The priest has explained
that the perpetual presence of the poor is necessitated by a law of God;
the economist has proved its necessity by a law of Nature; and between
them they have succeeded in convincing the labourers of the hopelessness
of any opposition to the capitalist system.--Q. How is it that the
labourers cannot see for themselves that they are legally robbed? A.
Because the present method of extracting their surplus value is one of
fraud rather than of force, and has grown gradually."[338]

The philosopher of British Socialism well sums up the aims and policy
of the Socialists. He says: "What is vital in Socialism? In the first
line, I take it, come

"1. The collectivisation of _all_ the instruments of production by
_any_ effective means;

"2. The doctrine of the Class War as the general historical method of
realising the new form of society;

"3. The principle of internationalism, the recognition, _i.e._ that
distinction of nationality sinks into nothingness before the idea of
the union of all progressive races in the effort to realise the ideal
of true society as understood by the Social-Democratic Party;

"4. The utmost freedom of physical, moral, and intellectual
development for each and all consistent with the necessities of an
organised social State.

"The Socialist's adhesion to the doctrine of the Class War involves
his opposition to all measures subserving the interest of any section
of capitalism. This coupled with his 'Internationalism' leaves him no
choice but to be the enemy of 'his country' and the friend of his
country's enemies whenever 'his country' (which means of course the
dominant classes of his country, who always are for that matter his
enemies) plays the game of the capitalist. Let us have no humbug! The
man who cannot on occasion be (if needs be) the declared and active
enemy of that doubtful entity, 'his country,' is no Social
Democrat."[339]

"Justice being henceforth identified with confiscation, and injustice
with the right of property, there remains only the question of 'ways
and means.' Our bourgeois apologist, admitting as he must that the
present possessors of land and capital hold possession of them simply
by right of superior force, can hardly refuse to admit the right of
the proletariat organised to that end to take possession of them by
right of superior force. The only question remaining is, How? And the
only answer is, How you can."[340]

FOOTNOTES:

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