Professor Dr. Robert Liefmann, “Does the War Bring Socialism Nearer?”
(No. 56 of The German War, published by E. Jäckh, Stuttgart-Berlin, 1915.)
The author contends against the view (of Jaffé and others) that the war brings us nearer to socialism. Taxes, monopolies, rationing—all this has no relation to socialism (communism, he says, = the regulation of consumption, socialism = the abolition of private property).
Banal arguments against socialism in general. Of course, he favours “reforms”, “mitigation of class contradictions”, etc.
But in general socialism is “dreams” (39), “fantasies* (37), “pernicious internationalism” (S.D.)—(37)....
The German Social-Democrats are being reproached for their attitude to the war, though “nothing has been heard” (37) (sic!) “of reproaches against” the French and British socialists.
| praises Social- Democrats |
“The behaviour of the German Social- Democrats ... is worthy of respect” (37)... ...“Abolition of the present economic system is impossible internationally, and ruinous nationally” (39)... “the workers of other countries, more alive to reality, do not think of trying it in practice” (ibidem) (particularly the British workers, p. 38).... Let France “experiment” with social- ism (39-40) “It is hard to say how far the German Social-Democratic Party membership is still really (!!) loyal to the ideal of socialism, and whether the Party is not merely a social-reform party on a demo- cratic basis... (40). My statements “only recommend what within socialism itself is recommended by the revisionist trend” (40).... |
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workers of other countries do not think of socialism |
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Social- Democrats or “reformists”? |
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I am for revisionism! |
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“It would be most desirable for joint political work after the war if one could obtain from the Social-Democ- ratic Party a clear renunciation of this ideal, or at least a declaration that, for the time being, the Party would not advocate measures for its realisation; in other words, if the revisionist movement within German Social-Democracy, which has this aim, were to win general recognition, there would be no unclarity as to the post-war Social-Democrat position” (41).... |
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