Monday, August 8, 2022

50 Years Ago: Who Will Do the Unpleasant
 Tasks? (1991)

The 50 Years Ago column from the August 1991 issue of the Socialist Standard 

One of the most frequent objections to Socialist ideas is that under Socialism most people will want to do the pleasant tasks. The present war provides an irrefutable answer to this objection Numerous instances have been recorded in the Press of how not only men. but women and youths, have, without reward, risked their lives in extinguishing incendiary bombs, putting out fires, rescuing people from falling debris, driving ambulances while bombs are falling, and so on The motive for these acts of heroism is the belief that the war is a just one—for freedom and the stamping out of fascism and Nazism. Just as willingly will people be ready to take part in all the tasks of the community when they have assured knowledge that all these tasks are indeed directed towards the common weal.

[From Socialist Standard, August 1941.]

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