Question

Refer to the passage.

"The issue is socialism vs. capitalism. I am for socialism because I am for humanity. We have been cursed by the reign of gold long enough. Money constitutes no proper basis of civilization. The time has come to regenerate society—we are on the eve of universal change.”

Excerpt from an open letter to the American Railway Union in 1897, by Eugene Debs, founder and member of the Industrial Workers of the World

Which of the following best explains why Russians’ reaction to socialism differed from Americans’ in the late 19th century?

Russian society was largely agricultural, while American society was highly industrialized.
The Russian movement was a broad coalition, but the American movement was composed of only workers.
Russian workers lacked avenues of protest, while American workers had labor unions and political parties.
The Russian movement worked separately from less radical factions, while the American movement worked directly with more radical groups.

Answer 1

Answer: Russian workers lacked avenues of protest, while American workers had labor unions and political parties.

Step-by-step explanation:

Russian workers in the late 19th century did not have a lot of avenues to protest because they were under an autocratic emperor known as the Tsar and the nobles and upper classes controlled the economy with a tight grip. They were therefore unable to declare their support for Socialism even if they supported it.

This was in sharp contrast to the freedom enjoyed by the Americans when they protested as they were in a democracy and had labor unions and political parties through which they could make their voices heard and champion their cause.