Letter to the Editors from the October 1933 issue of the Socialist Standard
Hardships under Socialism
A correspondent asks us to explain our statement to another correspondent that hardships may be inevitable under any social system. He asks us to give some idea of the kind of hardship possible under Socialism. We had in mind the kind of hardship which is not due to defective social organisation, but to other uncontrollable or unforeseen causes; for example, earthquakes, storms, floods, and large-scale changes of climate. Such happenings may so disorganise production and transport that temporary hardship cannot be prevented, or may result in the depopulation of whole areas. What must, however, be remembered is that society as a whole would bear the brunt of these hardships so far as would be physically possible by coming to the aid of those immediately affected. Under capitalism these things are left to chance assistance by charitable organisations, subsidised to some degree by governments. The amount of such assistance is invariably inadequate and if the event does not happen to arouse widespread interest, the victims may be left to fend for themselves.
The chief hardships under capitalism are not due to such causes, but are the result of the private ownership of the means of living. They will disappear under Socialism.
Ed. Comm.
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