Sedition Act

Gotcha, Mr. Debs.

This is the law that sent Debs to jail. The Sedition Act of 1918 expanded the Espionage Act of 1917 made it a crime to "willfully utter, print, write, or publish any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of the Government of the United States" or to "willfully urge, incite, or advocate any curtailment of the production' of the things "necessary or essential to the prosecution of the war."

The act was used to convict at least 877 people from 1918 until 1920, most famously Eugene V. Debs. The Supreme Court case Debs v. United States (as well as Abrams v. United States)—challenged the constitutionality of this law. In both cases, the Court upheld the convictions as well as the law.

Espionage Law

This law was passed when everyone in America collectively shouted, "OMG, we're at war."

It was passed in June 1917, just two months after the declaration of war on Germany. The Espionage Act dealt with a wide range of issues, from acts of spying to protecting shipping. The controversial part of the act had to do with the parts that affected civil liberties. The law provided harsh punishment to anyone who would "make or convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military" or "cause or attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty in the military or naval forces...or...willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States."

Yeah. That's a whole lot of censorship.

Despotic

To be despotic is to act tyrannical or like a dictator. (Psst: it's a bad thing.)

Privations

To be suffering from privations means to be lacking the usual comforts of life.

Paltry

If something is paltry it's ridiculously small (not related at all to Gwyneth Paltr-ow).

Mammon

This is a word from the New Testament—you fancy, Debs—and it means money or material wealth. Mammon is associated by Luke with the greedy pursuit of gain. Luke said,

No man can serve two masters: Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

So, according to the Bible, it's not righteous to be materialistic and want that newest shiny thing.

Hapless

A hapless person is unlucky; dirt-poor industrial laborers were definitely hapless.

Socialists/Socialism

Socialists believe in an economic system where the production and distribution of goods were controlled substantially by the government rather than by private enterprise.

Socialism in America, as advocated by people like Eugene Debs, was different in many ways from the kind of authoritarian, top-down Socialism Lenin was implementing in the Soviet Union at the same time that Debs was on trial and in jail. American Socialism highlighted the democratic elements of socialism. All brands of Socialism emphasize that cooperation rather than competition should guide economic activity.

Private Property

Land or belongings owned by a person or group and kept for their exclusive—or, you know, private—use.

Private property is controlled by an individual, rather than government. Under a free market capitalist system, private property rights are protected by the government. Socialists are not so keen on private property.

Propaganda

Propaganda is information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc. Notice that Debs uses the term in a positive way, though we now attach a decidedly negative note to this term.

Gospel

Something seen as being true and to be believed in implicitly, like the Bible, is considered gospel. Debs saw Socialism as a political gospel, unsurprisingly.

Inaugurate

Inaugurate means to begin or make a formal beginning of something. Inauguration Day, for example, is when a president is sworn in and his term of office starts.

Commonwealth

A commonwealth is a group linked with common objectives and interests. This is kind of an old-timey word; some of the earliest U.S. states, like Virginia and Massachusetts, call themselves commonwealths rather than states.

Immunity

An immunity is a special privilege. In law, immunity grants you exemption from being prosecuted, under certain conditions. Because he considered himself a regular Joe like all the other working-class guys, Debs didn't want immunity.

Exploitation

Exploitation means using something or someone for profit, often unfairly. This is one of the favorite words of Socialism; Socialists love to talk about the exploitation of workers. (They have a point, though: tons of workers are massively and cruelly exploited.)

Mariner

A mariner is a sailor, or someone who assists in navigating a ship. (It has nothing to do with delicious, delicious marinade.)

Southern Cross

This is a super-bright constellation in the Southern hemisphere. The four brightest stars form a cross, which is sometimes called the Crux Australis. This bad boy was often used for navigation by—hey, another vocab word—mariners.