This famous visualization of capitalism, based on earlier Russian and Belgian versions, was signed by ‘Nedeljkovich, Brashich, & Kuharich’ and first produced by the I.W.W. in 1911. Here is the Industrial Worker explaining its meaning in a front page announcement of its sale as a postcard or lithograph. The print was 15 cents or 1 dollar a dozen; I would have bought a dozen.

‘The Pyramid of the Capitalist System’ from Industrial Worker. Vol. 4 No. 31. October 24, 1912.

The “Pyramid of the Capitalist System,” as shown above, is one of the most famous pictures of the revolutionary movement. It originated in Europe many years ago and has been adapted to American dress to some extent. There is no doubt of its great propaganda value. It gives Capitalism at a glance.

At the base of the social pyramid we have the working class, composed of men, women and children. On their backs rests the whole structure of society and their every move causes a tremor to run through all other sections. They are the foundation of every social order and, once united, can overthrow the system so as to carry on production for themselves. The workers feed all of society–they work for all of society.

Above them is a representation of the capitalist class proper. This class is depicted as wining and dining, amid carousal and high revelry, without a thought other than contempt for those who produce the wealth of the world. The women are unthinking dolls, with low-neck gowns and still lower morals and ideals, while the men have all the faults of swine yet none of their virtues. There are those members of the useless class who have no part in dog dinners and monkey suppers, yet are living from the exploitation of the toilers and, therefore, are thieves. Abraham Lincoln once said “I hold that if God Almighty had meant some people to do all the working and others to do all the eating, he would have made some all stomachs and others all hands.” Leaving God out of the case, it is certain that once the workers do their own thinking, they will soon thereafter do their own eating. Why do you workers, who produce the choicest viands and who alone can prepare them for the table, allow another class to eat for you?

The next platform shows the soldiers, the armed force of capitalism. These are the hired murderers who, from a false love of a country of which they have been expropriated, and from a distorted idea that imaginary boundary lines are sacred, are busily engaged in defending the frontier of riches–the strong boxes of the robber class. These poor deluded fools go to war to conquer new markets for the master class and murder men against whom they have no grudge. When wounded they are patched up by Red Cross nurses in order that they may resume their positions as bullet-stopping targets. Meanwhile the chaplains of both armies are busy praying to some mysterious personage beyond the sun to have victory perch upon the banners of both contending forces. It is pleasing to note that the workers are awakening and recruits are becoming scarcer each year. Discontent is rife in the Army and Navy, and “agitators” are busy fanning the flames. Even now the masters are ofttimes afraid to use the soldiers for their original purpose of shooting the workers.

Above the soldiers, on the third platform, are the preachers and priests, whose philosophy and teaching in every day and age has been opposed to progress. These robed gentlemen have ever sided with the oppressors against the oppressed. In the past they justified negro chattel slavery by quoting “Some are born to serve and some are born to rule,” and today are placing the seal of approval upon a most damnable slavery by mumbling “The poor ye have always with ye,” and admonishing workers to be meek an humble here below that they may “get pie in the sky when they die.” Kipling has well said that:

“The toad beneath the harrow knows
Exactly where each toothpoint goes;
The butterfly beside the road
Preaches contentment to the toad.”

And the “soul aviators” are the contentment peddlers whose mission is to fool the workers.

Next in order are the figure heads, the kings, czars and presidents, representing alike the bloody Czar of Russia, the degenerate King of Spain, and our own pride, “Injunction Bill,” the fat errand boy of Wall street. Not being worthy of further discussion, the apex of the pyramid is the next to be noted.

Here is the acme, the pinnacle, the crowning glory of this social system. Gold, symbolic of wealth, is the alpha and omega of Capitalism’s existence. For Gold, men are overworked and starved, women are forced into sweatshops and houses of prostitution, and babies are mangled in the mills; for Gold, the Titanic sunk and hundreds were murdered; for Gold, the Iroquois fire-curtain was sold as asbestos; for Gold the Slocum steamer had sawdust life preservers; for Gold, the Triangle shirtwaist factory had no proper fire exits; for Gold, the Primero, Drakesboro, Cherry and other mines were allowed to be death traps: for Gold, food is adulterated with poisons, clothing is produced with shoddy, and houses are allowed to stand empty while men and women walk the streets; and for Gold, there is no crime on the calendar that the capitalist class will not commit.

This is the picture of capitalism the poster gives. It is not nice-but it is true. Ask yourself. “Is Capitalism worth keeping?” and if the answer is “No!” then join the fighting I.W.W. and help to overthrow wage slavery, building at the same time the foundation of the next social order.

We have “Pyramid” posters, twice the size of the above picture, and very much clearer, beautifully lithographed in several colors on heavy white enameled paper. These can be had for 15c each or $1.00 a dozen. Post cards of the “Pyramid” are two for five cents, 25c a dozen or $1.00 a hundred. Orders should be sent to the Industrial Worker, Box 2129, Spokane, Washington.

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v4n31-w187-oct-24-1912-IW.pdf