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coroner's jury thereupon brought in a verdict that ‘‘the deceased had died
of apoplexy； but there was reason to fear that her death had been
accelerated by over…work in an over…crowded workroom； &c。'' ‘‘Our white
slaves；'' cried the ‘‘Morning Star；'' the organ of the free…traders； Cobden
and Bright； ‘‘our white slaves； who are toiled into the grave； for the most
part silently pine and die。''＇6＇
＇6＇ Vol。 i； pp。 239； 240。
Edward VI： A statue of the first year of his reign； 1547； ordains that if
anyone refuses to work； he shall be condemned as a slave to the person
who has denounced him as an idler。 The master shall feed his slave on
bread and water； weak broth and such refuse meat as he thinks fit。 He has
the right to force him to do any work； no matter how disgusting； with whip
and chains。 If the slave is absent a fortnight； he is condemned to slavery
for life and is to be branded on forehead or back with the letter S； if he
runs away thrice； he is to be executed as a felon。 The master can sell him；
bequeath him； let him out on hire as a slave； just as any other personal
chattel or cattle。 If the slaves attempt anything against the masters； they
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are also to be executed。 Justices of the peace； on information； are to hunt
the rascals down。 If it happens that a vagabond has been idling about for
three days； he is to be taken to his birthplace； branded with a redhot iron
with the letter V on the breast and be set to work； in chains； in the streets
or at some other labor。 If the vagabond gives a false birthplace； he is then
to become the slave for life of this place； of its inhabitants； or its
corporation； and to be branded with an S。 All persons have the right to take
away the children of the vagabonds and to keep them as apprentices； the
young men until the 24th year； the girls until the 20th。 If they run away；
they are to become up to this age the slaves of their masters； who can put
them in irons； whip them； &c。； if they like。 Every master may put an iron
ring around the neck； arms or legs of his slave； by which to know him
more easily and to be more certain of him。 The last part of this statute
provides that certain poor people may be employed by a place or by
persons； who are willing to give them food and drink and to find them
work。 This kind of parish…slaves was kept up in England until far into the
19th century under the name of ‘‘roundsmen。''＇7＇
＇7＇ Vol。 i； pp。 758； 759。
Page after page and chapter after chapter of facts of this nature； each
brought up to illustrate some fatalistic theory which Marx professes to
have proved by exact reasoning； cannot but stir into fury any passionate
working…class reader； and into unbearable shame any possessor of capital
in whom generosity and justice are not wholly extinct。
Almost at the end of the volume； in a very brief chapter； called
‘‘Historical Tendency of Capitalist Accumulation；'' Marx allows one
moment's glimpse of the hope that lies beyond the present horror：
As soon as this process of transformation has sufficiently
decomposed the old society from top to bottom； as soon as the laborers are
turned into proletarians； their means of labor into capital； as soon as the
capitalist mode of production stands on its own feet； then the further
socialization of labor and further transformation of the land and other
means of production into so… cially exploited and； therefore； common
means of production； as well as the further expropriation of private
proprietors； takes a new form。 That which is now to be expropriated is no
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PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
longer the laborer working for himself； but the capitalist exploiting many
laborers。 This expropriation is accomplished by the action of the
immanent laws of capitalistic production itself； by the centralization of
capital。 One capitalist always kills many； and in hand with this
centralization； or this expropriation of many capitalists by few； develop；
on an ever extending scale； the co…operative form of the labor…process； the
conscious technical application of science； the methodical cultivation of
the soil； the transformation of the instruments of labor into instruments of
labor only usable in common； the economizing of all means of production
by their use as the means of production of combined； socialized labor； the
entanglement of all peoples in the net of the world…market； and with this；
the international character of the capitalistic regime。 Along with the
constantly diminishing number of the magnates of capital； who usurp and
monopolize all advantages of this process of transformation； grows the
mass of misery； oppression； slavery； degradation； exploitation； but with
this； too； grows the revolt of the working… class； a class always increasing
in numbers； and disciplined； united； organized by the very mechanism of
the process of capitalist production itself。 The monopoly of capital
becomes a fetter upon the mode of production； which has sprung up and
flourished along with； and under it。 Centralization of the means of
production and socialization of labor at last reach a point where they
become incompatible with their capitalist integument。 This integument is
burst asunder。 The knell of capitalist private property sounds。 The
expropriators are expropriated；＇8＇
＇8＇ Vol。 i pp。 788； 789。
That is all。 Hardly another word from beginning to end is allowed to
relieve the gloom； and in this relentless pressure upon the mind of the
reader lies a great part of the power which this book has acquired。
Two questions are raised by Marx's work： First； Are his laws of
historical development true？ Second； Is Socialism desirable？ The second
of these questions is quite independent of the first。 Marx professes to
prove that Socialism must come； but scarcely concerns himself to argue
that when it comes it will be a good thing。 It may be； however； that if it
comes； it will be a good thing； even though all Marx's arguments to prove
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that it must come should be at fault。 In actual fact； time has shown many
flaws in Marx's theories。 The development of the world has been
sufficiently like his prophecy to prove him a man of very unusual
penetration； but has not been sufficiently like to make either political or
economic history exactly such as he predicted that it would be。
Nationalism； so far from diminishing； has increased； and has failed to be
conquered by the cosmopolitan tendencies which Marx rightly discerned
in finance。 Although big businesses have grown bigger and have over a
great area reached the stage of monopoly； yet the