Page:Raymond Augustine McGowan - Bolshevism in Russia and America (1920).pdf/43

 Rh Since, too, the intention of all these organizations is to reach their aims by way of political victory at the polls, none of them uses the Bolshevik tactics.

A final distinction in these matters is worthy of notice. Capitalism and private ownership are often identified, and people in opposing either Bolshevism or the ordinary variety of Socialism are led to defend Capitalism. But Con1munism and Socialism do not level their guns at Capitalism alone. They attack private ownership itself; they want to substitute common ownership both for capitalistic private ownership and for all forms of private ownership in the means of production and distribution. Capitalism itself is a newcomer on the stage of the world, and late indeed in the United States. Capitalism is a kind of society in which the predominant means of production and distribution are owned and controlled by a comparatively small part of the people, while the propertyless section, which is very large, is forced by the hard facts of life to work for livelihood on other people's property for other people's primary advantage and profit. To oppose such a system is not to oppose private ownership, for Capitalism is only one very modern kind of private ownership. The Socialist opposes Capitalism, and also private ownership in the means of production and distribution. He aims at the substitution of common ownership for private ownership. The methods he uses or intends to use, and the kind of management of industry and society he proposes in the era of common ownership, distinguish the types of Socialism. But he who attacks Capitalism without aiming at private ownership and without desiring to substitute common ownership for Capitalism is not a Socialist of any kind nor can he be called one.