labour defended against the claims of capital-第11章

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same　consequences　as　have　been　produced　by　some　of　the　absurd　and
cruel　proceedings　of　their　own　class。　If　the　workmen　do　not
frighten　away　the　skill　of　the　contriver　and　the　master　　and
where　can　that　be　put　to　so　good　a　use　as　where　there　are　plenty
of　skilful　hands　　and　even　if　they　should；　the　wide　spread　of
education　among　the　mechanics　and　artisans　will　soon　repair　the
loss；　they　will　frighten　away　no　other　part　of　the　national
advantages。　The　merest　tyro　in　political　economy　knows　that　the
capitalist　cannot　export　any　great　quantity　of　food；　clothing　and
machines　from　this　country；　nor　even　the　gold　and　silver　which
forms　the　current　coin　of　the　realm；　to　any　advantage；　either　he
must　bring　back　an　equivalent；　which　returns　him　a　profit　when
consumed　here；　or　he　must　carry　with　him　those　skilled　labourers
who　have　hitherto　produced　him　his　profit　as　they　have　consumed
his　food　and　used　his　instruments　and　machines。　There　is　not　a
political　injury　on　the　one　hand　and　both　masters　and　workmen　on
the　other；　but　on　the　one　side　is　the　labourer　and　on　the　other
the　capitalist；　and　however　successful　the　workmen　may　be；　the
smallest　fraction　of　their　produce　which　the　capitalist　can
scrape　up　he　will　assuredly　stay　to　collect。　The　combination　of
the　workmen　will　not　frighten　away　their　own　skill；　nor　unlearn
them　what　thy　have　learned。　Their　hand　will　not　forget　its
cunning；　when　its　produce　goes　no　longer　into　the　pocket　of　the
capitalist。　Capitalists；　who　can　grow　rich　only　where　there　is　an
oppressed　body　of　labourers；　may　probably　carry　off　some　of　their
cloth；　and　their　corn；　and　their　machines　to　some　country　like
Prussia；　where　the　poor　people　can　learn　nothing　but　what　the
king　and　his　schoolmasters　please；　or　like　France；　where　a
watchful　police　allows　no　man　to　utter　a　thought　but　such　as
suits　the　views　of　a　government　and　priesthood　anxious　to　restore
despotism　and　superstition；　but　they　cannot；　unless　the　labourers
please；　carry　with　them　the　mouths　which　consume；　or　the　hands
which　make　their　capital　useful；　and　where　these　are　there　will
be　the　productive　power。　Our　labourers　already　possess　in　an
eminent　degree　the　skill　to　execute；　and　they　are　rapidly
acquiring　also　the　skill　to　contrive。　Never　was　there　a　more　idle
threat　uttered；　therefore；　than　that　the　combinations　of　skilled
labourers　to　obtain　greater　rewards　than　they　now　possess　will
drive　skilled　labour　from　the　country。
　　　　　This　analysis　also　of　the　operations　of　capital　leads　us　at
once　boldly　to　pronounce　all　those　schemes　of　which　we　have　of
late　heard　so　much　for　improving　countries；　by　sending　capital　to
them；　to　be　mere　nonsense。　Of　what　use；　for　example；　would　the
butter　and　salt　beef　and　pork　and　grain　now　exported　from　Ireland
be　of　in　that　country　if　they　were　to　be　left　there；　or　if　they
were　to　be　sent　back？　All　these　articles　form　some　of　the　most
valuable　parts　of　circulating　capital；　and　so　far　from　there
being　any　want　of　them　in　Ireland；　they　are　constantly　exported
in　great　quantities。　It　is　plain；　therefore；　that　there　is　no
want　of　circulating　capital　in　Ireland；　if　the　capitalist　would
allow　the　wretched　producer　of　it　to　consume　it。　Of　what　use　also
would　steam　engines　or　power　looms　or　stocking　frames　or　mining
tools　be　to　the　ragged　peasantry　of　Ireland？　Of　none　whatever。
If；　indeed；　masters　and　journeymen　went　over　with　these
instruments　and　tools；　they　might　use　them；　and　by　consuming　at
the　same　time　the　circulating　capital　now　exported　from　Ireland
give　the　owner　of　it　a　large　profit；　and　they　might　teach　the
ignorant　and　helpless　natives　how　to　make　use　of　the　various
instruments　I　have　mentioned。　Those　who　talk　of　improving
Ireland；　or　any　other　country；　by　capital　have　a　double　meaning
in　their　words。　They　know　the　power　of　the　capitalist　over　the
labourer；　and　that　whenever　the　master　goes　or　sends；　there　also
must　the　slave　labourer　go。　But　neither　the　lawmaker　nor　the
capitalist　possesses　any　miraculous　power　of　multiplying　loaves
and　fishes；　or　of　commanding；　like　the　enchanters　of　old；
broomsticks　to　do　the　work　of　men。　They　must　have　labourers；
skilled　labourers；　and　without　them　it　is　nonsense　to　talk　of
improving　a　country　and　a　people　by　corn　and　cloth　and　hatchets
and　saws。
　　　　　The　wide　spread　of　education　among　the　journeyman　mechanics
of　this　country　diminishes　daily　the　value　of　the　labour　and
skill　of　almost　all　masters　and　employers　by　increasing　the
number　of　persons　who　possess　their　peculiar　knowledge。　At　the
same　time；　masters　and　employers　cannot　hope　that　the　labourers
who　are　not　capitalists　will　remain　long　ignorant　of　the　manner
in　which　masters　who　are　both　labourers　and　capitalist　lend
themselves　to　the　views　of　the　capitalists　who　are　not　labourers。
They　are　daily　acquiring　this　knowledge；　and　masters　cannot
therefore　rationally　expect　a　termination　to　the　present　contest。
On　the　contrary；　it　must　continue。　Even　if　it　should　be　stopped；
it　will　again　and　again　occur。　It　is　not　possible　that　any　large
body　of　men　who　are　acquainted　with　their　rights　will　tacitly
acquiesce　in　insult　and　injury。　The　profits　of　the　masters；　as
capitalist；　must　be　diminished；　whether　the　labourers　succeed　in
obtaining　higher　wages；　or　the　combination　continues；　or　it　is
from　time　to　time　renewed。　In　the　former　case；　the　masters；　as
skilled　labourers；　will　share　in　the　increased　rewards　of
industry；　in　either　of　the　two　latter；　not　only　will　their　profit
be　destroyed；　but　their　wages　will　be　diminished　or　altogether
annihilated。　Without　workmen　their　own　skill　and　labour　are　of　no
use；　but　they　may　live　in　comfort　and　opulence　without　the
capitalist。　Masters　and　employers；　therefore；　would　do　well　to
recollect　that　by　supporting　the　claims　of　capital　they　diminish
their　own　wages；　and　they　prolong　a　contest　which；　independent　of
the　ill　temper　and　hatred　it　creates　and　perpetuates；　is　also
injurious　to　them　as　inventors；　contrivers　and　skilled　labourers；
and　which　must　ultimately　terminate　to　their　disadvantage。
　　　　　The　improved　education　of　the　labouring　classes　ought；　in
the　present　question；　to　have　great　weight　also　with　statesmen；
and　with　the　community　at　large。　The　schools；　which　are
everywhere　established；　or　are　establishing；　for　their
instruction；　make　it　impossible　for　the　greatest　visionary　to
suppose　that　any　class　of　men　can　much　longer　be　kept　in
ignorance　of　the　principles　on　which　societies　are　formed　and
governed。　Mechanics'　institutions　will　teach　men　the　moral　as
well　as　the　physical　sciences。　They　excite　a　disposition　to　probe
all　things　to　the　bottom；　and　supply　the　means　of　carrying
research　into　every　branch　of　knowledge。　He　must　be　a　very　blind
statesman　who　does　not　see　in　this　indications　of　a　more
extensive　change　in　the　frame　of　society　than　has　ever　yet　been
made。　This　change　will　not　be　effected　by　violence；　and　cannot　be
counteracted　by　force。　Holy　Alliance　can　put　down　the　quiet
insurrection　by　which　knowledge　will　subvert　whatever　is　not
founded　in　justice　and　truth。　The　interest　of　the　different
classes　of　labourers　who　are　now　first　beginning　to　think　and　act
as　a　body；　in　opposition　to　the　other　classes　among　whom；　with
themselves；　the　produce　of　the　earth　is　distributed；　and　who　are
now　only　for　the　first　time　beginning　to　acquire　as　extensive　a
knowledge　of　the　principles　of　government　as　those　who　rule；　is
too　deeply　implicated　by　these　principles　to　allow　them　to　stop
short　in　their　career　of　inquiry。　They　may　care　nothing　about　the
curious　researches　of　the　geologist　or　the　elaborate
classification　of　the　botanist；　but　they　will　assuredly　ascertain
why　they　only　of　all　classes　of　society　have　always　been　involved
in　poverty　and　distress。　They　will　not　stop　short　of　any　ultimate
truth；　and　they　have　experienced　too　few　of　the　advantages　of
society　to　make　them　feel　satisfied　with　the　present　order　of
things。　The　mind　is　rather　invigorated　than　enfeebled　by　the
labour　of　the　hands；　and　they　will　carry　forward　their
investigations　undelayed　by　the　pedantry　of　learning；　and
undiverted　by　the　fastidiousness　of　taste。　By　casting　aside　the
prejudices　which