- [I.] "State Socialism" within the Movement
- [II.] "Reformism" in France, Italy, and Belgium
- [III.] "Laborism" in Great Britain
- [IV.] "Reformism" in the United States
- [V.] Reform by Menace of Revolution
- [VI.] Revolutionary Politics
- [VII.] The Revolutionary Trend
[PART III]
SOCIALISM IN ACTION
- [I.] Socialism and the "Class Struggle"
- [II.] The Agricultural Classes and the Land Question
- [III.] Socialism and the "Working Class"
- [IV.] Socialism and Labor Unions
- [V.] Syndicalism; Socialism through Direct Action of Labor Unions
- [VI.] The "General Strike"
- [VII.] Revolution in Defense of Civil Government
- [VIII.] Political and Social Revolution
- [IX.] The Transition to Socialism
- [Index]
INTRODUCTION
The only possible definition of Socialism is the Socialist movement. Karl Marx wrote in 1875 at the time of the Gotha Convention, where the present German party was founded, that "every step of the real movement is of more importance than a dozen programs," while Wilhelm Liebknecht said, "Marx is dear to me, but the party is dearer."[1] What was this movement that the great theorist put above theory and his leading disciple valued above his master?
What Marx and Liebknecht had in mind was a social class which they saw springing up all over the world with common characteristics and common problems—a class which they felt must and would be organized into a movement to gain control of society. Fifty years before it had been nothing, and they had seen it in their lifetime coming to preponderate numerically in Great Britain as it was sure to preponderate in other countries; and it seemed only a question of time before the practically propertyless employees of modern industry would dominate the world and build up a new society. This class would be politically and economically organized, and when its organization and numbers were sufficient it would take governments out of the hands of the old aristocratic and plutocratic rulers and transform them into the instruments of a new civilization. This is what Marx and Liebknecht meant by the "party" and the "movement."