15. The relation of thrift to nation-building. (_Annals,_ vol.
lxxxvii, pages 4-9.)

16. The relation of coöperation to socialism. (Fay, _Coöperation at
Home and Abroad,_ pages 350-355; Sonnichsen, _Consumers' Coöperation,_
part ii, chapter ii.)




CHAPTER XIII

THE GENERAL NATURE OF SOCIALISM


121. SOCIALISM IS A VAGUE TERM.--It is often said that the term
"socialism" is so vague that it is useless to attempt to define it.
The word is used to cover all sorts of schemes of industrial and
social reform. Sometimes a person whose viewpoint concerning politics
or business has become more liberal appears to himself or to others as
a socialist. From the standpoint of many individuals, all those who
advocate the extension of government control are socialists. Still
others label as socialists all reformers with whose ideas they are not
in accord. It very often happens that persons who pass in the
community for socialists are not recognized as such by the official
socialist parties. Indeed, certain official socialist groups go so far
as to declare that other official socialist groups are "not really
socialists," either in thought or in action.

122. A DEFINITION OF SOCIALISM.--In spite of this confusion it is