Second Proposition: Industrially, society is organized and managed for the special benefit of part of society—for one class, the capitalist class.
Third Proposition: Each of these two classes has industrial interests as a class; these class interests conflict; and there is, therefore, as a part of and because of the class form of society, a constant class conflict, a class struggle.
Let me try to make these three propositions clear. Please note carefully the exact wording of the propositions to be explained.
The explanation,—first proposition:
Of course you wish to live and be comfortable. To live and be comfortable you must consume useful things. But before you can consume useful things they must be produced. And since this is true of all the members of society it is readily seen that the first task of society, the primary social function, is production.
Production, industry, is the foundation of society.
Now, in performing this industrial work, in doing this first thing, we use raw materials, mines, forests, fields, mills, factories, tools, machinery, railways, etc., etc.; and these things are called the MEANS OF PRODUCTION. We make use of these things, these means of production, in applying our labor-power—that is, in producing the things society wishes to consume.
But:—
One class privately own the coal mines and iron mines and buy labor-power;
The other class work in the coal mines and iron mines and sell labor-power.