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How Does Elzbieta Feel About Jurgis New-Found Socialism?

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In this chapter, Ostrinski teaches Jurgis and the reader, about socialism. How does Ostrinski define the competitive wage system?
During the process of defining socialism to Jurgis, Ostrinski explain that the Proletariat are kept in slavery by those who exploit their work. The Socialist Party is the largest political organization in the world and that they are organizing to return the workingman to world power. They are a true democratic organization, meaning that they have no bosses or leaders.
2. Why does Ostrinski believe the proletariat are doomed to slavery?
Ostrinski believe the proletariat are doomed to slavery because the proletariat are occupied with paying their debts. Most compensated specialists would think them as slaves, just …show more content…

How does Elzbieta feel about Jurgis’ new-found socialism?
Elzbieta felt skeptical about Jurgis’ new-found socialism, but decides that anything that keeps Jurgis away from drink and makes him industrious is worth it. Jurgis begins looking for a job and fortunately comes to find one in a hotel as a porter. “Anything, sir,” said Jurgis, and added quickly, “I’ve been out of work for a long time, sir. I’m an honest man, and I’m strong and willing--” (340).
2. How does Jurgis try to correct some of the mistakes of his past, before he embraced Socialism?
Jurgis try to correct some of the mistakes of his past by spending all his time and his money on spreading the Socialist cause, though he does occasionally fall into old habits of drink.
3. What evidence is there in this chapter that the socialist movement in Packingtown is beginning to make a difference?
The socialist movement in Packingtown is beginning to make a difference starting from Jurgis, who meets and hears a number of famous socialist speakers and writers. He also hears a young author from California that had made a fortune selling books, but that had never ceased to fight for the people in poverty. Additionally, Jurgis and the Socialist Party members started to distribute flyers and pamphlets telling the people of Packingtown what they can do to fight the Beef Trust when their strike fails. Jurgis is like a trojan who work to improve the lives of working …show more content…

Most critics believe that this chapter is a vehicle for Sinclair to continue his socialist propaganda. Jurgis’ life struggle, which the reader has been following for 300 pages, is put aside to discuss the philosophy of socialism. After debating the issue, the men in the room agree on two propositions which define socialism. State these two propositions.
First proposition stated, “Socialist believes in the common ownership and democratic management of the means of producing the necessities of life.”(330) Second proposition stated, “Socialist believes that the means by which this is to be brought about is the class conscious political organization of the wage-earners."

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After reading through the second and third chapter I realized that this all is taking place in the past, when this Lithuanian family first arrived in America. I also think that this family is being exploited by the meatpacking company for cheap labor. Another thing I noticed is that the Jurgis seemed to not have been phased by the horrors of going into the slaughter house while the rest of the characters were disgusted by it. He almost seemed to be fond of it, but I think this place will slowly, but surely break down his spirit and eagerness for work. After reading through the second and third chapter I realized that this all was taking place in the past.

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You want to help the citizens of Packingtown (Chicago) and stop the atrocities that are going on in the meat packing plants. However, when this book was written, Sinclair’s point was often skewed or just ignored. His purpose of writing the book wasn’t necessarily to draw attention to the meatpacking industry; it was instead to draw attention to Socialism, and how much better it is than capitalism. The books main themes are poverty, power, social classes, and suffering until the end when Jurgis finds socialism. However, socialism couldn’t remedy everything that capitalism broke.

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Socialism is a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community

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The slaughtering process emotionally disturbs Jurgis’ family and all the people who had accompanied them on their tour. In the slaughterhouse, pigs squealed in pain to the point that visitors could no longer be comfortable. On his observation, Sinclair believes that the slaughterhouse has promoted inhumane behavior in people. It could be true because the capitalist society does not teach people to care for others, as opposed to socialism where everyone has a role to care for another member in the society. What is more, the tears from the visitors and the squeals of the animals in the slaughterhouse could not change anything

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Winter was extreme in Packingtown and the family members endured much distress. Meanwhile, Jurgis joined a union only to discover that biased opinions, politics, and money is what Packingtown depended on. The family then underwent more despair by loss of jobs, family members, income, and dignity. For example, Jurgis had an ankle injury which caused him to have to stay in bed for three months. Later, Ona was made to sleep with her boss and enraged, Jurgis attacked him.

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Socialism is the idea that all industry is equal, instead of being owned by a small group of rich millionaires. It’s the idea that the workers will get paid enough to actually support their families, and the workplace is a much more cooperative environment for everybody.

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Jurgis realizes that the only difference between the capitalists and the workers is money. While the capitalists have “a gigantic combination of capital,” the workers have nothing. He also observes how those who have money gained it through corruption. This quote demonstrates the opening of Jurgis’s mind to politics and economics, as he takes up the socialist cause at least as passionately as he initially embraced capitalism and the American Dream in the beginning of the

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The author of this source has a conservative background by acknowledging the difference in classes by the “Haves” and the “Have-nots.” It is portrayed in the source that the author believes that socialist ideals are child-like and are impossible because they just assume that the production of goods is occurring by magic and not mentioning the hard work. The author believes that human labor is the only way to produce goods, and the hierarchical system actually works. Many individuals with capitalist ideologies would believe that government intervention infringes on their personal freedoms. The source would be in support of classical liberalism, as it would agree with the old ideals of pursuing one’s freedom and having individual rights.

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Finally, the socialist movement has been manipulated by the chartists and the women’s rights activists who primarily focused on their own agenda than the workers. For example, charters movement was more focused on the parliament and voting, rather than the rights of the worker. Challenged with the goal of improving the lives of workers, some political philosophers, economists, socialists, and activists have emerged arguing several ways to improve their lives such as through revolution of the workers, reformation of the government through unity of the workers, and the concept of laissez-faire, meaning “everything balances out in the end”, however, several of these authors use this idea of socialism to seem as they support worker’s rights, while they are truly only following their own

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In the case of Capitalism, the labor force believes that education, hard work, patience and connections can lead to prestige and wealth for everyone. Any negative issues that arise from the combination of human nature and competition are simply a small price to pay for the immense opportunities offered by the system. Socialism expects just the opposite from its workers. Socialists believe that the natural human need to care for each other is built into the concepts of collective control. They feel that the workers will accept and embrace the loss of control to governmental authority as an exchange for the betterment of society.

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Haag fundamentally disagrees with the idea that acquiring a class consciousness will instinctively lead to a desire to overthrow the capitalist system, and solve all problems plaguing society. (Haag, 1987) An awareness of one’s class and associated interests, he argues, is no more decisive in political alignments than other categorizations. (Haag, 1987, 28) Opinions and interests may be swayed by a plethora of factors; in fact, the idea of class consciousness and acting in one’s class interest may simply be a self-fulfilling prophecy, and not an honest action by a worker. (Haag, 1987, 28) Haag continues on to question the existence of class consciousness at all.

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