Eugene V. Debs 1904

[malleusss555]

"While there is a lower class, I am in it, while there is a criminal element, I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free." - Eugene V. Debs

[yovtobe]

His opposing "special" organization for blacks would have been radical at the time because it eas an integrationist stance... maybe it's naive seeming now but so is much of Old Left thinking

[afaultytoaster]

can't hear shit, cap'n

[fishontuesday]

I read his anti war speech in canton ohio and it was the best thing ive read in my entire life!

[texmexspm]

"When we are in partnership and have stopped clutching each other's throats, when we have stopped enslaving each other, we will stand together, hands clasped, and be friends. We will be comrades, we will be brothers, and we will begin the march to the grandest civilization the human race has ever known."

"in every age it has been the tyrant, the oppressor and the exploiter who has wrapped himself in the cloak of patriotism, or religion, or both to deceive and overawe the people." -Debs

[newtube2601]

The problem with capitalism is the capitalists, the problem with socialism is socialism.

[Batamon1997]

If you can run for presiden in jail, wouldn't that mean trouble in the future? Couldn't a dictator come to power?

[tristram321]

I wish our ancestors treated this man better. He didn't deserve to spend the last years of his life in a fucking jail.

[alinebarger7]

He sounds like the Wizard of Oz. No way he actually sounded like that...

[faminedynasty]

There was racism in the socialist party, but it was in the right wing of it. Berger and his cronies. Debs repudiated it at every step.

[GrassAndRocks]

@faminedynasty Yet, he also failed to actually combat it by acknowledging that black and white workers faced a very different form of oppression. He argued that there should be no "special" platform for black workers, and this is, in my opinion, a major mark on an otherwise trenchant legacy of working class struggle...

[faminedynasty]

@GrassAndRocks, you're absolutely correct.

[ComradeSephiroth]

This actor overdoes all the inflections. No way that Debs would sound anything like this...

[googlexxxxxxx]

Wilson should have left him in prison to rot

[willyrobinson]

"I am a white man first, a socialist second." - Jack London addressing the Socialist party in a rally in 'Cisco'

[ibrahimtamerm]

I read recently that the Socialist Party was (in comparison to the IWW) quite racist.

[willyrobinson]

mm. well many members were conscious of the fact that race is real & it matters at least back then. Debs was an exception and took the modernist (altho not quite post-modern) view about race.

[RawevillivewaR]

No, here is what it was. The Socialist Party at that time was a mass party, and very pluralistic. At that time people on the Right and the Left were in the Party. Debs was one of those on the left. Eventually the party broke and those on the Left formed the CP in the 30's, and the Right went either to the Dems or to other parties or just left politics.

[unorthodoxtrotsky]

@ibrahimtamerm

Socialist Party was divided into Right and Left factions where those in Right were racist and those in Left supported the idea of black workers and white workers to unite to struggle for common cause. Lenin even criticized Right faction of Socialist Party that racism against black workers will divide the working class and will damage the movement. Unfortunately this separation eventually led to breaking up of Socialist Party.

[DonJack1776]

One of my ancestors voted for Debs.

[Hipsterrunoff]

I wish he became president. :(

[PersonalJesus348]

VIVA EL SOCIALISMO!

[Rakeatthegatesofhell]

Debs: True advocate of freedom. One of the greatest that America has produced, along with Upton Sinclair, Martin Luther King, et al. Sadly, his gripes (all of we socialists' gripes) are still extant. The deplorable state of affairs hasn't changed. The poor are still fodder; a means by which the jingoist, plutocratic oligarchs increase their wealth. America, awaken! Socialism is the only "people's" movement.

[Drac39]

It's amazing how ahead of his time Debs really was. So many of his views are common play right now but back then they were considered radical.

[jacksonreportdotcom]

damn socialists.

actually, i admire socialists

[tefisher1984]

Happy 153rd birthday Eugene V. Debs

[Yakovlievich]

This vision of socialism desparately needs to make a comeback.

[grandpatortoise]

Excellent video! I wish there was more footage of him on Youtube. I hope that his message is remembered for years to come.

[phatcrackerr]

Debs - a great American and advocate of authentic democracy.

[RexSand]

To think this footage is well over a Hundred years old.

[paul8kangas]

Today Ralph Nader & Matt Gonzalez are calling for a 30 hour work week, just like Debbs called for the 40 hour week, at 50 hours pay. Debbs created the weekend. Debbs won. Now Nader will will for you the 30 hour week Nader is on the ballot in 43 states. Is He on your ballot yet? Vote for Nader. Defeat the war monger Obama.

[Tazman91291]

HOORAH!

[CosmicFork]

I think that it is important to remember, that in the long run... only in the long run,

that the Working Class remains the most reliable enemy of Fascism and Repression. This is simply because the Working Class stands to gain the most by a decent reconstruction of society. Unlike the other classes in our country, we can't be permanently bribed,... there's just too damn many of us!! Things are VERY BAD for working people in our country now. God we need someone like Eugene Debs to help us!!

[Pilatocus28]

Long live Democratic Socialism! Government representation and the right to own the means of production! Proletariat support and social programs to enhance society, rather than demoralizing and denigrating the masses through capitalism.

[DarthNightingale]

aye ladie , aye lady

[Vrengie]

Golly he's awesome!

had to dress up like him for school

he's such a revolutionary

long live socialism!

[testing88534]

I'm learning about Debs in AP U.S.

[Dedicednu]

I never heard of Debs until I started doing my own research. Now he's become one of my idols. I was never taught that America even ever had a Socialist party. Our school system needs a complete overhaul.

[trachembrod]

unfortunately it wont' happen - but atlest your smart enough to research and think on your own. you s/rent the video 'Reds'. Debs and John Reed (10 days that shook the world) are only 2 westerners buried next to Kremlin.

[nickvanzetti]

I don't think Debs is buried in Russia. John Reed yes!

[RedCeltic]

He's not. He's buried in Terre Haute Indiana. Perhaps he's thinking of Big Bill Haywood, who is the only other westerner to be buried in the Kremlin (other than John Reed.) Haywood's ashes were split, half are in the Kremlin and half are at the site of the Haymarket riots.

[USFISTER]

Actually, you probably just didn't pay attention and now you're blaming that on your school to fit your political agenda. I was taught about Debs in school. Wow, was he a moron! Just like todays anti-war socialists.

[Xproletariatx]

Its true that the public school system only serves as a indoctrinating tool for the ruling class to utilize in order to keep us oblivious to how history is really shaped, by who and what. Maybe if we were taught in history class about people like debs, then we'd give up our illuisions in a pro capitalist party like the democrats and come to the realization that change wont come from above.

[USFISTER]

You're an idiot.

[sidewalkpilot]

Check out Tommy Douglas - first head of a socialist government in North America - - five time premier (governor) of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, and the father of what became the country's universal, free health system. THere's a great biopic drama made a couple years ago called PRAIRIE GIANT: THE TOMMMY DOUGLAS STORY. I urge you pick it up - it shows how this Baptist minister took on greed, poverty, etc.... inspiring!

[RedCeltic]

Ahh Yes Douglas was a great man, yet also the cause for me to be quite envious of Canadians. Because of him, our neighbors to the north have no reason to fear going to the doctor. I wonder why the health of American citizens aren't considered important to our own government.

[USFISTER]

Because the government has no interest in regulating the personal affairs of citizens, like health care. Just ask Ron Paul.

[sidewalkpilot]

Amen Red!

[kingsammythecat]

@RedCeltic Because both of your main parties are run by capitalist that seek only to make a profit and by all means! The same can be said about our two major parties, which Tommy Douglas was a member of neither, people seek change and with hard work, public support and the initiative of a few good men its possible! It's unfortunate that Obama cant do more to help...

[USFISTER]

Yes, check out Tommy Douglas, the great eugenicist. He advocated sterilizing people of lower intelligence and morality, criminals, and natives (wow, what a racist). He also advocated incarcerating homosexuals in insane asylums! LOL! What a GREAT socialist!

[Fawksian21]

The public school system does have serious flaws, but it has always been up to individuals to seek out and learn new information. That being said, yeah I never learned anything about Debs or Mother Jones in high school either.

[waytonk]

Awesome video- I talk about Debs all the time while teaching high school in NJ- debs was a stud!

[krissy4nik]

my regret is that im just hearing about mother jones, eugene debs, and what hellen keller really stood for. The public school system is a failure. We only teach the state approved indoctrination.

[RedCeltic]

What you said Krissy is sadly very true for most of us in the United States. If you went by the version of history they teach, you would think that after overcoming her disability as a child, Keller spent the rest of her life doing nothing of importance, while in fact she was quite important and influential in many struggles.

[sparklord66]

@krissy4nik check out Howard Zinn and Michael Parenti

[michelle1688]

like he said:

"While there is a lower class, I am in it; While there is a criminal element, I am of it; While there is a soul in prison, I am not free."

[jzwief]

fantastic dude.

[karma432]

Great video!

[mickalene]

his writings are phenomenal.

[EugeneVDebs08]

A great man.

[snimmannit]

I agree.