You toilers of the world, arise!

Truthdig has announced the winning protest song in a recent contest. The Socialist song below was written by one of our founder members, Hans Neumann, in 1910. For some strange reason, it has not been heard again during the past century...


You toilers of the world, arise!

To bravely speed the day,

When all your forces organise

King Capital to slay.

And from the master class you'll wrest

The powers of the State,

Which, wielded in your interest,

Your class emancipate.


There sounds above the class war din

The battle cry we use:

Unite! You have a world to win,

Your chains alone to lose.


Your lot in life is darkest gloom;

You sow and others reap.

And want and mis'ry are your doom,

While idlers treasures heap.

Why have they riches, you distress?

Though you all wealth have wrought ?

It is because the few possess

The earth while you have nought.


There sounds, etc.


While you an idle class maintain,

For pittances you'll toil.

To own your products you must gain

Possession of the soil

And of all means the workers need

To found the Commonwealth,

And thus enable all to lead

Full lives of peace and health.


There sounds, etc.


Arise! the message to proclaim,

The message full of cheer:

That Labour's freedom is your aim,

That brighter days are near.

To men exhausted by the fray,

To women in despair,

To children wanting food and play,

To all the message bear.


There sounds, etc.