Page:Johann Jacoby - The Object of the Labor Movement - tr. Florence Kelley (1887).djvu/22

 Rh tax upon the worker's force of labor, hence a restriction upon production and an injury to the prosperity of the people.

Finally: Reform of the Money and Credit System, and promotion of Industrial and Agricultural Productive Co-operative Associations by the intervention of State Credit or State Guaranty.

The point is to make credit accessible to the working class. This the State has done in most generous measure both directly and indirectly for the promotion of the capitalistic method of production. Let the State now in its own interest do the same for the co-operative associations of the workers. Nothing is more advantageous to the Commonwealth than justice in all things.

So much for the preliminary conditions of labor reform. The workingmen have been advised, perhaps honestly enough, to keep out of politics and busy themselves solely with their economic interests, as if political and economic interests could be separated as kindlings are split, with a hatchet. Whoever has followed our line of reasoning thus far cannot, I think, be in doubt that precisely the working class must first of all and most of all resolve to transform political conditions in the direction of freedom. State-help no less than self-help is needed for securing to the worker the full, undiminished result of his industry, that is, an existence worthy of a man.

The State alone, and only a free State will help the workers!

Let us sum up briefly, the substance of the foregoing:

The system of wages-labor meets the demands of Justice and Humanity as little as did the slavery and servitude of former times. Like slavery and servitude, wages-labor was once a step forward in civilization from which undeniable advantages have accrued to society.

The social question of the Present is how to abolish the wages system without losing the advantages of production and distribution en gros by means of associated labor.

To this end there is but one means, the system of free associated labor, the co-operative system. The Present is a time of transition from the wages system (capitalistic method of production) to the system of Associated Labor.

In order to secure a peaceful transition, the worker, the employer and the State must work together:

It is the part of the workers to offer united resistance to the pressure of capitalistic rule, and by self-culture to prepare themselves for independence.

It is the part of the employer to concern himself for the welfare of the workers, and especially to yield them a share of the profits.

It is the duty of the State to promote the efforts of the workers for self-culture by promoting their organization, determining a legal working day and afford-