Question

The text below was written in 1918:

"I am opposing a social order in which it is possible for one man who does absolutely nothing that is useful to amass a fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars, while millions of men and women who work all the days of their lives secure barely enough for a wretched existence.

This order of things cannot always endure. I have registered my protest against it. I recognize the feebleness of my effort, but, fortunately, I am not alone. There are multiplied thousands of others who, like myself, have come to realize that before we may truly enjoy the blessings of civilized life, we must reorganize society upon a mutual and cooperative basis; and to this end we have organized a great economic and political movement that spreads over the face of all the earth."

What must occur first according to Eugene Debs before everyone may enjoy the benefits of modern civilization?

A. We must restructure society collectively.

B. We must nullify the restrictions on free speech set forth by the Espionage Act and Sedition Act.

C. We must create a new set of laws based on the basic tenets of industrial freedom and social justice.

D. We must extend mercy and compassion to all living beings.

Answer 1

A. We must restructure society collectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

Eugene debs was american Politician who was elected as the Socialist party as the presidential candidate. He is known for organising the first industrial union in US (The American Railway Union). He gave more than 900,000 votes in the 1920 election and was arrested on June 16, 1918 for delivering anti-war speech in Canton, Ohio to protest First World War.

In the passage he talks about reorganising society on a collective basis, as the present social structure doesn't allow allow the workers to reap the benefits of civilised life. He points out that the present social order is biased towards industrial workers.

Answer 2

Eugene says himself that he "opposes to a social order". So he has clearly something against the way that society is organized. That is of someone being rich without granting society anything useful. He keeps going: "we must reorganize society upon a mutual and cooperative basis".

So it's not about espionage nor laws or compassion, but about how society itself is organized. That leaves us with the only correct possible answer being:

A. We must restructure society collectively.