Title | The road to power, or, the constructive elements of socialism |
Creator (LCNAF) |
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Publisher | Literature Bureau of the Workers' International Industrial Union |
Place of Creation (TGN) |
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Date | 1919 |
Subject.Topical (LCSH) |
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Genre (AAT) |
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Language | English |
Type (DCMI) |
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Original Item Extent | 33 pages: chart; 17 cm. |
Original Item Location | HX86.D25 1919 |
Original Item URL | http://library.uh.edu/record=b8304529~S11 |
Original Collection | Socialist and Communist Pamphlets |
Digital Collection | Socialist and Communist Pamphlets |
Digital Collection URL | http://digital.lib.uh.edu/collection/scpamp |
Repository | Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries |
Repository URL | http://libraries.uh.edu/branches/special-collections |
Use and Reproduction | This item is in the public domain and may be used freely. |
File Name | index.cpd |
Title | Image 16 |
Format (IMT) |
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File Name | uhlib_12374394_015.jpg |
Transcript | 14 THE ROAD TO POWER rearing and developing the economic power in the proletariat. Consequently, this power increases as the class-consciousness increases amongst the workers, and their economic and political organizations will grow in the same proportion. To sum up: The economic power of the workers rests not in some form of ownership or property prerogative, as is the case with the capitalists, but in the recognition of his status as a worker, in the recognition of his economic worth or indispensability—in his class-consciousness. In order to assert itself effectively, this class-consciousness must take on certain organized forms on the industrial as well as political field, i. e., must express itself in accord with the requirements of capitalist development in particular and social evolution in general. This phase of the problem will now be dealt with. IV. "The revolver then triumphs over the sword and it should be apparent even to the maker of childish axioms that superior force is no mere act of the will but requires very real preliminary conditions for the carrying out of its purposes, especially mechanical instruments, the more highly developed of which have the superiority over the less highly developed. Furthermore, these tools must be produced, whence it appears that the producer of the more highly developed tool of force, commonly called weapon, triumphs over the producer of the less highly developed tool. In a word, the triumph of force depends upon the production of weapons, therefore upon economic power, on economic conditions, on the ability to organize actual material instruments." —Engels "Landmarks of Scientific Socialism" pp. 193-194. [ N the first three chapters of this article a detailed examination of the social and economic position or status of the two principal classes in present society was made. This investigation, we believe, has revealed to us clearly the economic functions performed by the different social classes; thereby also exposing the sources or seat of their |