DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42346#0016
4
THE NEW COMPETITION
traveled converging lines with Socialism. Each repudiates
the other, yet both have much in common, and of late the
sympathetic ties are being recognized.
Without quite knowing it they are in complete accord
on the fundamental proposition that competition, as hereto-
fore understood and practiced, is an evil to be suppressed.
What partially blinds Labor Unionism to tbe viciousness
of competition is the so-called “conflict between Capital and
Labor.” This supposed conflict leads labor to encourage
“cut-throat” competition where capital and profits are
concerned, while decrying it where labor and wages are
involved—an illogical position.
Some Socialists in their hatred of capitalism uphold
laws—such as the anti-trust laws—that are supposed to
promote competition, quite overlooking the obvious truth
that such legislation is contrary to all the tenets of Social-
ism, being the over-ripe fruit of individualism. In the
main the more philosophical Socialist writers look upon
the “trust” as the final stage of “Capitalism,” the fore-
runner of the Socialistic community.
For our present purpose it is sufficient to point out
that two very large factors in modern Society are opposed
in theory and practice to competition as commonly under-
stood. Unionism will have none of it in the world of
labor. Socialism would have none of it in the world at all.
When to the opposition of these two factors is added
the opposition of Capitalists, Society would seem to be
pretty nearly a unit to the effect that competition is not
the good thing it is said to be.
IV
In Europe as well as America there is a ferment of
new ideas, of protest, of doubt, of discontent regarding
THE NEW COMPETITION
traveled converging lines with Socialism. Each repudiates
the other, yet both have much in common, and of late the
sympathetic ties are being recognized.
Without quite knowing it they are in complete accord
on the fundamental proposition that competition, as hereto-
fore understood and practiced, is an evil to be suppressed.
What partially blinds Labor Unionism to tbe viciousness
of competition is the so-called “conflict between Capital and
Labor.” This supposed conflict leads labor to encourage
“cut-throat” competition where capital and profits are
concerned, while decrying it where labor and wages are
involved—an illogical position.
Some Socialists in their hatred of capitalism uphold
laws—such as the anti-trust laws—that are supposed to
promote competition, quite overlooking the obvious truth
that such legislation is contrary to all the tenets of Social-
ism, being the over-ripe fruit of individualism. In the
main the more philosophical Socialist writers look upon
the “trust” as the final stage of “Capitalism,” the fore-
runner of the Socialistic community.
For our present purpose it is sufficient to point out
that two very large factors in modern Society are opposed
in theory and practice to competition as commonly under-
stood. Unionism will have none of it in the world of
labor. Socialism would have none of it in the world at all.
When to the opposition of these two factors is added
the opposition of Capitalists, Society would seem to be
pretty nearly a unit to the effect that competition is not
the good thing it is said to be.
IV
In Europe as well as America there is a ferment of
new ideas, of protest, of doubt, of discontent regarding