The first artel in Moscow came into existence 20 years ago. n other gouvernements the artels have been in existence since 890. So far, such artels exist in the gouvernements Moscow, Jaroslov, Nischni-Novgorod, Vladimir, Thula and Kostroma. The oviet government tried to nationalize these artels. The artisans and peasants belonging to them were, however, opposed to this nationalization. They objected to have their central exchange made into a state organ, and as most of the members of these artels are the poorest peasants, the government uses no force in order to carry out a compulsory nationalization.
The work of the artisans belonging to the artel societies amounts to 50 railroad cars of goods per month, which have a value of 250 million rubles.
The society pf the home workers, the artel of the "kustarnije" in Russia, is apiece of socialist life. True, it is no large industry, and as small handicraft it has something narrow-mindedly petit-bourgeois over it. But in socialism we must not include only the technically highest developed large industry. Socialist life is not tied to the forms of large industry, and it is entirely absurd to wish to force people, in the name of socialism, into economic forms which are considered best for the welfare of the state. Socialism means, under the present forms of technical development, the elimination of wage slavery, economic equality and equalizing of interests. The development of the method of production to more rational forms can thereafter take place without hindrance, but under no circumstances must we force it into existence at the cost of the liberty of the workers, for that is exactly what the capitalists do. Socialist life consists in the side-by-side activities of voluntary associations of workers. Such an association is the Russian artel. If it is not yet ideal, still it is a start made by the workers, by the poor who work for their living.
Consumption
It is a truism of political economy that the quantity of goods used depends on the quantity of goods produced. In conformity herewith the economic doctrines of a Marx, principally, have laid the chief stress on the conquest of production by the workers. If the producers are in possession of the products through their organization, then it is also in their power to distribute the products justly, under the supposition that they are justice-loving, socialist organizations.
But there is another way of paving the way for socialism. It is true that the working class as a whole cannot obtain more than the quantity of products that is turned over to it by the class that is master of production. When the capitalists weaken the buying power of the workers through high prices and low wages, they diminish their power of consumption. When the workers organize themselves as consumers and find ways and means keep the prices low, then they are also in a position to increas< their consumption. Besides, the organization of workers as consumers carries with it a second advantage. Even if the quantity of products which the working class as a whole consumes depen< upon the monopolists of production and the means they employ the workers can still obtain a just division of the products throu[ their organizations of consumption. And this also is a piece oJ socialism.
The workers have in fact organized themselves in both din tipns, that is, as producers and consumers. They have trade w. nions and consumers' unions, or co-operative societies, as t'l are ulso called. That is also fully the case in Russia.