the psychology of revolution-第54节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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；　is　effected　spontaneously　under　the　stress　of　those

imperious　necessities　which　are　still　the　chief　controlling　power

of　events。



The　Governments　of　democratic　countries　to…day　consist　of　the

representatives　elected　by　universal　suffrage。　　They　vote　laws；

and　appoint　and　dismiss　ministers　chosen　from　themselves；　and

provisionally　entrusted　with　the　executive　power。　　These

ministers　are　naturally　often　replaced；　since　a　vote　will　do

it。　　Those　who　follow　them；　belonging　to　a　different

party；　will　govern　according　to　different　principles。



It　might　at　first　seem　that　a　country　thus　pulled　to　and　fro　by

various　influences　could　have　no　continuity　or　stability。　　But　in

spite　of　all　these　conditions　of　instability　a　democratic

Government　like　that　of　France　works　with　fair　regularity。　　How

explain　such　a　phenomenon？



Its　interpretation；　which　is　very　simple；　results　from　the　fact

that　the　ministers　who　have　the　appearance　of　governing　really

govern　the　country　only　to　a　very　limited　extent。　　Strictly

limited　and　circumscribed；　their　power　is　exercised　principally

in　speeches　which　are　hardly　noticed　and　in　a　few　inorganic

measures。



But　behind　the　superficial　authority　of　ministers；　without　force

or　duration；　the　playthings　of　every　demand　of　the　politician；　an

anonymous　power　is　secretly　at　work　whose　might　is　continually

increasing　the　administrations。　　Possessing　traditions；　a

hierarchy；　and　continuity；　they　are　a　power　against　which；　as　the

ministers　quickly　realise；　they　are　incapable　of　struggling。＇14＇　

Responsibility　is　so　divided　in　the　administrative　machine　that　a

minister　may　never　find　himself　opposed　by　any　person　of

importance。　　His　momentary　impulses　are　checked　by　a　network　of

regulations；　customs；　and　decrees；　which　are　continually　quoted

to　him；　and　which　he　knows　so　little　that　he　dare　not　infringe

them。







＇14＇　The　impotence　of　ministers　in　their　own　departments　has　been

well　described