EUGENE VICTOR DEBS (1855-1926) was one of the greatest and most articulate advocates of workers’ power to have ever lived. During the early years of the labor movement in the United States, Debs was far ahead of his times, leading the formation of the American Railway Union (ARU) and the American Socialist Party.

Debs was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, on November 5, 1855. He left home at 14 to work on the railroad and soon became interested in union activity. As president of the American Railway Union, he led a successful strike against the Great Northern Railroad in 1894. Two months later he was jailed for his role in a strike against the Chicago Pullman Palace Car Company. While in jail, Socialist and future Congressman Victor Berger talked with Debs and introduced him to the ideas of Marx and socialism. When he was released from prison, he announced that he was a Socialist.

He soon formed the Social Democratic Party, which eventually became the Socialist Party in 1901. He became their perennial presidential candidate. He ran on the Socialist ticket in 1904, 1908, 1912, and 1920 when he received his highest popular vote—about 915,000 (3.4%)—from within a prison cell. He had been arrested once again, this time for “sedition”; because he opposed World War I. Many Socialists were imprisoned during this time because they felt that the war was being fought for the profits of the rich, but with the blood of the poor. Debs was fortunately released in 1921.

Debs died in Elmhurst, Illinois, on October 20, 1926, but he is remembered to this day by countless labor activists from all over the political spectrum. The Eugene V. Debs Foundation works to continue his legacy into the 21st century...

To learn more about Debs and his life, read Stephen Marion Reynolds’ Biography of Eugene V. Debs for a full accounting of his life and times.

Biographies, Critiques, Criticisms, Sketches, Autobiographies, Obituaries and Memoirs of Eugene V. Debs iww

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  • stigsbandit34z [they/them]
    ·
    1 year ago

    A really dumb thing that brings me down is seeing one of my friends on instagram post something and noticing that their picture accumulated more comments than the total likes of my last two posts

    Maybe this is what they mean when they say social media is bad for your mental health

    • iByteABit [comrade/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      This internal dick measuring on a social level is exactly what made me quit social media for years, it's toxic as hell.

      I'd recommend you take a break for a while if it's taking a toll on your mental health.

    • supafuzz [comrade/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Comparing yourself to other people is generally a fast-track to unhappiness

      Social media is a self-hatred engine

      • stigsbandit34z [they/them]
        ·
        1 year ago

        She was in a big sorority, so she’s probably met most of the people commenting. Still, such a weird dynamic considering she seems like an average person in public