Page:Lily Gair Wilkinson - Revolutionary Socialism and the Woman's Movement.djvu/34



This book, which consists of 217 pages, is the best popular summary in any language of the vital facts discovered by Lewis H. Morgan and elaborated in "Ancient Society." It embodies all the most essential data for arriving at a new and clearer conception of social development.

This is one of the few books that must be read by any one wishing to understand modern Socialism. It explains how the meaning of the word Socialism has changed, so that instead of standing for a vague ideal of social change to be brought about by kind-hearted capitalists, it stands for the struggle of the working class to overthrow and do away with the class of owners, and thus to own the tools of production and get the full product of their labour. Engels' introduction to this book is one of the short statements of the Socialist theory of historical materialism.

The Woman Question is not a question by itself; it is a part of the great social problem. Proceeding along this correct line, Bebel's work is an exhaustive analysis of the economic position of woman in the past and present. Despite the boasts of Capitalist Christianity the facts show that under Capitalism woman, especially of the working class, is degraded and dwarfed physically and mentally, while the word home is but a mockery. From such condition of parenthood the child is stunted before its birth, and the miasmas, bred from woman's economic slavery, rise so high that even the gilded houses of the capitalist class are polluted. Under Socialism, woman, having economic freedom equal with man, will develop mentally and physically, and the mentally and physically stunted and dwarfed children of the capitalist system will give way to a new race. The blow that breaks the chains of economic slavery from the workingman will free woman also.

This profound work is the great Source Book of economics upon which Socialist literature and the science of Socialism is founded. It is an absolutely essential book for any one who wishes to discuss Socialism intelligently, either as a propagandist or an opponent.

The price formerly was 16/ per copy, but, owing to the copyright having expired, the Book can now be had at a price which makes it accessible to all.