Should the workers fight for reforms? (1939)

From the December 1939 issue of The Western Socialist

A debate on the above subject was held at Local Boston headquarters on Sunday, Nov. 26th., between the Workers’ Socialist Party and the Independent Labor League of America (Lovestoneites).

Chester Bixby of the I.L.L.A., upholding the affirmative, maintained that socialism cannot be achieved by workers steeped in the worst depths of poverty, and therefore reforms are beneficial to the workers. Fighting for reforms gets workers into organizations where they can be spoken to; teaches them the need for political action; and creates the militant working class necessary to achieve socialism. He alleged that by ignoring reforms and merely talking socialism the W. S. P. fails to hasten the revolution.

Comrade Muse, of the Workers Socialist Party, in his main address, showed that agitation on the part of the workers for reforms, arises from the mistaken notion that their problems can be solved within capitalism. Advocating reforms gives support to this false idea. Using as an example the social legislation of the New Deal, he demonstrated that reforms cannot halt the worsening of working class conditions. Inasmuch as reforms are political measures designed to patch up the present system (quoting numerous capitalist sources in confirmation) our object, the overthrow of the system, is not furthered by fighting for them. However, on the economic field. Socialists must band together with other workers for the common object of fighting for better wages and working conditions. He concluded by showing that the only solution to the problems of the workers is the seizure of political power for the sole purpose of establishing socialism.

Mr. Bixby. in his rebuttal, claimed that his organization wanted socialism just as much as the W. S. P. He admitted that reforms are necessary to bolster up capitalism. He maintained, however, that at the same time the workers do benefit from these sops. Citing the Wagner Labor Relations Act as a method of getting workers organized, he claimed that a measure such as this can be used by the workers in obtaining still further reforms. He said that the I.L.L.A. seeks elective office only as a means of allowing successful candidates to challenge capitalism and “get thrown out on their ears”; otherwise the ballot is futile. He praised the W.S.P. for its valuable socialist educational work and regretted that organizations to which he had belonged did not carry on this work. In conclusion he stated that because socialism is not inevitable and requires organization, reforms are necessary to give us that essential toe hold.

Comrade Muse in rebuttal questioned the opposition’s continued support of reforms in spite of their proven futility. Rather than fostering a militant working class, they lead to apathy and disillusionment. He pointed out that one of the first applications of the Wagner Act (the only specific reform mentioned by Mr. Bixby. despite repeated challenges) was the jailing of workers for alleged violation of it. Although workers must accept reforms, fighting for them is wasted energy for they must still choose between capitalism and socialism. He referred to the ballot as the only available weapon in the hands of the workers at the present time. Although these “visionaries” ridiculed the ballot as a scrap of paper, they fail to present any other practical means of achieving power. They involved themselves in contradictions by claiming that the working class, through the franchise, can force the capitalist class to make concessions, yet will be unable, to achieve socialism by the same means, when a determined majority. The fault is not with the ballot but with the fact that the working class, at present insists upon using it in an attempt to reform capitalism.

In the final five minutes allotted to him, Mr. Bixby repeated his assumption that socialism can only be achieved by a working class with a relatively high standard of living; therefore the necessity of fighting for reforms to get this standard.