The Social Interpretation of History A REFUTATION OF THE MARXIAN ECONOMIC By MAURICE WILLIAM SOTERY PUBLISHING COMPANY NEW YORK HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY CHARLES WILLIAM ELIOT Tor. 7, 1922 Copyright, 1921 All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America by 410 PREFACE TO FIRST GENERAL EDITION THIS volume made its first appearance in July, 1920, as a limited private edition. Copies were forwarded to prominent Socialists of all factions, as I hoped to benefit by the criticism of Socialists of every hue. Such criticism was invited in the following AUTHOR'S NOTE: The World War has removed Socialism from the realm of academic discussion, and advanced it to first place as the momentous problem of the day. What promise does Socialism hold out to humanity? Has it come to destroy or to build? Does it mean progress and peace or does it mean chaos and civil war? Is it a menace to civilization or is it an inevitable stage in the development of civilization? The following pages are devoted to a discussion of these fundamental questions. Knowing of your deep interest in the subject, I take this means of bringing my views to your attention in the hope that I may obtain for them the benefit of your critical con sideration. The world is prostrate and bleeding from a thousand wounds. The times call for a consultation of all minds in that our common judgment may prove equal to the herculean task of restoring a tottering and delirious world to sanity and health. At no time in history has an understanding of the laws controlling social processes been more imperatively needed than to-day. In knowledge rests the hope of the world. |