第 32 节
作者:一意孤行      更新:2021-10-16 18:41      字数:9322
  enormously   to   diminish   the   strength         of   the   competitive   instinct。   If   an
  economic reorganization can effect this it may pro… vide a real safeguard
  against war; but if not; it is to be feared that the hopes of universal peace
  will prove delusive。
  The     abolition    of  capitalism     might;    and   very   likely   would;     greatly
  diminish the incentives to war which are derived from the Press and from
  the   desire   of   finance   to   find   new   fields   for   investment   in   undeveloped
  countries; but those which are derived from the instinct of command and
  the    impatience     of   opposition     might    remain;    though     perhaps    in  a   less
  virulent   form   than   at   present。  A   democracy   which   has   power   is   almost
  always more bellicose than one which is excluded from its due share in the
  government。 The internationalism of Marx is based upon the assumption
  that   the   proletariat   everywhere   are   oppressed   by   the   ruling   classes。   The
  last words of the Communist Manifesto embody this idea
  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!
  So long as the proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains; it is
  not likely that their enmity will be directed against other proletarians。  If
  the world had developed as Marx   expected; the   kind of   internationalism
  which he foresaw might have inspired a universal social revolution。 Russia;
  which devel… oped more nearly than any other country upon the lines of
  his   system;   has   had   a   revolution   of   the   kind   which   he   expected。   If   the
  development in other countries had been similar; it is highly probable that
  this   revolution   would   have   spread   throughout   the   civilized   world。   The
  proletariat of all countries might have united against the capitalists as their
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  common enemy; and in the bond of an identical hatred they might for the
  moment   have   been   free   from   hatred   toward   each   other。   Even   then;   this
  ground of union would have ceased with their victory; and on the morrow
  of   the   social   revolution   the   old   national   rivalries   might   have       revived。
  There is no alchemy by which a universal harmony can be produced out of
  hatred。 Those who have been inspired to action by the doctrine of the class
  war will have acquired the habit of hatred; and will instinctively seek new
  enemies when the old ones have been vanquished。
  But   in   actual   fact   the   psychology   of   the   working   man   in   any   of   the
  Western      democracies       is  totally   unlike    that   which     is  assumed      in  the
  Communist Manifesto。 He does not by any means feel that he has nothing
  to lose but his chains; nor indeed is this true。 The chains which bind Asia
  and Africa in subjection to Europe are partly riveted by him。 He is himself
  part   of   a   great   system   of   tyranny   and   exploitation。   Universal   freedom
  would remove; not only his own chains; which are comparatively light; but
  the far heavier chains which he has helped to fasten upon the subject races
  of the world。
  Not only do the working men of a country like England have a share in
  the   benefit   accruing   from   the   exploitation   of   inferior   races;   but   many
  among   them   also   have   their   part   in   the   capitalist   system。   The   funds   of
  Trade Unions and Friendly Societies are invested in ordinary undertakings;
  such   as   railways;   many   of   the   better…paid   wage…earners   have   put   their
  savings   into   government   securities;   and   almost   all   who   are   politically
  active   feel   themselves   part   of   the   forces   that   determine   public   policy;
  through   the   power   of   the   Labor   Party   and   the   greater   unions。   Owing   to
  these   causes   their   outlook   on   life   has   become   to   a   considerable   extent
  impregnated with capitalism and as their sense of power has grown; their
  nationalism       has    increased。     This    must    continue      to   be   true   of   any
  internationalism        which     is   based    upon     hatred    of   the   capitalist    and
  adherence to the doctrine of the class war。 Something more positive and
  constructive than this is needed if governing democracies are not to inherit
  the vices of governing classes in the past。
  I do not wish to be thought to deny that capitalism does very much to
  promote   wars;   or      that   wars   would     probably   be   less    frequent   and    less
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  destructive if private property were abolished。 On the contrary; I believe
  that the abolition of private ownership of land and capital is a necessary
  step toward any world in which the nations are to live at peace with one
  another。 I am only arguing that this step; necessary as it is; will not alone
  suffice for this end; but that among the causes of war there are others that
  go deeper into the roots of human nature than any that orthodox Socialists
  are wont to acknowledge。
  Let us take an instance。 In Australia and California there is an intense
  dislike and fear toward the yellow races。 The causes of this are complex;
  the   chief   among   them   are   two;   labor   competition   and   instinctive   race…
  hatred。 It is probable that; if race… hatred did not exist; the difficulties of
  labor competition could be overcome。 European immigrants also compete;
  but   they   are   not   excluded。   In   a   sparsely   populated   country;   industrious
  cheap labor could; with a little care; be so utilized as to enrich the existing
  inhabitants; it might; for example; be confined to certain kinds of work; by
  custom if not by law。 But   race…hatred opens   men's minds to   the evils of
  competition   and   closes   them   against   the   advantages   of   co…operation;   it
  makes   them   regard   with       horror    the   somewhat     unfamiliar   vices     of  the
  aliens; while our own vices are viewed with mild toleration。 I cannot but
  think that; if Australia were completely socialized; there would still remain
  the same popular objection as at present to any large influx of Chinese or
  Japanese   labor。   Yet   if   Japan   also   were   to   become   a   Socialist   State;   the
  Japanese   might   well   continue   to   feel   the   pressure  of   population   and   the
  desire for an outlet。 In such circumstances; all the passions and interests
  required   to   produce   a   war   would   exist;   in   spite   of   the   establishment   of
  Socialism   in   both   countries。   Ants   are   as   completely   Socialistic   as   any
  community   can   possibly   be;   yet   they   put   to   death   any   ant   which   strays
  among them by mistake from a neighboring ant…heap。 Men do not differ
  much from ants; as regards their instincts in this respect; where… ever there
  is a great divergence of race; as between white men and yellow men。 Of
  course      the   instinct   of   race…hostility     can    be   overcome       by   suitable
  circumstances;       but   in  the  absence     of  such   circumstances       it  remains   a
  formidable menace to the world's peace。
  If the peace of the world is ever to become secure; I believe there will
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  have   to   be;   along   with   other   changes;   a   development   of   the   idea   which
  inspires     the   project    of  a  League      of  Nations。     As   time    goes    on;   the
  destructiveness of war grows greater and its profits grow less: the rational
  argument   against   war   acquires   more   and   more   force   as   the   increasing
  productivity   of   labor   makes   it   possible   to   devote   a   greater   and   greater
  proportion   of   the   population   to   the   work   of   mutual   slaughter。   In   quiet
  times; or when a great war has just ended; men's moods are amenable to
  the   rational   grounds   in   favor   of   peace;   and   it   is   possible   to   inaugurate
  schemes designed to make wars less frequent。 Probably no civilized nation
  would embark upon an aggressive war if it were fairly certain in advance
  that the aggressor must be defeated。 This could be achieved if most great
  nations came to regard the peace of the world as of such importance that
  they would side against an aggressor even in a quarrel