Einstein on socialism
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In a 1949 article, Albert Einstein described the "predatory phase of human development", exemplified by a chaotic capitalist society, as a source of evil to be overcome. He disapproved of the totalitarian regimes in the Soviet Union and elsewhere, and argued in favor of a democratic socialist system which would combine a planned economy with a deep respect for human rights.
Quotes
- "This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career."
- "I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion."
- "The only justifiable purpose of political institutions is to insure the unhindered development of the individual."
External links
- Why socialism? (http://www.monthlyreview.org/598einst.htm) - Albert Einstein, Monthly review, 1949-05 (original manuscript (http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/einstein/global/popups/socialism.php)).
- FBI Freedom of Information Act Documents on Einstein (http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/einstein.htm)