Socialism as It Is

William English Walling approaches socialism through the decisions and actions of organized parties, rather than treating it solely as a set of theories. Published in 1912, this political study surveys an international labor movement, with particular attention to Germany, Britain and the United States, alongside France and Australia. Walling draws on party debates, public statements and the conduct of governments to explain what socialist organizations seek and how their positions develop.

The book moves from the economic and political conditions shaping socialism to disputes within the movement and its efforts to change society. Chapters address state reform, labor unions, agricultural interests, strikes and the relation between immediate demands and longer goals. Discussion of German politics brings voting rights and alliances into focus. Readers interested in the history of political argument can examine how Walling separates reform from revolution while presenting disagreements among socialists themselves.