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making work pleasant： he holds that； in such a community as he foresees；
practically everyone will prefer work to idleness； because work will not
involve overwork or slavery； or that excessive specialization that
industrialism has brought about； but will be merely a pleasant activity for
certain hours of the day； giving a man an outlet for his spontaneous
constructive impulses。 There is to be no compulsion； no law； no
government exercising force； there will still be acts of the community； but
these are to spring from universal consent； not from any enforced
submission of even the smallest minority。 We shall examine in a later
chapter how far such an ideal is realizable； but it cannot be denied that
Kropotkin presents it with extraordinary persuasiveness and charm。
We should be doing more than justice to Anarchism if we did not say
something of its darker side； the side which has brought it into conflict
with the police and made it a word of terror to ordinary citizens。 In its
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general doctrines there is nothing essentially involving violent methods or
a virulent hatred of the rich； and many who adopt these general doctrines
are personally gentle and temperamentally averse from violence。 But the
general tone of the Anarchist press and public is bitter to a degree that
seems scarcely sane； and the appeal； especially in Latin countries； is rather
to envy of the fortunate than to pity for the unfortunate。 A vivid and
readable； though not wholly reliable； account； from a hostile point of view；
is given in a book called ‘‘Le Peril Anarchiste；'' by Felix Dubois；＇17＇
which incidentally reproduces a number of cartoons from anarchist
journals。 The revolt against law naturally leads； except in those who are
controlled by a real passion for humanity； to a relaxation of all the usually
accepted moral rules； and to a bitter spirit of retaliatory cruelty out of
which good can hardly come。
＇17＇ Paris； 1894。
One of the most curious features of popular Anarchism is its
martyrology； aping Christian forms； with the guillotine （in France） in place
of the cross。 Many who have suffered death at the hands of the authorities
on account of acts of violence were no doubt genuine sufferers for their
belief in a cause； but others； equally honored； are more questionable。 One
of the most curious examples of this outlet for the repressed religious
impulse is the cult of Ravachol； who was guillotined in 1892 on account of
various dynamite outrages。 His past was dubious； but he died defiantly； his
last words were three lines from a well…known Anarchist song； the ‘‘Chant
du Pere Duchesne''：
Si tu veux etre heureux； Nom de Dieu！
Pends ton proprietaire。
As was natural； the leading Anarchists took no part in the canonization
of his memory； nevertheless it proceeded； with the most amazing
extravagances。
It would be wholly unfair to judge Anarchist doctrine； or the views of
its leading exponents； by such phenomena； but it remains a fact that
Anarchism attracts to itself much that lies on the borderland of insanity
and common crime。＇18＇ This must be remembered in exculpation of the
authorities and the thoughtless public； who often confound in a common
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detestation the parasites of the movement and the truly heroic and high…
minded men who have elaborated its theories and sacrificed comfort and
success to their propagation。
＇18＇ The attitude of all the better Anarchists is that expressed by L。 S。
Bevington in the words： ‘‘Of course we know that among those who call
themselves Anarchists there are a minority of unbalanced enthusiasts who
look upon every illegal and sensational act of violence as a matter for
hysterical jubilation。 Very useful to the police and the press； unsteady in
intellect and of weak moral principle； they have repeatedly shown
themselves accessible to venal considerations。 They； and their violence；
and their professed Anarchism are purchasable； and in the last resort they
are welcome and efficient partisans of the bourgeoisie in its remorseless
war against the deliverers of the people。'' His conclusion is a very wise one：
‘‘Let us leave indiscriminate killing and injuring to the Governmentto its
Statesmen； its Stockbrokers； its Officers； and its Law。'' （‘‘Anarchism and
Violence；'' pp。 9…10。 Liberty Press； Chiswick； 1896。）
The terrorist campaign in which such men as Ravachol were active
practically came to an end in 1894。 After that time； under the influence of
Pelloutier； the better sort of Anarchists found a less harmful outlet by
advocating Revolutionary Syndicalism in the Trade Unions and Bourses
du Travail。＇19＇
＇19＇ See next Chapter。
The ECONOMIC organization of society； as conceived by Anarchist
Communists； does not differ greatly from that which is sought by
Socialists。 Their difference from Socialists is in the matter of government：
they demand that government shall require the consent of all the governed；
and not only of a majority。 It is undeniable that the rule of a majority may
be almost as hostile to freedom as the rule of a minority： the divine right
of majorities is a dogma as little possessed of absolute truth as any other。
A strong democratic State may easily be led into oppression of its best
citizens； namely； those those independence of mind would make them a
force for progress。 Experience of democratic parliamentary government
has shown that it falls very far short of what was expected of it by early
Socialists； and the Anarchist revolt against it is not surprising。 But in the
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form of pure Anarchism； this revolt has remained weak and sporadic。 It is
Syndicalism； and the movements to which Syndicalism has given rise； that
have popularized the revolt against parliamentary government and purely
political means of emancipating the wage earner。 But this movement must
be dealt with in a separate chapter。
CHAPTER III
THE SYNDICALIST REVOLT
SYNDICALISM arose in France as a revolt against political
Socialism； and in order to understand it we must trace in brief outline the
positions attained by Socialist parties in the various countries。
After a severe setback； caused by the Franco… Prussian war； Socialism
gradually revived； and in all the countries of Western Europe Socialist
parties have increased their numerical strength almost continuously during
the last forty years； but； as is invariably the case with a growing sect； the
intensity of faith has diminished as the number of believers has increased。
In Germany the Socialist party became the strongest faction of the
Reichstag； and； in spite of differences of opinion among its members； it
preserved its formal unity with that instinct for military discipline which
characterizes the German nation。 In the Reichstag election of 1912 it
polled a third of the total number of votes cast； and returned 110 members
out of a total of 397。 After the death of Bebel； the Revisionists； who
received their first impulse from Bernstein； overcame the more strict
Marxians； and the party became in effect merely one of advanced
Radicalism。 It is too soon to guess what will be the effect of the split
between Majority and Minority Socialists which has occurred during the
war。 There is in Germany hardly a trace of Syndicalism； its characteristic
doctrine； the preference of industrial to political action； has found scarcely
any support。
In England Marx has never had many followers。 Socialism there has
been inspired