LIBERALISM, SOCIALISM, FASCISM, AND WAR
Barnes, Harry Elmer
Liberalism, Socialism, Fascism, And War By HARRY ELMER BARNES EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first of two articles by Mr. Barnes on the general subject, "Ideologies, Isms, Peace, and War." The second...
...The slogan of liberals was to battle for "a free world"—to "fight for freedom...
...Most of the liberal pacifists of the United States supported the Civil War as a conflict against slavery and in behalf of freedom...
...Akin to socialism in this respect has been the contention of Henry George and his associates that monopoly, especially monopoly in land, is the chief cause of way...
...They were not a whit dismayed by the fact that among their associates in this crusade for democracy were the Tsar of Russia and the Mikado of Japan...
...Most of the great American peace leaders were valiant liberals...
...The latter is, they freely admit, fought for glory and aggrandizement* Whether fascism must inevitably promote war is uncertain, but presumably it would...
...They demand the destruction of the state and the establishment of voluntary cooperative communities...
...It frankly exalts nationalism and militarism, and hence does not seeft any idealistic rationalization of war...
...They hold that when an international socialistic regime has been established there will be no more war...
...One of the most notable examples of the liberal assault upon war was the crusade for free trade carried on by James Mill, Richard Cobden, and John Bright in England, and Frederic Bastiat in France, in the middle of the 19th Century...
...Fascism, however repulsive in many other respects, has been the one ideology which has escaped hypocrisy and rationalization in this respect...
...Still, leading crusaders against monopoly, such as George Norris and Thurman Arnold, found no difficulty in rationalizing World War II as a crusade for human betterment...
...English liberals also tended to support the cause of the North and Union...
...Liberals hailed the war that liberated Greece and other Balkan states and liberated and unified Italy...
...But the socialists eulogize class warfare, designed to overthrow nationalism and capitalism and to install the socialist regime...
...He held that protectionism and colonialism were the chief causes of war...
...Britain enjoyed free trade until World War I, but there was no indication of a more pacific temper on the part of responsible British statesmen...
...Germany and Italy were, however, incited to war more by their need for territory and resources than by mere fascist ideology...
...Liberals were chiefly responsible for bringing on World War II and for extending and prolonging it...
...The dominant clique among the socialists might go to war frequently to suppress divergent and antagonistic socialist groups...
...Potonie-Pierre, Passy and Lemonnier, in France, were liberals and democrats and held that the progress of liberalism, republicanism, and democracy would surely curb war...
...Indeed, there is no certainty that universal socialism would end war...
...Yet, in almost every war, the liberals have been leaders in the war spirit and propaganda...
...Kant had so held over a half century earlier...
...And Spanish anarchists fought loyally in behalf of the Spanish Civil War...
...And they are committed to the incitement of violent proletarian revolutions throughout the world to insure the triumph of socialism everywhere...
...Liberals And War Liberals and radicals were the chief supporters of the American Revolution...
...And never before had liberal rationalization of a war in the guise of a crusade for freedom been so expansive and uncritical...
...THE relation of the great political and economic ideologies or "Isms" to the question of peace and war is an interesting one...
...The intense hatred among contending socialist groups today would seem to confirm this dolorous apprehension...
...Indeed, the realistic American pacifist, Alfred Love, insisted that the chief effect of free trade had been to promote wars to extend its scope of operation...
...Following the spirit of Washington's Farewell Address, he urged strict isolation and non-intervention...
...They have justified this by sheer rationalization, which invariably takes the form of discovering that each successive war is a war for the cause of liberalism and freedom...
...Whatever their contrasts, all of the great ideologies, save for fascism, have condemned war in theory, but they have accomplished little in ending war, and all of them, individualistic liberals and socialists alike, have usually united in supporting any war waged by the country of their residence...
...The liberals in England, France, and the United States were the most lyrical of all in supporting World War I, which they portrayed as a war for democracy...
...Fascism Exalts Militarism Yet, it is probable that socialism would reduce war by eliminating some of its outstanding causes, and the Russian Soviet Government made the best peace showing of any major power between the two World Wars by sincerely supporting realistic disarmament proposals and advocating a system of collective security...
...They find that every particular war that their country enters, is a "different war" from the type of wars that they have earlier condemned...
...The Socialist Reaction The most extreme of the individualists are, of course, the anarchists...
...There have been few examples of greater brutality and violence than in Stalin's purges of his opponents, however necessary this may have been to assure Russian unity and stability...
...While there is much to be said for Cobden's position, there is little evidence that free trade prevents wars...
...The liberals and republicans took the lead in the peace movement...
...If free trade could be assured and colonies abandoned, peace would surely result...
...And many of our moderate socialists are far more bitter towards Deacon Stalin than are our rich capitalists...
...The socialists regard nationalism and capitalism as the chief cause of war and oppose capitalistic wars...
...The second will appear in an early issue...
...This reformation would probably reduce, if not end, warfare, but even the anarchists justified war and force to overthrow the state...
...Cobden carried his individualistic liberalism resolutely over into his attitude towards international relations...
...It might well bring about a situation comparable to the wars against the heretics in the Middle Ages...
...Richard Cobden (1804-1865) was the leader of this group...
...The case of Norman Thomas and Joseph Davies immediately comes to mind...
...But, in fighting for their new social system, the Russians hare demonstrated a gallantry and fanaticism never exceed* ed in the history of warfare...
Vol. 9 • April 1945 • No. 15
