Why Socialism?
-A speech at a socialist rally in London by the protagonist, Nan King/Nancy Astley from the novel "Tipping the Velvet" by Sarah Waters
 
 
 
But what is a rich man’s wealth but robbery, called by another title? The rich man steals from his competitors; he steals the land, and puts a wall about it; he  steals our health, our liberty; he steals the fruits of our labour, and obliges us to buy them back from him! Does he call these things robbery, and slave-holding, and swindling? No: they are termed enterprise; and business skill; and capitalism. They are termed nature.
 
        But is it natural that babies should die for want of milk? Is it natural that women should sew skirts and coats long into the night in cramped and suffocating workshops? That men and boys should be killed or crippled to provide the coal upon your fires? That bakes should be choked baking your bread?
 
 
Do you think that’s natural? Do you think that’s just?
 
 
We are sick of seeing wealth and property going straight into the pockets of the idle and the rich! We don’t want a portion of that wealth – the bit the rich man cares from time to time to chuck at us. We want to see society quite transformed! We want to see money put to use, not kept for profit! We want to see working women’s babies thriving – and workhouses pulled to the ground ‘cause no one needs ‘em!
Why socialism? And you will find yourselves obliged to answer it as we have.
 
 
Because Britain’s people have labored under the capitalist and the landlord system and grown only poorer and sicker and more miserable and afraid. Because it is not by charity and paltry reforms that we shall improve conditions for the weakest class – not by taxes , not by electing one capitalist government over another, not even by abolishing the House of Lourds! - But by turning over the land, and industry, to the people who work it.
 
 
Because socialism is the only system for a fair society; a society in which the good things are shared , not amongst the idlers of the world, but amongst the workers – amongst yourselves; you, have made the rich man rich, and been kept, for your labours, only ill and half –starved!
 
 
 
 
 
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