The Western Socialist July-Aug 1956 Before there can be any hope that the working class will take correct action to solve the many problems that confront it, it will be necessary to rid itself of many of its current ideas. Among these, one idea in particular has been most helpful to its enslavement; its continuous traveling in circles, that is, its wide belief in leaders and leadership. This concept, which we shall shortly define, is most universal and has a history almost as old as civilized society itself. Much of the recordings of history are also the recordings of...
Read more »
The Western Socialist July-August, 1955 Note 2004: The Socialist Union of America was a split from the then trotskyist Socialist Workers Party (US) whose existence lasted from 1954-59. It’s most famous member was Harry Braverman. A Debate between the Socialist Union of America and the World Socialist Party On April 17, 1955. a debate was held at the Community Church of Boston, between Rev. Hugh Weston, Chairman of the Eugene Debs Club of Greater Boston and member of the Socialist Union of America. and George Gloss of Local Boston, World Socialist Party. After the debate Rev. Weston was requested...
Read more »
To the Editors: I read your magazine regularly and find it interesting, informative and also puzzling. What puzzles me is that you advocate socialism and at the same time oppose social reforms. I always thought that socialists saw nothing inconsistent in working for the establishment of socialism while at the same time participating in the fight for immediate demands. I believe democratic socialism can be achieved when and if a majority of the people become convinced that it is a desirable alternative to the present order. But I rather doubt that I shall see socialism in my time. In...
Read more »
What should be the minimum requirements for membership of a Socialist Party? They should be broad enough to include all who are Socialists. There is no justification for barring Socialists from membership. They should be narrow enough to exclude all who are not Socialists. Since the criterion for membership is based on whether an applicant is a Socialist or not, it becomes necessary to define what is a socialist. Broadly speaking, a Socialist is one who understands that Capitalism can no longer be reformed or administered in the interests of the working class or of society; that Capitalism is...
Read more »
Living With Crisis By Fritz Sternberg In this, his latest work, subtitled “The Battle Against Depression and War,” Fritz Sternberg has written another provocative exposition of his theory of the “Progressive Left.” In doing so, he not only again throws down a challenge to revolutionary socialism he also poses the dilemma of social-democracy on an international scale. However one might disagree with Sternberg’s theses, and that we do so strenuously will be shown below, there is no denying that he does an excellent job of accumulating statistics and representing his material. However, a good style...
Read more »
Our study of human society leads us to the conclusion that it is composed of two classes – the working class and the capitalist class. Between the two there are groups and individuals that battle classification on a scientific basis. They are border line cases. In the ranks of each of the two classes there are individuals that vary from the norm. We occasionally meet workers who have a few hundreds, or even a few thousands of dollars in the bank, or own a few shares of General Motors or Western Union stock. Such ownership does not make capitalists...
Read more »
The acknowledged aim of socialism is to take the means of production out of the hands of the capitalist class and place them into the hands of the workers. This aim is sometimes spoken of as public ownership, sometimes as common ownership of the production apparatus. There is, however, a marked and fundamental difference. Public ownership is the ownership, i.e. the right of disposal, by a public body representing society, by government, state power or some other political body. The persons forming this body, the politicians, officials, leaders, secretaries, managers, are the direct masters of the production apparatus;...
Read more »
The words Socialism and Communism have the same meaning. They indicate a condition of society in which the wealth of the community: the land and the means of production, distribution and transport are held in common, production being for use and not for profit. Socialism being an ideal towards which we are working, it is natural that there should be some differences of opinion in that future society. Since we are living under Capitalism it is natural that many people’s ideas of Socialism should be coloured by their experiences of life under the present system. We must not be...
Read more »
“Emancipation not Palliation” Socialism vs. Capitalism To understand socialism, one must necessarily understand the present social system; i.e., capitalism. Under capitalism, society is divided into hostile classes: an owning capitalist class, whose members have ownership of the various parts of the instruments of wealth production. This includes: The land, the factories, the railroads, the mines, and steamships, etc., upon which the whole of the people are dependent for their existence. A working class, whose members possess nothing but their labor power, which is useless to the worker unless he can have access to the raw material and the machinery...
Read more »
Are We Armchair Philosophers?
From the Western Socialist (August 1947) To the Western Socialist- The workers want something NOW and you ignore this altogether. Instead of having a program dealing with the everyday problems of the workers, you retreat into an ivory tower. Actually, you are nothing but armchair philosophers, divorced from the needs of the working class. You are concerned with the intricate problems of Marxian economics and the fine points of Marxian philosophy at a time when action is needed. CRITIC, N.Y. City REPLY We agree that the workers want something NOW. But, and that is the point – WHAT do...
Read more »