ferri enrico - socialism and modern science

8/20/2019 Ferri Enrico - Socialism and Modern Science

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SOCIALISM AND MODERN SCIENCE

(DARWIN, SPENCER, MARX)

BY

ENRICO FERRI

TRANSLATED BY

R OBERT R IVES LA MONTE

THIRD EDITION

CHICAGO

CHARLES H. KERR & COMPANY

1917

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• Preface. • Introduction.

I.

THE THREE ALLEGED CONTRADICTIONS BETWEENDARWINISM AND SOCIALISM.

• Virchow And Haeckel at the Congress of Munich. o a) he e!ualit" of indi#iduals.o b) he struggle for life and its #icti$s.o c) he sur#i#al of the fittest.

SOCIALISM AS A CONSE2ENCE OF DARWINISM.

• %ocialis$ and religious &eliefs. • he indi#idual and the s'ecies. • he struggle for life and the class(struggle.

II.

EVOL2TION AND SOCIALISM.

• he orthodo thesis and the socialist thesis confronted &" the theor" ofe#olution.

•

he law of a''arent retrogression and collecti#e ownershi'. • he social e#olution and indi#idual li&ert". • *#olution.+,e#olution.+,e&ellion.+Violence.

III.

SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIALISM.

• %terilit" of sociolog". • Mar co$'letes -arwin And %'encer. Conser#ati#es and socialists. • A''endi I. +,e'l" to %'encer• A''endi II. +%ocialist su'erstition and indi#idualist $"o'ia

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A'#3/ P#*04*.

(For the French Edition.

)

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his #olu$e+which it has &een desired to $ake known to the great 'u&lic in the/rench language+in entering u'on a !uestion so co$'le and so #ast as socialis$0 has

&ut a single and definite ai$.

M" intention has &een to 'oint out0 and in nearl" all cases &" ra'id and concise

o&ser#ations0 the general relations eisting &etween conte$'orar" socialis$ and thewhole trend of $odern scientific thought.

he o''onents of conte$'orar" socialis$ see in it0 or wish to see in it0 $erel" are'roduction of the senti$ental socialis$ of the first half of the 1ineteenth Centur".he" contend that socialis$ is in conflict with the funda$ental facts and inductions of the 'h"sical0 &iological and social sciences0 whose $ar#elous de#elo'$ent and fruitfula''lications are the glor" of our d"ing centur".

o o''ose socialis$0 recourse has &een had to the indi#idual inter'retations andeaggerations of such or [Pg ] such a 'artisan of -arwinis$0 or to the o'inions of suchor such a sociologist+o'inions and inter'retations in oious conflict with the 're$ises

of their theories on uni#ersal and ine#ita&le e#olution.

It has also &een said+under the 'ressure of acute or chronic hunger+that if sciencewas against socialis$0 so $uch the worse for science. And those who thus s'oke wereright if the" $eant &" science+e#en with a ca'ital %+the whole $ass of o&ser#ations and conclusions ad usum delphini that orthodo science0 acade$ic andofficial+often in good faith0 &ut so$eti$es also through interested $oti#es+hasalwa"s 'laced at the dis'osal of the ruling $inorities.

I ha#e &elie#ed it 'ossi&le to show that $odern e'eriential science is in co$'letehar$on" with conte$'orar" socialis$0 which0 since the work of Mar and *ngels and

their successors0 differs essentiall" fro$ senti$ental socialis$0 &oth in its scientifics"ste$ and in its 'olitical tactics0 though it continues to 'ut forth generous efforts for the attain$ent of the sa$e goal4 social 5ustice for all $en.

I ha#e lo"all" and candidl" $aintained $" thesis on scientific grounds6 I ha#e alwa"srecogni7ed the 'artial truths of the theories of our o''onents0 and I ha#e not ignored theglorious achie#e$ents of the &ourgeoisie and &ourgeois science since the out&reak of the /rench ,e#olution. he disa''earance of the &ourgeois class [Pg 8] and science0which0 at their ad#ent $arked the disa''earance of the hieratic and aristocratic classesand science0 will result in the triu$'h of social 5ustice for all $ankind0 withoutdistinction of classes0 and in the triu$'h of truth carried to its ulti$ate conse!uences.

he a''endi contains $" re'lies to a letter of Her&ert %'encer and to an anti(socialist &ook of M. 9arofalo. It shows the 'resent state of social science0 and of the struggle &etween ultra(conser#ati#e orthodo"0 which is &linded to the sad truths of conte$'orar" life &" its traditional s"llogis$s and inno#ating heterodo" which is e#er

&eco$ing $ore $arked a$ong the learned0 as well as strengthening its hold u'on thecollecti#e intelligence.

* 1,IC: /*,,I.

;russels0 1o#.0 .


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I+'#54'$+.

Con#inced -arwinian and %'encerian0 as I a$0 it is $" intention to de$onstrate that

Marian %ocialis$+the onl" socialis$ which has a trul" scientific $ethod and #alue0and therefore the onl" socialis$ which fro$ this ti$e forth has 'ower to ins'ire andunite the %ocial -e$ocrats throughout the ci#ili7ed world+is onl" the 'ractical andfruitful fulfil$ent0 in the social life0 of that $odern scientific re#olution which+ inaugurated so$e centuries since &" the re&irth of the e'eri$ental $ethod in all

&ranches of hu$an knowledge+has triu$'hed in our ti$es0 thanks to the works of Charles -arwin and Her&ert %'encer.

It is true that -arwin and es'eciall" %'encer halted when the" had tra#elled onl" half wa" toward the conclusions of a religious0 'olitical or social order0 which necessaril"flow fro$ their indis'uta&le 're$ises. ;ut that is0 as it were0 onl" an indi#idual e'isode0

and has no 'ower to sto' the destined $arch of science and of its 'racticalconse!uences0 which are in wonderful accord[Pg


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FOOTNOTE6

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societies0 neither the rights0 nor the duties0 nor the 'ossessions0 nor the en5o"$ents of allthe $e$&ers of a societ" are or e#er can &e e!ual.

he great law of #ariation teaches+&oth in the general theor" of e#olution and in thes$aller field of &iolog" where it &eco$es the theor" of descent+that the #ariet" of

'heno$ena flows fro$ an original unit"0[Pg


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At all e#ents0 the 'rinci'le of selection is not in the [Pg


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FOOTNOTE6

[2] es 'reu#es du transfor$is$e.+Paris0 0 'age


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$ono'ol" of wealth which accu$ulates &" $eans of hereditar" trans$ission. hiswealth0 $oreo#er0 is onl" #er" rarel" due to the econo$" and a&stinence of the 'resent

'ossessor or of so$e industrious ancestor of his6 it is $ost fre!uentl" the ti$e(honoredfruit of s'oliation &" $ilitar" con!uest0 &" unscru'ulous &usiness $ethods0 or &" thefa#oritis$ of so#ereigns6 &ut it is in e#er" instance alwa"s inde'endent of an" eertion0

of an" sociall" useful la&or of the inheritor0 who often s!uanders his 'ro'ert" in idlenessor in the whirl'ool of a life as inane as it is &rilliant in a''earance.

And0 when we are not confronted with a fortune due to inheritance0 we $eet withwealth due to fraud. ithout talking for the $o$ent of the econo$ic organi7ation0 the$echanis$ of which @arl Mar has re#ealed to us0 and which0 e#en without fraud0nor$all" ena&les the ca'italist or 'ro'ert" owner to li#e u'on his inco$e withoutworking0 it is indis'uta&le that the fortunes which are for$ed or enlarged with thegreatest ra'idit" under our e"es cannot &e the fruit of honest toil. he reall" honestworking$an0 no $atter how indefatiga&le and econo$ical he $a" &e0 if he succeeds inraising hi$self fro$ the state of wage(sla#e to that of an o#erseer or contractor0 can0 &"

a long life of 'ri#ations0 accu$ulate at $ost a few hundreds of dollars. hose who0 onthe contrar"0 without $aking &" their own talent industrial disco#eries or in#entions0accu$ulate in a few "ears $illions0 can &e nothing &ut unscru'ulous $ani'ulators[Pg 2D]of affairs0 if we ece't a few rare strokes of good luck. And it is these #er" 'arasites+

&ankers0 etc.0+who li#e in the $ost ostentatious luur" en5o"ing 'u&lic honors0 andholding offices of trust0 as a reward for their honora&le &usiness $ethods.

hose who toil0 the i$$ense $a5orit"0 recei#e &arel" enough food to kee' the$ fro$d"ing of hunger6 the" li#e in &ack(roo$s0 in garrets0 in the filth" alle"s of cities0 or inthe countr" in ho#els not fit for sta&les for horses or cattle.

;esides all this0 we $ust not forget the horrors of &eing una&le to find work0 the saddestand $ost fre!uent of the three s"$'to$s of that equality in misery which is s'readinglike a 'estilence o#er the econo$ic world of $odern Ital"0 as indeed0 with #ar"ingdegrees of intensit"0 it is e#er"where else.

I refer to the e#er(growing ar$" of the unemployed in agriculture and industr"+of those who ha#e lost their foothold in the lower $iddle class0+and of those who ha#e

&een expropriated Bro&&ed) of their little 'ossessions &" taes0 de&ts or usur".

It is not correct0 then0 to assert that socialis$ de$ands for all citi7ens $aterial andactual e!ualit" of la&or and rewards.

he onl" 'ossi&le e!ualit" is e!ualit" of o&ligation to work in order to li#e0 with aguarantee to e#er" la&orer of conditions of eistence worth" of a hu$an &eing inechange for the la&or furnished to societ".

*!ualit"0 according to socialis$+as ;enoit Malon[Pg 2] said[] +is a relati#e thing0and $ust &e understood in a two(fold sense4


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in the world around us+that will &e necessaril"0 ine#ita&l" acco$'lished in the hu$ansociet" of the da"s to co$e.[8]

his transfor$ation is su$$ed u' in the con#ersion of 'ri#ate or indi#idual ownershi'of the $eans of 'roduction0 i. e. of the 'h"sical foundation of hu$an life Bland0 $ines0

houses0 factories0 $achiner"0 instru$ents of la&or or tools0 and $eans of trans'ortation)into collecti#e or social ownershi'0 &" $eans of $ethods and 'rocesses which I willconsider further on.

/ro$ this 'oint we will consider it as 'ro#en that the first o&5ection of the anti(socialistreasoning does not hold0 since its starting('oint is non(eistent. It assu$es0 in short0 thatconte$'orar" socialis$ ai$s at a chi$erical 'h"sical and $ental e!ualit" of all $en0when the[Pg 2] fact is that scientific and fact(founded socialis$ ne#er0 e#en in a drea$0thought of such a thing.

%ocialis$ $aintains0 on the contrar"0 that this ine!ualit"+though greatl" di$inishedunder a &etter social organi7ation which will do awa" with all the 'h"sical and $ental

i$'erfections that are the cu$ulati#e results of generations of 'o#ert" and $iser"+can0ne#ertheless0 ne#er disa''ear for the reasons that -arwinis$ has disco#ered in the$"sterious $echanis$ of life0 in other words on account of the 'rinci'le of #ariationthat $anifests itself in the continuous de#elo'$ent of s'ecies cul$inating in $an.

In e#er" social organi7ation that it is 'ossi&le to concei#e0 there will alwa"s &e so$e$en large and others s$all0 so$e weak and so$e strong0 so$e 'hleg$atic and so$ener#ous0 so$e $ore intelligent0 others less so0 so$e su'erior in $ental 'ower0 others in$uscular strength6 and it is well that it should &e so6 $oreo#er0 it is ine#ita&le.

It is well that this is so0 &ecause the #ariet" and ine!ualit" of indi#idual a'titudes

naturall" 'roduce that di#ision of la&or that -arwinis$ has rightl" declared to &e a lawof indi#idual 'h"siolog" and of social econo$".

All $en ought to work in order to li#e0 &ut each ought to de#ote hi$self to the kind of la&or which &est suits his 'eculiar a'titudes. An in5urious waste of strength and a&ilitieswould thus &e a#oided0 and la&or would cease to &e re'ugnant0 and would &eco$eagreea&le and necessar" as a condition of 'h"sical and $oral health.

And when all ha#e gi#en to societ" the la&or &est suited to their innate and ac!uireda'titudes0 each has a right[Pg 28] to the sa$e rewards0 since each has e!uall" contri&utedto that solidarit" of la&or which sustains the life of the social aggregate and0 in solidarit"with it0 the life of each indi#idual.

he 'easant who digs the earth 'erfor$s a kind of la&or in a''earance $ore $odest0 &ut 5ust as necessar"0 useful and $eritorious as that of the work$an who &uilds aloco$oti#e0 of the $echanical engineer who i$'ro#es it or of the sa#ant who stri#es toetend the &ounds of hu$an knowledge in his stud" or la&orator".

he one essential thing is that all the $e$&ers of societ" work0 5ust as in the indi#idualorganis$ all the cells 'erfor$ their different functions0 $ore or less $odest ina''earance+for ea$'le0 the ner#e(cells0 the &one(cells or the $uscular cells+&ut all

&iological functions0 or sorts of la&or0 e!uall" useful and necessar" to the life of theorganis$ as a whole.

In the &iological organis$ no li#ing cell re$ains inacti#e0 and the cell o&tainsnourish$ent &" $aterial echanges onl" in 'ro'ortion to its la&or6 in the social

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organis$ no indi#idual ought to li#e without working0 whate#er for$ his la&or $a"take.

In this wa" the $a5orit" of the artificial difficulties that our o''onents raise againstsocialis$ $a" &e swe't aside.

ho0 then0 will &lack the &oots under the socialist regi$eF de$ands M. ,ichter in his &ook so 'oor in ideas0 &ut which &eco$es 'ositi#el" grotes!ue when it assu$es that0 inthe na$e of social e!ualit" the grand chancellor of the socialist societ" will &eo&liged0 &efore attending to the 'u&lic &usiness0 to &lack his own &oots[Pg 2=] and $indhis own clothesG In truth0 if the ad#ersaries of socialis$ had nothing &ut argu$ents of this sort0 discussion would indeed &e needless.

;ut all will want to do the least fatiguing and $ost agreea&le kinds of work0 sa"s so$eone with a greater show of seriousness.

I will answer that this is e!ui#alent to de$anding to(da" the 'ro$ulgation of a decree as

follows4 Henceforth all $en shall &e &orn 'ainters or surgeonsGhe distri&ution to the 'ro'er 'ersons of the different kinds of $ental and $anual la&or will &e effected in fact &" the anthro'ological #ariations in te$'era$ent and character0and there will &e no need to resort to $onkish regulations Banother &aseless o&5ection tosocialis$).

Pro'ose to a 'easant of a#erage intelligence to de#ote hi$self to the stud" of anato$"or of the 'enal code or0 in#ersel"0 tell hi$ whose &rain is $ore highl" de#elo'ed thanhis $uscles to dig the earth0 instead of o&ser#ing with the $icrosco'e. he" will each

'refer the la&or for which the" feel the$sel#es &est fitted.

he changes of occu'ation or 'rofession will not &e as considera&le as $an" i$aginewhen societ" shall &e organi7ed under the collecti#ist regi$e. hen once the industries$inistering to 'urel" personal luur" shall &e su''ressed+luur" which in $ost casesinsults and aggra#ates the $iser" of the $asses+the !uantit" and #ariet" of work willada't the$sel#es graduall"0 that is to sa" naturall"0 to the socialist 'hase of ci#ili7ation

5ust as the" now confor$ to the &ourgeois 'hase.

Moreo#er0 under the socialist regi$e0 e#er" one will[Pg 2>] ha#e the fullest li&ert" todeclare and $ake $anifest his 'ersonal a'titudes0 and it will not ha''en0 as it does to(da"0 that $an" 'easants0 sons of the 'eo'le and of the lower $iddle class0 gifted withnatural talents0 will &e co$'elled to allow their talents to atro'h" while the" toil as

'easants0 working$en or e$'lo"ees0 when the" would &e a&le to furnish societ" adifferent and $ore fruitful kind of la&or0 &ecause it would &e $ore in Har$on" withtheir 'eculiar genius.

he one essential 'oint is this4 In echange for the la&or that the" furnish to societ"0societ" $ust guarantee to the 'easant and the artisan0 as well as to the one who de#oteshi$self to the li&eral careers0 conditions of eistence worth" of a hu$an &eing. hen wewill no longer &e affronted &" the s'ectacle of a &allet girl0 for instance0 earning as$uch in one e#ening &" whirling on her toes as a scientist0 a doctor0 a law"er0 etc.0 in a"earEs work. In fact to(da" the latter are in luck if the" do that well.

Certainl"0 the arts will not &e neglected under the socialist regi$e0 &ecause socialis$wishes life to &e agreea&le for all0 instead of for a 'ri#ileged few onl"0 as it is to(da"6 it


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will0 on the contrar"0 gi#e to all the arts a $ar#elous i$'ulse0 and if it a&olishes 'ri#ateluur" this will &e all the $ore fa#ora&le to the s'lendor of the 'u&lic edifices.

More attention will &e 'aid to assuring to each one re$uneration in 'ro'ortion to thela&or 'erfor$ed. his ratio will &e ascertained &" taking the difficult" and danger of the

la&or into account and allowing the$ to reduce the ti$e re!uired for a gi#enco$'ensation. If a 'easant in the o'en air can work se#en or eight [Pg 3?] hours a da"0 a$iner ought not to work $ore than three or four hours. And0 indeed0 when e#er"&od"shall work0 when $uch un'roducti#e la&or shall &e su''ressed0 the aggregate of dail"la&or to &e distri&uted a$ong $en will &e $uch less hea#" and $ore easil" endured B&"reason of the $ore a&undant food0 $ore co$forta&le lodging and recreation guaranteedto e#er" worker) than it is to(da" &" those who toil and who are so 'oorl" 'aid0 and0

&esides this0 the 'rogress of science a''lied to industr" will render hu$an la&or less andless toilso$e.

Indi#iduals will a''l" the$sel#es to work0 although the wages or re$uneration cannot &e accu$ulated as 'ri#ate wealth0 &ecause if the nor$al0 health"0 well(fed $an a#oidsecessi#e or 'oorl" rewarded la&or0 he does not re$ain in idleness0 since it is a

'h"siological and 's"chological necessit" for hi$ to de#ote hi$self to a dail"occu'ation in har$on" with his ca'acities.

he different kinds of s'ort are for the leisure classes a su&stitute for 'roducti#e la&or which a 'h"siological necessit" i$'oses u'on the$0 in order that the" $a" esca'e thedetri$ental conse!uences of a&solute re'ose and ennui.

he gra#est 'ro&le$ will &e to proportion the re$uneration to the la&or of each. ouknow that collecti#is$ ado'ts the for$ula+to each according to his la&or0 whileco$$unis$ ado'ts this other+to each according to his needs.

1o one can gi#e0 in its practical details0 the solution of this 'ro&le$6 &ut thisi$'ossi&ilit" of 'redicting the future e#en in its slightest details does not 5ustif" thosewho &rand socialis$ as a uto'ia inca'a&le of [Pg 3


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collecti#is$ shall ha#e &een co$'letel" reali7ed &" the historical 'rocesses which I willconsider further on.

e are now in a 'osition to conclude that there is no contradiction &etween socialis$and -arwinis$ on the su&5ect of the e!ualit" of all $en. %ocialis$ has ne#er laid down

this 'ro'osition and like -arwinis$ its tendenc" is toward a &etter life for indi#idualsand for societ".

his ena&les us also to re'l" to this o&5ection0 too often re'eated0 that socialis$ stiflesand su''resses hu$an indi#idualit" under the leaden 'all of collecti#is$0 &" su&5ectingindi#iduals to unifor$ $onastic regulations and &" $aking the$ into so $an" hu$an

&ees in the social hone"(co$&.

*actl" the o''osite of this is true. Is it not oious that it is under the 'resent &ourgeoisorgani7ation of societ" that so $an" indi#idualities atro'h" and are lost to hu$anit"0which under other conditions $ight &e de#elo'ed to their own ad#antage and to thead#antage of societ" as a wholeF o(da"0 in fact0 a'art fro$ so$e rare ece'tions0 e#er"

$an is #alued for what he possesses and not for what he is.[


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e!ualities+the e!ualit" of the two sees0 for ea$'le+assertions which cannot 'ossi&l" &e $aintained.

;*;*0 Woman in the ast, resent and !uture.

;e&el0 the 'ro'agandist and e'ounder of Marian theories0 also re'eats this assertion

that0 fro$ the 's"cho('h"siological 'oint of #iew0 wo$an is the e!ual of $an0 and heatte$'ts to refute0 without success0 the scientific o&5ections that ha#e &een $ade to thisthesis.

%ince the scientific in#estigations of Messrs. o$&roso and /errero0 e$&odied in "onna delinquente, prostituta e normale0 urin0 3 Bhis &ook has &een translatedinto *nglish0 if $" $e$or" ser#es $e right.+r.)0 one can no longer den" the

'h"siological and 's"chological inferiorit" of wo$an to $an. I ha#e gi#en a -arwiniane'lanation of this fact B%cuola 'ositi#a0 30 1os. 8(=)0 that o$&roso has sinceco$'letel" acce'ted B#omo di genio0 e Kdit0 D. his &ook is also a#aila&le in*nglish0 I &elie#e.+r.) I 'ointed out that all the 'h"sio('s"chical characteristics of

wo$an are the conse!uences of her great &iological function0 $aternit".

A &eing who creates another &eing+not in the fleeting $o$ent of a #olu'tuous contact0 &ut &" the organic and 's"chical sacrifices of 'regnanc"0 child&irth and gi#ing suck+ cannot 'reser#e for herself as $uch strength0 'h"sical and $ental0 as $an whose onl"function in the re'roduction of the s'ecies is infinitel" less of a drain.

And so0 aside fro$ certain indi#idual ece'tions0 wo$an has a lower degree of 'h"sicalsensi&ilit" than $an Bthe current o'inion is 5ust the o''osite)0 &ecause if her sensi&ilit"were greater0 she could not0 according to the -arwinian law0 sur#i#e the i$$ense andre'eated sacrifices of $aternit"0 and the s'ecies would &eco$e etinct. o$anEs

intellect is weaker0 es'eciall" in s"nthetic 'ower0 'recisel" &ecause though there are noB%ergi0 in $tti della societa romana di antropologia0 D) wo$en of genius0 the"ne#ertheless gi#e &irth to $en of genius.

his is so true that greater sensi&ilit" and 'ower of intellect are found in wo$en inwho$ the function and senti$ent of $aternit" are unde#elo'ed or are onl" slightl"de#elo'ed Bwo$en of genius generall" ha#e a $asculine 'h"siogno$")0 and $an" of the$ attain their co$'lete intellectual de#elo'$ent onl" after the" 'ass the critical

'eriod of life during which the $aternal functions cease finall".

;ut0 if it is scientificall" certain that wo$an re'resents an inferior degree of &iologicale#olution0 and that she occu'ies a station0 e#en as regards her 'h"sio('s"chical

characteristics0 $idwa" &etween the child and the adult $ale0 it does not follow fro$this that the socialist conclusions concerning the wo$an !uestion are false.

Luite the contrar". %ociet" ought to 'lace wo$an0 as a hu$an &eing and as a creatressof $en+$ore worth" therefore of lo#e and res'ect+in a &etter 5uridical and ethicalsituation than she en5o"s at 'resent. 1ow she is too often a &east of &urden or an o&5ectof luur". In the sa$e wa" when0 fro$ the econo$ic 'oint of #iew0 we de$and at the

'resent da" s'ecial $easures in &ehalf of wo$en0 we si$'l" take into considerationtheir s'ecial 'h"sio('s"chical conditions. he 'resent econo$ic indi#idualis$ ehauststhe$ in factories and rice(fields6 socialis$0 on the contrar"0 will re!uire fro$ the$ onl"such 'rofessional0 scientific or $uscular la&or as is in 'erfect har$on" with the sacred

function of $aternit".


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@ JI%CI://0 Il monopolio dell'uomo0 Milan0 20 2d edition.+M::1I0 I socialisti el'emancipazione della donna0 Milan0


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THE STR2GGLE FOR LIFE AND ITS VICTIMS.

%ocialis$ and -arwinis$0 it is said0 are in conflict on a second 'oint. -arwinis$de$onstrates that the i$$ense $a5orit"+of 'lants0 ani$als and $en+are destined tosuccu$&0 &ecause onl" a s$all $inorit" triu$'hs in the struggle for life6 socialis$0

on its 'art0 asserts that all ought to triu$'h and that no one ought to succu$&.

It $a" &e re'lied0 in the first 'lace0 that0 e#en in the &iological do$ain of the strugglefor eistence0 the dis'ro'ortion &etween the nu$&er of indi#iduals who are &orn andthe nu$&er of those who sur#i#e regularl" and 'rogressi#el" grows s$aller and s$aller as we ascend in the &iological scale fro$ #egeta&les to ani$als0 and fro$ ani$als toMan.

his law of a decreasing dis'ro'ortion &etween the called and the chosen issu''orted &" the facts e#en if we li$it our o&ser#ation to the #arious s'ecies &elongingto the sa$e natural order. he higher and $ore co$'le the organi7ation0 the s$aller

the dis'ro'ortion.In fact0 in the #egeta&les0 each indi#idual 'roduces e#er" "ear an infinite nu$&er of seeds0 and an infinitesi$al nu$&er of these sur#i#e. In the ani$als0 the nu$&er of "oung of each indi#idual di$inishes and the nu$&er of those who sur#i#e continues onthe con[Pg 3]trar"0 to increase. /inall"0 for the hu$an s'ecies0 the nu$&er of indi#idualsthat each one can &eget is #er" s$all and $ost of the$ sur#i#e.

;ut0 $oreo#er0 in the cases of all three0 #egeta&les0 ani$als and $en0 we find that it isthe lower and $ore si$'l" organi7ed s'ecies0 the races and classes less ad#anced in thescale of eistence0 who re'roduce their se#eral kinds with the greatest 'rolificness andin which generation follows generation $ost ra'idl" on account of the &re#it" of

indi#idual life.

A fern 'roduces $illions of s'ores0 and its life is #er" short+while a 'al$ tree 'roduces onl" a few do7en seeds0 and li#es a centur".

A fish 'roduces se#eral thousand eggs+while the ele'hant or the chi$'an7ee ha#e onl"a few "oung who li#e $an" "ears.

ithin the hu$an s'ecies the sa#age races are the $ost 'rolific and their li#es are short +while the ci#ili7ed races ha#e a low &irth(rate and li#e longer.

/ro$ all this it follows that0 e#en confining oursel#es to the 'urel" &iological do$ain0

the nu$&er of #ictors in the struggle for eistence constantl" tends to a''roach nearer and nearer to the nu$&er of &irths with the ad#ance or ascent in the &iological scalefro$ #egeta&les to ani$als0 fro$ ani$als to $en0 and fro$ the lower s'ecies or #arieties to the higher s'ecies or #arieties.

he iron law of the struggle for eistence0 then0 constantl" reduces the nu$&er of the#icti$s for$ing its hecato$& with the ascent of the &iological scale0 and the rate of decrease &eco$es $ore and $ore ra'id as the for$s of life &eco$e $ore co$'le and$ore 'erfect.[Pg 38]

It would then &e a $istake to in#oke against socialis$ the -arwinian law of 1atural%election in the for$ under which that law $anifests itself in the 'ri$iti#e Bor lower)for$s of life0 without taking into account its continuous attenuation as we 'ass fro$


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#egeta&les to ani$als0 fro$ ani$als to $en0 and within hu$anit" itself0 fro$ the 'ri$iti#e races to the $ore ad#anced races.

And as socialis$ re'resents a "et $ore ad#anced 'hase of hu$an 'rogress0 it is still lessallowa&le to use as an o&5ection to it such a gross and inaccurate inter'retation of the

-arwinian law.It is certain that the o''onents of socialis$ ha#e $ade a wrong use of the -arwinianlaw or rather of its &rutal inter'retation in order to 5ustif" $odern indi#idualistco$'etition which is too often onl" a disguised for$ of canni&alis$0 and which has$ade the $ai$ homo homini lupus B$an to $an a wolf6 or0 freel"0 $an eats $an) thecharacteristic $otto of our era0 while Ho&&es onl" $ade it the ruling 'rinci'le of the state o( nature of $ankind0 &efore the $aking of the social contract.

;ut &ecause a 'rinci'le has &een a&used or $isused we are not 5ustified in concludingthat the 'rinci'le itself is false. Its a&use often ser#es as an incenti#e to define its natureand its li$itations $ore accuratel"0 so that in 'ractice it $a" &e a''lied $ore correctl".

his will &e the result of $" de$onstration of the 'erfect har$on" that reigns &etweensocialis$ and -arwinis$.

As long ago as the first edition of $" work &ocialismo e )riminalit* B'ages et seq.)I $aintained that the struggle for eistence is a law i$$anent in the hu$an race0 as it isa law of all li#ing &eings0 although its[Pg 3=] for$s continuall" change and though itundergoes $ore and $ore attenuation.

his is still the wa" it a''ears to $e0 and conse!uentl"0 on this 'oint I disagree withso$e socialists who ha#e thought the" could triu$'h $ore co$'letel" o#er theo&5ection urged against the$ in the na$e of -arwinis$ &" declaring that in hu$an

societ" the struggle for eistence is a law which is destined to lose all $eaning anda''lica&ilit" when the social transfor$ation at which socialis$ ai$s shall ha#e &eeneffected.[


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economic e!ualit"0 not for an a&solute $aterial e!ualit"0 &ut for that $ore 'ractical0truer e!ualit" of which I ha#e alread" s'oken. And all the e#idence ena&les us to foreseewith $athe$atical certaint" that this #ictor" will &e won to gi#e 'lace to new strugglesand to new ideals a$ong our descendants.

he successi#e changes in the su&5ect($atter Bor the ideals) of the struggles for eistence are acco$'anied &" a 'rogressi#e $itigation of the $ethods of co$&at.Violent and $uscular at first0 the struggle is &eco$ing0 $ore and $ore0 'acific andintellectual0 notwithstanding so$e ata#ic recurrences of earlier $ethods or so$e

's"cho('athological $anifestations of indi#idual #iolence against societ" and of social#iolence against indi#iduals.

he re$arka&le work of Mr. 1o#icow[


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In the second 'lace0 to contend that socialis$ will cause the disa''earance of all for$sof cri$e is to act u'on the i$'ulse of a generous senti$ent0 &ut the con[Pg D2]tention isnot su''orted &" a rigorousl" scientific o&ser#ation of the facts.

he scientific school of cri$inolog" de$onstrates that cri$e is a natural and social

'heno$enon+like insanit" and suicide+deter$ined &" the a&nor$al0 organic and 's"chological constitution of the delin!uent and &" the influences of the 'h"sical andsocial en#iron$ent. he anthro'ological0 'h"sical and social factors0 all0 alwa"s0 actconcurrentl" in the deter$ination of all offences0 the lightest as well as the gra#est+as0$oreo#er0 the" do in the case of all other hu$an actions. hat #aries in the case of eachdelin!uent and each offense0 is the decisi#e intensit" of each order of factors.[


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'athological 'er#ersion of the seual instinct0 ho$icides induced &" e'ile's"0 theftswhich result fro$ a 's"cho('athological degeneration0 etc.

/or the sa$e reasons 'o'ular education will &e $ore widel" diffused0 talents of e#er"kind will &e a&le to de#elo' and $anifest the$sel#es freel"6 &ut this will not cause the

disa''earance of idioc" and i$&ecilit" due to hereditar" 'athological conditions. 1e#ertheless it will &e 'ossi&le for different causes to ha#e a 're#enti#e[Pg D] and$itigating influence on the #arious for$s of congenital degeneration Bordinar" diseases0cri$inalit"0 insanit" and ner#ous disorders). A$ong these 're#enti#e influences $a" &e4a &etter econo$ic and social organi7ation0 the 'rudential counsels0 constantl" growingin efficac" gi#en &" e'eri$ental &iolog"0 and less and less fre!uent 'rocreation0 &"$eans of #oluntar" a&stention0 in cases of hereditar" disease.

o conclude we will sa" that0 e#en under the socialist regi$e+although the" will &einfinitel" fewer+there will alwa"s &e so$e who will &e #an!uished in the struggle for eistence+these will &e the #icti$s of weakness0 of disease0 of dissi'ation0 of ner#ousdisorders0 of suicide. e $a" then affir$ that socialis$ does not den" the -arwinianlaw of the struggle for eistence. %ocialis$ will0 howe#er0 ha#e this indis'uta&lead#antage+the e'ide$ic or ende$ic for$s of hu$an degenerac" will &e entirel"su''ressed &" the eli$ination of their 'rinci'al cause+the 'h"sical 'o#ert" and Bitsnecessar" conse!uence) the $ental suffering of the $a5orit".

hen the struggle for eistence0 while re$aining alwa"s the dri#ing 'ower of the life of societ"0 will assu$e for$s less and less &rutal and $ore and $ore hu$ane. It will

&eco$e an intellectual struggle. Its ideal of 'h"siological and intellectual 'rogress willconstantl" grow in grandeur and su&li$it" when this 'rogressi#e ideali7ation of theideal shall &e $ade 'ossi&le &" the guarantee to e#er" one of dail" &read for the &od"and the $ind.

he law of the struggle for life $ust not cause [Pg D] us to forget another law of natural and social -arwinian e#olution. It is true $an" socialists ha#e gi#en to this latter law an ecessi#e and eclusi#e i$'ortance0 5ust as so$e indi#iduals ha#e entirel"neglected it. I refer to the law of solidarit" which knits together all the li#ing &eings of one and the sa$e s'ecies+for instance ani$als who li#e gregariousl" in conse!uenceof the a&undance of the su''l" of their co$$on food Bher&i#orous ani$als)+or e#en of different s'ecies. hen s'ecies thus $utuall" aid each other to li#e the" are called &"naturalists symbiotic s'ecies0 and instead of the struggle for life we ha#e co(o'erationfor life.

It is incorrect to state that the struggle for life is the sole so#ereign law in 1ature andsociet"0 5ust as it is false to contend that this law is wholl" ina''lica&le to hu$ansociet". he real truth is that e#en in hu$an societ" the struggle for life is an eternal lawwhich grows 'rogressi#el" $ilder in its $ethods and $ore ele#ated in its ideals. ;uto'erating concurrentl" with this we find a law0 the influence of which u'on the sociale#olution constantl" increases0 the law of solidarit" or co(o'eration &etween li#ing

&eings.

*#en in ani$al societies $utual aid against the forces of 1ature0 or against other ani$als is of constant occurrence0 and this is carried $uch further a$ong hu$an &eings0e#en a$ong sa#age tri&es. :ne notes this 'heno$enon es'eciall" in tri&es which on

account of the fa#ora&le character of their en#iron$ent0 or &ecause their su&sistence isassured and a&undant0 &eco$e of the industrial or 'eaceful t"'e. he $ilitar" or warlike


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t"'e which is unha''il" 'redo$inant Bon account of the[Pg D8] uncertaint" andinsufficienc" of su&sistence) a$ong 'ri$iti#e $ankind and in reactionar" 'hases of ci#ili7ation0 'resents us with less fre!uent ea$'les of it. he industrial t"'e constantl"tends0 $oreo#er0 as %'encer has shown0 to take the 'lace of the warlike t"'e.[


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[]

IV.

THE S2RVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.

he third and last 'art of the argu$ent of Haeckel is correct if a''lied solel" to the 'urel" &iological and -arwinian do$ain0 &ut its starting 'oint is false if it is intended toa''l" it to the social do$ain and to turn it into an o&5ection against socialis$.

It is said the struggle for eistence assures the sur#i#al of the fittest6 it therefore causesan aristocratic0 hierarchic gradation of selected indi#iduals+a continuous 'rogress+

and not the de$ocratic le#eling of socialis$.Here again0 let us &egin &" accuratel" ascertaining the nature of this fa$ous naturalselection which results fro$ the struggle for eistence.

he e'ression which Haeckel uses and which0 $oreo#er0 is in current use0 sur#i#al of the &est or of the &est fitted0 ought to &e corrected. e $ust su''ress the ad5ecti#ebest . his is si$'l" a 'ersisting relic of that teleolog" which used to see in 1ature andhistor" a 're$editated goal to &e reached &" $eans of a 'rocess of continuousa$elioration or 'rogress.

-arwinis$0 on the contrar"0 and still $ore the theor" of uni#ersal e#olution0 has

co$'letel" &anished the notion of final causes fro$ $odern scientific thought and fro$the inter'retation of natural 'heno$ena. *#o[Pg ?]lution consists &oth of in#olution and

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dissolution. It $a" &e true0 and indeed it is true0 that &" co$'aring the two etre$es of the 'ath tra#ersed &" hu$anit" we find that there has reall" &een a true 'rogress0 ani$'ro#e$ent taking it all in all6 &ut0 in an" case0 'rogress has not followed a straightascending line0 &ut0 as 9oethe has said0 a s'iral with rh"th$s of 'rogress and of retrogression0 of e#olution and of dissolution.

*#er" c"cle of e#olution0 in the indi#idual life as in the collecti#e life0 &ears within itthe ger$s of the corres'onding c"cle of dissolution6 and0 in#ersel"0 the latter0 &" thedeca" of the for$ alread" worn out0 're'ares in the eternal la&orator" new e#olutionsand new for$s of life.

It is thus that in the world of hu$an societ" e#er" 'hase of ci#ili7ation &ears within itand is constantl" de#elo'ing the ger$s of its own dissolution fro$ which issues a new

'hase of ci#ili7ation+which will &e $ore or less different fro$ its 'redecessor ingeogra'hical situation and range+in the eternal rh"th$ of li#ing hu$anit". he ancienthieratic ci#ili7ations of the :rient deca"0 and through their dissolution the" gi#e &irth tothe 9raeco(,o$an world0 which in turn is followed &" the feudal and aristocraticci#ili7ation of Central *uro'e6 it also deca"s and disintegrates through its own ecesses0like the 'receding ci#ili7ations0 and it is re'laced &" the &ourgeois ci#ili7ation whichhas reached its cul$inating 'oint in the Anglo(%aon world. ;ut it is alread"e'eriencing the first tre$ors of the fe#er of dissolution0 while fro$ its wo$& theree$erges and is de#elo'ing the socialist ci#ili7ation which will flourish [Pg


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constitutions are ecused fro$ $ilitar" ser#ice0 who $arr" the first0 while the healthier indi#iduals are conde$ned to a transitor" sterilit"0 and in the great cities run the risk of contagion fro$ s"'hilis which unfortunatel" has 'er$anent effects.

Marriage also0 corru'ted as it is in the eistent societ" &" econo$ic considerations0 is

ordinaril" in 'ractice a sort of retrogressi#e seual selection. o$en who are truedegenerates0 &ut who ha#e good dowries or 'ros'ects0 readil" find hus&ands on the$arriage $arket0 while the $ost ro&ust wo$en of the 'eo'le or of the $iddle class whoha#e no dowries are conde$ned to the[Pg 3] sterilit" of co$'ulsor" old($aiddo$ or tosurrender the$sel#es to a $ore or less gilded 'rostitution.[22]

It is indis'uta&le that the 'resent econo$ic conditions eercise an influence u'on all thesocial relations of $en. he $ono'ol" of wealth assures to its 'ossessor the #ictor" inthe struggle for eistence. ,ich 'eo'le0 e#en though the" are less ro&ust0 ha#e longer li#es than those who are ill(fed. he da"(and(night(work0 under inhu$an conditions0i$'osed u'on grown $en0 and the still $ore &aleful la&or i$'osed u'on wo$en andchildren &" $odern ca'italis$ causes a constant deterioration in the &iologicalconditions of the toiling $asses.[23]

In addition to all these we $ust not forget the $oral selection+which is reall" i$$oralor retrograde+$ade at 'resent &" ca'italis$ in its struggle with the 'roletariat0 andwhich fa#ors the sur#i#al of those with ser#ile characters0 while it 'ersecutes and stri#esto su''ress all those who are strong in character0 and all who do not [Pg D] see$dis'osed to ta$el" su&$it to the "oke of the 'resent econo$ic order .[2D]

he first i$'ression which s'rings fro$ the recognition of these facts is that the-arwinian law of natural selection does not hold good in hu$an societ"+in short0 isina''lica&le to hu$an societ".

I ha#e $aintained0 and I do $aintain0 on the contrar"0 in the first 'lace0 that these#arious kinds of retrograde social selection are not in contradiction with the -arwinianlaw0 and that0 $oreo#er0 the" ser#e as the $aterial for an argu$ent in fa#or of socialis$.

1othing &ut socialis$0 in fact0 can $ake this ineora&le law of natural selection work $ore &eneficentl".

As a $atter of fact0 the -arwinian law does not cause the sur#i#al of the best 0 &utsi$'l" the sur#i#al of the (ittest .

It is oious that the for$s of degenerac" 'roduced &" the di#ers kinds of socialselection and nota&l" &" the 'resent econo$ic organi7ation $erel" 'ro$ote0 indeed0

and with growing efficienc"0 the sur#i#al of those &est fitted for this #er" econo$icorgani7ation.

If the #ictors in the struggle for eistence are the worst and the weakest0 this does not$ean that the -arwinian law does not hold good6 it $eans si$'l" that the en#iron$entis corru't Band corru'ting)0 and that those who sur#i#e are 'recisel" those who are thefittest for this corru't en#iron$ent.

In $" studies of cri$inal 's"cholog" I ha#e too often [Pg ] had to recogni7e the factthat in 'risons and in the cri$inal world it is the $ost cruel or the $ost cunningcri$inals who en5o" the fruits of #ictor"6 it is 5ust the sa$e in our $odern econo$ic

indi#idualist s"ste$6 the #ictor" goes to hi$ who has the fewest scru'les6 the struggle

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for eistence fa#ors hi$ who is fittest for a world where a $an is #alued for what he hasBno $atter how he got it)0 and not for what he is.

he -arwinian law of natural selection functions then e#en in hu$an societ". he error of those who den" this 'ro'osition s'rings fro$ the fact that the" confound the 'resent

en#iron$ent and the 'resent transitor" historical era+which are known in histor" as thebourgeois en#iron$ent and 'eriod0 5ust as the Middle Ages are called (eudal +with allhistor" and all hu$anit"0 and therefore the" fail to see that the disastrous effects of $odern0 retrograde0 social selection are onl" confir$ations of the -arwinian law of thesur#i#al of the (ittest . Po'ular co$$on sense has long recogni7ed this influence of thesurroundings0 as is shown &" $an" a co$$on 'ro#er&0 and its scientific e'lanation isto &e found in the necessar" &iological relations which eist &etween a gi#enen#iron$ent and the indi#iduals who are &orn0 struggle and sur#i#e in that en#iron$ent.

:n the other hand0 this truth constitutes an unanswera&le argu$ent in fa#or of socialis$. ;" freeing the en#iron$ent fro$ all the corru'tions with which our un&ridledecono$ic indi#idualis$ 'ollutes it0 socialis$ will necessaril" correct the ill effects of natural and social selection. In a 'h"sicall" and $orall" wholeso$e en#iron$ent0 theindi#iduals &est fitted to it0 those who[Pg ] will therefore sur#i#e0 will &e the

'h"sicall" and $orall" health".

In the struggle for eistence the #ictor" will then go to hi$ who has the greatest and$ost 'rolific 'h"sical0 intellectual and $oral energies. he collecti#ist econo$icorgani7ation0 &" assuring to e#er"one the conditions of eistence0 will and necessaril"$ust0 result in the 'h"sical and $oral i$'ro#e$ent of the hu$an race.

o this so$e one re'lies4 %u''ose we grant that socialis$ and -arwinian selection $a" &e reconciled0 is it not oious that the sur#i#al of the fittest tends to esta&lish an

aristocratic gradation of indi#iduals0 which is contrar" to socialistic le#elingFI ha#e alread" answered this o&5ection in 'art &" 'ointing out that socialis$ will assureto all indi#iduals+instead of as at 'resent onl" to a 'ri#ileged few or to societ"Es heroes

+freedo$ to assert and de#elo' their own indi#idualities. hen in truth the result of thestruggle for eistence will &e the sur#i#al of the &est and this for the #er" reason that ina wholeso$e en#iron$ent the #ictor" is won &" the healthiest indi#iduals. %ocial-arwinis$0 then0 as a continuation and co$'le$ent of natural B&iological) -arwinis$0will result in a selection of the &est.

o res'ond full" to this insistence u'on an unli$ited aristocratic selection0 I $ust callattention to another natural law which ser#es to co$'lete that rh"th$ of action andreaction which results in the e!uili&riu$ of life.

o the -arwinian law of natural ine!ualities we $ust add another law which isinse'ara&le fro$ it0 and which[Pg 8] aco&"0 following in the track of the la&ors of Morel0 ucas0 9alton0 -e Caudole0 ,i&ot0 %'encer0 ,o"er0 o$&roso0 and others0 hasclearl" de$onstrated and e'ounded.

his sa$e 1ature0 which $akes choice and aristocratic gradation a condition of #ital 'rogress0 afterwards restores the e!uili&riu$ &" a le#eling and de$ocratic law.

/ro$ the infinite throng of hu$anit" there e$erge indi#iduals0 fa$ilies and races

which tend to rise a&o#e the co$$on le#el6 'ainfull" cli$&ing the stee' heights the"reach the su$$its of 'ower0 wealth0 intelligence and talent0 and0 ha#ing reached the


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goal0 the" are hurled down and disa''ear in the a&"sses of insanit" and degeneration.-eath is the great le#eler6 &" destro"ing e#er" one who rises a&o#e the co$$on herd0 itde$ocrati7es hu$anit".[2]

*#er" one who atte$'ts to create a $ono'ol" of natural forces co$es into #iolent

conflict with that su're$e law of 1ature which has gi#en to all li#ing &eings the use anddis'osal of the natural agents4 air and light0 water and land.

*#er"&od" who is too $uch a&o#e or too $uch &elow the a#erage of hu$anit"+ana#erage which rises with[Pg =] the flu of ti$e0 &ut is a&solutel" fied at an" gi#en$o$ent of histor"+does not li#e and disa''ears fro$ the stage.

he idiot and the $an of genius0 the star#ing wretch and the $illionaire0 the dwarf andthe giant0 are so $an" natural or social $onsters0 and 1ature ineora&l" &lasts the$with degenerac" or sterilit"0 no $atter whether the" &e the 'roduct of the organic life0 or the effect of the social organi7ation.

And so0 all fa$ilies 'ossessing a $ono'ol" of an" kind+$ono'ol" of 'ower0 of wealthor of talent+are ine#ita&l" destined to &eco$e in their latest offshoots i$&eciles0 sterileor suicides0 and finall" to &eco$e etinct. 1o&le houses0 d"nasties of so#ereigns0descendants of $illionaires+all follow the co$$on law which0 here again0 ser#es toconfir$ the inductions+in this sense0 e!ualitarian+of science and of socialis$.

FOOTNOTES6

[2?] :ne of the $ost characteristic 'rocesses of social dissolution is parasitism.MA%%A, and VA1-*,V*-*0 Parasitis$0 organic and social. B*nglish translation.)%wan0 %onnenschein O Co.0 ondon.

[2


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B-arwinis$ and Politics. ondon. %onnenschein0 ]

V.

SOCIALISM AND RELIGIO2S BELIEFS.

1ot one of the three contradictions &etween socialis$ and -arwinis$0 which Haeckelfor$ulated0 and which so $an" others ha#e echoed since0 resists a candid and $oreaccurate ea$ination of the natural laws which &ear the na$e of Charles -arwin.

I add that not onl" is -arwinis$ not in contradiction with socialis$0 &ut that itconstitutes one of its funda$ental scientific 're$ises. As Virchow 5ustl" re$arked0socialis$ is nothing &ut a logical and #ital corollar"0 in 'art of -arwinis$0 in 'art of %'encerian e#olution.

he theor" of -arwin0 whether we wish it or not0 &" de$onstrating that $an isdescended fro$ the ani$als0 has dealt a se#ere &low to the &elief in 9od as the creator of the uni#erse and of $an &" a s'ecial (iat . his0 $oreo#er0 is wh" the $ost &itter o''osition0 and the onl" o''osition which still continues0 to its scientific inductions0was $ade and is $ade in the na$e of religion.

It is true that -arwin did not declare hi$self an atheist [2] and that %'encer is not one6it is also true that0[Pg ?] strictl" s'eaking0 the theor" of -arwin0 like that of %'encer0can also &e reconciled with the &elief in 9od0 since it $a" &e ad$itted that 9od created$atter and force0 and that &oth afterward e#ol#ed into their successi#e for$s inaccordance with the initial creati#e i$'ulse. 1e#ertheless0 it cannot &e denied that thesetheories0 &" rendering the idea of causalit" $ore and $ore inflei&le and uni#ersal0 leadnecessaril" to the negation of 9od0 since there alwa"s re$ains this !uestion4 And 9od0who created hi$F And if it is re'lied that 9od has alwa"s eisted0 the sa$e re'l" $a"

&e flung &ack &" asserting that the uni#erse has alwa"s eisted. o use the 'hrase of ArdigQ0 hu$an thought is onl" a&le to concei#e the chain which &inds effects to causes

as ter$inating at a gi#en 'oint0 'urel" con#entional.[28]9od0 as a'lace said0 is an h"'othesis of which eact science has no need6 he is0according to Her7en0 at the $ost an N0 which re'resents not the un5no3able +as[Pg


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he disa''earance of faith in the hereafter0 where the 'oor shall &eco$e the elect of theord0 and where the $iseries of the #ale of tears will find an eternal co$'ensation in

'aradise0 gi#es greater strength to the desire for so$e se$&lance of an earthl" 'aradise here &elow e#en for the unfortunate and the 'oor0 who are the great $a5orit".

Hart$ann and 9u"au[2>] ha#e shown that the e#olution of religious &eliefs $a" &esu$$ari7ed thus4 All religions include0 with #arious other $atters0 the 'ro$ise of ha''iness6 &ut the 'ri$iti#e religions concede that this[Pg 2] ha''iness will &e reali7edduring the life of the indi#idual hi$self0 and the later religions0 through an ecess of reaction0 'lace its reali7ation after death0 outside the hu$an world6 in the final 'hase0this reali7ation of ha''iness is once $ore 'laced within the field of hu$an life0 nolonger in the e'he$eral $o$ent of the indi#idual eistence0 &ut indeed in thecontinuous e#olution of all $ankind.

:n this side0 then0 socialis$ is closel" related to the religious e#olution0 and tends tosu&stitute itself for religion0 since its ai$ is for hu$anit" to ha#e its own earthl"

'aradise here0 without ha#ing to wait for it in the herea(ter 0 which0 to sa" the least0 is#er" 'ro&le$atical.

herefore0 it has &een #er" 5ustl" re$arked that the socialist $o#e$ent has $an" traitsin co$$on with0 for ea$'le0 'ri$iti#e Christianit"0 nota&l" that ardent faith in theideal that has definiti#el" deserted the arid field of &ourgeois ske'ticis$0 and so$esa#ants0 not socialists0 such as Messrs. allace0 de a#ale"e and the ,o&ert"0 etc.0 ad$itthat it is entirel" 'ossi&le for socialis$ to re'lace &" its hu$anitarian faith the faith inthe hereafter of the for$er religions.

More direct and 'otent than these relations B&etween socialis$ and faith in a hereafter)are0 howe#er0 the relations which eist &etween socialis$ and the &elief in 9od.

It is true that Marian %ocialis$0 since the Congress held at *rfurt B


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Jnfortunatel"0 or fortunatel"0 the religious senti$ent cannot &e re(esta&lished &" ro"aldecree. If it is disa''earing0 the &la$e for this cannot &e laid at the door of an"

'articular indi#idual0 and there is no need of a s'ecial 'ro'aganda against it0 &ecause itsantidote i$'regnates the air we &reathe+saturated with the inductions of e'eri$entalscience+and religion no longer $eets with conditions fa#ora&le to its de#elo'$ent as it

did a$id the su'erstitious ignorance of 'ast centuries.I ha#e thus shown the direct influence of $odern science0 science &ased on o&ser#ationand e'eri$ent0+which has su&stituted the idea of natural causalit" for the ideas of $iracle and di#init"0+on the etre$el" ra'id de#elo'$ent and on the e'eri$entalfoundation of conte$'orar" socialis$.

-e$ocratic socialis$ does not look with unfriendl" e"es u'on Catholic %ocialis$Bthe Christian %ocialis$ of %outhern *uro'e)0 since it has nothing to fear fro$ it.

Catholic socialis$0 in fact0 aids in the 'ro'agation of socialist ideas0 es'eciall" in therural districts where religious faith and 'ractices are still #er" #igorous0 &ut it [Pg ] will

not win and wear the 'al$ of #ictor" ad ma1orem dei gloriam. As I ha#e shown0 there isa growing antagonis$ &etween science and religion0 and the socialist #arnish cannot

'reser#e Catholicis$. he earthl" socialis$ has0 $oreo#er0 a $uch greater attracti#e 'ower.

hen the 'easants shall ha#e &eco$e fa$iliar with the #iews of Catholic socialis$0 itwill &e #er" eas" for de$ocratic socialis$ to rall" the$ under its own flag+the" will0indeed0 con#ert the$sel#es.

%ocialis$ occu'ies an analogous 'osition with regard to re'u&licanis$. ust as atheis$is a 'ri#ate affair which concerns the indi#idual conscience0 so a re'u&lican for$ of

go#ern$ent is a 'ri#ate affair which interests onl" a 'art of the &ourgeoisie. Certainl"0 &" the ti$e that socialis$ draws near to its da" of triu$'h0 atheis$ will ha#e $adei$$ense 'rogress0 and a re'u&lican for$ of go#ern$ent will ha#e &een esta&lished in$an" countries which to(da" su&$it to a $onarchical regi$e. ;ut it is not socialis$which de#elo's atheis$0 an" $ore than it is socialis$ which will esta&lishre'u&licanis$. Atheis$ is a 'roduct of the theories of -arwin and %'encer in the

'resent &ourgeois ci#ili7ation0 and re'u&licanis$ has &een and will &e0 in the #ariouscountries0 the work of a 'ortion of the ca'italist &ourgeoisie0 as was recentl" said inso$e of the conser#ati#e news'a'ers of Milan B)orriere della sera and Idea liberale)0when the $onarch" shall no longer ser#e the interests of the countr"0 that is to sa" of the class in 'ower.

he e#olution fro$ a&solute $onarch" to constitutional $onarch" and to re'u&licanis$is an oious historical law6 in the 'resent 'hase of ci#ili7ation the onl"[Pg ]difference &etween the two latter is in the electi#e or hereditar" character of the head of the %tate. In the #arious countries of *uro'e0 the &ourgeoisie the$sel#es Hill de$andthe transition fro$ $onarch" to re'u&licanis$0 in order to 'ut off as long as 'ossi&le thetriu$'h of socialis$. In Ital" as in /rance0 in *ngland as in %'ain0 we see onl" too$an" re'u&licans or radicals whose attitude with regard to social !uestions is $ore

&ourgeois and $ore conser#ati#e than that of the intelligent conser#ati#es. AtMontecitorio0 for ea$'le0 there is I$&riani whose o'inions on religious and social$atters are $ore conser#ati#e than those of M. di ,udini. I$&riani0 whose 'ersonalit"

is $oreo#er #er" attracti#e0 has ne#er attacked the 'riests or $onks+this $an whoattacks the entire uni#erse and #er" often with good reason0 although without $uch


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success on account of $istaken $ethods+and he was the onl" one to o''ose e#en theconsideration of a law 'ro'osed &" the "put /errari0 which increased the ta onestates inherited &" collateral heirsG

%ocialis$ then has no $ore interest in 'reaching re'u&licanis$ than it has in 'reaching

atheis$. o each his role Bor task)0 is the law of di#ision of la&or. he struggle for atheis$ is the &usiness of science6 the esta&lish$ent of re'u&licanis$ in the #ariouscountries of *uro'e has &een and will &e the work of the &ourgeoisie the$sel#es+ whether the" &e conser#ati#e or radical. All this constitutes the historical 'rogresstoward socialis$0 and indi#iduals are 'owerless to 're#ent or dela" the succession of the 'hases of the $oral0 'olitical and social e#olution.

FOOTNOTES6

[2] -arwin ne#er $ade a declaration of atheis$0 &ut that was in fact his wa" of looking at the 'ro&le$ B sa mani7re de voir .).

hile Haeckel0 concerned solel" with triu$'hing o#er the o''osition0 said at theCongress of *isenach B3.

[3


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[Pg 8]

VI.

THE INDIVID2AL AND THE SPECIES.

It can also &e shown that scientific socialis$ 'roceeds directl" fro$ -arwinis$ &" anea$ination of the different $odes of concei#ing of the indi#idual in relation to thes'ecies.

he eighteenth centur" closed with the eclusi#e glorification of the indi#idual0 of theman +as an entit" in hi$self. In the works of ,ousseau this was onl" a &eneficent0though eaggerated re(action against the 'olitical and sacerdotal t"rann" of the Middle

Ages.

his indi#idualis$ led directl" to that artificialit" in 'olitics0 which I will consider alittle further on in stud"ing the relations &etween the theor" of e#olution and socialis$0and which is co$$on to the ruling classes under the &ourgeois regi$e and to theindi#idualistic anarchists0+since &oth alike i$agine that the social organi7ation can &echanged in a da" &" the $agical effect of a &o$&0+$ore or less $urderous.

Modern &iolog" has radicall" changed this conce'tion of the individual and it hasde$onstrated0 in the do$ain of &iolog" as in that of sociolog"0 that the indi#idual ishi$self onl" an aggregation of $ore si$'le li#ing ele$ents0 and likewise that the

indi#idual in hi$self0 the &elbst3esen of the 9er$ans0 does not eist in inde[Pg

=] 'endent isolation0 &ut onl" as a $e$&er of a societ" B9lied3esen).

*#er" li#ing o&5ect is an association0 a collecti#it".

he $onad itself0 the li#ing cell0 the irreduci&le e'ression of &iological indi#idualit"0 isalso an aggregate of #arious 'arts Bnucleus0 nuclole0 'roto'las$)0 and each one of the$in its turn is an aggregate of $olecules which are aggregates of ato$s.

he ato$ does not eist alone0 as an indi#idual6 the ato$ is in#isi&le and i$'al'a&leand it does not li#e.

And the co$'leit" of the aggregation0 the federation of the 'arts constantl" increaseswith the ascent in the 7oological series fro$ 'roto7oa to Man.

Jnif"ing0 aco&in artificialit" corres'onds to the $eta'h"sics of indi#idualis$0 5ust asthe conce'tion of national and international federalis$ corres'onds to the scientificcharacter of $odern socialis$.

he organis$ of a $a$$al is si$'l" a federation of tissues0 organs and anato$ical$achiner"6 the organis$ of a societ" can consist of nothing &ut a federation of co$$unes0 'ro#inces and regions6 the organis$ of hu$anit" can &e nothing &ut afederation of nations.

If it is a&surd to concei#e of a $a$$al whose head should ha#e to $o#e in the sa$efashion as the etre$ities and all of whose etre$ities would ha#e to 'erfor$ the sa$e


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$otions si$ultaneousl"0 there is no less a&surdit" in a 'olitical and ad$inistrati#eorgani7ation in which the etre$e northern 'ro#ince or the $ountainous 'ro#ince0 for instance0 ha#e to ha#e the sa$e &ureaucratic $achiner"0 the sa$e &od" of laws0 thesa$e $ethods0 etc.0 as the etre$e southern 'ro#ince or the 'ro#[Pg >]ince $ade u' of

'lains0 solel" through the 'assion for s"$$etrical unifor$it"0 that 'athological

e'ression of unit".If we disregard those considerations of a 'olitical order which $ake it 'ossi&le toconclude0 as I ha#e done elsewhere0[3] that the onl" 'ossi&le organi7ation for Ital"0 asfor e#er" other countr"0 a''eared to $e to &e that of an ad$inistrati#e federalis$co$&ined with 'olitical unit"0 we can regard it as $anifest0 that at the close of thenineteenth centur" the indi#idual0 as an inde'endent entit"0 is dethroned alike in &iolog"and sociolog".

he indi#idual eists0 &ut onl" in so far as he for$s a 'art of a social aggregate.

,o&inson Crusoe+that 'erfect t"'e of indi#idualis$+can not 'ossi&l" &e aught &ut a

legend or a 'athological s'eci$en.

he s'ecies+that is to sa"0 the social aggregate+is the great0 the li#ing and eternalrealit" of life0 as has &een de$onstrated &" -arwinis$ and confir$ed &" all theinducti#e sciences fro$ astrono$" to sociolog".

At the close of the eighteenth centur" ,ousseau thought that the indi#idual aloneeisted0 and that societ" was an artificial 'roduct of the social contract and0 as heattri&uted B5ust as Aristotle had done in the case of sla#er") a 'er$anent hu$ancharacter to the transitor" $anifestations of the 'eriod0 such as the rottenness of theregi$e under which he li#ed0 he further thought that %ociet" was the cause of all e#ils0

and that indi#iduals are all &orn good and e!ual. At the end of [Pg 8?] the nineteenthcentur"0 on the contrar"0 all the inducti#e sciences agree in recogni7ing that societ"0 thesocial aggregate0 is a fact of 1ature0 inse'ara&le fro$ life0 in the #egeta&le s'ecies as inthe ani$al s'ecies0 fro$ the lowest ani$al colonies of 7oo'h"tes u' to societies of $a$$als Bher&i#ora)0 and to hu$an societ".[3]

All that is &est in the indi#idual0 he owes to the social life0 although e#er" 'hase of e#olution is $arked at its decline &" 'athological conditions of social deca"+ essentiall" transitor"0 howe#er+which ine#ita&l" 'recede a new c"cle of socialreno#ation.

he indi#idual0 as such0 if he could li#e0 would fulfill onl" one of the two funda$ental

re!uire$ents Bneeds) of eistence4 ali$entation+that is to sa"0 the selfish 'reser#ationof his own organis$0 &" $eans of that 'ri$ordial and funda$ental function0 whichAristotle designated &" the na$e of ctesi +the con!uest of food.[Pg 8


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It is lo#e which causes0 in the great $a5orit" of $en0 the 'rinci'al 'h"siological and 's"chical e'enditure of the forces accu$ulated in larger or s$aller !uantities &" theconsu$'tion of dail" &read0 and which the dail" la&or has not a&sor&ed or which

'arasitic inaction has left intact.

*#en $ore+lo#e is the onl" 'leasure which trul" has a uni#ersal and e!ualitariancharacter. he 'eo'le ha#e na$ed it the 'aradise of the 'oor6 and religions ha#ealwa"s &idden the$ to en5o" it without li$its+&e fruitful and $ulti'l"+&ecause theerotic ehaustion which results fro$ it0 es'eciall" in $ales0 di$inishes or hides &eneaththe 'all of forgetfulness the tortures of hunger and ser#ile la&or0 and 'er$anentl"ener#ates the energ" of the indi#idual6 and to this etent it 'erfor$s a function useful tothe ruling class.

;ut indissolu&l" linked to this effect of the seual instinct there is an other0 the increaseof the 'o'ulation. Hence it ha''ens that the desire to eterni7e a gi#en so[Pg 82]cial order is thwarted and defeated &" the 'ressure of this 'o'ulation which in our e'och assu$esthe characteristic for$ of the proletariat 0+and the social e#olution continues itsineora&le and ine#ita&le forward $arch.

It follows fro$ our discussion that while at the end of the eighteenth centur" it wasthought that %ociet" was $ade for the indi#idual+and fro$ that the deduction could &e$ade that $illions of indi#iduals could and ought to toil and suffer for the eclusi#ead#antage of a few indi#iduals+at the end of our centur" the inducti#e sciences ha#ede$onstrated0 5ust the o''osite0 that it is the indi#idual who li#es for the s'ecies andthat the latter is the onl" eternal realit" of life.

here we ha#e the starting('oint of the sociological or socialist tendenc" of $odernscientific thought in the face of the eaggerated indi#idualis$ inherited fro$ the last

centur".Modern &iolog" also de$onstrates that it is necessar" to a#oid the o''osite ecess+ into which certain schools of uto'ian socialis$ and of co$$unis$ fall+the ecess of regarding onl" the interests of %ociet" and altogether neglecting the indi#idual. An other

&iological law shows us0 in fact0 that the eistence of the aggregation is the resultant of the life of all the indi#iduals0 5ust as the eistence of an indi#idual is the resultant of thelife of its constituent cells.

e ha#e de$onstrated that the socialis$ which characteri7es the end of the nineteenthcentur" and which will illu$ine the dawn of the co$ing centur" is in 'erfect har$on"with the entire current of $odern thought. his har$on" $anifests itself e#en on thefunda$ental[Pg 83] !uestion of the 'redo$inance gi#en to the #ital necessit" of collecti#e or social solidarit" o#er the dog$atic eaggerations of indi#idualis$0 and if the latter at the close of the last centur" was the outward sign of a 'otent and fruitfulawakening0 it ine#ita&l" leads0 through the 'athological $anifestations of un&ridledco$'etition0 to the li&ertarian e'losions of anarchis$ which 'reaches indi#idualaction0 and which is entirel" o&li#ious of hu$an and social solidarit".

e now co$e to the last 'oint of contact and essential oneness that there is &etween-arwinis$ and socialis$.

FOOTNOTES6

[3] &ociologie criminelle0 /rench trans.0 Paris0 2.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18397/18397-h/18397-h.htm#FNanchor_35_35%23FNanchor_35_35http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18397/18397-h/18397-h.htm#FNanchor_35_35%23FNanchor_35_35


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[3] I cannot consider here the recent atte$'t at eclecticis$ $ade &" M. /ouillKe andothers. M. /ouillKe wishes to o''ose0 or at least to add0 to the naturalistic conce'tion of societ" the consensual or contractual conce'tion. *#identl"0 since no theor" isa&solutel" false0 there is e#en in this consensual theor" a share of truth0 and the li&ert"of e$igration $a" &e an instance of it+as long as this li&ert" is co$'ati&le with the

econo$ic interests of the class in 'ower. ;ut0 oiousl"0 this consent0 which does noteist at the &irth of each indi#idual into such or such a societ" Band this fact of &irth isthe $ost decisi#e and t"rannical factor in life) also has #er" little to do with thede#elo'$ent of his a'titudes and tendencies0 do$inated as the" are &" the iron law of the econo$ic and 'olitical organi7ation in which he is an ato$.

[Pg 8D]

VIII.

THE STR2GGLE FOR LIFE AND THE CLASS8STR2GGLE.

-arwinis$ has de$onstrated that the entire $echanis$ of ani$al e#olution $a" &ereduced to the struggle for eistence &etween indi#iduals of the sa$e s'ecies on the onehand0 and &etween each s'ecies and the whole world of li#ing &eings.

In the sa$e wa" all the $achiner" of social e#olution has &een reduced &" Mariansocialis$ to the law of the &truggle bet3een )lasses. his theor" not onl" gi#es us the

secret $oti#e('ower and the onl" scientific e'lanation of the histor" of $ankind6 italso furnishes the ideal and rigid standard of disci'line for 'olitical socialis$ and thusena&les it to a#oid all the elastic0 #a'orous0 inconclusi#e uncertainties of senti$entalsocialis$.

he onl" scientific e'lanation of the histor" of ani$al life is to &e found in the grand-arwinian law of the struggle (or existence6 it alone ena&les us to deter$ine the naturalcauses of the a''earance0 de#elo'$ent and disa''earance of #egeta&le and ani$als'ecies fro$ 'aleontological ti$es down to our own da". In the sa$e wa" the onl"e'lanation of the histor" of hu$an life is to &e found in the grand Marian law of the

struggle bet3een classes6 thanks to it the annals of 'ri$iti#e0 &ar&arous and ci#ili7ed

hu$anit" cease to &e a ca'ricious and su'erficial kaleidosco'ic arrange$ent of indi#idual[Pg 8] e'isodes in order to &eco$e a grand and ine#ita&le dra$a0 deter$ined +whether the actors reali7e it or not0 in its s$allest internal details as well as in itscatastro'hes+&" the economic conditions0 which for$ the indis'ensa&le0 'h"sical &asisof life and &" the struggle bet3een the classes to o&tain and kee' control of theecono$ic forces0 u'on which all the others+'olitical0 5uridical and $oral+necessaril"de'end.

I will ha#e occasion to s'eak $ore at length+in stud"ing the relations &etweensociolog" and socialis$+of this grand conce'tion0 which is the i$'erisha&le glor" of Mar and which assures hi$ in sociolog" the 'lace which -arwin occu'ies in &iolog"

and %'encer in 'hiloso'h".[38]

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/or the $o$ent it suffices for $e to 'oint out this new 'oint of contact &etween%ocialis$ and -arwinis$. he e'ression0 )lass6&truggle0 so re'ugnant when firstheard or seen Band I confess that it 'roduced this i$'ression on $e when I had not "etgras'ed the scientific

i$'ort of the Marian theor")0 furnishes us0 if it &e correctl" understood0 the 'ri$ar"law of hu$an histor" and0 therefore0 it alone can gi#e us the certain inde of the ad#entof the new 'hase of e#olution which %ocialis$ foresees and which it stri#es to hasten.

o assert the eistence of the class(struggle is e!ui#alent to sa"ing that hu$an societ"0like all other li#ing organis$s0 is not a ho$ogeneous whole0 the su$ of a greater or s$aller nu$&er of indi#iduals6 it is0 on the contrar"0 a li#ing organis$ which is $ade u'of di#erse[Pg 8] 'arts0 and their differentiation constantl" increases in direct ratio to thedegree of social e#olution attained.

ust as a 'roto7oon is al$ost wholl" co$'osed of al&u$inoid gelatine0 while a $a$$alis co$'osed of tissues widel" #ar"ing in kind0 in the sa$e wa" a tri&e of 'ri$iti#e

sa#ages0 without a chief0 is co$'osed si$'l" of a few fa$ilies and the aggregation isthe result of $ere $aterial 'ro'in!uit"0 while a ci#ili7ed societ" of the historical or conte$'oraneous 'eriod is $ade u' of social classes which differ0 the one fro$ theother0 either through the 'h"sio('s"chical constitutions of their co$'onent $e$&ers0 or through the whole of their custo$s and tendencies0 and their 'ersonal0 fa$il" or sociallife.

hese different classes $a" &e rigorousl" se'arated. In ancient India the" range fro$the brahman to the sudra4 in the *uro'e of the Middle Ages0 fro$ the *$'eror and thePo'e to the feudator" and the #assal0 down to the artisan0 and an indi#idual cannot 'assfro$ one class into another0 as his social condition is deter$ined solel" &" the ha7ard of

&irth. Classes $a" lose their legal character0 as ha''ened in *uro'e and A$erica after the /rench ,e#olution0 and ece'tionall" there $a" &e an instance of an indi#idual

'assing fro$ one class into another0 analogousl" to the endos$ose and eos$ose of $olecules0 or0 to use the 'hrase of M. -u$ont0 &" a sort of social ca'illarit". ;ut0 inan" case0 these different classes eist as an assured realit" and the" resist e#er" 5uridicalatte$'t at le#eling as long as the funda$ental reason for their differentiation re$ains.

It is @arl Mar who0 &etter than an" one else0 has 'ro#ed the truth of this theor" &" the$ass of sociological[Pg 88] o&ser#ations which he has drawn fro$ societies under the$ost di#erse econo$ic conditions.

he na$es Bof the classes)0 the circu$stances and 'heno$ena of their hostile contactand conflict $a" #ar" with the #ar"ing 'hases of social e#olution0 &ut the tragic essenceof histor" alwa"s a''ears in the antagonis$ &etween those who hold the $ono'ol" of the $eans of 'roduction+and these are few+and those who ha#e &een ro&&edBe'ro'riated) of the$+and these are the great $a5orit".

Warriors and shepherds in the 'ri$iti#e societies0 as soon as first0 fa$il" and thenindi#idual ownershi' of land has su'erseded the 'ri$iti#e collecti#is$6 patricians and

plebeians + (eudatories and vassals + nobles and common people + bourgeoisie and proletariat 6 these are so $an" $anifestations of one and the sa$e fact+the $ono'ol"of wealth on one side0 and 'roducti#e la&or on the other.


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1ow0 the great i$'ortance of the Marian law+the struggle &etween classes+consists 'rinci'all" in the fact that it indicates with great eactness 1ust 3hat is in truth the #ital 'oint of the social !uestion and by 3hat method its solution $a" &e reached.

As long as no one had shown on 'ositi#e e#idence the econo$ic &asis of the 'olitical0

5uridical and $oral life0 the as'irations of the great $a5orit" for the a$elioration of social conditions ai$ed #aguel" at the de$and and the 'artial con!uest of so$eaccessory instru$entalit"0 such as freedo$ of worshi'0 'olitical suffrage0 'u&liceducation0 etc. And certainl"0 I ha#e no desire to den" the great utilit" of thesecon!uests.

;ut the sancta sanctorum alwa"s re$ained i$'enetra[Pg 8=] &le to the e"es of the$asses0 and as econo$ic 'ower continued to &e the 'ri#ilege of a few0 all the con!uestsand all the concessions had no real &asis0 se'arated0 as the" were0 fro$ the solid andfecund foundation which alone can gi#e life and a&iding 'ower.

1ow0 that %ocialis$ has shown+e#en &efore Mar0 &ut ne#er &efore with so $uch

scientific 'recision+that indi#idual ownershi'0 'ri#ate 'ro'ert" in land and the $eansof 'roduction is the #ital 'oint of the !uestion+the 'ro&le$ is for$ulated in eactter$s in the consciousness of conte$'oraneous hu$anit".

hat $ethod will it &e necessar" to e$'lo" in order to a&olish this $ono'ol" of econo$ic 'ower0 and the $ass of suffering and ills0 of hate and in5ustice which flowfro$ itF

he $ethod of the )lass &truggle0 &ased on the scientificall" 'ro#en fact that e#er"class tends to 'reser#e and increase its ac!uired ad#antages and 'ri#ileges0 teaches theclass de'ri#ed of econo$ic 'ower that in order to succeed in con!uering it0 the struggle

Bwe will consider0 further on0 the for$s of this struggle) $ust &e a struggle of classagainst class0 and not of indi#idual against indi#idual.

Hatred toward such or such an indi#idual+e#en if it result in his death+does notad#ance us a single ste' toward the solution of the 'ro&le$6 it rather retards its solution0

&ecause it 'ro#okes a reaction in the general feeling against 'ersonal #iolence and it#iolates the 'rinci'le of respect (or the human person which socialis$ 'roclai$s $oste$'haticall" for the &enefit of all and against all o''onents. he solution of the

'ro&le$ does[Pg 8>] not &eco$e easier &ecause it is recogni7ed that the 'resenta&nor$al condition0 which is &eco$ing $ore and $ore acute+$iser" for the $assesand 'leasure for a few+is not the conse!uence of the &ad intentions of such or such anindi#idual.

Viewed fro$ this side also socialis$ is0 in fact0 in 'erfect har$on" with $odernscience0 which denies the free will of $an and sees in hu$an acti#it"0 indi#idual andcollecti#e0 a necessar" effect whose deter$ining causes are the conditions of race anden#iron$ent0 acting concurrentl".[3=]

Cri$e0 suicide0 insanit"0 $iser" are not the fruits of free will0 of indi#idual faults0 as$eta'h"sical s'iritualis$ &elie#es0 and neither is it an effect of free will0 a fault of theindi#idual ca'italist if the working$an is &adl" 'aid0 if he is without work0 if he is 'oor and $isera&le.

All social 'heno$ena are the necessar" resultants of the historical conditions and of theen#iron$ent. In the $odern world the facilit" and the greater fre!uenc" of

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co$$unication and relations of e#er" kind &etween[Pg =?] all 'arts of the earth ha#ealso increased the de'endence of e#er" fact+econo$ic0 'olitical0 5uridical0 ethical0artistic or scientific+u'on the $ost re$ote and a''arentl" unrelated conditions of thelife of the great world.

he 'resent organi7ation of 'ri#ate 'ro'ert" with no restrictions u'on the right of inheritance &" descent or u'on 'ersonal accu$ulation6 the e#er increasing and $ore 'erfect a''lication of scientific disco#eries to the facilitation of hu$an la&or+the la&or of ada'ting the $aterials furnished &" 1ature to hu$an needs6 the telegra'h and thestea$(engine0 the constantl" o#erflowing torrent of hu$an $igrations+all these &ind0with in#isi&le &ut infrangi&le threads0 the eistence of a fa$il" of 'easants0 work('eo'leor 'ett" trades('eo'le to the life of the whole world. And the har#est of coffee0 cotton or wheat in the $ost distant countries $akes its effects felt in all 'arts of the ci#ili7edworld0 5ust as the decrease or increase of the sun(s'ots are 'heno$ena co(incident withthe 'eriodical agricultural crises and ha#e a direct influence on the destinies of $illionsof $en.

his $agnificent scientific conce'tion of the unit" of 'h"sical forces0 to use thee'ression of P. %ecchi0 or of uni#ersal solidarit" is far0 indeed0 fro$ that infantileconce'tion which finds the causes of hu$an 'heno$ena in the free wills of indi#iduals.

If a socialist were to atte$'t0 e#en for 'hilanthro'ic 'ur'oses0 to esta&lish a factor" inorder to gi#e work to the une$'lo"ed0 and if he were to 'roduce articles out of fashionor for which there was no general de$and0 he would soon &eco$e &ankru't in s'ite of his 'hilanthro'ic[Pg =


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che$ist $akes e'eri$ents in his la&orator"0 &ecause the engineer in#ents $achiner"0etc.0 that the ca'italist or the landlord+though the wealth inherited fro$ his father $a"ha#e cost hi$ no la&or0 and though he $a" 'ractise absenteeism and thus $ake no

'ersonal eertion+is a&le e#er" "ear to en5o" riches that others ha#e 'roduced for hi$0in echange for wretched lodgings and inade!uate nourish$ent+while the workers are0

in $ost cases0 'oisoned &" the $ias$atic #a'ors fro$ ri#ers or $arshes0 &" gas in$ines and &" dust in factories+in &rief0 in echange for wages which are alwa"sinade!uate0 to assure the workers conditions of eistence worth" of hu$an creatures.

*#en under a s"ste$ of a&solute mtayage Bshare(far$ing)+which has &een called afor$ of 'ractical social[Pg =3]is$+we alwa"s ha#e this !uestion left unanswered. ;"what $iracle does the landlord0 who does not work0 get his &arns and houses filled withwheat and oil and wine in sufficient !uantities to ena&le hi$ to li#e in a$'le co$fort0while the mtayer Bthe tenant on shares) is o&liged to work e#er" da"0 in order to wrestfro$ the earth enough to su''ort hi$self and his fa$il" in wretchednessF

And the s"ste$ of mtayage does at least gi#e the tenant the tran!uilli7ing assurancethat he will reach the end of the "ear without e'eriencing all the horrors of enforcedidleness to which the ordinar" da" or wage la&orers are conde$ned in &oth cit" andcountr". ;ut0 in su&stance0 the whole 'ro&le$ in its entiret" re$ains unsol#ed Be#enunder this s"ste$)0 and there is alwa"s one $an who li#es in co$fort0 without working0

&ecause ten others li#e 'oorl" &" working.[D?]

[Pg =D]his is the wa" the s"ste$ of 'ri#ate 'ro'ert" works0 and these are theconse!uences it 'roduces0 without an" regard to the wills or wishes of indi#iduals.

herefore0 e#er" atte$'t $ade against such or such an indi#idual is conde$ned tore$ain &arren of results6 it is the ruling tendenc" of %ociet"0 the o&5ecti#e 'oint which

$ust &e changed0 it is 'ri#ate ownershi' which $ust &e a&olished0 not &" a partitionBdi#iding u')0 which would result in the $ost etre$e and 'ernicious for$ of 'ri#ateownershi'0 since &" the end of a "ear the 'ersistence of the old indi#idualist 'rinci'lewould restore the status quo ante0 and all the ad#antage would accrue solel" to the $ostcraft" and the least scru'ulous.

:ur ai$ $ust &e the a&olition of 'ri#ate ownershi' and the esta&lish$ent of collecti#eand social ownershi' in land and the $eans of 'roduction. his su&stitution cannot &ethe su&5ect for a decree0+though the intention to effect it &" a decree is attri&uted to us

+&ut it is in course of acco$'lish$ent under our e"es0 e#er" da"0 fro$ hour to hour0directl" or indirectl".[Pg =]

-irectl"0 &ecause ci#ili7ation shows us the continuous su&stitution of 'u&lic ownershi'and social functions for 'ri#ate ownershi' and indi#idual functions. ,oads0 'ostals"ste$s0 railwa"s0 $useu$s0 cit" lighting('lants0 water('lants0 schools0 etc.0 which wereonl" a few "ears since 'ri#ate 'ro'erties and functions0 ha#e &eco$e social 'ro'ertiesand functions. And it would &e a&surd to i$agine that this direct 'rocess of sociali7ationis destined to co$e to a halt to(da"0 instead of &eco$ing 'rogressi#el" $ore and $ore$arked0 in accordance with e#er" tendenc" of our $odern life.

Indirectl"0 since it is the outco$e toward which the econo$ic indi#

ferri enrico - socialism and modern science

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