Page:Alexander Jonas - Reporter and Socialist (1885).djvu/40

 ruptcies would be possible. Even under the present system where entire branches of industry sometimes fail and go under, the so-called National wealth is increasing faster than the population increases, which goes to prove that the laboring people, in spite of the reckless squandering of human labor on the part of the employing and speculating class, is continually producing more values which, if they were used for the benefit of the creators, would do away with all misery and distress as far as they are caused by poverty.

Then you mean to say that under a more rational system of production—as also the figures of the Census show—there would be no risk for the whole, as there is a risk for the single individual, under the prevailing capitalistic system of production?

There you hit it! and we are fighting the whole system. But now, let us proceed a little further.

All right.

In a country like this where the concentration of capital and wealth in the hands of a few is progressing so stupendously, it is easy to imagine that one of the 1943 manufacturers of agricultural implements should succeed in becoming the possessor of all the other establishments; some of them he would purchase, others would be crushed in consequence of his ruinous competition, in short, that, after a certain length of time he would be the only man who manufactures agricultural implements; and, his branch of industry being protected, by a high tariff, from foreign competition, would he not have an immense advantage over the 1943 manufacturers now existing in the United States?

Of course, he would.

And this would be but natural. As he has no competitors, he can produce just according to the demand. As all orders for goods used in the whole United States are coming to his office, he knows exactly how much is needed for the market. There will be no overproduction, consequently, as it must occur under the present system, when the 1943 manufacturers every one of whom only knows the demand of the limited number of his customers, but is ignorant of the demand of