lasses.
In the early nineties Engels saw the beginning of this change, and, in
what Sombart rightly says may be looked upon as a kind of "political
last will and testament" to the movement, Engels writes: "The time for
small minorities to place themselves at the head of the ignorant masses
and resort to force in order to bring about revolutions is gone. A
complete change in the organization of society can be brought about only
by the conscious cooeperation of the masses; they must be alive to the
aim in view; they must know what they want. The history of the last
fifty years has taught that. But, if the masses are to understand the
line of action that is necessary, we must work hard and continuously to
bring it home to them. That, indeed, is what we are now engaged upon,
and our success is driving our opponents to despair. The irony of
destiny is turning everything topsy-turvy. We, the 'revolutionaries,'
are profiting more by lawful than by unlawful and revolutionary means.
The parties of order, as they call themselves, are being slowly
destroyed by their own weapons. Their cry is that of Odilon Barrot:
'Lawful means are killing us.'... We, on the contrary, are thriving on
them, our muscles are strong, and our cheeks are red, and we look as
though we intend to live forever!"[8]

And if lawful means are killing them, so are science and democracy. We
no longer live in an age when any suggestion of change is deemed a
sacrilege. The period has gone by when political, social, and industrial
institutions are supposed to be unalterable. No one believes them
fashioned by Divinity, and there is nothing so sacred in the worldly
affairs of men that it cannot be questioned. There is no law, or
judicial decision, or decree, or form of property, or social status that
cannot be critically examined; and, if men can agree, none is so firmly
established that it cannot be changed. It is agreed that men shall be
allowed to speak, write, and propagate their views on all questions,
whether religious, political, or industrial. In theory, at least, all
authority, law, administrative institutions, and property relations are
decided ultimately in the court of the people. Through their press these
things may be discussed. On their platform these things may be approved
or denounced. In their assemblies there is freedom to make any
declaration for or against things as they are. And through their votes
and representatives there is not one institutio