In Man's Worldly Goods, Leo Huberman summarized some of what he believed to be the many key points that led to a transition from capitalism to socialism in Europe. The main reasons for the revolution given by Huberman are the disadvantageous position of the lower class, class divisions and struggles between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, and the inevitable failures of capitalism. According to Huberman, one of the key developments towards a socialist revolution was the industrial revolution. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, those who were once peasants now worked in factories in miserable conditions and for very low pay. Their work was often extremely dangerous and the hours were long, and to make matters worse, they were often penalized for minor "offenses," such as having an open window nearby (185-186). To put things in perspective, Huberman cited part of an interview with a worker named Thomas Heath who thanked God that his children died because of the financial burden they posed to him and also because he knew that they no longer had to suffer. live a life like his (185). This was the situation of the working class, while the bourgeoisie led a life of luxury. This class division should therefore lead to an inevitable class struggle, then to reforms. The final “nail in the coffin” of capitalism was the problem of crises due to contradictory forces. Hobson and Hayek have offered divergent explanations for why profits increase, and neither of them is particularly wrong. Hayek argued that if wages fall, profits and future investments will increase, while Hobson argued that an increase in wages would increase the purchasing power of consumers, leading to an increase in corporate profits (278-279) . Karl Marx saw it as a paper means to eliminate social classes, corporate exploitation and poverty. For those who have suffered under such conditions, hearing about a new system that, in theory, would solve their greatest woes would be very appealing. This also goes for any proposition: if you promise a utopia to a disadvantaged person, they will listen, and if enough people listen, reform will happen. I believe Huberman was not only trying to explain the history behind these movements, but he was also trying to make clear this common element of economic reform. Works Cited Heilbroner, Robert L. The Worldly Philosophers. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books, 1983. Print.Huberman, Leo. Man's material goods. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1968. Print. Trotsky, Leon. The transitional program for the socialist revolution. New York: Pathfinder Press, 1983. Print.