the psychology of revolution-第60章

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scale；　as　in　France；　the　engineer　does　not　regard　himself　as　made

of　different　stuff　to　the　rest　of　mankind。　　It　is　the　same　in　all

professions。　　This　is　why　the　class　hatred；　so　intense　in　Europe；

is　so　little　developed　in　England　and　America。



In　France　the　democracy　is　practically　non…existent　save　in

speeches。　　A　system　of　competitions　and　examinations；　which　must

be　worked　through　in　youth；　firmly　closes　the　door　upon　the

liberal　professions；　and　creates　inimical　and　separate　classes。



The　Latin　democracies　are　therefore　purely　theoretical。　　The

absolutism　of　the　State　has　replaced　monarchical　absolutism；　but

it　is　no　less　severe。　　The　aristocracy　of　fortune　has　replaced

that　of　birth；　and　its　privileges　are　no　less　considerable。



Monarchies　and　democracies　differ　far　more　in　form　than　in

substance。　　It　is　only　the　variable　mentality　of　men　that　varies

their　effects。　　All　the　discussions　as　to　various　systems　of

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。