t they are bound to operate_. Neither
"statesmen of genius" nor "inflammatory demagogues" can direct events at
will. They may imagine they push; but are themselves pushed. But we are
near the time when "the hour has sounded."

Due to her own peculiar development, Germany, more than any other
country, seems designated as that which is to assume the leading _role_
in the pending revolution.[236]

In the course of this work we often spoke of an over-production of
goods, which brings on the crises. This is a phenomenon peculiar to the
capitalist world only; it was seen at no previous period of human
development.

But the capitalist world yields not merely an over-production of goods
and of men, it also yields _an over-production of intelligence_. Germany
is the classic land in which this over-production of intelligence, which
the bourgeois world no longer knows what to do with, is yielded on a
large scale. A circumstance, that for centuries was a misfortune to
Germany's development, has largely contributed to this state of things.
It consisted in the multiplicity of small States and the check exercised
by these political formations upon the development of upper capitalism.
The multiplicity of small States decentralized the intellectual life of
the nation: it raised numerous small centers of culture, and these
exercised their influence upon the whole. In comparison with a large
central government, the numerous small ones required an extraordinarily
large administrative apparatus, whose members needed a certain degree of
higher culture. Thus high schools and universities sprung up more
numerous than in any other country of Europe. The jealousy and ambition
of the several governments played in this no small _role_. The same
thing repeated itself when some governments began introducing compulsory
education for the people. The passion not to be left behind a
neighboring State had here its good effect. The demand for intelligence
rose when increasing culture, hand in hand with the material progress of
the bourgeoisie, quickened the longing for political activity, popular
representation and self-government on the part of municipalities. These
were small governmental bodies for small countries and circles,
nevertheless they contributed towards the general schooling, and caused
the sons of the bourgeoisie to covet seats in them and to adapt their
education accordingly.

As science, so did art fare.--No country of Europe has, rel