The Scarlet Empire - The Author and His Politics

The Author and His Politics

David Parry (1852–1915) was a businessman by profession, who served for a time as president of the National Association of Manufacturers. His political, economic, and social orientation was capitalist, hostile to socialism and to the developing labor movement of his generation. His pre-existing ideological commitment is clearly revealed in The Scarlet Empire; few would accuse Parry of objectivity. His assertion that the "first principle" of socialism is that "might is right" would be disputed not only by leftists but by many in the center of the political spectrum. Parry characterizes the capitalist system he favors this way:

"Though some may obtain more material comfort than others, yet none starves, and the strong learn to be charitable to the weak..."

—a description that would not pass universally unchallenged. In his own time, Parry was sarcastically dubbed one of the "latest valiant conquerors of the Socialist Dragon...."