SOCIALISM

is a term which is used considerable range of meaning. with a economic theory based on the It is an producownershi p of the means of public therefore a crit i cism of, and tion, and is substitute for, the capitalist suggested a protest again st the instate. It is system on moral grounds, also ested interpretation of the These and other implications ry. combined in discu ion s of the are often con cep explained by tracing tions, it is best taken to mean at what it has been The word was first different times. to descr ibe the opini ons used in England taught Owen, 1771-1858, who of Robert on the eve of a great the world was men of good-will. fy of terized by the ed led to the launching of Christian Socialism under the leadership of F. D. Maurice and Charles Kingsley. It attempted to apply its principles to voluntary co-operative production. Owenism and Christian Socialism were protests against the appalling evils of industrialism. They both sought a remedy apart from the compulsory powers of the state —(i.e.) they were not political. Modern Socialism as elaborated by Ferdinand La alle, 1825-64, Karl Marx, 1818-83, and Fried rich Engels, 1820-95, is scientific and political—(z.e.) it completely abandons the Utopian tradition and aims at achieving its ends by using the ebb of the state. The influence of arx has been dominant since the eighties. His two main ideas were the economic interpretation of history consisted of an elaboration of the (which view that the mode of production determines the form of all human social groups) and the existence of surplus | Both lie at the root of capitalist | value. society. He blended these conceptions revolutionary teaching of the with the and maintained that capital ism time, doomed to be overthrown by the was of the proletarian elements uprising created but were deprived of the which enjoye d by the pourgeoisie. In wealth capitalist society, he held, there was an inevitable cla struggle, and he called the workers to wage it with a self up on consciousne and persistence which give them the victory. But, would Marx made Socialism scientific while elaborated a fighting creed, he also and created a difficulty which has caused continual internal di ension within the movement. Two parties have arisen— | one maintaining that it is contrary the | teaching to accept piecemeal reto his which tends to postpo ne the over forms, of capitalism; and the other will throw to acquiesce and even a ist in such ing reforms if they are in the right direction. former stre es the unity of the pro The the nece ity of realizi ng it gram and cla -consci — though ous not necesby unconstitutional or violent— sarily by latter is willing to agree to a action; the realization of the program, succe ive non-proletarian elements to and to allow The two parties are variously co-oper ate. called certain ‘Marxist’ and ‘reform ist’; with they arose_in all the chief differences states. In England no continental has_been founde d on the political party Marxism. In the other Europ ean basis of especially in France and Ger- | countries, Socialists formed aggre ive many, the parties. During the World political parties supported their War these but following peace the governments, radical eleme nts in German y, ulse{more Italy and other countries, joined the Red or Bolshevik movements. For Socialism in the United States, see SocraLisT Party.