按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
material causes operating upon human beings。 He does not so much
advocate the Socialist revolution as predict it。 He holds； it is true； that it
will be beneficent； but he is much more concerned to prove that it must
inevitably come。 The same sense of necessity is visible in his exposition of
the evils of the capitalist system。 He does not blame capitalists for the
cruelties of which he shows them to have been guilty； he merely points out
that they are under an inherent necessity to behave cruelly so long as
private ownership of land and capital continues。 But their tyranny will not
last forever； for it generates the forces that must in the end overthrow it。
2。 The Law of the Concentration of Capital。 Marx pointed out that
capitalist undertakings tend to grow larger and larger。 He foresaw the
substitution of trusts for free competition； and predicted that the number of
capitalist enterprises must diminish as the magnitude of single enterprises
increased。 He supposed that this process must involve a diminution； not
only in the number of businesses； but also in the number of capitalists。
Indeed； he usually spoke as though each business were owned by a single
man。 Accordingly； he expected that men would be continually driven from
the ranks of the capitalists into those of the proletariat； and that the
capitalists； in the course of time； would grow numerically weaker and
weaker。 He applied this principle not only to industry but also to
agriculture。 He expected to find the landowners growing fewer and fewer
while their estates grew larger and larger。 This process was to make more
and more glaring the evils and injustices of the capitalist system； and to
stimulate more and more the forces of opposition。
3。 The Class War。Marx conceives the wage… earner and the capitalist
in a sharp antithesis。 He imagines that every man is； or must soon become；
wholly the one or wholly the other。 The wage… earner； who possesses
nothing； is exploited by the capitalists； who possess everything。 As the
13
… Page 14…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
capitalist system works itself out and its nature becomes more clear； the
opposition of bourgeoisie and proletariat becomes more and more marked。
The two classes； since they have antagonistic interests； are forced into a
class war which generates within the capitalist regime internal forces of
disruption。 The working men learn gradually to combine against their
exploiters； first locally； then nationally； and at last internationally。 When
they have learned to combine internationally they must be victorious。
They will then decree that all land and capital shall be owned in common；
exploitation will cease； the tyranny of the owners of wealth will no longer
be possible； there will no longer be any division of society into classes；
and all men will be free。
All these ideas are already contained in the ‘‘Communist Manifesto；'' a
work of the most amazing vigor and force； setting forth with terse
compression the titanic forces of the world； their epic battle； and the
inevitable consummation。 This work is of such importance in the
development of Socialism and gives such an admirable statement of the
doctrines set forth at greater length and with more pedantry in ‘‘Capital；''
that its salient passages must be known by anyone who wishes to
understand the hold which Marxian Socialism has acquired over the
intellect and imagination of a large proportion of working…class leaders。
‘‘A spectre is haunting Europe；'' it begins； ‘‘the spectre of Communism。
All the Powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise
this spectrePope and Czar； Metternich and Guizot； French Radicals and
German police…spies。 Where is the party in opposition that has not been
decried as communistic by its opponents in power？ Where the Opposition
that has not hurled back the branding reproach of Communism against the
more advanced opposition parties； as well as against its re…actionary
adversaries？''
The existence of a class war is nothing new： ‘‘The history of all
hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles。'' In these
struggles the fight ‘‘each time ended； either in a revolutionary re…
constitution of society at large； or in the common ruin of the contending
classes。''
‘‘Our epoch； the epoch of the bourgeoisie 。 。 。 has simplified the class
14
… Page 15…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
antagonisms。 Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two
great hostile camps； into two great classes directly facing each other：
Bourgeoisie and Proletariat。'' Then follows a history of the fall of
feudalism； leading to a description of the bourgeoisie as a revolutionary
force。 ‘‘The bourgeoisie； historically； has played a most revolutionary
part。'' ‘‘For exploitation； veiled by religious and political illusions； it has
substituted naked； shameless； direct； brutal exploitation。'' ‘‘The need of a
constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over
the whole surface of the globe。'' ‘‘The bourgeoisie； during its rule of scarce
one hundred years； has created more massive and more colossal
productive forces than have all preceding generations together。'' Feudal
relations became fetters： ‘‘They had to be burst asunder； they were burst
asunder。 。 。 。 A similar movement is going on before our own eyes。'' ‘‘The
weapons with which the bourgeoisie felled feudalism to the ground are
now turned against the bourgeoisie itself。 But not only has the bourgoisie
forged the weapons that bring death to itself； it has also called into
existence the men who are to wield those weapons the modern working
classthe proletarians。''
The cause of the destitution of the proletariat are then set forth。 ‘‘The
cost of production of a workman is restricted； almost entirely； to the means
of subsistence that he requires for his maintenance and for the propagation
of his race。 But the price of a commodity； and therefore also of labor； is
equal to its cost of production。 In proportion； therefore； as the
repulsiveness of the work increases； the wage decreases。 Nay more； in
proportion as the use of machinery and diversion of labor increases； in the
same proportion the burden of toil also increases。''
‘‘Modern industry has converted the little workshop of the patriarchal
master into the great factory of the industrial capitalist。 Masses of laborers；
crowded into the factory； are organized like soldiers。 As privates of the
industrial army they are placed under the command of a perfect hierarchy
of officers and sergeants。 Not only are they slaves of the bourgeois class；
and of the bourgeois State； they are daily and hourly enslaved by the
machine； by the over…looker； and； above all； by the individual bourgeois
manufacturer himself。 The more openly this despotism proclaims gain to