1938: Socialism

The year 1938 saw in some countries in which Fascist or pro-Fascist tendencies had become victorious a weakening of the Social-Democratic movement, but in many democratic countries, especially in the Scandinavian countries and in New Zealand, the Socialist movement preserved its vitality and registered some appreciable gains. Likewise in some of the semi-Fascist countries, as in Hungary and Poland, where at least the facade of democracy and the party system was preserved, the Social-Democratic Parties continued to function and even as in Poland, to expand.

In Great Britain and France.

At the beginning of 1938 the Labor Party in Great Britain found itself numerically a definite minority in the British House of Commons, but its influence in the country was much larger than the number of seats occupied would indicate. The dispute about the foreign policy in Great Britain in connection with the Prime Minister's friendly attitude towards the Fascist dictatorships revitalized the Labor Party to a certain extent, and the by-election held in Great Britain in the latter part of the year generally showed a strengthening of the Socialist vote. But the Labor Party declined all offers of closer cooperation in a united front with those liberals and conservative elements who were in opposition to the Government's foreign policy.

In France at the beginning of 1938 the Socialists found themselves the leading party of the Government coalition of the so-called Popular Front, which consisted of the bourgeois liberal Radical Socialists, the Social Democrats and the Communists. The events in the field of international relations in September 1938 led to a weakening of the Socialist position in France, to a dislocation of the Popular Front and to a realignment of parties which put the Socialists into opposition and created a new Governmental majority embracing the parties of the Right and the Radical Socialists. In November the loss of the general strike which had been proclaimed by the General Labor Confederation of France and had been supported by the Socialist Party further weakened the position of the Socialists in France.

In Czechoslovakia and Belgium.

The defeat of democracy as evidenced by the Pact of Munich at the end of September had also a destructive influence upon Socialism in Czechoslovakia. In the rump state which remained after the cession of territory to Germany, Hungary and Poland, the Social Democratic Party, which formerly in Czechoslovakia had formed part of the Governmental majority, had to declare its withdrawal from the Socialist International. In Slovakia the Social Democratic Party and all its publications and activities were completely prohibited, whereas in the Czech part of the country the Party was transformed into a National Worker's Party which was allowed to form an opposition to the dominating right wing and semi-Fascist party of National Unity.

The Socialist Party in Belgium found itself during 1938 in the throes of a transformation of its political and ideological outlook. The Socialists formed part of the Governmental majority and of the Cabinet and a Socialist, Paul Spaak, was Prime Minister during most of 1938. In the autumn of 1938 Premier Spaak decided to take up diplomatic relations with the insurgent government of Spain. He was opposed by the majority of the Socialist Party under the leadership of the old guard, Vandervelde and De Broucker, but he carried his proposal through Parliament. Most of the Socialists voted against him, but some, especially from the Flemish parts of Belgium, voted for him. A deep-seated rift in the Socialist Party of Belgium seemed unavoidable, one tendency within the Party favoring a pro-Fascist orientation in international politics, the other and apparently larger one, clinging to traditional democratic policy in the international field as well as in domestic policy.

Netherlands.

In most of the smaller democratic countries and even in some of the pro-Fascist countries the Socialists were generally successful in strengthening their position. This trend had been already manifested in the elections of May 1937, in the Netherlands, where the Dutch National Socialists who had organized under the influence of Nazi Germany suffered a crushing defeat and saw their votes reduced to about half of those polled in 1935. On the other hand the Social Democrats increased the number of their votes by about 100,000 and received in the new Chamber 23 mandates instead of 22 as of the previous Chamber.

Sweden.

In all three Scandinavian countries the Socialists formed a Government or participated in its formation. At the elections which were held for all the municipal councils of Sweden in September 1938 the Socialist Party won one of its greatest election victories, increasing its vote throughout the country from 883,900 to 1,305,800, and gaining a clear majority in the municipal council of Stockholm. In the Swedish Parliament the Socialists gained for the first time the majority of the seats of the First Chamber and the control of this House, whereas in the Lower House they acquired exactly half of the seats. The Socialists in Sweden have continued their alliance with the smaller Farmer's Party. Their chief objective is to utilize the increased resources of the country and safeguard the liberty and democracy of the Swedish people by a resolute policy of improved social services, including better housing in town and country, the eight-hour day for shop assistants, cheap tours and vacation arrangements for the two weeks vacation with pay of the workers, rest and vacational arrangements for housewives, measures to raise standards of agricultural workers to the level of industrial workers, and more land for small holders. While the Socialists gained in Sweden, the Swedish Nazi Party was practically wiped out and lost the only two seats they had previously held in Sweden.

Denmark.

A similar victory was achieved in Denmark by the Socialist Party and by the allied Radical Peasant Party which jointly form the Government. Here the large increase in the votes for the Socialists was also accompanied by a complete rout of the Nazis.

Poland, Bulgaria.

Even in semi-Fascist countries where the political influence of the Pact of Munich did not make itself felt directly, the Socialists registered some gains at the expense of the Fascist parties. This was the case at the elections in Bulgaria where a number of Socialist candidates were successful, and in Poland, where in 1937 the elections for the municipal council of the large city of Lodz had resulted in Socialists capturing the majority of the seats. The Polish Socialist Party increased the number of its votes from 22,284 in 1934 to 95,111 in 1937, and the number of its seats from 5 to 34. Elections held in Poland on Dec. 18, 1938, brought similar victories to the democratic forces and to the Socialists. In the city council of Warsaw, the capital of Poland, the Socialist Party won 27 out of 100 seats. Similarly in Lodz, and in Cracow the Socialists were victorious.

New Zealand.

Outside of Europe, Socialism made little if any headway. However, it increased its hold over New Zealand under the leadership of Michael Joseph Savage.

Necrology.

The Socialist movement suffered in 1938 the death of two of its prominent veteran leaders, Karl Kautsky and Emil Vandervelde.