Socialism vs. Civilization (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1920. Excerpt: ... SOCIALISM VS. CIVILIZATION CHAPTER I MODERN SOCIALISM: ITS THEORIES AND AIMS WHAT is Socialism as expounded by Karl Marx and developed by the Socialists of our day? What is Socialism aiming at? What means are being advocated to make Socialism triumphant? Modern Socialism, as formulated by Karl Marx and developed by the more recent Socialist leaders throughout the world, affirms that the history of all hitherto existing society is nothing but the history of class struggles. These leaders further affirm that the present system of production, which they call the capitalistic system, is based upon a struggle between capital and manual labor. This class struggle is due to the fact that the capitalists are exploiting and mistreating the laborers, or proletarians. They say that while labor is the sole producer of wealth, wealth is being appropriated by those who do not produce it and who, therefore, are not entitled to it. Thus Socialism has created the theory that the workmen have been robbed of the wealth which they themselves have produced. Socialism aims at the abolition of private property, the extermination of the capitalistic class, the abolition of the "bourgeois family," the abolition of nationalism and religion. Socialism advocates the forcible and violent overthrow of the existing social order. Thus far we have presented the essential points of the Socialistic Creed. It will be noted that they are mainly of a destructive nature. Strange as it may seem, Socialism has practically no constructive programme to offer. Socialism does not know exactly what it wants in the place of the institutions which are to be forcibly overthrown. Some of the Socialists--especially the boudoir or parlor Bolsheviki--say that they want something along Russian lines, "exactl...