British Socialism Part 46

British Anarchists are closely watching the British Socialist Labour movement, which they wish to lead into Anarchist channels. Thus we learn from an Anarchist monthly: "The question of the position to be taken in relation to the labour movement is certainly one of the greatest importance to Anarchists. It does not suffice for us to form groups for propaganda and for revolutionary action. We must convert as far as possible the ma.s.s of the workers, because without them we can neither overthrow the existing society nor reconst.i.tute a new one. And since to rise from the submissive state in which the great majority of the proletarians now vegetate to a conception of Anarchism and a desire for its realisation, is required an evolution which generally is not pa.s.sed through under the sole influence of the propaganda; since the lessons derived from the facts of daily life are more efficacious than all doctrinaire preaching, it is for us to take an active part in the life of the ma.s.ses and to use all the means which circ.u.mstances permit to gradually awaken the spirit of revolt, and to show by these facts the path which leads to emanc.i.p.ation. Amongst these means the Labour movement stands first, and we should be wrong to neglect it. In this movement we find numbers of workers who struggle for the amelioration of their conditions. They may be mistaken as to the aim they have in view and as to the means of attaining it, and in our view they generally are. But at least they no longer resign themselves to oppression nor regard it as just--they hope and they struggle. We can more easily arouse in them that feeling of solidarity towards their exploited fellow-workers and of hatred against exploitation, which must lead to a definitive struggle for the abolition of all domination of man over man."[1086] Anarchists therefore constantly try to influence the British Socialist Labour movement. When, for instance, in the autumn of 1907 the possibility of a railway strike was being discussed, Anarchists did their best to bring about a revolutionary struggle: "The railway crisis must have shown very clearly that if the men had but the will, they have the power to bring about at any time a revolutionary situation in the struggle of labour against capital. Some day they will have to do this, for the conditions of the conflict will leave them no choice. They will perhaps learn also that the glorification of a man like Bell--whose fooling of their cause is his method of advertis.e.m.e.nt--means putting powers into one man's hands that no man ought to possess. Nothing could be more absurd than the prolongation of this 'crisis' which has been done so that one man might have the centre of the stage, while hundreds of thousands of men toil on in suspense.

Bell is everything: the workers are mere cyphers. Yet this man is mistrusted by many; and everyone knows how on occasion he can join the feast of the directors and be one of them. And if generalship were needed, what an a.s.s this would be to attempt to lead the men to victory! Successful strikes are never made by the farcical tactics of a Bell. Recognition, forsooth! They'll recognise you when you strike.

Workers, watch your leaders!"[1087]

In view of the connection existing between British Socialism and Anarchism, it is but natural that Socialists have become the apologists of Anarchism. "The vulgar notion that Anarchism is a synonym for disorder is as nearly as possible the reverse of the truth. It is Governments and Laws that do all the mischief. They produce the very evils they pretend to remedy."[1088] "Verily the State is the evil. Back to the land. Back to the simple life. Away with Governments, palavers, Dumas, and Courts of Law. Long live the Commune."[1089]

Anarchists contend that the "Social Revolution" for which most Socialists strive will become an Anarchist revolution: "If the workers succeed by revolt in destroying the mutual insurance society of landlords, bankers, priests, judges, and soldiers; if the people become masters of their destiny for a few months, and lay hands on the riches they have created and which belong to them by right--will they really begin to reconst.i.tute that blood-sucker, the State[1090]?" "On the day when ancient inst.i.tutions splinter into fragments before the axe of the proletariat, voices will be heard shouting: Bread for all!

Lodging for all! Right for all to the comforts of life! And these voices will be heeded. The people will say to themselves: Let us begin by satisfying our thirst for the life, the joy, the liberty we have never known. And when all have tasted happiness we will set to work; the work of demolishing the last vestiges of middle-cla.s.s rule, with its account-book morality, its philosophy of debit and credit, its inst.i.tutions of mine and thine. 'While we throw down we shall be building' as Proudhon said, 'we shall build in the name of Communism and of Anarchy."[1091] Anarchists are authorities on revolutions. Very likely Prince Kropotkin's view is right.

There are two kinds of Anarchists: Philosophic Anarchists who propagate their views by speech and pen, and Anarchists of action who propagate their views by dynamite and dagger, and the former are responsible for the crimes of the latter. Many British Socialists defend not only philosophic Anarchism, but also that form of Anarchism which finds its expression in murder.

Leading British Socialists refer, for instance, to the four Anarchists, Spies, Fischer, Engel, and Parsons, the heroes of the Chicago bomb outrage, who were responsible for the death of six policemen and for the wounding of about sixty, and who were hanged in November 1886 in Chicago, as "martyrs,"[1092] and British Socialists are urged to follow the glorious footsteps of the Chicago Anarchists:

Then on to revolution, boys! Keep Freedom's highway broad.

The path where Spies and Parsons fell--as fearlessly they trod; And though we fall as they fell--millions follow on the road, To carry the Red Flag to victory.[1093]

The sympathy which British Socialists feel for the Chicago Anarchists arises from the similarity of their aims. The programme of the American Anarchists was, according to the Pittsburg proclamation, as follows:

(1) Destruction of the existing cla.s.s rule, by all means, _i.e._ by energetic, relentless, revolutionary, and international action. (2) Establishment of a free Society based upon co-operative organisation of production. (3) Free exchange of equivalent products by and between the productive organisations without commerce and profit-mongery. (4) Organisation of education on a secular, scientific, and equal basis for both s.e.xes. (5) Equal rights for all without distinction of s.e.x or race. (6) Regulation of all public affairs by free contracts between the autonomous (independent) communes and a.s.sociations resting on a federalists basis.[1094]

The att.i.tude of many leading British Socialists towards the murdering of monarchs and statesmen may be gauged from the following extracts: "On the occasion of the a.s.sa.s.sination of any potentate or statesman, the public opinion of the possessing cla.s.s and its organs is lashed up to a white heat of artificial fury and indignation against the perpetrator, while they have nothing but approbation for the functionary--military or civil--who puts to death a fellow-creature in the course of what they are pleased to call his duty. Evidently force and bloodshed, when contrary to the interests of the possessing cla.s.s, is a monstrous crime, but when it is in their favour it becomes a duty and a necessity."[1095] "We believe the 'potting' of the 'heads' of States to be a foolish and reprehensible policy, but the matter does not concern us as Socialists. We have our own quarrel with the Anarchists, both as to principles and tactics, but that is no reason why, as certain persons seem to think, we should put on sackcloth and ashes, and dissolve ourselves in tears because, say, M. Carnot or the head of any other State has been a.s.sa.s.sinated by Anarchists. What is Carnot to us or we to Carnot, that we should weep for him? We do not specially desire the death of political personages, while we often regret their slaying on grounds of expediency, if on no others. But at the same time Socialists have no sentimental tears to waste over the heads of States and their misfortunes. To the Socialist the head of a State, as such, is simply a figure-head to whose fate he is indifferent--a ninepin representing the current political and social order."[1096]

We're low, we're low, we're very very low.

And yet when the trumpets ring.

The thrust of a poor man's arm will go Through the heart of the proudest king.[1097]

The "Socialist Annual" contains in its calendar pages numerous items under the heading "For the Working Cla.s.s to Remember," which is filled with Socialist dates such as "birth of Mr. Blatchford," and with the records of the most conspicuous Anarchist, Nihilist, and Revolutionary crimes. Details regarding the deeds of Orsini and Louise Michel, Jack Cade and Wat Tyler, the execution of Louis XVI.

and Marie Antoinette, the a.s.sa.s.sination of Presidents Lincoln, McKinley, and Carnot, the attempt on King Alfonso, and other facts are there recorded--"for the working cla.s.s to remember." Earlier or later the Socialist-Communist-Anarchist agitation in Great Britain may, and very likely will, lead to Anarchist outrages.

FOOTNOTES:

[1073] Prince Kropotkin, _Anarchism_, p. 16.

[1074] B. Shaw, _The Impossibilities of Anarchism_, p. 24.

[1075] Davidson, _The Democrat's Address_, p. 15.

[1076] Bax, _Paris Commune_, p. 35.

[1077] Bax, _Essays in Socialism_, pp. 98, 99.

[1078] Davidson, _Christ, State, and Commune_, pp. 16, 17.

[1079] _Ibid._ p. 6.

[1080] Blatchford, _G.o.d and My Neighbour_, p. 195.

[1081] Thompson, _That Blessed Word Liberty_, p. 13.

[1082] Davidson, _The Old Order and the New_, p. 172.

[1083] Kropotkin, _Anarchism_, p. 8.

[1084] Brockhaus, _Konversations Lexikon_, vol. i. p. 578.

[1085] Shaw, _The Impossibilities of Anarchism_, p. 26.

[1086] _Freedom_, November 1907.

[1087] _Freedom_, November 1907.

[1088] Davidson, _Christ, State, and Commune_, p. 22.

[1089] _Ibid._ p. 31.

[1090] Kropotkin, _Anarchism_, p. 19.

[1091] Kropotkin, _The Wage System_, p. 15.

[1092] See Leatham, _Lives of the Chicago Martyrs_.

[1093] _Social-Democratic Federation Song Book_, p. 35.

[1094] Bliss, _Encyclopedia of Social Reform_, p. 63.

[1095] Bax and Quelch, _A New Catechism of Socialism_, p. 31.

[1096] Bax, _A Short History of the Paris Commune_, p. 78.

[1097] _Independent Labour Party Song Book_, p. 33.

CHAPTER x.x.xI

SOCIALISM AND REVOLUTION

The "Socialist Catechism" contains the following pa.s.sage: "Q. How are forms of government changed so as to readjust them to the economical changes in the forms of production which have been silently evolving in the body of society? A. By means of revolution.--Q. Give an instance of this? A. The French Revolution of 1789."[1098]

Many British Socialists are revolutionaries. They hope to introduce Socialism into Great Britain by revolutionary means. They have studied the French revolutions, and have become pupils of the French revolutionary leaders. "Socialism is essentially revolutionary, politically and economically, as it aims at the complete overthrow of existing economic and political conditions. We should organise and be prepared for what might be described as a revolutionary outbreak. The economic changes which are taking place, and the corresponding changes in other conditions, are bringing about a revolutionary transformation in human society, and what we have to do is to help on this development, and to prepare the way for it."[1099] "We Socialists are not reformers; we are revolutionists. We Socialists do not propose to change forms. We care nothing for forms. We want a change of the inside of the mechanism of society; let the form take care of itself."[1100] British Socialism was founded by revolutionary Communists. Marx was a revolutionary. "For a number of years the late William Morris, the greatest man whom the Socialist movement has yet claimed in this country, held and openly preached this doctrine of cataclysmic upheaval and sudden overthrow of the ruling cla.s.ses."[1101] That idea has been revived by modern British Socialists, many of whom believe that "The only effective way to induce the ruling cla.s.s to attempt to palliate the evils of their system is to organise the workers for the overthrow of that system."[1102] "In the International Socialist movement we are at last in the presence of a force which is gathering unto itself the rebel spirits of all lands and uniting them into a mighty host to do battle, not for the triumph of a sect, or of a race, but for the overthrow of a system which has filled the world with want and woe. 'Workers of the world, unite!' wrote Karl Marx; 'you have a world to win and nothing to lose but your chains.' And they are uniting under the crimson banner of a world-embracing principle which knows nor sect, nor creed, nor race, and which offers new life and hope to all created beings--the glorious gospel of Socialism."[1103]

In many respects the French Revolution has served as a model to British Socialists of the Anarchist-Revolutionary type. They have adopted its outward emblems, its songs, and its most effective catch-phrases: "Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity was the brave and splendid legend inscribed on the blood-red banners of the French Revolutionists. And in strange ways the oppressed and hunger-maddened people sought to realise their ideal. It is still the battle-cry of the English Socialists--indeed, of the world-wide Socialist movement."[1104] In the Socialist song-books a translation of the "Ma.r.s.eillaise" is to be found, which is sung at Socialist gatherings:

Shall hateful tyrants, mischief-breeding, With hireling hosts, a ruffian band, Affright and desolate the land, While Peace and Liberty lie bleeding?

To arms! to arms, ye brave!

The avenging sword unsheathe!

March on! March on! all hearts resolved On Liberty or death.[1105]