the socialist challenge

8/11/2019 The Socialist Challenge

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The Socialist Challenge

By: Gabriela Portillo

Professor BuelnaChS 245 ol - 14004


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There were writers of the early twentieth century who spoke for socialism or

criticized the capitalist system harshly- not obscure pamphleteers, but among the

most famous of American literary figures, whose books were read by millions:

Upton Sinclair, Jack London, Theodore Dreiser, Frank Norris.(Zinn 322).


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Upton Sinclair

His novel The Jungle exposed conditions in Chicago meatpacking plants

This made people demand laws which would enforce and help maintain the meat industry

His novel also brought about issues of socialism by integrating a story of an immigrant laborer by the name

of Jurgis Rudkus

His influence for this book came by Jack Londons bookPeople of the Abyss

Jack London

Jack London was part of the Socialist party

Wrote a novel called The Iron Heel , where he warned that America would become a fascist countryHe wrote In the face of the facts that modern man lives more wretchedly than the cave man, and

that his producing power is a thousand times greater than that of the cave man, no other conclusion

is possible than that the capitalist class has mismanaged criminally and selfishly

mismanaged(Zinn 322).


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By 1900 , neither the patriotism of the war nor the absorption of energy in

elections could disguise the troubles of the system. The process of business

concentration had gone forward; the control by bankers had become more clear. As

technology developed and corporations became larger, they needed more capital,and it was the bankers who had this capital(Zinn 323).

There were already more than a thousand railroads that were affiliated with

Morgan or Rockefeller interests by 1904.

The imperial leader of the new oligarchy was the House of Morgan. In its

operations it was able assisted by the First National Bank of New York(directed by

GeorgeF. Baker) and the National City Bank of New York (presided over by James

Stillman, agent of the Rockefeller interests). Among them, these three men and

their financial associates occupied 341 directorships in 112 great corporations. The

total resources of these corporations in 1912 was $22,245,000,000, more than the

assessed value of all property in the twenty-two states and territories west of the

Mississippi River.(Zinn 323).

In 1907, profits that the capitalist wanted were not as high due to a crisis that

happened, where big businesses were not hurt but the industry wasnt growing as

big and fast as they wanted.

This meant that industrialists had to cut costs however they could.


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One idea that they tried to implement was Taylorism

TAYLORISM: is the belief that everyone has free will

The purpose of Taylorism was to make workers interchangeable, able to do the

simple tasks that the new division of labor required- like standard parts divested ofindividuality and humanity, bought and sold as commodities(Zinn 324).

This new system worked well with the automobile industry

In 1909, Ford sold 10, 607 autos; in 1913, 168,000; in 1914, 248,000. The profit

was $30 million(Zinn 324).

Taylorism also became more effective because of the amount of unskilled jobs andworkers, many of who were immigrants and who were also willing to work under

any circumstances as long as they were able to be able to provide food for their

families

In New York City, the new immigrants went to work in the sweatshops

In unaired rooms, mothers and fathers sew by day and by night. Those in the home

sweatshop must work cheaper than those in the factory sweatshops And the

children are called in from play to drive and drudge beside their elders(Zinn

324).


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Sadly, sweatshops still exist today

and many of the brands that we wear

like Nike, Old Navy, and JC Penny,

still use sweatshops and most of us

arent aware of it.


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There were many strikes that followed after workers united to fight for better

working conditions and higher pay. Many women, men , and children were part of

these strikes and although they started striking, they never knew that the road for

equality, would be a difficult and brutal one. One of these strikers was a woman by the name of Pauline Newman who describes

a strike she was a part of:

Thousands upon thousands left the factories from every side, all of them walking

down toward Union Square. It was November, the cold winter was just around the

corner, we had no fur coats to keep warm, and yet there was the spirit that led us on

and on until we got to some hall. I can see the young people, mostly women,

walking down and not caring what might happen the hunger, cold, loneliness

They just didnt care on that particular day; that was their day(Zinn 325).

This comes to show that although they kept in minds that they might lose their jobs,

they went without fear, showing courage that no matter what, they were going to

fight for what they believed in.


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Many workers would strike out everyday and many women in particular , would

join the International Ladies Garment Workers Union

Women of color also were part of strikes and made up the labor unions as well

Women also tried everything they could to empower themselves and support each

other

Pauline Newman states ,We tried to educate ourselves . I would invite girls to my

rooms, and we took turns reading poetry in English to improve our understanding

of the language. One of our favorites was Thomas Hoods Song of the Shirt, and

another Percy Bysshe Shelleys Mask of Anarchy(Zinn 326). Women were showing that they didnt need to be dependent on anybody and that

with each of them supporting each other, they would be able to progress and

become more able to communicate what it was that they wanted


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Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire March 25, 1911


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Unions were strongly growing and the members of the unions soon were growingwith more men, and people of color integrating

The IWW ( Industrial Workers of the World) was formed which aimed at organizing

all workers in any industry into One Big Union, undivided by sex, race, or skills.

People in this organization were vey brave and didnt believe that violence would

solve anything but if they were attacked, they wouldnt back down from a fight.

The IWW eventually became a threat to the capitalist class

Authorities even implemented laws to keep them from speaking and they didnt

obey the laws


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Reference Page

Zinn, Howard.A Peoples History of the United States. Harper Collins Publishers,

1999. Print.

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