Might and Surplus Value

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 6, 1 July 1913, Page 3

Might and Surplus Value

[By P. Short]

All forms of activity, whether they he physical or mental, are dominated and controlled by the iron law of Might; and since all power is relative, it follows that the greater of any two forces inevitably predominates. We often say that such a thing, or such a state, should not be; but that is only a pious opinion and counts for nothing with the force that produces and preserves that thing or state.

Look where we will, analyse what we may, we find, at bottom, two or more forces, and that all results are brought about by the victory of one —the strongest. Particularly so in regard to the two sections of society whose economic interests are diametrically opposed. The one section remains stronger than the other. Why ? Because it has the means t'O maintain its strength. What, then, is this strength % It must be economic. Economic strength does not necessarily mean physical strength, though they are usually very closely related. If, then, the struggle between the working class and the owning class is an economic struggle, it must be decided by an economic victory. If, however, the working class remains economically inferior to the owning class numbers certainly do not count, as it is not a struggle in which a majority decides. Lord Roberts, when speaking of the numerical strength of British subjects in time of war, said: ‘ ‘ What does it matter to the wolf how many sheep there are in the flock?” What, then, does it matter to the Master Class how many workers there are opposed to them if the workers are minus Might f The workers may, by a huge majority at election time, disapprove of the ruling, and even of the presence, of a master class; but as this is only a pious opinion, it counts for nothing. The workers are now, in every country, beginning to repudiate “ striking at the ballot box,” and are striking at the source of Might—surplus value, wherein the might of the Master Class is stored. All the munitions of war, dreadnoughts; all soldiers, police; scabs, strike-breakers; and the liundred-and-one other means that are used against the working class are paid for out of surplus value, produced by the workers themselevs. It is plainly seen, then, that the workers defeat themselves ‘by providing their enemies with the wherewithal to win. In the last analysis the workers buy the dreadnoughts, pay for the police', the soldiers, the strike-breakers, the scabs, etc.; in short, they alone make it possible for these parasites to live. The remedy, then, is to reduce this huge amount of surplus value by refusing to create it. The masters are stronger than the slave class, simply and solely on account of their possession of this mighty weapon. If the workers produced their own maintenance, and no more, Capitalism would die a natural death. Speaking generally, the workers produce their own wages, or the equivalent thereof, in one-fourth of the average working day. That is to say, if the average working day were 8 hours, 2 hours would be spent in producing wages, and the other 6 hours in producing values which the workers never use —except when they use them against themselves. Again, let it be clearly understood that the less surplus value there is in the world the more readily can it be re-invested, and consequently more workers will be kept employed, the competition among

them will be decreased, and the competition among the masters for “ hands” will be increased, and thus, the masters, being the bidders, will actually raise the wages of the workers.

These conditions can be brought about by simply doing what all good business men do, namely, interpret the demand and regulate the supply. Every strike, victorious or otherwise, is a step in the right direction, as it checks the accumulation of surplus value —reserve power.

Workers ! get business-like ! This is surely a business proposition, and remember, like all business, it has no fancy ideals, no ethics save and except those that pay best. If you are to have an ideal, let it be “ The earth and the fulness thereof,” not a “ Living Wage,” for that is assured to every horse and mule.

Fellow workers, don’t be mules !