The text below was written in 1918:

"I believe, Your Honor, in common with all Socialists, that this nation ought to own and control its own industries. I believe, as all Socialists do, that all things that are jointly needed and used ought to be jointly owned—that industry, the basis of our social life, instead of being the private property of a few and operated for their enrichment, ought to be the common property of all, democratically administered in the interest of all…"

Based on what you read in this statement by Eugene Debs, what conclusion can be drawn about the climate of American politics in 1918?
A. The government worked quickly to suppress radical ideas and beliefs.
B. Socialism was seen as a threat to the American system of capitalism.
C. Americans were optimistic about the future of their country.
D. Economic success caused many Americans to reconsider their political beliefs.

This text was written at a time when socialism had become extremely influential around the world. In 1918, the Russian Revolution had just passed, and people were looking for alternatives to their systems of government that would better address the problems of inequality and poverty that came with industrialization. Socialism was one of these alternatives, and the system was seen as a threat to American capitalism, as socialism asked for industries to be nationalized and for property to be democratically administered by all, as the text states.