ers.

836. Only Two Sides.-There are only two sides to this conflict. Capitalism is on one side and Socialism on the other. If capitalism continues to control, then the working class must continue to exist under capitalism because society cannot exist without the workSo long as these classes exist with antagonistic economic interests, so long this economic conflict must last. But if Socialism prevails capitalism will cease to exist. Capitalists will cease to be capitalists and will become useful members of society. The conflict will be over because only one side to the struggle will have survived. Therefore, regardless of the goodness or wisdom of individual capitalists and of the baseness or folly of individual Socialists the conflict must last until Socialism is established.4

837. Economic Determinism and Politics.-The Socialist party is being developed in America as explained by the principles of economic determinism (Chapters II-III), and in accordance with the political institutions of America. That the Populist party has disappeared as a factor in American politics is of great advantage in the development of the Socialist movement. The sole party of opposition with any promise of strength in the contest with the Republican, and Democratic parties is now the Socialist party. By wise councils and great activity, the Socialist party can and will hold this position. There is no other alternative. The economic enemies of the arrogance and the robberies inherent in capitalism can find standing room nowhere else because Socialism is the only possible working program for the working man's side of this

4. "On the ground of the class struggle we are invincible; if we leave it we are lost, because we are no longer Socialists. The strength and power of Socialism rests in the fact that we are leading a class struggle; that the laboring class is exploited and oppressed by the capitalist class, and that within capitalist society effectual reforms, which will put an end to class government and class exploitation, are impossible."-Liebknecht: No Compromise, p. 56.

economic class struggle. The inadequate measures of the Populists, supported by an effort to organize a political party devoted to labor, but in the end controlled by the capitalists, have been proven futile. To capture either of the old parties and by any process whatsoever convert it into the political representative of the working class is and has been repeatedly proven to be impossible. The program of fusion between political parties representing irreconcilable economic interests has been proven unwise, and the efforts to realize anything for the working class by such a program hopeless.5

838. The American Vanguard.-Socialist parties in other countries have attempted their work and grown to great strength in spite of many legal restrictions and political disabilities which do not exist in this country. The elective franchise is more universal here than elsewhere, the right of free speech more carefully guarded, the traditions and prejudices of American political life and institutions are more on the side of freedom, more in behalf of equal opportunity, and the economic development more complete in America, and hence, the hour for the inauguration of the cooperative commonwealth nearer at hand in this than in any other country.

839. Her Historical Trend Toward Socialism.With the historical glorification of rebellion against parties in power; with the example of party organization, or reorganization repeatedly undertaken and forced to successful issue by American statesmen, and those statesmen the most honored in American society;

5. "But when one political party proposes to fuse with another in open conflict with what it deems the ruling interest, in the nature of the case, it is, in effect, a proposition to abandon the occasion of its own existence for the sake of the temporary advantage of its candidatesa proposition essentially and necessarily corrupt. The only honest thing for such a party to do is 'to go out of business."-Walter Thomas Mills: Science of Politics, published in 1887.

with no hereditary royalty; with no acknowledged aristocracy; with no special shielding of public authorities from the severest criticism;-together with all these there exists almost universal contempt for the policies, the committees and the programs of the old political parties, even by those who most regularly vote their tickets;-these are some of the favorable conditions under which the Socialists are making a beginning as a party in American politics.

840. Partisan Pitfalls.-It must not be understood from the foregoing that there are no dangers in the way of the Socialist party. There are many and they are very serious.

841. Fusion.-1. The danger from fusion.

The author of these pages has recently been engaged in a long correspondence with a gentleman whose convictions are entirely those of the Socialist, but who is unable to persuade himself to join the Socialist party because of his experience in the Populist party and the destruction of that party through fusion. It is an easy thing to denounce fusion when there is no one with whom to fuse. If a labor union party should be organized, with a platform declaring for factory laws, for shorter working hours, for certain special advantages to the wage workers under capitalism, it would not be an easy matter to hold the Socialist movement to its complete revolutionary program. The only possible safeguard is the strictest possible regulations in the Socialist party organization against all endorsements, fusions, compromises, bargains or mutual understandings of any sort whatever with any other political party regardless of its name, its purpose, or its platform.

6

6. "All who are weary and heavy laden; all who suffer under injustice; all who suffer from the outrages of the existing bourgeois society; all who have in them the feeling of the worth of humanity, look to us, turn hopefully to us, as the only party that can bring rescue and de

842. Capture By Its Foes.-2. Another danger is the capture of the Socialist party and the control of its organization, its name, its platform, and its world-wide prestige by men who are not Socialists, or who, while they believe in the economics of Socialism, nevertheless attempt to practice tactics either morally repulsive or politically outgrown. To prevent this is a more difficult matter. Many of the proposals offered in this connection simply mean that the party can be kept spotlessly pure by being held forever uselessly small.

843. Primary Laws.-Under the primary laws of most states, the men who vote the ticket, and in many, those who affirm their intention of so doing, are legally given voice in the control of the party's councils. So long as the party exists only by petition it can govern itself in whatever way it may choose, but as soon as it becomes an official party, the laws of the various states determine largely the method of its government, and practically who shall and who shall not be permitted to vote in its primaries, that is, have voice in nominating candidates, electing committees and in writing platforms.

844. No National Primary Laws.-Fortunately for the purposes of the Socialist party, no such legal regulations have yet been enacted regarding the organization and control of national political parties; hence, the national organization, by refusing recognition to such state organizations, in all national matters, as are not satisfactory in the form of their organization

liverance, and if we, the opponents of this unjust world of violence, suddenly reach out the hand of brotherhood to it, conclude alliances with its representatives, invite our comrades to go hand and hand with the enemy, whose misdeeds have driven the masses into our camp, what confusion must result in their minds! How can the masses longer believe in us?"-Liebknecht: No Compromise, p. 42.

7. Even the name of the Socialist party is not used in New York and in Wisconsin on account of state election laws, while in most states the laws specifically provide that no one who votes the ticket of any party shall be refused a vote at its primaries.

or the nature of their work, can provide some safeguard against the corruption of the party in any of the states. In this way, those who are not regularly elected, dues-paying members of the local organizations within the states can be refused any voice in the management of national affairs, and the national organization so guarded can refuse recognition to any party in a state whose local action may be found to be in violation of the constitution, or the platform or the rules of organization established by the national party.

845. Limiting the Membership.-It has been proposed to limit the party membership within the states, and state party constitutional regulations have been written and proposed with a view of forbidding many of those who vote the ticket from being able to obtain representation in the party councils. Without regard to whether this policy is a wise one, it will not be possible to practice it, in most states, under the operation of the primary laws, whenever the party shall have become strong enough to maintain a legal existence under the primary laws. On the whole it may be taken for granted that, in the long run, those who vote the Socialist ticket will control the Socialist party, and that no devices for preventing this can long postpone or ultimately prevent such a result.

846. Heresy Trials.-The heresy hunt is equally futile. A man's voice in the councils of the Socialist party will not long remain subject to the approval of a trial board established to determine his orthodoxy under a semi-political and semi-ecclesiastical organization of a Socialist club.8

847. Withholding Charters.-The giving and with

8. "Diversity of opinions on theoretical points is never dangerous to the party. There are for us no bounds to criticism, and however great our respect may be for the founders and pioneers of our party, we recognize no infallibility and no other authority than science, whose sphere is ever widening and continually proves what it previously held as truths