The Advancing Proletariat - A Study of The Movement of The Working Class From Wage Slavery to Freedom

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven

A philosophical pamphlet explains the advancement of the proletariat through the lens of modern Positive Scientific Philosophy, tracing Proletarian Psychology and the evolution of proletarian organization in terms of industry. It argues that a universal law governs change, linking evolution, “struggle for existence,” and “survival of the fittest” to human development. It further asserts economic determinism and treats human thought and the mind as products of external contacts and the physical universe.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introductory

The Law of Evolution

Man a Product of Evolution

The Mind—A Result

97-84042-17Woodruff,Abner E. The advancing proletariat Chicago # COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED·EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD Reproductions may not be made without permision trom Columbia University Libraries. ## RESTRICTIONS ON USE: # TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mmREDUCTION BATIO: 9:1 MAGE PLACEMENT:IA DATE FILMED: 3-6-97INITIALS: 追 TBACKING\#: 22425 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. 可 ## THE ADVANCINGPROLETARIAT A Study of The Movement of TheWorking Class From WageSlavery to Freedom By ABNER E.WOODRUFF,C.E. Price Ten Cents CHICAGO I.W.W.PUBLISHING BUREAUFEBRUARY,1917 3Z 0 短了.19·23 ## INTRODUCTORY The object of any system of Philosophy is to fur-nish a rational explanation of the facts of the Universefrom a knowledge of general principles that apply to thefacts and existence within the Universe;therefore,itis the purpose of this pamphlet to clearly and simplytrace the development of the Proletarian Psychology,andto indicate the Evolutionary character of Proletarianorganization in the terms of Industry on the basis of thegeneral principles of the modern Positive Scientific Phil-osophy. I have to thank Mr.Austin Lewis and others forthe thoughts here expressed,and can only hope that Ihave been able to accentuate a fact that must be care-fuly considered by both Socialists and Industrialists indiscussing the Proletariat:namely,THE LAW OFECONOMIC DETERMINISM.ABNER E.WooDRUFF,C.E. ## The Advancing Proletariat The Law of Evolution An examination of the facts of the orderly Universeleads with precision to an understanding of the laws ofthat'Universe,and it may be said that these laws findtheir supreme expression in the Law of Evolution—thegreat immutable “law of change.”This law may bestated as follows:ALL THINGS IN THE UNIVERSETODAY ARE THE、RESULTS OF THE ACTION OF THE FORCES OF THE UNIVERSE UPONTHE MATTER OF_THE UNIVERSE,APPLIEDTHROUGHOUT THE EONS OF_TIME,PRODUC-ING INNUMERABLE CHANGES,WHICH HAVEFINALLY DEVELOPED HIGHER AND MOREPERMANENT FORMS OF LIFE OUT OF THOSEWHICH WERE LOWER AND LESS STABLEThephysical conditions which compelled changes in ANI-MATED NATURE,and under which they occurred,areusually denominated "the environment"—the surround-ing infuences. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace areregarded as the co-discoverers of this great Law of Life.They not only observed the changes in the materialUniverse,but also the efforts of animated nature to placeitself in harmony with the physical world by adjustingitself to these changes.These efforls at adjustment andre-adjustment are now termed “the struggle for exist-ence”;for ANIMATED NATURE MUST CONFORMTO THE CONDITIONS OF THE PHYSICALWORLD IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.Those forms oflife which conform the most successfully are regarded asthe most adaptable and,therefore,the best;from whichwe have the expression "the survival of the fittest"or,"natural selection."In other words,Nature selectedthese forms as being the fittest to survive. ## Man a Product of Evolution From a study of plants and the lower forms ofanimals,it is but a step to the study of the highest form—Man;and,in a state of nature,we find man respond-ing unconsciously to the law of Evolution:changing tocorrespond to his environment,and persisting in thoseforms twhich are in closest harmony with the require-ments of nature.Of all creatures,man is probably themost complex,and this complexity was his most bafflingproblem until the statement of the law of evolution with its corollaries,"the struggle for existence”and "the sur-vival,of the fittest."Here was a basis on which to con-duct the most rigid examination and,from the gatheredfacts,construct a definite,a positive philosophy.An-thropology became at once an

FAQs

What is the purpose of the pamphlet in the introduction?

It aims to trace the development of Proletarian Psychology and to show the evolutionary character of proletarian organization through the principles of modern Positive Scientific Philosophy.

What core law does the pamphlet emphasize regarding change?

It centers on a law of evolution, presenting all present things as results of universal forces acting on matter over eons of time.

How does the pamphlet describe human thought and the mind?

It argues that human ideas originate from outside—springing from human contacts and experiences with the physical universe—so consciousness is a natural development of universal laws.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Jiven