Absolute originality, then, or absolute priority of right, as between labor and capital, cannot be claimed by or for either.
Victoria C. Woodhull
The Public Record
Victoria Claflin Woodhull, later Victoria Woodhull Martin, was an American leader of the women's suffrage movement who ran for president of the United States in the 1872 election. While many historians and authors agree that Woodhull was the first woman to run for the presidency, some disagree with classifying it as a true candidacy because according to the Constitution she would have been too young to be president if elected.
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Therefore, while capital is the direct result of labor, labor would not be possible without the free gifts of nature.
Capital, primarily, is the product of labor, but labor, in the abstract, could produce nothing of itself.
Nothing heretofore has been so grossly neglected, insulted and imposed upon.
Labor is the basis upon which all society rests, and nothing is entitled to so much consideration at the hands of legislation.
The capitalist, while enjoying as much profit as all the laborers, is also liable for all losses, in which the laborer has no interest.
The entire profits of the labor would then be divided among the producers, while the capitalist would have to be satisfied with the moderate interest he would realize, in place of the extraordinary sums now sometimes acquired from the…
The principle is this, that labor and capital are equally interested in the productions that flow from their joint operations; that is, the capital that gives employment to one hundred laborers is entitled to an equal interest with the…
It is most probable that when such a unity shall be attained both the capitalist and the laborer will, for the first time, discover that whatever really militates against the true interests of one, is equally antagonistic to the best…
Should this unity once be found practical, and should it be recognized by capital as consummated, its representatives would be compelled to come to those, who now look to them, for the granting of ameliorating conditions.
It does not seem possible that any should be returned to office who entertain opinions antagonistic to the general interests of labor.
In this way, labor may hope to arise from its present position of degradation to sit side by side with capital in all public and profitable positions and those of honor and trust.