Such was the aim of German philosophy, theology, law and science. The
establishment of ONE AIM for all was the decisive factor. It is obvious
that if we want to inspire 60 Millions of individuals with one aim, this
aim can not be private or personal. It must be a higher aim, collective,
general, impersonal, in some way uniting and including all personal aims.
I shall call it simply a _collective_ aim. But collective aims may differ
profoundly in kind; out of personal or egoistic aims there grows a series
of collective aims, increasing in generality, such as: (1) Family aims;
(2) association, congregation, club aims; (3) class or professional aims;
(4) national or race aims; and finally (5) HUMAN AIMS--the natural aims for
the time-binding class of life. The fatal error of German political
philosophy was an error of aim--her aim was too low--too narrow--the welfare
of a state instead of the welfare of Humanity.

In the case of Germany, the national aim was equivalent to the state aim.
German philosophy made the "state" equivalent to the "good" and equivalent
to "power." Of course such philosophy influenced the whole national life
in every detail; in consequence Germany proclaimed herself the first
nation of the world, and this soon evolved into a plan for the conquest of
the world. The German General Staff as an institution had, par excellence,
as its aim and first object, "power," "concentration of power" and
"efficiency." It took the leadership in all branches of life and industry.
Militarism and industrialism are almost synonymous from the mechanical
point of view; they are both of them power. They both have to use the same
scientific methods and in the _present_ conditions of the world they are
dependent upon each other, for war cannot be waged without strong
industries. Here we have to face the fact that geometrically progressing
industry can not live without new markets, which under present conditions
have been largely acquired, directly or indirectly, by the power of the
army; and this has been the case with Germany. If we curse Germany for
being a "military nation" we can, with no less justice, curse her for
being a _completely_ "industrialized nation." If we add to that her
nationally selfish and narrow national aim, we will readily understand
this "world peach." Those who have tasted it know something of its
sweetness.

There is no need to go into further details. Special books give us all the
data. That whic