New Problems and Old Illusions

...What American Radicals Think By William E. Bohn THAT representative American intellectuals are in favor of social and economic change and that the majority of them have not gone Communist is plainly indicated by the results of a questionnaire conducted by Professor Henry Pratt Fairchild and summarized by him in the last number of the New Republic...

...The best way to serve God in our time is to make a new faith of atheism, and to impose it by force upon other people...

...They have no doubt that victory will be theirs, and in this faith they hasten to apportion the portfolios of the future government...

...The most interesting single result of the pooling of opinion is that the majority of these representative people are neither in favor of leaving society just as it is or attempting a violent April Fool's day plot to overthrow it and institute the milennium...

...One thing is certain," he wrote...

...who was still alive...

...But the revolutionary urge within him moved him to overestimate certain phenomena as indications of the coming revolution...

...From this latter fact some try to deduce that his views were due to illness and old age and that we should not, therefore, take them seriously...

...The various party tendencies find expression in groups engaged in making war upon each other, exchanging recriminations, and accusing each other of treachery and many other sins...

...In doing so we will be astonished to discover how simple some apparently complex problems may become...

...He made the same point in his last piece of writing, the preface to Marx's "Civil Wars in France...

...One difference between Socialism and trade unionism is that, whereas the unions can only marshal the workers for a desperate trial of endurance, Socialism can get rid of the capitalist altogether...

...None of us are secure against such overestimates...

...And these people are not Utopians, not escapists...

...Such policy must lead to consequences opposite to the result desired...

...The vote on the use of violence as an instrument for bringing about social change in America is highly significant...

...In a period as turbulent as ours we must be prepared for great surprises...

...What he has to say, written specifically with the situation in Germany and Austria in mind, applies in principle to the .{hi¦#•*¦¦ 'is our party here...

...Those who seek to confer upon as the benefits of new conquests in revolutionary thinking will discover, on closer examination, that unfortunately they are merely recapitulating the long forgotten...

...It is easy to see how such an impression may have got abroad...

...We find the same story applying to all emigres, from the monarchists who fled the Terror in France in 1792 to this day...

...He knew full well that revolutions could not be made to order, that they did not come of themselves, at an appointed moment...

...e The entire Socialist International had expressed its solidarity with the Paris Commune of 1871, but it did not by any means approve all its actions...

...With this conviction in [ mind they made public their pro. gram, in which they proclaimed themselves as "atheists," "Communists" and "revolutionists...

...Aero* planes and radio Have become daily phenomena, side by side with direct, medieval barter in trade...

...Other Socialists maintained that certain actions, such as the firing of houses or the shooting of hostages, might be explained by the resentment of the Communards against the enemy's cruelty in the concluding episodes of the struggle...

...They affiliated with the First International, where they were warmly welcomed by Karl Marx...

...Fortyfive favored the affirmation, "a Socialist order can definitely be established by non-violent, democratic, political means...

...The questions cover a wide range of social attitudes and definite proposals for action...

...This is on a par with saying that in the French Revolution it was quite all right for Robespierre to guillotine people on his orders and quite proper to guillotine Robespierre himself at a later stage...

...It ¦ is not surprising, therefore, that in \ Socialist ranks, too, we witness the - revival of iqgas current among ; revolutionists one hundred years » ago, accompanied by glorification , of these ideas as if they were newly discovered commodities...

...Of course, disappointment comes with each day...

...They were convinced that the revolution was around the i corner, that it would come tomorrow...

...The former helps you to resist your enemy, the latter destroys him.— Robert Blatchford...

...A very few bright and impatient young men have got into the headlines with sneers at the labor movement, at practical reforms, at democracy...

...Forty-eight accepted the statement, "though a Socialist order may be established New Address for Labor and Socialist International BRUSSELS.—The Labor and Socialist International has established its...

...He says: "Since Blanqui conceives every revolution as an uprising of a small revolutionary minority, it follows that such a successful uprising would bring with it the establishment of a dictatorship not of a revolutionary class, of the workers, but of the small number of people who would make the uprising, and who previously had constituted an organization under a dictatorship of a group of dictators...

...To emphasize their radicalism the Blanquists demanded the suppression of "all religious teaching and all religious organizations...

...In Engels's time the terms "revolutionist" and "reformist," now so much in fashion, had not yet been invented, but those who new consider themselves "revolutionists" and look with such disdain upon the "reformists" are in reality the true heirs of the Blanquists...

...We must adapt our political policy to these possibilities...

...But at all times we must he on guard against empty phrasemonger y. Always, and under alt circumstances, we must avoid trying to accelerate the movement by artificial means, we must steer clear of interference with the historical process, however stow It' may appear, by promoting futile uprisings or wasting time discussing them...

...Fifty-one signed the declaration that "government ownership or control of industry without control of the government by the working class is not Socialism...

...The Blanquists, however, believed that it was their revolutionary duty to hail and praise such acts as the firing of houses and the shooting of prisoners...

...But when we read his article on the Blanquists, to which we have referred, we see that he held the same views twenty yars before, in the period of the First Socialist International, when he and Karl Marx, with whom he was so closely associated, were in their prime...

...He began his article as follows: The Noise ef Factions "After every revolution or every ePunter-»revoration there always arises a feverish activity among those who have fled abroad...

...The same fifty approved the statement, "Socialism can be approached by • gradual measures using constitutional means...

...It is possible that the dictators now in power will dig themselves in and remain in power for a long time, but it is also possible that tomorrow their very foundations may begin to crumble...

...The thirty-three (German Communists) signed the Blanquist manifesto because they have become convinced that to avoid the various way stations and compromises it is only necessary to will it, and that when the day of uprising arrives and they seize power they will immediately establish Communism...

...In his political activity he is *a man of action.' He believes that a small, well-organized minority, by staging a revolutionary uprising at an opportune moment, can by a few successes carry with it the great masses of the people, and thus achieve a successful revolution...

...Fifty out of the ninety approved the idea of working "toward a Socialist order...

...This was in 1895, when he was old and ill, on the verge of death...

...We must be prepared to hold on for a long time, without growing weary and impatient, or* losing courage, and at the same time we must be prepared to throw ourselves into a new mass movement in order to give it the necessary direction and form...

...He learned that a true revolutionist must not permit himself to be dominated by impatience...

...This is even true of some mature thinkers, who perceive in such theories the expression of a revolutionary tendency...

...It was not enough for them to , declare that they were atheists...

...They organize, conspire, publish leaflets and newspapers, and seek to delude themselves with the idea that everything will be altered within 24 hoars...

...Seventy out of the ninety voted in favor of this last item...

...They, too, wish to appear very revolutionary, to avoid stopping at way stations and to eschew compromises...

...Blanquism at Work Today Engels ridiculed all this as nonsense...

...The fact is, however, that no Social Democrat will insist on stopping at way stations or will accept compromises if it would be possible to avoid this, i.e., if the historic circumstances permitted...

...Engels continues: "Our London I Blanquists take as their basis the idea that revolutions do not come naturally but that they are made by a comparatively small number of people, in accordance with a " previously prepared plan, and that ' this can be accomplished at will...

...Out of these only nine are recognizable as members of the Socialist [Party, and these Socialists- were not put on the list as Socialists but because of their standing in con! nection with ideas or organizations...

...headquarters in this city, at 162, Rue de Laeken...

...But he knew how to learn by experience...

...Those who make the distinction between "revolutionists" and "reformists" are people who believe that a revolution is always possible, and that if the revolution fails to materialize it is due entirely to the cowardice and incom* petence of "reformist" leaders...

...God and religion can only profit by it...

...We Marxists have frequently made the mistake of exaggerating the speed of social development even though not the character and significance of its direction...

...Engels sought to show that after 1 the blood bath of the Paris Commune of 1871 the workers needed ; a certain period of rest "to gather new strength, and that any premature attempt at another up' rising would bring -only another failure...

...But the Blanquists thought differently...

...And as they refuse to perceive inevitable historic circumstances, and fail to realize that these circumstances constitute the true reason for their defeats, they seek the cause in the accidental mistakes committed by this or that person...

...It is quite clear* that Blanqui is a revolutionist of the past generation...

...On this matter of violent insurrection, then, the American intellectuals vote No at the rate of ninetythree to four...

...Their program was published in a manifesto, upon which Engels wrote a commentary entitled "Emigre Literature...

...The other seventy are for the most part independent thinkers and writers, excellent representatives of progressive thought in this country...

...New Problems and Old Illusions Some Lessons Pertinent to Our Tasks as Gleamed from Marx's Closest Associate and Collaborator by Social Democrat The author of this article is a world-famous Socialist writer residing in a fascist country, whose name therefore cannot be revealed...

...Such childish theories are possible only for people who at bottom are not really so bloodthirsty, but wish to give the impression of being terrible revolutionists...

...Such 1 train of thinking can lead one only ' from one stupidity to another...

...Concerning the declaration of the Blanquists that they were "revolutionists," Engels says: "With respect to the use of loud, bombastic phrases the Bakuninists, as is well known, have attained a degree beyond that yet reached by any human beings, but the Blanquists consider it their duty to outdo even the followers of Bakunin...

...therefore, to familiarize ourselves with some of these .similarities to clarify our under.standing of our own tasks...

...Revolutionists and Reformists Friedrich Engels shows us how ridiculous is this conception...

...More than- sixty out of the ninety voted for public ownership and operation of the following industries and properties: transportation systems, communications, radio, banks, public ^utilities, all underlying natural resources (including coal, oil, gas, minerals, large forests and water power...

...By "Social Democrat" 4")L'R period has brought forward a mass of extraor'dinary problem* the solution of iarhich requires an objective api^raisal of events...

...This is precisely the idea that came into my mind while reading over what Friedrich Engels -wrote sixty years ago about the Trench revolutionist, Louis Auguste Blanqui...

...They don't believe in miracles...

...Unfortunately, to this day there are Socialists, young and old, who have embraced this theory in effect...

...Blanquism in Oar Time Engels could not foresee from the vantage point of his period that fifty years later a'new geni eration would reproduce such revo- lutionists, who would even lay I claim to being the only true . Marxists...

...To forbid religion is to outdo Bismarck in the fight between the church and the enlightenment in Germany...

...by non-violent means, it will probably provoke forcible resistance byreactionaries which cannot be suppressed without violence...

...But this is not sur- prising when we consider that - since the World War our society - has become a wild mixture of all » sorts of elements in which things most modern clash with the primitive and the barbarian...

...They have got beyond the Santa Claus period in revolutionary thinking...

...When in 1874 he argued that another uprising such as that of the Paris Commune could not be carried out successfully, he did so not because he was averse to seeing such a successful uprising, but because he perceived that it would be foolish to expect it...

...He is a Socialist only insofar as he is governed by his own emotions...

...What Enqels Teaches Us It would be a mistake to think, however, that Engels was not sufficiently revolutionary...

...The French emigres of the Paris Com aHune have suffered the same fate...

...Engels commented on this as follows: "It is most uncritical to hold that the Commune was sacred, that it made no mistakes and could make no mistakes...

...In considering ;rhese problems we will observe Certain similarities with previous periods of reaction...

...Engels then touches upon the exit of the Blanquists from the First International, presenting also a characterization of Blanqui...

...And the final aim is abolition of classes and establishment of a society without private ownership of land and the means of production...

...The Blanquists took an active part in the Paris Communejof 1871, 'and after its collapse they settled In London...

...Among Socialists and labor people there is a general notion that our writers and thinkers have gone haywire, that they are so far off toward the left that they are of no use to the labor movement...

...and at any time...

...They are not really as novel as some may think, for they have presented themselves on previous occasions...

...Of this Engels said: i "Our Blanquists have a characteri is tic common with the Bakuninists , (followers of Michael Bakunin, the i Anarchist) in that they seek to embrace at one stroke the most i extreme objectives, to be the repI resentatives of the most extreme i tendency...

...The result is that they do not stop accusing one another, and the consequence is general war...

...Childish Conceptions Revived To follow such a policy is to make a theory of childish conceptions, naivete, irresponsibility and impatience...

...It is against such a policy that Engels warned us sixty years age...

...Events and developments since then have confirmed the wisdom of his warning and have made It even more real...

...Four persons chose to be represented by the following sentence, "a Socialist order can be established onlyi by violent insurrection...

...Removal of headquarters from Zurich, Switzerland, where it has been for several years, was undertaken primarily because of high Swiss exchange rates, but the new headquarters has the additional advantage of being a day closer by mail to the larger Socialist prties...

...Such conceptions ' lead only to self-deception...

...But even Engels permitted himself at times to be deceived by revolutionary impatience...

...This should be a lesson to us...

...What Engels wrote applies not only to the Blanquists of his day but also to the Bolsheviks of our day, to their atheist movement as embodied in the so-called "Association of the Godless...

...But calm consideration of such acts leads one to deplore them and to hope they will not be repeated...

...Very soon, however, disagreements developed between them and the International, from which they seceded in 1872 'because •*it eschewed the revolutionary road," and formed an independent group called "The Revolutionary Commune...

...Ninety-seven votes were cast with regard to this part of the questionnaire...

...But he has no Socialist theory and no practical proposals for action to improve the condition of the masses...

...At the same time they seek to maintain contact with the homeland...

...They went so far as to assert that "atheism, it is self-evident, is the accepted doctrine of all European working class parties...

...Otherwise there is no use being Communists...

...Engels wrote: "Fundamentally, Blanqui is a political revolutionist...

...The future belongs to the working class and to democracy, but it is foolish to waste time arguing as to when our victory will come...

...The ninety persons whose answers are tabulated represent a cross-section of college professors, technical experts, social reformers, clergymen and writers...

...The Blanquists, however, took the position that unequivocal approval of such actions constituted the test of a real revolutionist...

...As regards Communism, the Blanquists proclaimed it to be their faith in order to emphasize their .radicalism as distinguished from the principles and organization of the Social Democracy...

...Another ten are persons who have been members of the Socialist Party or who are closely cennected with it...

...To this Engels replied, with particular reference to the Blanquists in Germany: "The German Com- j munists are Communists because beyond the various way stations and compromises, which are not necessitated by human beings but by the process of historical development, they see clearly the final aim, and are striving to attain it...

...Here we have the opinions, not of one or two smart men, but of nearly a hundred representative persons who are in opinion-forming positions...

...With relation to definite steps toward change the majorities are even larger...

...Engels then points out that all such attempts are doomed to failure...

...To the very end of his life he burned with revolutionary impatience...

...It would be IKlpful...

...Even the Bolsheviks have begun to perceive the silliness of the extremes to which they have permitted themselves to go in this respect...

...We are Communists," they wrote in their program, "because we wish to drive toward our aim without stopping at way stations, without making compromises which would only deter victory and prolong the rule of slavery...

...The social conditions of his time were so complex and democracy was still so undeveloped that it was difficult to evaluate events and factors in their proper perspective, and to foresee developments with unfailing clarity...