manifesto of the communist party-第7章
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when; it becomes a mere figure of speech。
Free trade: for the benefit of the working class。 Protective
duties: for the benefit of the working class。 Prison Reform: for
the benefit of the working class。 This is the last word and the
only seriously meant word of bourgeois Socialism。
It is summed up in the phrase: the bourgeois is a bourgeois
for the benefit of the working class。
3。 CRITICAL…UTOPIAN SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM
We do not here refer to that literature which; in every great
modern revolution; has always given voice to the demands of the
proletariat; such as the writings of Babeuf and others。
The first direct attempts of the proletariat to attain its own
ends; made in times of universal excitement; when feudal society
was being overthrown; these attempts necessarily failed; owing to
the then undeveloped state of the proletariat; as well as to the
absence of the economic conditions for its emancipation;
conditions that had yet to be produced; and could be produced by
the impending bourgeois epoch alone。 The revolutionary
literature
that accompanied these first movements of the proletariat had
necessarily a reactionary character。 It inculcated universal
asceticism and social levelling in its crudest form。
The Socialist and Communist systems properly so called; those of
Saint…Simon; Fourier; Owen and others; spring into existence in
the early undeveloped period; described above; of the struggle
between proletariat and bourgeoisie (see Section 1。 Bourgeois
and Proletarians)。
The founders of these systems see; indeed; the class antagonisms;
as well as the action of the decomposing elements; in the
prevailing
form of society。 But the proletariat; as yet in its infancy;
offers
to them the spectacle of a class without any historical
initiative
or any independent political movement。
Since the development of class antagonism keeps even pace with
the development of industry; the economic situation; as they find
it; does not as yet offer to them the material conditions for the
emancipation of the proletariat。 They therefore search after a
new social science; after new social laws; that are to create
these conditions。
Historical action is to yield to their personal inventive
action; historically created conditions of emancipation to
fantastic ones; and the gradual; spontaneous class…organisation
of the proletariat to the organisation of society specially
contrived by these inventors。 Future history resolves itself; in
their eyes; into the propaganda and the practical carrying out of
their social plans。
In the formation of their plans they are conscious of caring
chiefly for the interests of the working class; as being the most
suffering class。 Only from the point of view of being the most
suffering class does the proletariat exist for them。
The undeveloped state of the class struggle; as well as their
own surroundings; causes Socialists of this kind to consider
themselves far superior to all class antagonisms。 They want to
improve the condition of every member of society; even that of
the most favoured。 Hence; they habitually appeal to society at
large; without distinction of class; nay; by preference; to the
ruling class。 For how can people; when once they understand
their system; fail to see in it the best possible plan of the
best possible state of society?
Hence; they reject all political; and especially all
revolutionary;
action; they wish to attain their ends by peaceful means; and
endeavour;
by small experiments; necessarily doomed to failure; and by the
force of
example; to pave the way for the new social Gospel。
Such fantastic pictures of future society; painted at a time
when the proletariat is still in a very undeveloped state and has
but a fantastic conception of its own position correspond with
the first instinctive yearnings of that class for a general
reconstruction of society。
But these Socialist and Communist publications contain also a
critical element。 They attack every principle of existing
society。 Hence they are full of the most valuable materials for
the enlightenment of the working class。 The practical measures
proposed in them …such as the abolition of the distinction
between town and country; of the family; of the carrying on of
industries for the account of private individuals; and of the
wage system; the proclamation of social harmony; the conversion
of the functions of the State into a mere superintendence of
production; all these proposals; point solely to the
disappearance
of class antagonisms which were; at that time; only just cropping
up;
and which; in these publications; are recognised in their
earliest;
indistinct and undefined forms only。 These proposals; therefore;
are of a purely Utopian character。
The significance of Critical…Utopian Socialism and Communism
bears an inverse relation to historical development。 In
proportion as the modern class struggle develops and takes
definite shape; this fantastic standing apart from the contest;
these fantastic attacks on it; lose all practical value and all
theoretical justification。 Therefore; although the originators
of these systems were; in many respects; revolutionary; their
disciples have; in every case; formed mere reactionary sects。
They hold fast by the original views of their masters; in
opposition to the progressive historical development of the
proletariat。 They; therefore; endeavour; and that consistently;
to deaden the class struggle and to reconcile the class
antagonisms。 They still dream of experimental realisation of
their social Utopias; of founding isolated 〃phalansteres;〃 of
establishing 〃Home Colonies;〃 of setting up a 〃Little Icaria〃
duodecimo editions of the New Jerusalem and to realise all
these castles in the air; they are compelled to appeal to the
feelings and purses of the bourgeois。 By degrees they sink into
the category of the reactionary conservative Socialists depicted
above; differing from these only by more systematic pedantry; and
by their fanatical and superstitious belief in the miraculous
effects of their social science。
They; therefore; violently oppose all political action on the
part of the working class; such action; according to them; can
only result from blind unbelief in the new Gospel。
The Owenites in England; and the Fourierists in France;
respectively; oppose the Chartists and the Reformistes。
IV。 POSITION OF THE COMMUNISTS IN RELATION TO THE
VARIOUS EXISTING OPPOSITION PARTIES
Section II has made clear the relations of the Communists to the
existing working…class parties; such as the Chartists in England
and the Agrarian Reformers in America。
The Communists fight for the attainment of the immediate aims;
for the enforcement of the momentary interests of the working
class; but in the movement of the present; they also represent
and take care of the future of that movement。 In France the
Communists ally themselves with the Social…Democrats; against the
conservative and radical bourgeoisie; reserving; however; the
right to take up a critical position in regard to phrases and
illusions traditionally handed down from the great Revolution。
In Switzerland they support the Radicals; without losing sight
of the fact that this party consists of antagonistic elements;
partly of Democratic Socialists; in the French sense; partly of
radical bourgeois。
In Poland they support the party that insists on an agrarian
revolution as the prime condition for national emancipation; that
party which fomented the insurrection of Cracow in 1846。
In Germany they fight with the bourgeoisie whenever it acts in a
revolutionary way; against the absolute monarchy; the feudal
squirearchy; and the petty bourgeoisie。
But they never cease; for a single instant; to instil into the
working class the clearest possible recognition of the hostile
antagonism between bourgeoisie and proletariat; in order that the
German workers may straightaway use; as so many weapons against
the bourgeoisie; the social and political conditions that the
bourgeoisie must necessarily introduce along with its supremacy;
and in order that; after the fall of the reactionary classes in
Germany; the fight against the bourgeoisie itself may immediately
begin。
The Communists turn their attention chiefly to Germany; because
that country is on the eve of a bourgeois revolution that is
bound to be carried out under more advanced conditions of
European civilisation; and with a much more developed
proletariat; than that of England was in the seventeenth; and of
France in the eighteenth century; and because the bourgeois
revolution in Germany will be but the prelude to an immediately
following proletarian revolution。
In short; the Communists everywhere support every revolutionary
movement against the existing social and political order of
things。
In all these movements they bring to the front; as the leading
question in each; the property question; no matter what its
degree of development at the time。
Finally; they labour everywhere for the union and agreement of
the democratic parties of all countries。
The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims。
They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by
the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions。
Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution。
The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains。
They have a world to win。
WORKING MEN OF ALL COUNTRIES; UNITE!
End