Why Socialism?

by Albert Einstein

“Is it advisable for one who is not an expert on economic and social issues to express views on the subject of socialism? I believe for a number of reasons that it is.” —Albert Einstein

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Economics, Theory, Essays, History

12 pages

First published May 3, 1949

About the author

Special and general theories of relativity of German-born American theoretical physicist Albert Einstein revolutionized modern thought on the nature of space and time and formed a base for the exploitation of atomic energy; he won a Nobel Prize of 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect.

His paper of 1905 formed the basis of electronics. His first paper, also published in 1905, changed the world.
He completed his Philosophiae Doctor at the University of Zurich before 1909.

Einstein, a pacifist during World War I, stayed a firm proponent of social justice and responsibility.

Einstein thought that Newtonion mechanics no longer enough reconciled the laws of classical mechanics with those of the electromagnetic field. This thought led to the development. He recognized, however, that he ably also extended the principle to gravitational fields and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916 published a paper. He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory, which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules. He also investigated the thermal properties of light, which laid the foundation of the photon.

Best known for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2, dubbed "the world's most famous equation," he received "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect". The latter was pivotal in establishing quantum theory.

He visited the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and went not back to Germany. On the eve of World War II, he endorsed a letter, alerting Franklin Delano Roosevelt, president, to the potential development of "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" and recommending that the United States begin similar research. This recommendation eventually led to the Manhattan project. Einstein supported defending the Allied forces but largely denounced the idea of using the newly discovered nuclear fission as a weapon. Later, with Bertrand Russell–Einstein manifesto highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons.

After the rise of the Nazi party, Einstein made Princeton his permanent home as a citizen of United States in 1940. He chaired the emergency committee of atomic scientists, which organized to alert the public to the dangers of warfare.

At a symposium, he advised:

"In their struggle for the ethical good, teachers of religion must have the stature to give up the doctrine of a personal God, that is, give up that source of fear and hope which in the past placed such vast power in the hands of priests. In their labors they will have to avail themselves of those forces which are capable of cultivating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful in humanity itself. This is, to be sure a more difficult but an incomparably more worthy task... "

("Science, Philosophy and Religion, A Symposium," published by the Conference on Science, Philosophy and Religion in their Relation to the Democratic Way of Life, Inc., New York, 1941).

In a letter to philosopher Eric Gutkind, dated 3 January 1954, Einstein stated:

"The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this."

(The Guardian, "Childish superstition: Einstein's letter makes view of religion relatively clear," by James Randerson, May 13, 2008)

Great intellectual achievements and originality made the word "Einstein" synonymous with genius.

The institute for advanced study in Princeton, New Jersey, affiliated Einstein until his death in 1955.

More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_E...

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobe

Reviews

[Kevin (the Conspiracy is Capitalism) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Einstein’s Critique of Capitalism…

Preamble:
--In 1921, Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics.
--In 1933, Hitler came to power, but Einstein had already escaped Germany, immigrating to the US and receiving his US citizenship in 1940.
…For Einstein’s anti-fascism, see “The Scientist and the Fascist: How Einstein reacted to Hitler’s rise”. I’d like to read more about Einstein’s political evolution, from:
i) pacifism (esp. after WWI)
ii) resisting Hitler by any means:

I should not, in the present circumstances, refuse military service […] Rather I should enter such service cheerfully in the belief that I would thereby be helping to save European civilization.

…and his infamous letters to FDR recommending research into the atomic bomb (although Einstein was not involved in the subsequent Manhattan Project).
iii) response to US dropping the atom bomb on Hiroshima:

I made one great mistake in my life—when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made; but there was some justification—the danger that the Germans would make them […] had I known that the Germans would not succeed in producing an atomic bomb, I would not have lifted a finger.

…Note: regarding “save European civilization” and US’s subsequent actions, fascism makes more sense when considering its relationship with imperialism: Discourse on Colonialism
…Perhaps more important than studying Einstein, I’m interested in creative (censored?) alternatives, ex. how much sabotage (production/distribution/finance etc.) would be required to prevent war?
--After the US declared victory in WWII (on the back of USSR’s sacrifices) and the supposed defeat of fascism (Blowback: America's Recruitment of Nazis and Its Destructive Impact on Our Domestic and Foreign Policy), Einstein wrote this essay critiquing capitalism in 1949; it was published in the first issue of the famous US socialist journal Monthly Review.
…Thus, Einstein was not a Cold War Red Scare idiot confusing fascism with socialism/communism. As for the USSR proving communism is totalitarian, I’m reminded of this quote from Killing Hope: U.S. Military and C.I.A. Interventions Since World War II:

History does not tell us what a Soviet Union, allowed to develop in a “normal” way of its own choosing, would look like today. We do know, however, the nature of a Soviet Union attacked in its cradle, raised alone in an extremely hostile world, and, when it managed to survive to adulthood, overrun by the Nazi war machine with the blessings of the Western powers. The resulting insecurities and fears have inevitably led to deformities of character not unlike that found in an individual raised in a similar life-threatening manner. [For more on “siege socialism”/“war communism”, see: Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism]

…We should always remember that capitalist imperialism’s greatest threat is not scary regimes/“Axis of Evil”. These are symptoms of capitalism’s victories. Such caricatures are crucial to legitimate capitalism’s military industrial complex, which provides some stability for capitalism’s boom-bust cycles. Military spending is only a “waste” in terms of social needs, which are not capitalism’s bottom line (profits).
...Counter-cyclic spending on social needs risks giving labour too much bargaining power (The Capital Order: How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way to Fascism). Orwellian “defense” spending has been the excuse for the “Cold War” (which conveniently prevented returning to pre-WWII Great Depression, ex. rescuing the “near-bankrupt aircraft industry”: Harry S. Truman and the War Scare of 1948: A Successful Campaign to Deceive the Nation) to the “War on Terror” to today’s “New Cold War”.
…Capitalism’s greatest threat is actually allowing socialism/decolonization to naturally succeed, setting a good example (“Domino Theory”/contagion). This is why even moderate reforms (esp. in Global South) are met with overwhelming interventionist violence/sabotage. Capitalism/imperialism is even willing to risk mutual annihilation (ex. Nixon’s Madman Theory, which continues to be recycled; also see Kubrick’s film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb).
--Fast forward to 2025: a capitalist plutocrat like Musk is advertised as a “genius” while slashing social spending and fanning reactionary scapegoating amidst mounting capitalist/imperialist crises:
i) climate/ecological crises: Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System
ii) imperialism risking WWIII/nuclear winter:
-Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance
-The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner
iii) global inequality: The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions
iv) “First World” financialization/deindustrialization:
-Angrynomics
-Why Can't You Afford a Home?
…So, what was Einstein’s warnings against capitalism?

Highlights:

--There’s only so much Einstein could fit into a short essay. Einstein understands science only provides tools (means), so he must consider social science (ends):

1) Capital vs. Labour:
--It’s refreshing to hear a scientist of Einstein’s fame basically recite Marx’s Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume 1, but it’s more a reflection of the sorry state we’re in where this is not the norm.
a) Capital:
--The “means of production” is owned by relatively-few capitalists, which must be set in motion with the labour of workers dispossessed of their own means of production. Note: the emphasis here should be on dispossession/dependency: The Origin of Capitalism: A Longer View
--Thus, society’s needs in production are dictated by capitalist ownership/control: for profit rather than social needs. This profit-motive, combined with legally-mandated ruthless competition, leads to instability and depressions. Einstein doesn’t get into the fascinating details of “capitalist crisis theory”, but we should remember he was part of the Great Depression (1929-1939) generation, which was only resolved by the greatest war in human history (WWII: 1939-1945). So, the irrationality of capitalism’s boom/bust was more widely felt; for illustrative prose, see: The Grapes of Wrath
--Einstein does mention how capitalism’s ruthless competition leads to concentrated capitalist power outcompeting the small, creating a plutocratic oligarchy that buys politicians and the media: Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies
--The alternative is a planned economy driven by social goals rather than oligarchy’s profits (market's one-dollar-one-vote). Einstein concludes that socialism’s main challenge is bureaucracy (I guess assuming we overcome capitalist violence/sabotage; we should also note that global capitalism's bureaucracy far exceeds the USSR, since it takes so many rules to try and turn everything into for-profit markets… just think about Finance/Insurance/Real Estate! The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy).
...Einstein is basically saying democratize the existing system rather than dismantle it:

In relatively densely settled populations with the goods which are indispensable to their continued existence, an extreme division of labor and a highly-centralized productive apparatus are absolutely necessary. The time—which, looking back, seems so idyllic—is gone forever when individuals or relatively small groups could be completely self-sufficient.

…I think there is still a vast range of possibilities for more localized political economies (indeed, the environmental crises will demand this): Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World
b) Labour:
--The capitalist labour contract is “free” in the sense that workers need to start as dispossessed, so we are free to die if we do not participate.
--Thus, there needs to be the constant threat of unemployment, and an “army of unemployed” (Marx’s “reserve army of labour”).
--Workers are paid not in the real value added to the product (Marx on capitalists extracting “surplus value”), but based on the worker’s minimum needs (Marx on labour’s “social reproduction”) and capitalist labour-power requirements in a competitive labour market (Marx’s “socially-necessary labour time”).
--Reforms to raise worker’s subsistence beyond minimum needs were from class struggle. Otherwise, the consumer goods market is restricted given insufficient wages. Note: ironically, USSR played a key role in the capitalist West adopting the welfare state compromise, which has been on the chopping block esp. since the end of the USSR.
--Technological progress (esp. automation) leads to structural unemployment (profit-driven) rather than easing burden for society (social needs). Given renewed concerns (esp. with A.I.), we should note that automation vs. social turmoil has been a constant feature of capitalism (infamously the “Luddites”); from the perspective of patching up social turmoil, consider: Bullshit Jobs: A Theory
--Einstein’s socialist alternative is collective ownership of capital, thus sharing the easing of burden from automation, spreading the remaining work (full employment) and guaranteeing livelihood. For details, consider: Another Now: Dispatches from an Alternative Present

…see comments below for rest of the review…

[Benjamin Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why Socialism?” is a short essay written by Albert Einstein for the socialist journal Monthly Review’s first issue. In it, Einstein briefly outlines his critique of capitalism, which borrows heavily from classical Marxism, and why a transition to socialism is essential for the survival of the human species.

Here are his major points:

The current laws of economics are derived from a capitalist society and thus only applicable to it. Socialism supersedes capitalism; it is a radical transformation of society. So current economic forces have no relevance for a future socialist society. Just because something cannot be done under capitalism does not mean it cannot be done under socialism.

The abolition of capitalism and a transition to socialism is an imperative for human survival in order to avert nuclear armageddon and ecological catastrophe.

Science is amoral; a tool; a means to an end. An ethical ideal like socialism is required to guide science toward the desirable end of liberating mankind from the dictates of nature. Or else science will be exploited for an unethical ideal like capitalism to enslave mankind and eventually destroy it.

The individual and society form a symbiotic relationship. A healthy individual needs a healthy society and a healthy society needs healthy individuals.

Human nature is two-dimensional: a fixed biological component and a flexible cultural one determined by environment. (Here Einstein is paraphrasing Marx)

Capitalism undermines democracy by concentrating wealth into the hands of an economic elite which funds a political elite to represent its interests in government. The ultra-rich also control the media and educational systems to manipulate public opinion and prevent free thought. (Here Einstein is prefiguring Thomas Ferguson’s investment theory and Noam Chomsky and Ed Herman’s propaganda model)

Capitalism’s profit motive entails human needs go unmet to satisfy human greed.

Socialism must be democratic if it is to ward off the danger of a totalitarian bureaucracy. (Here Einstein is alluding to Soviet totalitarianism and echoing Bakunin’s warning of a red bureaucracy)

[Elly]

"Man is, at one and the same time, a solitary being and a social being. As a solitary being, he attempts to protect his own existence and that of those who are closest to him, to satisfy his personal desires, and to develop his innate abilities. As a social being, he seeks to gain the recognition and affection of his fellow human beings, to share in their pleasures, to comfort them in their sorrows, and to improve their conditions of life."

"If we ask ourselves how the structure of society and the cultural attitude of man should be changed in order to make human life as satisfying as possible, we should constantly be conscious of the fact that there are certain conditions which we are unable to modify. As mentioned before, the biological nature of man is, for all practical purposes, not subject to change. Furthermore, technological and demographic developments of the last few centuries have created conditions which are here to stay. In relatively densely settled populations with the goods which are indispensable to their continued existence, an extreme division of labor and a highly-centralized productive apparatus are absolutely necessary. The time—which, looking back, seems so idyllic—is gone forever when individuals or relatively small groups could be completely self-sufficient. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that mankind constitutes even now a planetary community of production and consumption."

"Unknowingly prisoners of their own egotism, they feel insecure, lonely, and deprived of the naive, simple, and unsophisticated enjoyment of life. Man can find meaning in life, short and perilous as it is, only through devoting himself to society."

"The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate from the legislature. The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights."

"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. (...) The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society."

"Clarity about the aims and problems of socialism is of greatest significance in our age of transition. Since, under present circumstances, free and unhindered discussion of these problems has come under a powerful taboo, I consider the foundation of this magazine to be an important public service."

[Mohamed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because it is very concise and to the point. Nevertheless the content is very condensed that it might not be understood without a brief background on socialism and what problem it views in the capitalist means of production.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this essay shows anything, it's that you have no business talking about economic orders when you don't understand economics. This insight is so trivial that it sounds silly when you type it out, but apparently, it was completely lost on Einstein. Why Socialism? was published in 1949, when the problems with central planning had already been laid out in great detail by such economists as Ludwig von Mises and F.A. Hayek, but Einstein doesn't lose a word on them. Neither does he actually justify his own narrative, he pretty much takes it as a given, as if there was no dispute whatsoever on such central issues as whether we even live under conditions approaching pure capitalism, as Einstein claims we do. The result is a clichéd mess that would be rightly forgotten if it wasn't for the great, but - to this topic - utterly irrelevant credentials of its author.

[blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

he snapped

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

"...human beings are not condemned, because of their biological constitution, to annihilate each other or to be at the mercy of a cruel, self-inflicted fate."

I was very surprised to find out Einstein was a socialist. A rather short essay, Why Socialism? gets it's point across in a very easy to understand and decluttered way. (something I wish more leftists would consider doing).

[Sumit Ghosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and to-the-point, with a clarity of thought expected of a man of his intellect.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful introductory article on Socialism, one that would help a novice to understand the crux of socialism. I shall attempt to summarise the key ideas that Einstein focuses on.

- He begins by highlighting the inherently oppressive nature of all of human civilisation and the role that conquests and religion played in it. His view that priests took over the education system to make the masses comply with, internalise and normalise the oppressive status-quo is very relevant even today.

- He opines that science can only provide the means to ends; and that those ends can only be shaped by human minds that are ethical.

- He then writes about the dual nature of humans - ie their biological constitution which cannot be altered and their cultural constitution that can be shaped to suit the interests of all human beings.

- Then, he dives into the individual v. collective debate by emphasing the role that society plays in the creation of the individual and how meaningless the existence of the individual would be without societal influences. He seems to say that the collective rights of mankind will always trump the rights of the individual and he is certainly right, especially when it comes to the ownership of private property.

- Capitalism, according to Einstein, is the biggest evil that exploits the free labour of the working classes. The profiteering nature of capitalism ensures that very little social value is created by the system. He also talks about the disproportionate influence that capitalists hold over democratic governments and how socialism can be an effective alternative. He also speaks about the media and education being used as puppets of the ruling classes - an issue that is of utmost relevance in today's societies across the world.

- Collective ownership, education that aims to fulfil the potential of the individual, and the balancing of societal interests with bureaucratic control form the crux of his suggestions to bring about a more equitable world order.

In short, this is a wonderful article that gives a novice the impetus to learn more about socialism and the evils of capitalism. It would have been nice if he had addressed the issue of transitioning from capitalism to socialism.

[Soeph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leute, wenn Einstein Physik: 😍☝️👂🕺🏆
Leute, wenn Einstein Sozialismus: 🙉🙉🙊😑😴

(Actually ne gute Einführung in marxistische Ideen, weil er seinen Gedankengang so klar und nachvollziehbar erläutert)

[Hibatun Nur · Rating 4 out of 5]

এই প্রবন্ধের নাম প্রথম শুনেছি 'সোভিয়েত রাশিয়া ভাঙল কেন' বই এ। কয়েকদিন আগেও কোথায় যেন এর রেফারেন্স পেলাম দেখে পড়তে নিলাম আজ।

আইনস্টাইন যে শুধু একজন মহাজ্ঞানধারী পদার্থবিজ্ঞানীই নন বরং সমাজবিজ্ঞান সম্বন্ধে যে অগাধ পড়াশুনা ছিল এ প্রবন্ধ পড়লে তা বোঝা যায়। লেখায় আমি সোশ্যালিজমের চাদরে যে ক্যাপিস্টালিজম নিয়ে মার্ক্সের কথাই পড়ছিলাম বলে মনে হচ্ছিল। তবে সোশ্যালিজমেও যে সমস্যার বীজ লুকিয়ে আছে তা আইনস্টাইন ঠিকই বলেছেন তবে এর সমাধানে তিনি যান নি।
এই সমস্যার সমাধান না করলে যে সোশ্যালিজম যে একটি পূর্ণ দাসত্ব ব্যবস্থায় পরিণত হবে এ হুশিয়ারি তিনি অবশ্য দিয়েছেন। এর সত্যাসত্য আমাদের সামনেই উদাহরণ হয়ে আছে।

এ ধরণের লেখা আমি আরও কয়েক জায়গায় পড়েছি। এই সময়ে এসে এমন লেখা পাওয়াটা খুব কমন। পলিটিকাল সাইন্সের অনেক পাঠ্য বইয়েই এমন লেখা পেয়ে যাবে পাঠক নিঃসন্দেহে। আপ্পাডোরাই এর 'দ্য সাবট্যান্স অফ পলিটিক্স' পড়ে দেখতে পারেন আমার ফেলো পাঠকেরা।

তবে এই লেখার সিগ্নিফিকেন্স অন্য জায়গায়।

যে সময়ে যে জায়গায় বসে তিনি এ প্রবন্ধ লিখেছিলেন তা মাথায় রাখা জরুরী। ১৯৪৯ এ প্রকাশিত এই প্রবন্ধটি আইনস্টাইন ইউএসেতে বসে লিখেছিলেন। ক্যাপিটালিস্টদের ঘাঁটি যেখানে ২য় বিশ্বযুদ্ধ পরবর্তী সময়ে এই শব্দ ব্যবহারও ছিল ট্যাবুর মত ব্যাপার। সেখানে তিনি ক্যাপিটালিজমকে কড়াঘাত করে সোশ্যালিজমের গান গেয়েছেন।

তাছাড়া আমি যেসব জায়গায় এমন লেখা তার সোর্স যে এই প্রবন্ধ না তা কে জানে?

[Jack Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

who am I to argue with the big man?

[npc · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones. The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized political society.” -Albert Einstein, 1949

Jump cut to 2025: We’re watching an AI rendering of Musk suckling Trump’s toes while Trump says, “Really, the greatest, and nobody ever said it before, I’m the first, the best actually, and no other nation has done it, but let me tell you, one of the greatest minds of our time, and that’s a fact, you can look it up, it says it, but they’ll tell you it doesn’t, they’re lying, Elon, baby, please….”

[Camarada Bakunin · Rating 5 out of 5]

El breve artículo de Einstein expone de forma muy básica los fallos del capitalismo y la necesidad del socialismo para superar la depredación entre humanos. Muchos de sus argumentos son simples y pueden resultar útiles en una discusión con aquellos que no tienen ni puta idea de lo que significa "socialismo".

[B. Lança]

Albert Einstein steps outside his usual scientific realm to make a compelling argument for a socialist society grounded in reason, justice, and collective welfare. Writing just after World War II and amid the rise of corporate capitalism in the U.S., Einstein critiques the inherent flaws of unregulated capitalism such as inequality, exploitation, political corruption, and the alienation of individuals in a competitive economy.

“The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of the evil.”

Einstein begins by noting how economic forces influence not just material life but human psychology, social values, and democratic institutions. In his view, capitalism fosters a system where the pursuit of profit overrides human needs, leading to social insecurity, concentration of power, and a weakening of genuine democracy.

“Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student... this competitive spirit prevails throughout.”

He envisions socialism not merely as state ownership, but as a democratic system where production is organized for human needs rather than private gain supported by an educational system that cultivates critical thinking and social responsibility rather than blind competitiveness.

“Production is carried on for profit, not for use. There is no provision that all those able and willing to work will always be in a position to find employment; an 'army of unemployed' almost always exists.”

Importantly, Einstein acknowledges the risks of centralized control, especially bureaucracy and loss of individual freedoms. His vision of socialism is thus one of democratic planning rather than authoritarianism. A middle path aimed at balancing individual freedom with collective responsibility.

Einstein’s essay is not an economic blueprint, but a philosophical reflection on how society should organize itself to promote human dignity, solidarity, and sustainability. It resonates as a critique of capitalist excess and as a call to rethink progress not in terms of profit, but of shared wellbeing.

“The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow-men.”

In today’s world, his insights remain strikingly relevant, especially amid growing inequality, climate crisis, and erosion of public trust in institutions. Why Socialism? challenges us to ask not only what works, but what is just.

Note: This is not a text to be rated on personal enjoyment. It is an ideological and philosophical statement meant to provoke reflection, not offer entertainment. A star rating would be out of place

[Adrián · Rating 5 out of 5]

He leído este ensayo como cuatro o cinco veces y siempre me parece genial. No es un pilar del marxismo, ni mucho menos un complejo análisis de las fallas del capitalismo y lo que conlleva tanto cultural, social y psicológicamente. Está escrito con el corazón y la mirada rigurosa de un ciéntifico, más que con teoría política o económica. Einstein mismo declara: "¿Debe quién no es un experto en cuestiones económicas y sociales opinar sobre el socialismo? Por una serie de razones creo que sí". Así que es un poco estúpido criticarlo creyendo que se trata de un análisis profundo. No lo es ni pretende serlo. Resalto su intención y su atrevimiento al escribir sobre el tema. Ignora diversas cosas, sí; pero mucha de sus críticas, tristemente, mantienen actualidad.

[Brett Hauser · Rating 4 out of 5]

This guy Einstein is pretty frickin' smart.

[Alexander Morozov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite short and to the point.

[Conor Fitzpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and put together incredibly well, the oligarchy of private capital is in fact still a thing and rather larger than youd expect aha unfortunately, albert u were in fact cooking. This guys pretty smart ngl he should try do science or sum i reckon hed be good at that.

[Cole Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could be longer, very basic points that still hold up today, especially when it comes to oligarchy.
Definitely an interesting piece from one of the brightest minds of the 20th century

[Bryan Heck · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was not sure how to view this essay. Einstein starts off relating Economics to Science and the similarities between them and then dives into the "benefits of Socialism" and the "problems of Capitalism. Einstein points out many of the same issues Karl Marx pointed out in Wage, Labor, and Capital. The one difference between Einstein and Marx that I did like though was that Einstein did not end with the conclusion that Socialism did not have flaws. Although Einstein did not point out all of the many flaws that Socialism has that I have found, he at least addressed that it was not without problems and his system needed to be worked out to be made more flawless.

All in all this was a good quick essay to hear the viewpoint and the side of Socialism... And to say you have read an Einstein book!

[Tanveer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and concise views expressed which when expounded will probably look something like Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered.

[Antoni · Rating 4 out of 5]

socjalizm jest dobry

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

«private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights.»

[Dylan Chuang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albert Einstein directly gets to the point. His essay underlines clearly and concisely the first critique of the capitalist economy, then from the fundamentals of Communism, and lastly explaining why Communism can work. This has been a great read.

[Naimur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short article alluded how knowledgeable of a person Albert was. He clearly pointed out why the educational system of the society should be changed and formed towards accomplishing social goals.

[John Quigley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Einstein the GOAT for real.

[Lina H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

although it is very repetitive with major marxist texts and especially engels’ principles of communism (almost perfectly paraphrasing it in some instances) it was still an extremely enlightening read

[Satya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite thought provoking especially since I read this after reading 1984. Written right after WWII but still very much relevant to the issues and times of today.

[Reshid Bey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Question (1949) : Is it advisable for one who is not an expert on economic and social issues to express views on the subject of socialism?

Notes:
- Scientific method is not an end but a tool used to inspire people to envision what it means to live. The current approaches of observing economic phenomena proliferate a stagnant viewpoint that compartmentalises and ignores a range of factors outside strictly economic influence e.g. conquest.

- The west was built upon conquest, where one group seized a monopoly of land ownership and appointed people to power who directly served them (originally priests). These people were in control of education and created a system of values that guided people in their social behaviour.

- Reference to Thorstein Veblen and the predatory phase of human development. The current economic laws we have created proliferate a predatory phase, one must look at things with fresh & critical eyes. Those on the inside regurgitate common doctrine. Science alone cannot solve human problems, thinking about how we organise society must be imagined.

- People are feeling shattered, apathetic and yielding to the notion that humanity is doomed. This is because we are living in a world that hasn't evolved to the level of suitability for human life.

- Humans are both solitary and social, they want to protect their own existence and that of those closest to them, satisfy innate desires and abilities as well as gain the recognition and affection of fellow human beings, to comfort them and to improve their conditions of life. We must find an equilibrium between these two qualities.

- There are biological constraints, however we are all dependant on society and through society we can change each other, its not one or the other. What makes humans special is that we are able to develop in ways that go beyond biology because we are able to communicate, form memories and in turn interpret the world we live in. These gifts have lead to the creation of traditions, institutions, and organisations, literature, scientific and engineering accomplishments and works of art. In many ways we create our world.

- We acquire a cultural constitution that we get from the social environment we are in, which has varied dramatically across history and countries, showing that the individual is inherently linked with society. Human beings are therefore not condemned to annihilate each other because of their biological constitution.

- We have been taught to distance ourselves from out social needs and told that society is a violation of freedom. This makes us prisoners to egotism and leads to insecurity, loneliness and a lack of enjoyment of life that can only occur when one is devoted to themselves as well as society. This is one of the main reasons so many are cynical about the fate of humanity.

- The fundamental problem is economic anarchy (individuals constantly trying to deprive each other of the collective labor) as the means of production is determined by the individual by law. Therefore, the payment of the worker is characteristically not determined by the value of their product but by the minimum price of which the capitalist determines in relation to workers competing for jobs. Private capital often becomes concentrated in a few hands mainly because of the cutthroat competition between capitalists and technological advancements which encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones.

- Oligarchies form and directly influence the democratically organised political society as members are aligned with parties that are funded by private capitalists. Elected people therefore for the most part do not represent the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population as that isn't in the interest of private capitalists who only aim to have a capable workforce who they can profit from.

- Private capitalists also control the sources of information (press, radio, education) making it difficult for citizens to educate themselves and feel empowered to understand their political rights.

- Production is carried out for profit, not for use. An army of unemployed is always present and keeps the workers in constant fear of losing their jobs, motivating them to push for productivity and not rebel.

- The profit motive leads to instability in the accumulation and utilisation of capital which leads to increasingly severe depressions.

- Our education system is a huge problem as it encourages predatory tactics.

- The only way forward is to create a socialist economy and an education system that is oriented towards social goals, where the means of production are owned by society and are utilised in a planned fashion. Centralised control is however something to be weary of.