Page:Lily Gair Wilkinson - Revolutionary Socialism and the Woman's Movement.djvu/9

6 is—vulgarity." This, at any rate, would seem to be a means of proving kinship with the bourgeois politicians of the House of Commons—and for the Suffragists, whose aim is a mere reform of bourgeois legislation, that must surely be a desirable end.

In any case the matter is of no concern to Socialism, and the Socialist Labour Party in no way bases its opposition to the Suffragist movement upon it. But the real significance of that opposition must now be considered, the points of agreement between Socialism and feminism having been mentioned by way of introduction. The statement of difference is more important than the statement of agreement, because the whole action of those who desire the true and complete emancipation of woman depends upon their understanding of this side of the question.

In considering the false basis upon which the feminist movement rests it is necessary first to make clear the basis upon which Socialism rests. The basic principles of Socialism must therefore be briefly outlined.

The development of society is conditioned by the invention and use of those instruments with which the whole wealth of society is produced. Throughout history the owners of the most important means of producing wealth have been enabled by the power of ownership to form separate and dominant classes in society. The resulting conflict of interests between those who had the power and privileges of ownership and those who were disinherited caused perpetual struggles between the classes. In modern times the struggle is between capitalist class and working class. With the introduction of machinery into industry and the expropriation of the peasantry the power of industrial capital was enormously increased. The owners of the new productive machinery formed the rising capitalist class. The working class, on the other hand,