A B C of modern socialism

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How are these “rights” asserted and maintained? By the simple process of buying labour at a commodity value, based on the bare cost of living, and pouching the surplus. In short, the wage system. Why then is it permitted to continue?

Because we move in the momentum of traditional industry, culminating in a wage mentality, which will become chronic unless dispersed in a new vision of life.

The New Factor

From whence shall this new vision come? What new principle emerges—a principle which must be an inspiration and universal in its application?

In looking for it, we must first reject the prevailing standards and values.

Let us consider the case of those 7,000,000 wage earners now burdened with an increased cost of living with no commensurate rise in wages. By present standards and values, they are getting precisely what they deserve. Our industrial quidnuncs affirm that, if they were worth more, they would get more. With such pernicious nonsense is the world governed. Suppose, by some magic, we wiped out our 1,300,000 unemployed. Would these 47,000,000 still receive the same wages? Their wages would unquestionably rise—perhaps be doubled. Thus, by financial canons, these 7,000,000 are worth x to-day and may be worth 2% to-morrow. When they get 2x, does their work change in either quantity or quality? Finance, in fact, declares that