AnarchismBourgeoisieCapitalismCivil WarCommunismDemocracyParis CommuneSocialismSocialist PartySovietStrikeSyndicalismViolenceWorkers PartyWorking Class

The New York Communist Reply to a Non Partisan League Farmer 1.
purposes.
By Jay Lovestone Do we hold that the revolution must come Thes? Comrades. have just finished reading Tus differences between Socialism and Capitalism or by violence?
COMMUNIST of April 26, in its entirety.
To answer this question by yes or no am in hearty approval of a Party of action, but m to definite that the indefinite and unsteady were of would be asinine. It may. Again, it may not to be, and am writing you for light. am a farmer and one per cent could vote capitalism ont of existence afraid am not as well informed on the subject a. ought campaign victories cannot determine them. If fiftyThe left Wing, all the protest of the Right Wing in the seven years since joined the Socialist Party. in 1920, why cannot fifty one per cent. rote capital.
to the contrary notwithstanding, repudiates Social have been recognized the most successful local organ.
ism back into existence in 1924? Why can thie ism by assassination. The Left Wing hopes that od by the Non Partisan League and seem to be considered process go on ad infinitum et ad nauseum? Traly the prolaariat will conquer its enemy, the capital still so much of an enemy of society that many follu bere common sense yells for help!
ist class, with as little bloodshed as possible. Ex about thing the country would be safer if were deported In Finland the Socialists won a majority of the cept for the capitalist imperialist statesmen, we although by highland forebeant came to Mamachusetts about 1630 seats in the Diet. And to day the assasains of the know of done who delight to bathe in blood of Lack of opportunity for clove secciation with old time Finnish proletariat are drilling in Labor Halle others. As Socialists, let us take our guidance Socialists and dependent almost entirely upon propaganda After more than 6fty one per cent of the Finns had from history for a correct answer to this question.
papers for our information of Socialist activities, we who voted Socialism into existence and Capitalismo careful perusal of the periods of revolution will want the truth so much bave been forced our own intershow that revolutions in themselves, do not bring to analyze them satisfactorily.
pretations of events and sometimes we find it very difficult of existence, the hellish White Guard of the Fimminka about bloodshed. There is abundant historical Bourgeoisie began to menace Petrogad and to strike For instance Do you hold that the revolution must como a blow at the heart of the Proletarian Republic of proof to show that it is the counter revolution that by violence? Or by general arike. why nominate Russia.
always causes bloodshed. Dloudshed only foilows cadidates at all or etter politics? have proceeded on when the deposed regime attempts to overthrow the theory that when 51 per cent of the electoral should Why is this so? In the answer to this question vore the ticket, we could institute an Industrial regime the revolution. For us in America, peaceful Anglo and am certain that that idea is uppermost in the minds lies the vital difference between moderate SocialSaxon England, the classical example of revolu. of the red handed, nerwy Socialista who organized the Nonism and revolutionary Socialism or Communism.
tions without bloodshed or violence, furnishes parPartinan League and three years ago stole the machinery We must look into the relationship of the state to ticularly strong evidence substantiating our conten.
of the Republican Party this slate and have so mar. the class struggle. Here let us again call on history shalled the support of the workers in this state that we tion. In Cromwell days no desired civil war for an answer. The story of the Paris Commode is virtually have a wale Soviet of farmers.
except the Royalists. The King fled to organize can scarcel conceive of your asserting that the Conmost enlightening. It shows clearly that the proan army to march against London. By this action stitutional amendments adopted here last fall by plebicite letariat cannot simply take hold of the ready made and the legislative acts how about to be referred are not state machinery and make use of it for its own civil war was forced upon the revolutionary party.
revolutionary. But if such is your contention plear ex.
Remember that only Charles treachery and inends. Scientific investigation clearly shows that the plain have refrained u have many other Reds out here State is not at all a power foisted trigues forced Cromwell to carry out his threat society from against the King. We will cut off his head, with from endorsing the League until this year. But cannot the outside. It is not an organ taking root in help feeling that our Guvernor and many other state of Heaven. And it dannot be used by every one and the crown upon it.
cials are standing up nobly to the job of carrying out the The most recent proof of this historical truth is industri. program inaugurated by any one anywhere at anytime and for any and all recent legislature The State takes root in the material furnished by Russia and Hungary. In Russia and deserve the earnest support of eli radicals. The NonPartisan League program does not encompase us much us conditions and is a product of society at a certain bloodshed accompanied the Revolution because of should like, but Bali e refuse a baby cry for food be stage of evolution. The State is a real organiza the treachery and intrigue of the deposed regime of cause it cannot eat meat?
tion of defense to guarantee and perpetuate a mode the bourgeoisie and landholders. bloody trail It seems to me ibat this is fundamental. Some of our of association, the foundation of which is state officials had proved traitors, but they are only makform of follows Kolchack thrusis. The Red Terror was ing the farmers former in their determination to fight the economic production. In capitalist society the an answer to the counter revolution encouraged by exploiters.
State is an organization for perpetuating the capi.
Clemenceau, Wilson and George, the three great do not want to be found conservative if the time comes talict mode of production. The State is capitalist representatives of the three greatest democracies for action. but it strikes me that possibly you who have taken 51 artive a part in the struggle for liberty, have ken society. The Capitalist State serves the bourgeoisie of the world.
80 much abuse that you fail to grasp the idea or doubt the as a machine for oppressing the proletariat This To date there has been very little violence in possibility of peaceful revolution brought about the helds true in a republic as well, as in monarchy.
Hungary. But should the counter revolution rear ballot boi. The Modern State is only the organization, botr.
If the control of the of should shift from Comils ugly head, the Hungarian proletariat will no pats to men of your choosing, would you still insist on geois society forms in order to support the exte.
doubt show its valor and prowess. Yes! Only Socialist party or would you grant that a Labor party nal conditions of the capitalist mode of produchistory can answer this question afhrmatively or might get more votes? In other word, would you admin. tion against the encroachments, as well of the negatively. And in America, as elsewhere, it is the inter quinine in a teaspoon or capsul?
workers, as of the individual capitalist. With the bourgeoisie who will play the leading role in this Sincerely yount Topp development of modern industry class antagonisme historical act. pon them alone will fall the rebecome intensified and widened. The State power sponsibility for violence should it accompany a ble character of the class struggle and will become proletarian revolution in America.
a great channel for propaganda. To the Left Wing mastery over Labor. Of a public force organized is more and more turned into an organ of Capital.
the battle for legislative seats will be a means of for Social enslavement, of an engine of class der II. Do we hold that the Revolution must come arousing revolutionary mass (class) action on potism.
by the General Strike?
all fields. Parliament to us is a forum for agita Neither can this question be answered correctly tion. It is a means of obstructing capitalism and cil, the Criminal Anti Syndicalist Laws, the Wer Witness the Espionage Acts, the Orders in Commby an immediate yes or no. The General not a means of introducing Communism. Partici: Labor Boards, the State Cossacks, the use of troops of the proletariat. The General Strike is without put our case before the working class and promote investigating committees to protect the public.
Strike is no doubt a powerful weapon in the hands pation in election campaigns gives us a chance to as strike breakers, the citizens and witch hunting question dreaded by the capitalist class. Notice class consciousness without violence.
how the murderous bourgeois Socialist democracy But participation in political campaigns is not The capitalist state does not end within the four of Germany trembles at the General Strike. Recall the only form of political action. To the left walls of the Parliament building. The army, the the chill sent through the back of the American Wing any action on the part of the proletariat navy, the police, the courts, the sundry justice dis bourgeoisie by the Seattle strike. Witness the con which aims to undermine and overthro e politi pensers, the prisons, the administrative and finansternation in the camp of Canada bourgeoisie as a cal power of the Capitalist class is political action. cial burcaucracy, and the countless agencies of proresult of the Winnipeg affair. The Left Wing Thus strike of miners and railway workers to paganda and misinformation are part and parcel doen say that the revolution must come by the win freedom for the Class War Prisoc. is, is a poli of the capitalist Stale. In short this state is the general strike. But the Left Wing does say that tical act in spite of the fact that ihovsands of for total power of the owning (capitalist) class. The there is enough historical proof to show that the eignere and non voters may participate in such declaration of confiscation of bourgeois property General Strike is a very valuable weapon in the political action. By participating in political camis merely judicial act. Every single bourgeois hands of the working class. Should conditions de paigns we are also more able iu expose diplomatic will have to be expropriated is actuality individ mand a general strike in order to undermine the trickery, chcating, and knavery. What more, the ually. majority of the delegates to Congreu bourgeoisie, then well and good, the Left Wing is parliamentary ofhces can be used to political advant without the possession of the last mentioned agenfor it. It is the purpose of the Left Wing to make age for the proletariat by employing them as a cies will not give the working class the political the proletariat of America class conscious enough means of protesting against the absolutism which power or control which it must have in order to to resort to the general strike whenever the situa hides behind the parliamentary forms. gradually introduce Communism. Remember that tion calls for it.
In short the Left Wing, not being Anarcho Syndi the bourgeoisie do not control these means of baf.
calist, will gladly use the election campaigns to in. fling and thwarting the will of the masses because III. If so why nominate candidates at all and crease the latitude of its revolutionary propaganda. they have a majority in the legislative chamber.
enter politics?
IV. We have alwcys believed that fifty one per cent On the contrary the Capitalist class has a majority Whether the first two questions are to be an. can vote Socialism into existence. Is that not so?
of the votes because it has control of these swered by yes or no only the future can tell, This not so. First of all, it is most improbable means of suppressing the will of the mana.
but whatever history answer will be, the Left that a class conscious proletarian political party study of the State historical development Wing does believe in nominating candidates and can ever get a majority of the ballots cast. Remem shows that the society in which there is a State entering politics. To the Left Wing the struggle ber that as long as capitalism lasts the workers will hopelessly divided against itself, has entangled itfor seats in bourgeois parliaments is a guage, measuring working class maturity. The parliamentary not own their jobs. We have a notion that there is self in irrecopailable contradictions which in some connection between the fear of losing a job poworless banish. In order that these contradio method may not be a perfect method (and we cer.
and a vote. Of course the powerful press, ever tions, these classes with conflicting economic inter tainly say that it is not perfect) of testing proletar: serving the master class, also has something to say ests, may not annihilate themselves and society in ian hopes and readiness. We are aware of the as to how the ballots are to be cast. The educa a useless struggle, power becomes pecanary that pumerous bars set up by the bourgeoisie. Yet it tional institutions mould the workers minds to no sands apparently above society and has the power does show to what fervor the class struggle has small extent. And this has a marked influence of keeping down the conflicts and maintaining or been worked up, and to what temperature class upon the voter. The church and sundry other order. And this power, the outgrowth of society, but weapons have been heated. While Communism gans of public opinion complete the bourgeois task assuming supremacy over it and becoming more will reject parliamentary government, it will not of misleading the proletariat. Furthermore, poll and more divorced from it, is the State.
destroy all of its elements. Communism will make taxes, educational, and residential qualifications, The State divided its members by territorios sad an unpreverted use of the only good characteristic legal technique, theit, corruption, and disenfran. created a public power of coercion that is diam of Parliametarism, the representative elemeut.
chisem yo con to the rescue of the bour trically opposed to self organized and armed The Loft Wing gladly welcomes the opportunity gooisie. Such are the insuperable barriers confront population. The State is a product of class society, of participating in elation campaigns for the ing class conscious proletarian political parties. and with the division of society into clases it immediate purpose of winning logislative seats. But for the sake of argument, le us grant the impossible to have a self organised army of the In this sense, too, we urge the use of political ac almost impossiblo that the fifty one per cent vote poople. Hence spocial power of cuercion be tion as a revolutionary weapon. real Socialist, can be secured. It mort decidedly does not follow comes necessity in every Stato.
Lot Wing campaign will emphasise the implaca that Socialism is thus brought into existence. The (Continued on Mg 6)