the psychology of revolution-第44章

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government　are　really　of　no　interest；　for　these　have　no　special

virtue　of　themselves。　　Their　value　will　always　depend　on　that　of

the　people　governed。　　A　people　effects　great　and　rapid　progress

when　it　discovers　that　it　is　the　sum　of　the　personal　efforts　of

each　individual　and　not　the　system　of　government　that　determines

the　rank　of　a　nation　in　the　world。







CHAPTER　III



THE　NEW　FORMS　OF　DEMOCRATIC　BELIEF



1。　　The　Conflict　between　Capital　and　Labour。



While　our　legislators　are　reforming　and　legislating　at　hazard；

the　natural　evolution　of　the　world　is　slowly　pursuing　its　course。　

New　interests　arise；　the　economic　competition　between　nation　and

nation　increases　in　severity；　the　working…classes　are　bestirring

themselves；　and　on　all　sides　we　see　the　birth　of　formidable

problems　which　the　harangues　of　the　politicians　will　never

resolve。



Among　these　new　problems　one　of　the　most　complicated　will　be　the

problem　of　the　conflict　between　labour　and　capital。　　It　is

becoming　acute　even　in　such　a　country　of　tradition　as　England。　

Workingmen　are　ceasing　to　respect　the　collective　contracts　which

formerly　constituted　their　charter；　strikes　are　declared　for

insignificant　motives；　and　unemployment　and　pauperism　are

attaining　disquieting　proportions。



In　America　these　strikes　would　finally　have　affected　all

industries　but　that　the　very　excess　of　the　evil　created　a　remedy。　

During　the　last　ten　years　the　industrial　leaders　have　organised

great　employers'　federations；　which　have　become　powerful　enough

to　force　the　workers　to　submit　to　arbitration。



The　labour　question　is　complicated　in　France　by　the

intervention　of　numerous　foreign　workers；　which　the　stagnation　of

our　population　has　rendered　necessary。＇13＇　　This　stagnation　will

also　make　it　difficult　for　France　to　contend　with　her　rivals；

whose　soil　will　soon　no　longer　be　able　to　nourish　its

inhabitants；　who；　following　one　of　the　oldest　laws　of　history；

will　necessarily　invade　the　less　densely　peopled　countries。







＇13＇　Population　of　the　Great　Powers：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　1789。　　　　　　　1906。



Russia　　。。。　。。。　　28；000；000　129；000；000

Germany　。。。　。。。　　28；000；000　　57；000；000

Austria　。。。　。。。　　18；000；000　　44；000；000

England　。。。　。。。　　12；000；000　　40；000；000

France　　。。。　。。。　　26；000；000　　39；000；000









These　conflicts　between　the　workers　and　employers　of　the　same

nation　will　be　rendered　still　more　acute　by　the　increasing

economic　struggle　between　the　Asiatics；　whose　needs　are　small；

and　who　can　therefore　produce　manufactured　articles　at　very　low

prices；　and　the　Europeans；　whose　needs　are　many。　　For　twenty…five

years　I　have　laid　stress　upon　this　point。　　General　Hamilton；　ex…

military　attache　to　the　Japanese　army；　who　foresaw　the

Japanese　victories　long　before　the　outbreak　of　hostilities；

writes　as　follows　in　an　essay　translated　by　General　Langlois：



‘‘The　Chinaman；　such　as　I　have　seen　him　in　Manchuria；　is　capable

of　destroying　the　present　type　of　worker　of　the　white　races。　　He

will　drive　him　off　the　face　of　the　earth。　　The　Socialists；　who

preach　equality　to　the　labourer；　are　far　from　thinking　what　would

be　the　practical　result　of　carrying　out　their　theories。　　Is　it；

then；　the　destiny　of　the　white　races　to　disappear　in　the　long

run？　　In　my　humble　opinion　this　destiny　depends　upon　one

single　factor：　　Shall　we　or　shall　we　not　have　the　good　sense　to

close　our　ears　to　speeches　which　present　war　and　preparation　for

war　as　a　useless　evil？



‘‘I　believe　the　workers　must　choose。　　Given　the　present

constitution　of　the　world；　they　must　cultivate　in　their　children

the　military　ideal；　and　accept　gracefully　the　cost　and　trouble

which　militarism　entails；　or　they　will　be　let　in　for　a　cruel

struggle　for　life　with　a　rival　worker　of　whose　success　there　is

not　the　slightest　doubt。　　There　is　only　one　means　of　refusing

Asiatics　the　right　to　emigrate；　to　lower　wages　by　competition；

and　to　live　in　our　midst；　and　that　is　the　sword。　　If　Americans

and　Europeans　forget　that　their　privileged　position　is　held　only

by　force　of　arms；　Asia　will　soon　have　taken　her　revenge。''



We　know　that　in　America　the　invasion　of　Chinese　and　Japanese；

owing　to　the　competition　between　them　and　the　workers　of　white

race；　has　become　a　national　calamity。　　In　Europe　the　invasion　is

commencing；　but　has　not　as　yet　gone　far。　　But　already　Chinese

emigrants　have　formed　important　colonies　in　certain　centres

London；　Cardiff；　Liverpool；　&c。　　They　have　provoked　several　riots

by　working　for　low　wages。　　Their　appearance　has　always　lowered

salaries。



But　these　problems　belong　to　the　future；　and　those　of　the　present

are　so　disquieting　that　it　is　useless　at　the　moment　to　occupy

ourselves　with　others。





2。　　The　Evolution　of　the　Working…Classes　and　the　Syndicalist

Movement。





The　most　important　democratic　problem　of　the　day　will　perhaps

result　from　the　recent　development　of　the　working…class

engendered　by　the　Syndicalist　or　Trades　Union　movement。



The　aggregation　of　similar　interests　known　as　Syndicalism　has

rapidly　assumed　such　enormous　developments　in　all　countries　that

it　may　be　called　world…wide。　　Certain　corporations　have　budgets

comparable　to　those　of　small　States。　　Some　German　leagues　have

been　cited　as　having　saved　over　three　millions　sterling　in

subscriptions。



The　extension　of　the　labour　movement　in　all　countries　shows　that

it　is　not；　like　Socialism；　a　dream　of　Utopian　theorists；　but　the

result　of　economic　necessities。　　In　its　aim；　its　means　of　action；

and　its　tendencies；　Syndicalism　presents　no　kinship　with

Socialism。　　Having　sufficiently　explained　it　in　my　Political

Psychology；　it　will　suffice　here　to　recall　in　a　few　words　the

difference　between　the　two　doctrines。



Socialism　would　obtain　possession　of　all　industries；　and　have

them　managed　by　the　State；　which　would　distribute　the　products

equally　between　the　citizens。　　Syndicalism；　on　the　other　hand；

would　entirely　eliminate　the　action　of　the　State；　and　divide

society　into　small　professional　groups　which　would　be

self…governing。



Although　despised　by　the　Syndicalists　and　violently　attacked　by

them；　the　Socialists　are　trying　to　ignore　the　conflict；　but　it　is

rapidly　becoming　too　obvious　to　be　concealed。　　The　political

influence　which　the　Socialists　still　possess　will　soon　escape

them。



If　Syndicalism　is　everywhere　increasing　at　the　expense　of

Socialism；　it　is；　I　repeat；　because　this　corporative　movement；

although　a　renewal　of　the　past；　synthetises　certain　needs

born　of　the　specialisation　of　modern　industry。



We　see　its　manifestations　under　a　great　variety　of　circumstances。　

In　France　its　success　has　not　as　yet　been　as　great　as　elsewhere。　

Having　taken　the　revolutionary　form　already　mentioned；　it　has

fallen；　at　least　for　the　time　being；　into　the　hands　of　the

anarchists；　who　care　as　little　for　Syndicalism　as　for　any　sort　of

organisation；　and　are　simply　using　the　new　doctrine　in　an　attempt

to　destroy　modern　society。　　Socialists；　Syndicalists；　and

anarchists；　although　directed　by　entirely　different　conceptions；

are　thus　collaborating　in　the　same　eventual　aimthe　violent

suppression　of　the　ruling　classes　and　the　pillage　of　their

wealth。



The　Syndicalist　doctrine　does　not　in　any　way　derive　from　the

principles　of　Revolution。　　On　many　points　it　is　entirely　in

contradiction　with　the　Revolution。　　Syndicalism　represents　rather

a　return　to　certain　forms　of　collective　organisation　similar　to

the　guilds　or　corporations　proscribed　by　the　Revolution。　　It　thus

constitutes　one　of　those　federations　which　the　Revolution

condemned。　　It　entirely　rejects　the　State　centralisation　which

the　Revolution　established。



Syndicalism　cares　nothing　for　the　democratic　principles　of

liberty；　equality；　and　fraternity。　　The　Syndicalists　demand　of

their　members　an　absolute　discipline　which　eliminates　all

liberty。



Not　being　as　yet　strong　enough　to　exercise　mutual　tyranny；　the

syndicates　so　far　profess　sentiments　in　respect　of　one　another

which　might　by　a　stretch　be　called　fraternal。　　But　as　soon　as

they　are　sufficiently　powerful；　when　their　contrary　interests

will　necessarily　enter　into　conflict；　as　during　the　Syndicalist

period　of　the　old　Italian　republicsFlorence　and　Siena；　for

examplethe　present　fraternity　will　speedily　be　forgotten；　and

equality　will　be　replaced　by　the　despotism　of　the　most　powerful。



Such　a　future　seems　near　at　hand。　　The　new　power　is　increasing

very　rapidly；　and　finds　the　Governments　powerless　before　it；　able

to　defend　themselves　only　by　yielding　to　every　demandan　odious

policy；　which　may　serve　for　the　moment；　but　which　heavily

compromises　the　future。



It　was；　however；　to　this　poor　recourse　that　the　English

Government　recently　resorted　in　its　struggle　against　the　Miners'

Union；　which　threatened　to　suspend　the　industrial　life　of

England。　　The　Union　demanded　a　minimum　wage　for　its　members；　but

they　were　not　bound　to　furnish　a　minimum　of　work。



Although　such　a　demand　was　inadmissible；　the　Government　agreed　to

propose　to　Parliament　a　law　to　sanction　such　a　measure。　　We　may

profitably　read　the　weighty　words　pronounced　by　Mr。　Balfour

before　the　House　of　Commons：



‘‘The　country　has　never　in　its　so　long　and　varied　history　had　to

face　a　danger　of　this　nature　and　this　importance。



‘‘We　are　confronted　with　the　strange　and　sinister　spectacle　of　a

mere　organisation　threatening　to　paralyseand　paralysing　in　a

large　measurethe　commerce　and　manufactures　of　a　community　which

lives　by　commerce　and　manufacture。



‘‘The　power　possessed　by　the　miners　is　in　the　present　state　of

the　law　almost　unlimited。　　Have　we　ever　seen　the　like　of　it？　　Did

ever　feudal　baron　exert　a　comparable　tyranny？　　Was　there

ever　an　American　trust　which　served　the　rights　which　it　holds

from　the　law　with　such　contempt　of　the　general　interest？　　The

very　degree　of　perfection　to　which　we　have　brought　our　laws；　our

social　organisation；　the　mutual　relation　between　the　various

professions　and　industries；　exposes　us　more　than　our　predecessors

in　ruder　ages　to　the　grave　peril　which　at　present　threatens

society。　。　。　。　　We　are　witnesses　at　the　present　moment　of　the

first　manifestation　of　the　power　of　elements　which；　if　we　are　not

heedful；　will　submerge　the　whole　of　society。　。　。　。　　The　attitude

of　the　Government　in　yielding　to　the　injunction　of　the　miners

gives　some　appearance　of　reality　to　the　victory　of　those　who　are

pitting　themselves　against　society。''





3。　　Why　certain　modern　Democratic　Governments　are　gradually

being　transformed　into　Governments　by　Administrative　Castes。





Anarchy　and　the　social　conflicts　resulting　from　democratic　ideas

are　to…day　impelling　some　Governments　towards　an　unforeseen

course　of　evolution　which　will　end　by　leaving　them　only　a　nominal

power。　　This　development；　of　which　I　shall　briefly　denote　the

effects；　i