Thomas Kirkup's "History of Socialism" (London: Black) is an absorbingly interesting and very instructive book. One has scarcely read a dozen pages of it until one asks the question: "Do these people really believe what they preach?" "Whatever our opinion may be of the wisdom or practicability of their theories," says the author, "history proves that Socialists have been ready to sacrifice wealth, social position, and life itself, for the cause which they have adopted." We doubt not there have been such Socialists -- not a ...
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Thomas Kirkup's "History of Socialism" (London: Black) is an absorbingly interesting and very instructive book. One has scarcely read a dozen pages of it until one asks the question: "Do these people really believe what they preach?" "Whatever our opinion may be of the wisdom or practicability of their theories," says the author, "history proves that Socialists have been ready to sacrifice wealth, social position, and life itself, for the cause which they have adopted." We doubt not there have been such Socialists -- not a few of them perhaps -- Socialists who have really believed and have greatly striven to act up to their beliefs. But it is unfortunate that this book touches often on a Socialist, August Bebel, who did not sacrifice wealth and life to the cause; and one notes that at least half a dozen other leading Socialists are mentioned in these pages who, far from sacrificing wealth by the profession of Socialism, have won and kept it largely by means of that profession. These are displeasing things to say, and one takes not the smallest delight in saying them. But it is extremely necessary to state this truth;' and it may be that not a few of the really faithful among the followers of Marx -- those who preach eloquently and who try their utmost to practice eloquently -- will thank us for stating it. The theory of Socialism is one of the most deeply interesting theories that has ever been argued. It intimately affects all of us -- Dives, Lazarus; upper class, middle class, working class; old and young; man and woman. We need not wish for a clearer exposition of its essence and growth than the late Mr. Kirkup's, which Mr. Edward R. Pease, another Socialist, has revised and enlarged. Here we have excellent informative notes about the originators of the movement in France, England, and Germany -- Robert Owen, Lassalle, Proudhon, Fourier, etc.; and though author and editor are fervent partisans, they are clever enough and shrewd enough to see and admit some terribly weak links in the chain of their heroes' arguments. Thus Karl Marx is the giant, -- one might almost say, the saint, -- of Socialism. No name has anything like the authority, the sanctity, of his name among Socialists. Now Marx's great discovery was surplus value. Surplus value was to Marx what natural selection was to Darwin. He virtually founded Socialism on this, to him impregnable rock. Alas, the rock already crumbles! Mr. Kirkup finds in surplus value a lost cause. He admits Marx was wrong about the surplus and forgot all about the brains and energy of capital. It strikes one there will be very little left of Darwinism if ever the natural selection theory is disposed of as freely as Mr. Kirkup disposes of Marx's great discovery. If Mr. Kirkup is right, what remains of Marx to-day is a great -- name. Mr. Kirkup's book on the whole is laudably free from cant. However, it is but just to say that there are passages in it which are too reminiscent of the kind of impostor Charles Dickens loved to show up, the flowery humanitarian. The blindness which prevents such enlightened comrades as Mr. Kirkup from drawing the logical and inevitable conclusion from their own admissions is one of the strangest things about the Socialist movement. -- The Fortnightly Review , Volume 24
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Add this copy of A History of Socialism, to cart. $13.50, good condition, Sold by Lee Madden Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brattleboro, VT, UNITED STATES.
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Good. A. and C. Black, Ltd., 1930. 328 pp. Red cloth over boards, dark (once gilt? ) letters. Lightly scuffed covers; some sunning on spine; slight rubbing at spine ends; front free end paper removed; tightly bound; clean interior.
Add this copy of A History of Socialism to cart. $19.81, fair condition, Sold by Anybook rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lincoln, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1909 by Adam & Charles Black.
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This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. In fair condition, suitable as a study copy. No dust jacket. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 750grams, ISBN:
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This book has hardback covers. Ex-library, With usual stamps and markings, In poor condition, suitable as a reading copy. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 700grams, ISBN:
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Add this copy of A History of Socialism to cart. $22.66, poor condition, Sold by Anybook rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lincoln, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1900 by Adam & Charles Black.
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This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. In poor condition, suitable as a reading copy. No dust jacket. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 650grams, ISBN:
Add this copy of A History of Socialism to cart. $24.75, poor condition, Sold by Anybook rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lincoln, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1909 by Adam & Charles Black.
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This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. In poor condition, suitable as a reading copy. No dust jacket. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 800grams, ISBN:
Add this copy of A History of Socialism to cart. $25.00, very good condition, Sold by Books for Libraries, Inc., ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 1906 by Adam and Charles Black.
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Very good. 1892 Edition, Hardcover book. Ex-Library. Text is clean, binding is strong. There is an old, small ink mark on the edge of about 5 pages. Nice dark green cloth cover with bright gold lettering, embossed borders, edges are slightly rubbed. Rough cut pages.
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This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside. This book has hardback covers. Book contains pencil markings. In fair condition, suitable as a study copy. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item, 650grams, ISBN:
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