"In socialism,
the parasites and grafters
will have to go to work."
—Eugene Debs
Eugene Debs is celebrated as an icon of democratic socialism. As one example, a program on National Public Radio describes Debs as
the first major Democratic Socialist in American history.[1]
And an article in the left-leaning Guardian says of Debs:
The face of American socialism before Bernie Sanders? Eugene Debs. … a symbol of democratic socialism.[2]
Yet, as illustrated by over two dozen quotes below, Debs had a parasite obsession indistinguishable from those typical of authoritarian socialists.
Who are parasites to Debs? All who fail to "perform some socially usefully function"—that is to say, a function socialists deem an approved use of the time in our lives.
And just like authoritarian socialists, Debs calls for the suppression of supposed parasites. Socialism is going to "rid society of parasitism." Social parasites "will be abolished," and "the parasites and the grafters will have to go to work."
Debs is by no means the only democratic socialist to lambast "parasites" in a fashion identical to authoritarian socialists. For example, Ramsay MacDonald and Emile Vandervelde are two other noted democratic socialists who attack parasites with a vengeance.[3]
Socialists touted as "democratic" hold the same anti-liberal beliefs as authoritarian socialists, not simply regarding alleged parasites but on issue after issue. For example, Debs also called for the complete "nationalization of industry" and argued that the USSR was a democratic socialist society.
Why do Debs and other socialists touted as "democratic" hold views indistinguishable from authoritarian socialists? It's because "democratic" socialism is a misleading marketing slogan, not the new version of socialism that so many assume it to be. We explore seven factors that demonstrate this reality in our paper "The 'Keto-Friendly' Political Philosophy" (in which Debs's other anti-liberal and pro-USSR views are also examined).
Here now twenty-six examples of Eugene Debs attacking parasites and parasitism (emphasis added):
The struggle today, as in ages past, is between producers and parasites.[4]
Social parasitism must cease; every man must be a producer or perform some socially useful function in order to procure title to any share in the product of the collective industry. The only citizenship held honorable will be economic citizenship, or comradeship in production and in the sharing of product.[5]
The capitalist was originally a socially useful individual, but the evolution of our industrial system has rendered him a parasite, an entirely useless functionary that must be eliminated if civilization is to endure.[6]
Socialism, which means industrial democracy, proposes that the producers of wealth shall have that wealth, instead of idle parasites, and if this be opposition to private property the parasites and their special pleaders may make the most of it. … if all men get all they earn, as they will in socialism, the parasites and grafters will have to go to work.[7]
Our interests are identical— let us combine, industrially and politically, assert our united power, achieve our freedom, enjoy the fruit of our labor, rid society of parasitism, abolish poverty, and civilize the world![8]
The nationalization of industry upon a cooperative basis is the aim of social democracy. Rent, interest, and profit in every form are to disappear and [with] them the thousands of parasites who have by such means been able to fasten themselves upon industrial society, sap its life currents, and sink it to fathomless depths of degradation.[9]
It matters little whether Jesus was born at Nazareth or Bethlehem. …It is of consequence, however, that He was born in a stable and cradled in a manger. This fact of itself, about which there is no question, certifies conclusively the proletarian character of Jesus Christ. Had His parents been other than poor working people—money-changers, usurers, merchants, lawyers, scribes, priests or other parasites—He would not have been delivered from His mother's womb on a bed of straw in a stable among asses and other animals.[10]
Let them vote against the whole vast brood of slimy politicians and blood-sucking parasites.[11]
The difference between the lawyer and the workingman is that the workingman produces wealth; he does useful work, is necessary to society and to civilization. The lawyer is a parasite. He simply absorbs wealth. He is a leech upon the workingman.[12]
Mr. Astor is a highly developed capitalist and it would be interesting to know in what way laborers are dependent upon him and other parasites that suck their lifeblood and yield absolutely nothing in return.[13]
The smaller capitalists are doomed to destruction and their bloated conquerors, fully developed, become social parasites that will be abolished with the system that spawned them.[14]
The capitalist does no work himself; that is, no useful or necessary work. He spends his time watching other parasites in the capitalist game of "dog eat dog," or in idleness or dissipation.[15]
Long enough have the few lorded it over the many; long enough-have the insolent parasites wiped their stolen boots on the necks of the honest toilers.[16]
When you have organized industrially you will soon learn that you can manage as well as operate industry. You will soon realize that you do not need the idle masters and exploiters. They are simply parasites.[17]
What shall be the attitude of the workers of the United States in the present campaign? … These are questions the importance of which are not sufficiently recognized by workingmen or they would not be the prey of parasites.[18]
The capitalist class is unnecessary to society. Its members do absolutely nothing that is useful. Their function is to spend what the working class produces. Let me use Andrew Carnegie as an illustration. He is a fully developed capitalist and therefore a fully developed parasite.[19]
In every revolution of the past the false and cowardly plea that the people were "not yet ready" has prevailed. Some intermediate class invariably supplanted the class that was overthrown and "the people" remained at the bottom where they have been since the beginning of history. They have never been "ready" to rid themselves of their despots, robbers and parasites. All they have ever been ready for has been to exchange one brood of vampires for another to drain their veins and fatten in their misery … From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet I am Bolshevik, and proud of it.[20]
Why, you men, you workingmen, are more than the salt of this earth. Without you society would perish. Society does not need the idle capitalists. They are parasites. They are worse than useless.[21]
Only the labor of exploiters, such as speculators, stock gamblers, beef-embalmers and their mercenary politicians, lawyers and other parasites—only such is dishonest labor.[22]
Why then should these women who earn their own living and support themselves allow a parasite priest who lives out of their labor, and who is far more of a politician than a priest, to persuade them to resign themselves meekly to their slavish lot?[23]
This great body will sweep into power and seize the reins of government; take possession of industry in the name of the working class, and it can be easily done. All that will be required will be to transfer the title deeds from the parasites to the producers; and then the working class, in control of industry, will operate it for the benefit of all.[24]
The Republican convention at Chicago and the Democratic convention at Baltimore were composed of professional politicians, office-holders, office-seekers, capitalists, retainers, and swarms of parasites and mercenaries of all descriptions.[25]
The chief glory of your revolutionary triumph [Debs writing to the Russian revolutionaries in the USSR] is that you have preserved inviolate the fundamental principles of international Socialism and refused to compromise. … It will be to your everlasting honor that you would rather have seen the Revolution perish and the Soviet with it than to prostitute either one by betraying the workers to alleged progressive reforms which would mean to them an extension of their servitude under a fresh aggregation of exploiters and parasites. …You, Russian Comrades of the Soviet and of the Bolsheviks you represent, are resolved that for once in history the working-class, which fights the battles, sheds its blood and makes all other sacrifices to achieve a revolution, shall itself receive and enjoy the full fruitage of such a revolution.[26]
No Parasites Wanted. The call is addressed to the producers of all wealth and the convention will not be burdened with the presence of a single parasite. The agricultural workers and the wage-slaves will for the first time in civilized history unite and meet as a class to demand the restitution of their plundered inheritance.[27]
The useful have always been detested by the useless. The parasite scorns the gudgeon he preys upon.[28]
You say the capitalist is necessary and I deny it. The capitalist has become a profit-taking parasite. Industry is now concentrated and operated on a very large scale; it is co-operative and therefore self-operative.[29]