| During the early part of this century the co-founder of the so-called Socialist Party, Eugene V. Debs cited "old-age pensions," "the minimum wage," "Industrial insurance (now known as Workers' "Compensation"), and "Welfare of labor" (social welfare) as constituting "the program of socialism." But capitalism's political state has adopted all the reforms Mr. Debs and the "Socialist" Party advocated as "steps toward socialism"; yet we are no closer to socialism today than when Eugene V. Debs espoused them. Thus, contrary to Bill Holmes' statement that, "Socialists co-opted the word 'liberal'..." liberalism has frequently and fraudulently wrapped itself within the banner of socialism. Indeed, "old-age pensions" and Social Security are not parts of "the program of socialism," for long before socialism was thought of, there were poor houses. The minimum wage is not a part of the "program of socialism" because, among other reason, the first demands for a minimum wage predate all efforts toward the organization for socialism. Industrial insurance is no part of the "program of socialism" because the first of such insurance was created in Germany under the government of Otto von Bismarck. And "Welfare of labor," insofar as it constitutes a plank of political parties, can be found two-hundred years ago. So regardless of Mr. Holmes' gross misrepresentations, as well as charlatans the likes of the late Mr. Debs, the program of socialism is, quite simply, the elimination of the political state/capitalism and the establishment of the Industrial Republic. Thank you Guy Marsh med@ptw.com Member-at-large: Socialist Labor Party of America (est. 1890) http://www.slp.org> |
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