal to its communicants. It will War, and the threat of war, h:lVe to defend its dogmas against which made Soviet RUBSi&'s path srientific cr iticism, which will also ~o difficult, will be no problem be f.re!. But the new society will for th e .vnerican workers gov. have no inteNat whatever in any - ernment. Where wou ld the da.nger kind of persecution of religious come fro",? In Ru ui& the danger sentiment•. of war "-as ~al &00 &ctU&1. But Counter. revolution can hardly what !'Ounlry could attack the loe a ~erious tbreat to the worhrs United Statn! l! we are not the government ioI America. The 1ut c~pitalilt nation to jQin the workens ar1! an overwhtllming march toward social;"m, OU1' J:lajority in this country, and their r. .... lIling i" will Ileal t he doom of strength ;s mult iplied by their capitali.n, everywh ere. The rem· atrllte~ic position in the center. nants of VIe whole world system of production everywhel' duetion and plenty of material rood. for all, and then ~preading In to all tl.eld@ of human coneern ~nd
endeavor, will bdng the peo_ ple, by pr(l~nive steps, \.(I the thre shold of a new ~ tage of FOciety, without claues ana without a ~tate , and w;thou t any form. of eompulshm. As the victorious people ap. proach that now and higher IItagG . of society, all the represah:o feature" of t he stat.e will withe~ away and die out for lack of
functIon . The re will be no ell.SI to repress. All ";11 be f~1Wl Md equal. The It.te itsei! will wither SWfoy. The euvemment of men will be replaced by the .d· .ninl,trl.qon of thing •. -'I'M tranalllon period between capltalino aad sodalie.. will ...erle _ without allothe~ I"fl"GI •• lion &.lid withOllt _Ial eoa,,~l .. .. jorq; of an,. kind. but ampl,. b,. "an \nuot'able P~q of develop· ment - into the _i.liat -.tilt,..
That il the indicated line of social evolution in the United Statee, my f~itnd ~ _ speded up, al it will be, by a timely Third American Rlwolution" Th at 11 Amezoiea'B predestined road. We who see thBt, a.nd strive to heJop it alonlJ, feel power and victory on our Bide, for we a re in league -..ith t he future. In my opinion, to work for that fut\ll'e - with the lure knowledge that social eV'O\ntion i" woo:king wiUr U6 -
;$ the most Important. the mo.!!t
IInd the "'''''t satWying l)CCupation of all. The goal WIl ~trive for ;$ ,,"o'"thy of .. nfthing we do for it or p9~' for fierving it. in~pi~inJl
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Orooo .1 """'" UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
LECTURE 6
What Sodalist Will Look We Marskt,
c:ompetiUon. pafll5 itism, etc., wW nnder any .\>Ch calculation obIIOlete. Our thought about th '\loo ture mUlt be f itted into the fra_ of the futlU"8. Even at the prwent .t••, of economic development, It' e'fery. body worked and then w.. lIO wute,. aniftl'Ml (Ou:r.hOUf day would undoubtedly be alo. t. proride abllnoU_ for all In the advanced countrie.. And onee u.. whole thought and enUaT of 110del, I. c:oncenttllted on the probo II'm of ill ereufng p~t.lrity, It il e&l! U, eoneeil'lble that a 1Ie'lll' Iclentlllc - teehnolOgkal - Indlllo trial rtl'ollltlon would IIOO!I rendel' a eompllbory product:l" wOl kl", dr., 01 f Ollr ltoww, th'roocttollt the' normal "f"tme of an facliridllll" 10 at..urdty llnn~ ' 11lry that it _uld be recoJ'lli&ed .. an fm,pooto lib!lity. All concepti ot the amount of ne.:e..ary labor required holll each lndhidual, band 01'1 ~lent: conditlonJ and praeti_. ""lat be abandoned In an y eeriftoDl attempt tu apPl'O&(h a ruliatic eWmate ot tll twe pl'Otl~t11 &lid poaaiblH. tiI!OI In thlt bute l ield. 'l'be labor nl!l,'U h,.,. to prodllee food, clodl-
!:!~a::~te:atr:m~~~
life In the n ew aociety
==:i
win
be eo-
operati". IOcisl labor - 'Irith all t'
.,.,t,
"«0
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live communally, as many have found it advantag'eO\li, the,,'1l do that. and aimplify thinp still more. By this fo~ ...t I do not mean to dnrw a picture of "'!rimentalion. J,lIst the oppo$ite, for any kind of regimentation such u th.t imposed by the present !!Oclal order wiU be utterly l'9I'ug,iant to the free and independent citizena of the ao.cialillt f uture. They will live the way they want to live, and l:uch Individual _ within the limit!; of his &,eneral ooligation to soeiety '- will decide for hitnllelf. Better, in thia calle, ",y "herself' - for oldfash ioned ~actionarie8 who ig_ nOMnUy think they know what "woman's ,p laee" Is, will run up "1(ilinn the hard fact _ f or the f ir$t time since clas.a ao.ciety be· g.n - that women will have ,omething to aay about that, and wnat they will ny will "" plenty. 'What kind of homes will the JIe(Iple have under aoeialiam, what kind of home life! I don't know, lOnd neither does anyone else. But they will have the material means and the 'freedom of choiet! to work out thair Own pattern.ll. These two conditions, which are unlmo....n to the ~8t majority today, will open up limitless Vis. 1:16 {or convertin&, the ''home'' from .. pr""lem and a burden into a M!f·chosen way of life fOT the joy of livi ng. flames wlll 'not be desIgned by r eal_ estate promoters building for profit _ which is what the tn'eat bulk of "home building" amounts ' to tod .. y. The people will have what they want. Thp can afford to have it any way they want it. If some of them want a ,h ouse of their OWn i n the euntry, and if they want to have their cooldng and their hOU8e cleaning done on the prellent bu _
il, nohdy will stop them. But I , irnagillll they will evoke publio euriosity and quiuical ' gl.ne' •• · Paop!e will say : "They've got a perfect right to do that, but th., don't have to." . l!)very m"'n can have hil little houae aB he has il now, and hi, little wite ~ndi,,«, her whole lime cooking and cle.. ning f((f him _ providing he can find that; Jcind of a wife. But he will not be able to buy luch serviee, alld ' he'll be rather 6tupid to a,t' tor it. Most likely hil enlightened .....·eethe..rt will ten ' him: "Wake up, Bad; we're Ii.,_ Ing under _ialiMII. You''I'e Me-. reading that andeDt history again ..lid you''I'e a ..""Iatrla for th.e paN. You.''I'e got to brea1l: Y01l.l"\f!lf of thal habit. 1'. . .tudr · illt: aedielne,' and I ha'l'e no tt•• 10 be ~ .. _iAlt' up dut.. c..n upthe Community "."..,Iew.,. Senice:' I ",ust .. Iso break the neW!! to the S,..uthern ~racke" and theil' North')rn wusins, and other members of the Jim (;row fratemity, that onder. ltOCislism America will ·no 'hnger be "a white man'. countl-y.~ Jt will belong to the colonl prosperit)-, authorities were emphatic on this freedom and equa.lity to glin. YOu point. The crowded 8lum.. and ea.n be t y!>ur bots the Negre ' the is)lated, god-forsaken, farm will join the revolution t(l tight houus will be demolished at for t hlot - once it beeomea clear about Ihe .ame time. to them that it cann(lt be gained A new sdenee and n\<W art will exeiety will undoubtedly be the ,nding (If the seial By.. tem . more coo~rati~, mOre 'eial. tha.t produeed >In
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UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
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not b~ content ruN'ely to Know what he reads ' in books, or to write bookll, or to co nIin e himself exclusively to any other purely intellectual oR and as mO l l useful peo;tple will be acan act of friendship. I think it c1aimll
UNNOOT'i Of MICHIGAN
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e;eneral good of all: an d to their and l ee what California u like
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UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
mind will bring the socialist man to ph)'ll!eal and mental harmony and perfection, to the realization in lif" of the old a!!pirlng motto: "a aound mind in a ae Wonder Cities. Differ. enee. on these, and numerous olher queftionl of pu~lic inter. {'at and general con.tern, .... ilI 'five the com~titive instinct. of the . peopl~ all k.inds of r oom for fN:e eJq)renion. Grouping$ will be formed and contend with each other for popular support w ithout "politics" or parties In the old ""'IUIe of clas. ab"\l&"&"le and the c"nflict of mate rial intuests. In the elaulen aociety of the futur
UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
to be ell')llained. in the ~Ialilt ~o
cultural de""lopment. "The Glory that was Gl'eece," justly celebrated in son~ and story, was the first gn!B t _ confirmation of th is la.... Ancient Greeee, borro..ing from other civlliu.tion s, produeed the firs! truly cultured calli!. In SOme important respects it toueb. ed the highest pea'ks 01U' race ha. yet known; and in the Gold"" Age of Perieles it came to It. fullest flower. Its at!ainmenh In !iteratun!. the drs.ma, BCUlpture, arehitectun!, philosophy, in the j)egin'ling$ of &Cjen~ an.t in the gr~s snd amenities of civ!\lzed inten:ourse _ are the original lPattern fl"lm which Western civUiu.tion stem&. But that glorioul Gree« had a fatal flaw. It. leisure _ and thereof!>re its cultur. _ WN>I Jim_ ited to a very narrow stratum of pririleg-ed aristocrats. It lacked -the technological baais !'7f: 1>Jl1veraal lei sure and eulhu'e. The BOCiety of ancient Greece l'&I!ted . on a base of dehumanizM. alave labor. It was sUrf!>undM by a world of barb aris m, It was constantly embroiled In WIZ"S and eV'E!ntually went do'\1{ll in ruins, and nothing was left of it but what is Icutched on stone and preserved on parchment. A few ruins oC the marveloU6 scu~pture and arehitecture still stand to give an intimation of wlNlt w as knO'W11 and done twenty,t!ve hundred yean ago. Sodaltst aoeiety ..ill stand im_ lIIeaeurabl,. higher than daat or ancient Greece, e"ef\ in itll Golden Al'e. Machla~ alld sc~e will be Ihe slues, and they will be far .ore predllCtjve, a t"'gnd, tea Ihoa..nd t i _ more produc· tlve, th. . the h1lD.. . slav_ of ..cleat Gnee~. UM.er _ialiom. IU wm share ift the brufit. of ""mdanee, Rot l116"el1 a .f.'CH'fli fe .. at th e lop. AU tn. people
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UNNOOri Of MICHIGAN
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""in hay. tIMe aNI oe _ure for . . e"H' ltiPer .....Iop..ent. All will be an\,I.&, All will be workera and atudentll, buildel'll and creatora. All 1II'i1I be free .ad equal.. Hum ... IOUdarll)' will ell_ eireit' the CioN and collquer it. and subordiro.~ It to the 1I1 e. of man. Th:!.t, my triencb, is not an Idll~ iQAXlllatlon. T"-t Is the Nal.l.Jtic per~ ..e of ollr I'"'at mOW!ment. We oorael.... are not privileged to live in the loei lllilt _ iety of the future, which lack London, in hb tar-reaching Hpiratloll, eaJ.led Ihe Golden FutlIre. It I1 our del tiny, here and now, 1(1 Iiv. in th e lime of the deny ud death agony ot caplt.li~ m. It ia our task t o wade tlIlouKh the blood a nd filth of this outmoded, dylnlr Iystem. Our lIIi... ion b to" du.,. It .,...,. Th.It b our _trucele, Olll law at life. We C&lInot be eltilens of the lloeia1J,t foture, ex~ept by antlel. pation. lIut i t J. precisely thb I'.ntiei,Uion, th i~ \'i~ion oC the