war of the classes-第21章

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It　is　in　the　struggle　of　the　species　with　other　species　and　against

all　other　hostile　forces　in　the　environment；　that　this　law　operates；

also　in　the　struggle　between　the　individuals　of　the　same　species。

In　this　struggle；　which　is　for　food　and　shelter；　the　weak

individuals　must　obviously　win　less　food　and　shelter　than　the

strong。　　Because　of　this；　their　hold　on　life　relaxes　and　they　are

eliminated。　　And　for　the　same　reason　that　they　may　not　win　for

themselves　adequate　food　and　shelter；　the　weak　cannot　give　to　their

progeny　the　chance　for　survival　that　the　strong　give。　　And　thus；

since　the　weak　are　prone　to　beget　weakness；　the　species　is

constantly　purged　of　its　inefficient　members。



Because　of　this；　a　premium　is　placed　upon　strength；　and　so　long　as

the　struggle　for　food　and　shelter　obtains；　just　so　long　will　the

average　strength　of　each　generation　increase。　　On　the　other　hand；

should　conditions　so　change　that　all；　and　the　progeny　of　all；　the

weak　as　well　as　the　strong；　have　an　equal　chance　for　survival；　then；

at　once；　the　average　strength　of　each　generation　will　begin　to

diminish。　　Never　yet；　however；　in　animal　life；　has　there　been　such　a

state　of　affairs。　　Natural　selection　has　always　obtained。　　The

strong　and　their　progeny；　at　the　expense　of　the　weak；　have　always

survived。　　This　law　of　development　has　operated　down　all　the　past

upon　all　life；　it　so　operates　today；　and　it　is　not　rash　to　say　that

it　will　continue　to　operate　in　the　futureat　least　upon　all　life

existing　in　a　state　of　nature。



Man；　preeminent　though　he　is　in　the　animal　kingdom；　capable　of

reacting　upon　and　making　suitable　an　unsuitable　environment；

nevertheless　remains　the　creature　of　this　same　law　of　development。

The　social　selection　to　which　he　is　subject　is　merely　another　form

of　natural　selection。　　True；　within　certain　narrow　limits　he

modifies　the　struggle　for　existence　and　renders　less　precarious　the

tenure　of　life　for　the　weak。　　The　extremely　weak；　diseased；　and

inefficient　are　housed　in　hospitals　and　asylums。　　The　strength　of

the　viciously　strong；　when　inimical　to　society；　is　tempered　by　penal

institutions　and　by　the　gallows。　　The　short…sighted　are　provided

with　spectacles；　and　the　sickly　（when　they　can　pay　for　it）　with

sanitariums。　　Pestilential　marshes　are　drained；　plagues　are　checked；

and　disasters　averted。　　Yet；　for　all　that；　the　strong　and　the

progeny　of　the　strong　survive；　and　the　weak　are　crushed　out。　　The

men　strong　of　brain　are　masters　as　of　yore。　　They　dominate　society

and　gather　to　themselves　the　wealth　of　society。　　With　this　wealth

they　maintain　themselves　and　equip　their　progeny　for　the　struggle。

They　build　their　homes　in　healthful　places；　purchase　the　best

fruits；　meats；　and　vegetables　the　market　affords；　and　buy　themselves

the　ministrations　of　the　most　brilliant　and　learned　of　the

professional　classes。　　The　weak　man；　as　of　yore；　is　the　servant；　the

doer　of　things　at　the　master's　call。　　The　weaker　and　less　efficient

he　is；　the　poorer　is　his　reward。　　The　weakest　work　for　a　living

wage；　（when　they　can　get　work）；　live　in　unsanitary　slums；　on　vile

and　insufficient　food；　at　the　lowest　depths　of　human　degradation。

Their　grasp　on　life　is　indeed　precarious；　their　mortality　excessive；

their　infant　death…rate　appalling。



That　some　should　be　born　to　preferment　and　others　to　ignominy　in

order　that　the　race　may　progress；　is　cruel　and　sad；　but　none　the

less　they　are　so　born。　　The　weeding　out　of　human　souls；　some　for

fatness　and　smiles；　some　for　leanness　and　tears；　is　surely　a

heartless　selective　processas　heartless　as　it　is　natural。　　And　the

human　family；　for　all　its　wonderful　record　of　adventure　and

achievement；　has　not　yet　succeeded　in　avoiding　this　process。　　That

it　is　incapable　of　doing　this　is　not　to　be　hazarded。　　Not　only　is　it

capable；　but　the　whole　trend　of　society　is　in　that　direction。　　All

the　social　forces　are　driving　man　on　to　a　time　when　the　old

selective　law　will　be　annulled。　　There　is　no　escaping　it；　save　by

the　intervention　of　catastrophes　and　cataclysms　quite　unthinkable。

It　is　inexorable。　　It　is　inexorable　because　the　common　man　demands

it。　　The　twentieth　century；　the　common　man　says；　is　his　day；　the

common　man's　day；　or；　rather；　the　dawning　of　the　common　man's　day。



Nor　can　it　be　denied。　　The　evidence　is　with　him。　　The　previous

centuries；　and　more　notably　the　nineteenth；　have　marked　the　rise　of

the　common　man。　　From　chattel　slavery　to　serfdom；　and　from　serfdom

to　what　he　bitterly　terms　〃wage　slavery；〃　he　has　risen。　　Never　was

he　so　strong　as　he　is　today；　and　never　so　menacing。　　He　does　the

work　of　the　world；　and　he　is　beginning　to　know　it。　　The　world　cannot

get　along　without　him；　and　this　also　he　is　beginning　to　know。　　All

the　human　knowledge　of　the　past；　all　the　scientific　discovery；

governmental　experiment；　and　invention　of　machinery；　have　tended　to

his　advancement。　　His　standard　of　living　is　higher。　　His　common

school　education　would　shame　princes　ten　centuries　past。　　His　civil

and　religious　liberty　makes　him　a　free　man；　and　his　ballot　the　peer

of　his　betters。　　And　all　this　has　tended　to　make　him　conscious；

conscious　of　himself；　conscious　of　his　class。　　He　looks　about　him

and　questions　that　ancient　law　of　development。　　It　is　cruel　and

wrong；　he　is　beginning　to　declare。　　It　is　an　anachronism。　　Let　it　be

abolished。　　Why　should　there　be　one　empty　belly　in　all　the　world；

when　the　work　of　ten　men　can　feed　a　hundred？　　What　if　my　brother　be

not　so　strong　as　I？　　He　has　not　sinned。　　Wherefore　should　he　hunger…

…he　and　his　sinless　little　ones？　　Away　with　the　old　law。　　There　is

food　and　shelter　for　all；　therefore　let　all　receive　food　and

shelter。



As　fast　as　labor　has　become　conscious　it　has　organized。　　The

ambition　of　these　class…conscious　men　is　that　the　movement　shall

become　general；　that　all　labor　shall　become　conscious　of　itself　and

its　class　interests。　　And　the　day　that　witnesses　the　solidarity　of

labor；　they　triumphantly　affirm；　will　be　a　day　when　labor　dominates

the　world。　　This　growing　consciousness　has　led　to　the　organization

of　two　movements；　both　separate　and　distinct；　but　both　converging

toward　a　common　goalone；　the　labor　movement；　known　as　Trade

Unionism；　the　other；　the　political　movement；　known　as　Socialism。

Both　are　grim　and　silent　forces；　unheralded　and　virtually　unknown　to

the　general　public　save　in　moments　of　stress。　　The　sleeping　labor

giant　receives　little　notice　from　the　capitalistic　press；　and　when

he　stirs　uneasily；　a　column　of　surprise；　indignation；　and　horror

suffices。



It　is　only　now　and　then；　after　long　periods　of　silence；　that　the

labor　movement　puts　in　its　claim　for　notice。　　All　is　quiet。　　The

kind　old　world　spins　on；　and　the　bourgeois　masters　clip　their

coupons　in　smug　complacency。　　But　the　grim　and　silent　forces　are　at

work。



Suddenly；　like　a　clap　of　thunder　from　a　clear　sky；　comes　a

disruption　of　industry。　　From　ocean　to　ocean　the　wheels　of　a　great

chain　of　railroads　cease　to　run。　　A　quarter　of　a　million　miners

throw　down　pick　and　shovel　and　outrage　the　sun　with　their　pale；

bleached　faces。　　The　street　railways　of　a　swarming　metropolis　stand

idle；　or　the　rumble　of　machinery　in　vast　manufactories　dies　away　to

silence。　　There　is　alarm　and　panic。　　Arson　and　homicide　stalk　forth。

There　is　a　cry　in　the　night；　and　quick　anger　and　sudden　death。

Peaceful　cities　are　affrighted　by　the　crack　of　rifles　and　the　snarl

of　machine…guns；　and　the　hearts　of　the　shuddering　are　shaken　by　the

roar　of　dynamite。　　There　is　hurrying　and　skurrying。　　The　wires　are

kept　hot　between　the　centre　of　government　and　the　seat　of　trouble。

The　chiefs　of　state　ponder　gravely　and　advise；　and　governors　of

states　implore。　　There　is　assembling　of　militia　and　massing　of

troops；　and　the　streets　resound　to　the　tramp　of　armed　men。　　There

are　separate　and　joint　conferences　between　the　captains　of　industry

and　the　captains　of　labor。　　And　then；　finally；　all　is　quiet　again；

and　th