Why Socialism is inevitable. The Marxian view
When the Socialist declares that the process of capitalist development makes Socialism inevitable, he does not mean that the present system evolves into Socialism without the conscious effort of the workers.
M. Tugan Baronowsky remarks in his book on “Modern Socialism” :—
“If the economic development itself naturally and really leads Socialism to victory without any conscious assistance of man, why then should the labouring class take part in a struggle and expend their forces to attain an end which, at any rate, must come about without submitting itself to any interference whatever from outside?”
The fact is, however, that present-day society does not develop “naturally and really” to Socialism, any more than the economic development of feudal society led “naturally and really” to capitalism. But, then, Marx never suggested that it would. The struggle between the capitalists and the feudal State was extended over generations, and the workers likewise will have to struggle with the capitalists for the possession of the means of life.
Let there be no mistake. On the industrial side the capitalist system can evolve into all manner of forms—into combines, cartels, joint stock companies, and into municipalisation and nationalisation, and public utility companies, but it certainly does not develop into Socialism. The basis of capitalism is the private ownership of the means of life. Socialism is the common ownership of the means of life. Not by any stretch of imagination can we see capitalism evolving “naturally and really” into a Socialist society. The only force that can bring the transformation is a majority of Socialists.
But the Socialist claims that the capitalist class is a parasite class and the capitalist system an unnecessary system. Capitalism has developed the productive powers of society into such gigantic organisations that these social forces of production must come under the control of society. The economic conditions are ripe for Socialism. The business in hand is to make enough Socialists. We say that Socialism is inevitable because Socialism is the only solution to the present-day problems of the majority. Every age has produced its own social problems, but it has also produced the solution to them. That solution may be ridiculed or ignored for a time, but in that case the problems remain unsolved. They remain unsolved now because they can only be solved in one way, that is, by Socialism. What are the problems of capitalism ? The poverty of the workers amidst a superabundance of wealth, extensive unemployment and the waste of the productive forces. Unemployment and “over-production” are the inevitable outcome of capitalism. The markets at home and abroad are always choked with surplus produce because the workers’ consumption of the wealth they produce is limited to the amount of their wages, supplemented by State charity, and a great amount of wealth is left in the hands of the master class, which they are unable to dissipate, despite the wildest extravagance. The competition for markets forces ever cheaper methods of production to be devised, chiefly by labour-saving machinery. More and more wealth is produced with less and less labour. Hence, over-production and unemployment.
In capitalist society production is limited to the needs of markets, not used to satisfy the needs of the workers. As the extension of production is much above the extension of markets, the number of unemployed tends always to grow larger.
Production is fettered because the workers are not allowed to consume the wealth they produce, and they are not able to consume it because they have not produced it for themselves, but for the owners of the means of life. It is not necessary to stress the point any further. The process of machine development makes every reform abortive. Economic forces are ruthless; they do not compromise with Labour Cabinet Ministers.
It must be admitted that the workers, so far, would sooner try any plausible scheme offered by the capitalist politicians in the way of reform, than consider the case for Socialism. But we are not discouraged.
We say that Socialism is inevitable because, sooner or later, the workers will learn through bitter experience the futility of reforms and will be in that mood when the Socialist idea will interest them. The workers must first have knowledge, for a revolutionary movement can only be strong in the sense that the members are conscious of the aims and objects of its activity.
KAYE