[December 22, 2024] One of the most useful abilities of a good leader is to take a highly complex idea (or set of ideas) and put into a few short words the meaning that best describes that idea. So it was with Frederic J. Stimson, who took a formal challenge to debate a then-famous Socialist, James F. Carey. We will get to read a few words about Socialism vs Slavery.
At Faneuil Hall, February 7th, 1903, Stimson gave a short speech that I believe summarizes the tenets of Socialism and their primary assumptions. In it, he addresses the core element of both, and does so with a powerful argument. Below is his short speech. I recommend reading it in its entirety.
“First, what is the best the socialists, in their writings, can offer us? What do the most optimistic of them say? That our subsistence will be guaranteed, while we work; that some of us, the best of us, may earn a surplus above what is actually necessary for our subsistence; and that surplus, like a good child, we may “keep to spend.” We may not use it to better our condition, we may not, if a fisherman, buy another boat with it, if a farmer, another field; we may not invest it, or use it productively ; but we can spend it like the good child, on candy — on something we consume, or waste it, or throw it away.”
“Could not the African slave do as much? In fact, is not this whole position exactly that of the slave? He, too, was guaranteed his sustenance; he, too, was allowed to keep and spend the extra money he made by working overtime; but he was not allowed to better his condition, to engage in trade, to invest it, to change his lot in life. Precisely what makes a slave is that he is allowed no use of productive capital to make wealth on his own account. The only difference is that under socialism, I may not be compelled to labor (I don’t even know as to that — socialists differ on the point), actually compelled, by the lash, or any other force than hunger. And the only other difference is that the slave was under the orders of one man, while the subject of socialism will be under the orders of a committee of ward heelers. You will say, the slave could not choose his master, but we shall elect the ward politician. So we do now. Will that help much? Suppose the man with a grievance didn’t vote for him?”
I recommend also reading the letters and texts, now published and accessed for free, here at HathiTrust. Just click the link.
————
Note: Faneuil Hall is a National Historic Landmark in Boston, Massachusetts.
————
Please read my books:
First time I’ve read such a comparison and helps the argument against Socialism. There are also anti-abortionists – aka, Abortion Abolishionists – who do the same and show how they stand against abortion because the excuse for abortion is the same used to justify slavery.
Everyone, please focus in on this article by Gen. Satterfield. He is saying that Frederic Stimson is well-versed in the deficiencies of Socialsim (and all its variants like communism). A nice deep dive into the particulars of socialsim will reveal a number of inherent problems as socialism is implemented. The main problem is corruption.
Good info:
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION
This collection consists of the papers of lawyer, author, and diplomat Frederic Jesup Stimson related primarily to his teaching and scholastic activities at Harvard, 1903-1914, his career as ambassador to Argentina, 1914-1921, and his literary endeavors and writings for Scribner’s Magazine, the Atlantic Monthly, and other journals. Subjects include Argentinian politics, diplomacy, and society; Japanese society; World War I; and the Democratic Party. Among the correspondents are William Jennings Bryan, Louis Brandeis, James Bryce, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., Charles Evans Hughes, Robert Lansing, A. Lawrence Lowell, John Boyle O’Reilly, Charles Scribner, Charles Warren, and Barrett Wendell. The collection also includes correspondence of Frederic and Mabel Ashhurst Stimson with Ashhurst and Stimson family members.
https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/view/fa0317
Thank you, Greg for recommending this.
Interesting that this was in response to a debate. Good! That’s how it should be done.
Gen. Satterfield has also written often about Socialism and Communism and the horror they bring upon those who adopt it as an ideology.
Well written explanation by Frederic Stimson. Gen. Satterfield, sir, thanks. I’d never heard of this man before, one of many I’m sure that helped stem the tide of both Socialism and Communism. He is a hero in my eyes.
🇨🇳🇰🇵🇻🇳 = Evil
Yusaf, correct! If only there were more like Stimson, we’d be a better, happier nation because good leaders would be doing their part to keep evil out of America. I would like to say that Stimson wrote a number of articles that can be found by a simple google search of the web. I’m going to be reading more of his works.
👍👍👍👍👍 Well said. 👍👍👍👍👍
Love that guy.
This guy Frederic Stimson is one smart and observant dude. I like the way he simplifies the idea of Socialism so that the average person can understand it. By using slavery for comparison purposes, he gains an advantage; one evil vs another evil.