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conclusions will appear as we proceed。
Before embarking upon the history of recent movements In favor of
radical reconstruction； it will be worth while to consider some traits of
character which distinguish most political idealists； and are much
misunderstood by the general public for other reasons besides mere
prejudice。 I wish to do full justice to these reasons； in order to show the
more effectually why they ought not to be operative。
The leaders of the more advanced movements are； in general； men of
quite unusual disinterestedness； as is evident from a consideration of their
careers。 Although they have obviously quite as much ability as many men
who rise to positions of great power； they do not themselves become the
arbiters of contemporary events； nor do they achieve wealth or the
applause of the mass of their contemporaries。 Men who have the capacity
for winning these prizes； and who work at least as hard as those who win
them； but deliberately adopt a line which makes the winning of them
impossible； must be judged to have an aim in life other than personal
advancement； whatever admixture of self…seeking may enter into the detail
of their lives； their fundamental motive must be outside Self。 The pioneers
of Socialism； Anarchism； and Syndicalism have； for the most part；
experienced prison； exile； and poverty； deliberately incurred because they
would not abandon their propaganda； and by this conduct they have shown
that the hope which inspired them was not for themselves； but for
mankind。
Nevertheless； though the desire for human welfare is what at bottom
determines the broad lines of such men's lives； it often happens that； in the
detail of their speech and writing； hatred is far more visible than love。 The
impatient idealistand without some impatience a man will hardly prove
effectiveis almost sure to be led into hatred by the oppositions and
disappointments which he encounters in his endeavors to bring happiness
to the world。 The more certain he is of the purity of his motives and the
truth of his gospel； the more indignant he will become when his teaching
is rejected。 Often he will successfully achieve an attitude of philosophic
tolerance as regards the apathy of the masses； and even as regards the
whole…hearted opposition of professed defenders of the status quo。 But the
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men whom he finds it impossible to forgive are those who profess the
same desire for the amelioration of society as he feels himself； but who do
not accept his method of achieving this end。 The intense faith which
enables him to withstand persecution for the sake of his beliefs makes him
consider these beliefs so luminously obvious that any thinking man who
rejects them must be dishonest； and must be actuated by some sinister
motive of treachery to the cause。 Hence arises the spirit of the sect； that
bitter； narrow orthodoxy which is the bane of those who hold strongly to
an unpopular creed。 So many real temptations to treachery exist that
suspicion is natural。 And among leaders； ambition； which they mortify in
their choice of a career； is sure to return in a new form： in the desire for
intellectual mastery and for despotic power within their own sect。 From
these causes it results that the advocates of drastic reform divide
themselves into opposing schools； hating each other with a bitter hatred；
accusing each other often of such crimes as being in the pay of the police；
and demanding； of any speaker or writer whom they are to admire； that he
shall conform exactly to their prejudices； and make all his teaching
minister to their belief that the exact truth is to be found within the limits
of their creed。 The result of this state of mind is that； to a casual and
unimaginative attention； the men who have sacrificed most through the
wish to benefit mankind APPEAR to be actuated far more by hatred than
by love。 And the demand for orthodoxy is stifling to any free exercise of
intellect。 This cause； as well as economic prejudice； has made it difficult
for the ‘‘intellectuals'' to co…operate prac… tically with the more extreme
reformers； however they may sympathize with their main purposes and
even with nine…tenths of their program。
Another reason why radical reformers are misjudged by ordinary men
is that they view existing society from outside； with hostility towards its
institutions。 Although； for the most part； they have more belief than their
neighbors in human nature's inherent capacity for a good life； they are so
conscious of the cruelty and oppression resulting from existing institutions
that they make a wholly misleading impression of cynicism。 Most men
have instinctively two entirely different codes of behavior： one toward
those whom they regard as companions or colleagues or friends； or in
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some way members of the same ‘‘herd''； the other toward those whom
they regard as enemies or outcasts or a danger to society。 Radical
reformers are apt to concentrate their attention upon the behavior of
society toward the latter class； the class of those toward whom the ‘‘herd''
feels ill…will。 This class includes； of course； enemies in war； and criminals；
in the minds of those who consider the preservation of the existing order
essential to their own safety or privileges； it includes all who advocate any
great political or economic change； and all classes which； through their
poverty or through any other cause； are likely to feel a dangerous degree
of discontent。 The ordinary citizen probably seldom thinks about such
individuals or classes； and goes through life believing that he and his
friends are kindly people； because they have no wish to injure those
toward whom they entertain no group…hostility。 But the man whose
attention is fastened upon the relations of a group with those whom it
hates or fears will judge quite differently。 In these relations a surprising
ferocity is apt to be developed； and a very ugly side of human nature
comes to the fore。 The opponents of capitalism have learned； through the
study of certain historical facts； that this ferocity has often been shown by
the capitalists and by the State toward the wage…earning classes；
particularly when they have ventured to protest against the unspeakable
suffering to which industrialism has usually condemned them。 Hence
arises a quite different attitude toward existing society from that of the
ordinary well…to…do citizen： an attitude as true as his； perhaps also as
untrue； but equally based on facts； facts concerning his relations to his
enemies instead of to his friends。
The class…war； like wars between nations； produces two opposing
views； each equally true and equally untrue。 The citizen of a nation at war；
when he thinks of his own countrymen； thinks of them primarily as he has
experienced them； in dealings with their friends； in their family relations；
and so on。 They seem to him on the whole kindly； decent folk。 But a
nation with which his country is at war views his compatriots through the
medium of a quite different set of experiences： as they appear in the
ferocity of battle； in the invasion and subjugation of a hostile territory； or
in the chicanery of a juggling diplomacy。 The men of whom these facts are
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true are the very same as the men whom their compatriots