If I were an Indian, Chinese, or American Slave during the most critical transformative historical periods, I would have been a socialist as well due to various benefits associated with this philosophy. The Indian revolution of 1857, the Boxer/Taiping Rebellions, and the American Civil War were among the major transformative periods in India, China, and the United States, respectively. Socialism, a philosophical thought advocating for the possession and control of the production and distribution means by the community as a whole, was an excellent political discourse in steering India, America, and China towards the revolutionary route. Contributions by great philosophical thinkers such as Karl Marx in the political philosophy realm explain why socialism was a noble idea during the transformative historical periods in China, America, and India.
As briefed earlier, the Indian Revolution of 1857 was a crucial transformative period that ultimately shaped the country’s socioeconomic and political progress. As an Indian nationalist during this revolution, socialism could have been a noble political discourse towards attaining the desired economic, political, and social progress. Considering the reason behind the revolution is critical towards understanding the choice for socialism as the basis of India’s political progress. The Indian Revolution of 1587 was a revolt whose major aim was to negate British rule. As such, being a socialist could have contributed to supporting India’s broader movement and efforts to gain independence. Karl Marx defined a socialist society as one in which an individual’s amount of labour to the society could yield back the same benefits in another form (Rubin 63). Colonial rule was oppressive to the Indians hence being a socialist could have contributed towards political and socio-economic liberation.
As an American slave during the American Civil War, the need to fight against the economic system that kept citizens in bondage is the rationale behind the choice for socialism. American slaves were subjected to harsh treatment by their owners. Precisely, American slaves were punished through imprisonment, mutilation, and beating. Moreover, shackling and whipping were among other ways in which the owners punished American slaves. This explained why most of the American slaves utilized the Civil War as an opportunity to flee their owners. Socialism was a political philosophy whose implementation could address some of the plights among the American slaves. For example, the issue of poverty was a major concern among the American slaves. Most slaves and their families suffered from extreme poverty. Socialism advocates for a system whose goal is the reduction of relative poverty. Moreover, socialist values called individuals to avoid selfishness and emulate selflessness. Being a socialist as an American slave could have contributed to the calls for a just society. It would have been a personal pleasure engaging in a movement/discourse whose intent was to enhance equality and justice in society.
The Boxer Rebellion was an uprising aiming at driving out foreigners from China (Eskridge-Kosmach 414-438). This antiforeign revolt was caused by the intensified disputes between the missionaries from foreign countries and the Chinese nationals. Additionally, economic constraints and issues emanating from the entry of the foreign missionaries were major factors behind the emergence of the Boxer Rebellion. As a Chinese national during the rebellion, the choice for socialism is based on diverse factors. The first rationale behind the decision to remain socialist during this rebellion is the need for immediate solutions to societal problems. Karl Marx’s argument for socialism supported the ideology as an excellent approach towards attaining order and responding to the anarchy characterizing the market. As such, being a socialist could have contributed towards enhancing order and responding to the anarchy that risked the collapse of the market.
Eskridge-Kosmach, Alena. “The Boxer Rebellion and the Standpoint of the Russian Press.” The Journal of Slavic Military Studies 26.3 (2013): 414-438.
Rubin, Isaak Ilyich. Essays on Marx’s theory of value. Vol. 23. Pattern Books, 2020.
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