Download You might like socialism 1939 a way of life for modern man Free PDF book By Corliss Lamont







Corliss Lamont was an American socialist philosopher and advocate of various left-wing and civil liberties causes. As a part of his political activities, he was the Chairman of National Council of American-Soviet Friendship starting from early 1940









Corliss Lamont holds views that are in strong opposition to those of his relatives and many of his friends. In this book, he explains why he is a radical, why he believes that Socialism is a better system under which to live than Capitalism, and what he thinks will be the course of transition in this country to a planned socialized order.It is plain that Mr. Lamont is not an advocate of violence, nor is his criticism of existing institutions and individuals intemperate or merely theoretical. He does explain the nature of the present order, of which he has an intimate understanding, and he does insist that an expanding economy which can provide more of the good things of life, both material and cultural, to all of the people is only possible through the establishment of a socialist system. This book carries a challenge that is not to be ignored, however controversial maybe its content.Nor can the convictions of one of the ablest young philosophers of our time be set aside lightly. Both those who favor, and those who oppose Socialism as a way of life, have much to gain from the reading of a book which presents the issues in sharp relief and presents them fairly and objectively to all who care to examine the nature and possibilities of a future society.True freedom is the capacity for acting according to one's true character, to be altogether one's self, to be self-determined and not subject to outside coercion.Corliss LamontChapter 1 Why Members of the Upper-Class Go Left I 1. Why I Am a Radical I 2. The Voice of Democracy and Reason 4 3. Critique of Well-to-do Radicals 9 Chapter II Capitalism Fails Mankind 1 9 1. An Independent Analysis 19 2. The Profit System and Lalssez-Falre 20 3. Poverty Amid Potential Plenty 31 4. The Central Contradiction of Capitalism 37 5. Solutions Superficial and Retrogressive 47Chapter III Socialist Planning for Abundance 60 1. Everyone Can Live Well 60 2. The Principles of Planning 62 3. Socialist Planning for America 73 4. Some Objections Answered 87 5. International Planning 96 Chapter IV Socialism in Soviet Russia 99 1. The Russian Background 99 2. The Five-Year Plans 105 3. Soviet Cultural Progress 116 4. Democracy and Peace 124 5. Some Criteria of Judgment 134Chapter V The Road to Peace 142 1. The Awful Malady of War 142 2. False Theories of War 145 3. The Economic Causes of War 152 4. The Fascist Menace 163 5. The Cure for War 174 Chapter VI Toward Greater Democracy 186 1. What Democracy Is and Is Not 186 2. The Violation of Civil Liberties 194 3. The Preservation of Civil Liberties 2IO 4. The Transition to Socialism 216 5. Socialist Democracy 225 ChapterVII The Culture and Philosophy of Socialism 229 1. Culture and Capitalism 229 2. Culture under Socialism 238 3. The Transformation of Motives 246 4. The Philosophy of Socialist Humanism 257 5. Religion and Radicalism 265 Chapter VIII The Prospects for Socialism 271 1. General Considerations 271 2. The Effects of War and Fascism 277 3. The Non-Fascist Countries 283 4. Mexico and South America 288 5. The United States 293 Index 303