12. Co÷peration among New England farmers. (Ford, Co÷peration in New England, chapters vi-ix.)
13. Co÷peration among immigrants in New England. (Ford, Co÷peration in New England, chapter iii.)
14. Co÷peration in the fruit industries. (Powell, Co÷peration in Agriculture, chapter viii.)
15. The relation of thrift to nation-building. (Annals, vol. lxxxvii, pages 4-9.)
16. The relation of co÷peration to socialism. (Fay, Co÷peration at Home and Abroad, pages 350-355; Sonnichsen, Consumers' Co÷peration, part ii, chapter ii.)
CHAPTER XIII
THE GENERAL NATURE OF SOCIALISM
121. SOCIALISM IS A VAGUE TERM.—It is often said that the term "socialism" is so vague that it is useless to attempt to define it. The word is used to cover all sorts of schemes of industrial and social reform. Sometimes a person whose viewpoint concerning politics or business has become more liberal appears to himself or to others as a socialist. From the standpoint of many individuals, all those who advocate the extension of government control are socialists. Still others label as socialists all reformers with whose ideas they are not in accord. It very often happens that persons who pass in the community for socialists are not recognized as such by the official socialist parties. Indeed, certain official socialist groups go so far as to declare that other official socialist groups are "not really socialists," either in thought or in action.
122. A DEFINITION OF SOCIALISM.—In spite of this confusion it is possible to formulate a rather precise definition of socialism. Leaving until later the distinction between the chief socialist groups, we may say that the following definition covers all who are strictly socialists: Socialism is an economic theory which aims to abolish the capitalistic system, and to substitute for it "a system of collective ownership and democratic management of the socially necessary means of production and distribution." In rather more simple language, socialism intends that all income-producing property shall be owned and directed by the state. The state is to own and operate land, factories, workshops, railroads, and all other means of production. Private property and the competitive system are to be abolished. [Footnote: Socialism does not seek to abolish the private ownership of food, clothing, and other forms of consumers' goods, yet both socialists and non-socialists accept the unqualified statement that "socialism seeks to abolish private property." because it is the private ownership of producers' goods rather than of consumers' goods, which constitutes a cornerstone of the capitalistic system.] All business is to be conducted by the government, and all persons are to be employees of the government. The distribution of wealth is to be directed by the government.
123. RELATION OF SOCIALISM TO OTHER RADICAL THEORIES.—The terms "communism" and "socialism" call for careful distinction. What is now known as socialism was formerly known as communism. For example, Karl Marx, the founder of modern socialism, called himself a communist. His followers later abandoned the name, and began calling themselves socialists. Still later, during the World War, a group of Russian socialists, popularly known as the bolshevists, revived the term communist in the sense used by Marx. Strictly speaking, however, communism is generally thought of to-day as a type of small community organization in which all wealth, including both the instruments of production and consumers' goods, is owned by the community. Socialism, on the other hand, proposes that the state own and operate only the instruments of production, leaving food, clothing, and other consumers' goods to be owned and enjoyed by individuals.