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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  • TheDialectic [none/use name]
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    edit-2
    1 year ago

    There is a new season of goblin slayer out. I am kinda sad that I haven't seen a bunch of new flamewars and struggle sessons about it.

    • iridaniotter [she/her]
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      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Start one yourself and post that video rightly calling it fascist on to your gamer subreddit of choice. heated-gamer-moment

      • TheDialectic [none/use name]
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        1 year ago

        I am on the other side. The baseline for Japan is fascism. Goblin slayer is actually less fascist than normal for anime. It overall has better politics than most anime. It is a story about a man trying and failing to protect lumpenproles from a corrupt monarchy and how a society processes that trauma. Compared to like Dragon Ball which is staunchly pro monarchist it is a wild improvement. Also, doesn't make jokes about sexual violence like dragon ball does.

        • Venus [she/her]
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          1 year ago

          Compared to like Dragon Ball which is staunchly pro monarchis

          Ehhhh, I'd call Dragon Ball completely monarchy ambivalent. It's not like any monarchs are ever shown in a positive light. The king of Earth is barely a background character in the story, Frieza is one of the evilest characters in the series, King Vegeta was unambiguously evil, the over-god who rules over everything is a child who murders trillions of innocent people (or more) on a whim. I can't come up with any examples of any monarchs actually being portrayed as positive examples of rulers.

          People like the Ox King don't really count, it's not even entirely clear whether he had subjects lol