help with a sentence using gerade

[edmont]

Not clear to me how "gerade" is functioning in this sentence from 1919:

"Gerade die Volkswirtschaft verlangt heute den Sozialismus..."

Especially? As in:

"The economy today especially demands/requires socialism ..."

Thanks for any assistance.

[edmont]

Or should it be:
"It is precisely socialism that the national economy today demands..."

[Duckduck]

Or should it be:
Well, not quite...

Hi edmont,
here's the solution!
"It is precisely/especially (the) national economy that demands socialism today..."

Volkswirtschaft is the subject, Sozialismus is the object.

Cheers,
Duckduck

[edmont]

duckduck, thank you.

I had tried that out in my mind, but felt it a little problematic, because it seems to imply that socialism could conceivably be applied to something other than the economy. But now that you suggest that translation to my mind again, I can imagine something like this. Someone might have argued to the speaker that socialism has no value for the economy and is only of benefit to the workers, or the poor. Then he gives the reply: "It is precisely the national economy that needs socialism."

Thanks again!