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Reaction to Readings: The Rise of American Socialism and Unionization
Although America is often said to be founded upon the concept of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness being accorded to all citizens in its Declaration of Independence, it is important to remember that the formulation of that philosophy began as an endorsement of life, liberty, and property being the foundation of all human rights. In other words, the ideal of American prosperity has long been linked to property ownership and capitalism. However, as the increased wealth inequities of the late 19th and early 20th century increased, there was greater and greater resistance to the notion that it was possible to pull ones self up by ones own bootstraps and all persons who had accumulated great wealth had done so justly.
It is important to remember that when the Preamble to the Constitution of the Knights of Labor (1881) was written there were few protections for employees at the factories of wealthy industrialists. Workers labored under no safety protections, with no limits on hours, and with no protection from unions or the laws. The Preamble states that if the imbalance of rich and poor continue, this will result in...…their ideas are still highly relevant today. America is still a nation with great divides between rich and poor, or haves and have-nots. As this divide increases, the question arises as to whether social mobility in the U.S. is possible, especially from those who come from historically discriminated-against groups like Parsons, and those who do not come from family wealth. If social mobility is impossible, the ideal of anyone being able to make it in America through hard work and to own property (and make a profit from that property) calls into question the ability of unchecked capitalism and democracy to live comfortably…
For example, in the early days of the Russian Revolution there was a very high standard of democracy which those fighting the revolution created. In the early days soviet democracy prevailed, land and factories were turned over to peasant and worker soviets, the debt was canceled, the banks, trusts and cartels were nationalized... [it was] democratic to the core, in which the police and standing army were to be replaced
There also tends to be less bureaucracy and regulatory constraints for business growth. Businesses are often motivated, because of increased market competition, to serve the customer with expanded services and lower prices. The downside, of course, is that many individuals fall through the cracks of capitalist systems: people may work hard but not receive healthcare, private universities can charge very high tuitions, and elite universities only give scholarships if
Economic Systems Over the years, there has been continuing debate surrounding the best economic system for dealing with a host of issues. In emergency situations, this will play a vital role in ensuring that there is adequate support and resources for meeting the needs of stakeholders. To fully understand which one works the best requires looking at how the socialist ideology is best suited for dealing with these kinds of situations,
Its Scripture-based tradition holds that a man cannot serve God and wealth at the same time. It strikes a fair balance between present abundance and need. All nationalities and origins become one in Christ Jesus. All believers would sell their possessions and goods for distribution to all according to need (Wienk). On Socialist Political Parties These parties struggle to maintain the socialist ideal and apply it in national life (Wienk 2011).
Marxism and National Socialism Lenin's version of socialism, which became the model for the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and other underdeveloped nations that underwent revolutions in the 20th Century, was highly centralized, hierarchical and authoritarian. It emphasized rapid industrialization and economic development under the direction of the Communist Party, although in all these semi-feudal societies this was carried out without the benefits of any type of liberal or democratic traditions. Lenin
These commonalities encompass all aspects of the society, which includes the economy, the political structure, history and culture of the nation. Modern nationalism traces one of its roots to the history of Germany, wherein, for as early as 1815, the pursuit for nationalism became evident through the student associations or "Burschenschaften," which promoted and encouraged German nationalism through the circulation of the writings of Johann Fichte and Lutheranism. Strong antagonism