按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
understand the hold which Marxian Socialism has acquired over the
intellect and imagination of a large proportion of working…class leaders。
‘‘A spectre is haunting Europe；'' it begins； ‘‘the spectre of Communism。
All the Powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise
this spectrePope and Czar； Metternich and Guizot； French Radicals and
German police…spies。 Where is the party in opposition that has not been
decried as communistic by its opponents in power？ Where the Opposition
that has not hurled back the branding reproach of Communism against the
more advanced opposition parties； as well as against its re…actionary
adversaries？''
The existence of a class war is nothing new： ‘‘The history of all
hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles。'' In these
struggles the fight ‘‘each time ended； either in a revolutionary re…
constitution of society at large； or in the common ruin of the contending
classes。''
‘‘Our epoch； the epoch of the bourgeoisie 。 。 。 has simplified the class
14
… Page 15…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
antagonisms。 Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two
great hostile camps； into two great classes directly facing each other：
Bourgeoisie and Proletariat。'' Then follows a history of the fall of
feudalism； leading to a description of the bourgeoisie as a revolutionary
force。 ‘‘The bourgeoisie； historically； has played a most revolutionary
part。'' ‘‘For exploitation； veiled by religious and political illusions； it has
substituted naked； shameless； direct； brutal exploitation。'' ‘‘The need of a
constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over
the whole surface of the globe。'' ‘‘The bourgeoisie； during its rule of scarce
one hundred years； has created more massive and more colossal
productive forces than have all preceding generations together。'' Feudal
relations became fetters： ‘‘They had to be burst asunder； they were burst
asunder。 。 。 。 A similar movement is going on before our own eyes。'' ‘‘The
weapons with which the bourgeoisie felled feudalism to the ground are
now turned against the bourgeoisie itself。 But not only has the bourgoisie
forged the weapons that bring death to itself； it has also called into
existence the men who are to wield those weapons the modern working
classthe proletarians。''
The cause of the destitution of the proletariat are then set forth。 ‘‘The
cost of production of a workman is restricted； almost entirely； to the means
of subsistence that he requires for his maintenance and for the propagation
of his race。 But the price of a commodity； and therefore also of labor； is
equal to its cost of production。 In proportion； therefore； as the
repulsiveness of the work increases； the wage decreases。 Nay more； in
proportion as the use of machinery and diversion of labor increases； in the
same proportion the burden of toil also increases。''
‘‘Modern industry has converted the little workshop of the patriarchal
master into the great factory of the industrial capitalist。 Masses of laborers；
crowded into the factory； are organized like soldiers。 As privates of the
industrial army they are placed under the command of a perfect hierarchy
of officers and sergeants。 Not only are they slaves of the bourgeois class；
and of the bourgeois State； they are daily and hourly enslaved by the
machine； by the over…looker； and； above all； by the individual bourgeois
manufacturer himself。 The more openly this despotism proclaims gain to
15
… Page 16…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
be its end and aim； the more petty； the more hateful； and the more
embittering it is。''
The Manifesto tells next the manner of growth of the class struggle。
‘‘The proletariat goes through various stages of development。 With its
birth begins its struggle with the bourgeoisie。 At first the contest is carried
on by individual laborers； then by the workpeople of a factory； then by the
operatives of one trade； in one locality； against the individual bourgeois
who directly exploits them。 They direct their attacks not against the
bourgeois conditions of production； but against the instruments of
production themselves。''
‘‘At this stage the laborers still form an incoherent mass scattered over
the whole country； and broken up by their mutual competition。 If
anywhere they unite to form more compact bodies； this is not yet the
consequence of their own active union； but of the union of the bourgeoisie；
which class； in order to attain its own political ends； is compelled to set the
whole proletariat in motion； and is moreover yet； for a time； able to do so。''
‘‘The collisions between individual workmen and individual bourgeois
take more and more the character of collisions between two classes。
Thereupon the workers begin to form combinations （Trades Unions）
against the bourgeois； they club together in order to keep up the rate of
wages； they found permanent associations in order to make provision
beforehand for these occasional revolts。 Here and there the contest breaks
out into riots。 Now and then the workers are victorious； but only for a time。
The real fruit of their battles lies； not in the immediate result； but in the
ever…expanding union of the workers。 This union is helped on by the im…
proved means of communication that are created by modern industry； and
that place the workers of different localities in contact with one another。 It
was just this contact that was needed to centralize the numerous local
struggles； all of the same character； into one national struggle between
classes。 But every class struggle is a political struggle。 And that union； to
attain which the burghers of the Middle Ages； with their miserable
highways； required centuries； the modern proletarians； thanks to railways；
achieve in a few years。 This organization of the proletarians into a class；
and consequently into a political party； is continually being upset again by
16
… Page 17…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
the competition between the workers themselves。 But it ever rises up again；
stronger； firmer； mightier。 It compels legislative recognition of particular
interests of the workers； by taking advantage of the divisions among the
bourgeoisie itself。''
‘‘In the conditions of the proletariat； those of old society at large are
already virtually swamped。 The proletarian is without property； his
relation to his wife and children has no longer anything in common with
the bourgeois family…relations； modern industrial labor； modern subjection
to capital； the same in England as in France； in America as in Germany；
has stripped him of every trace of national character。 Law； morality；
religion； are to him so many bourgeois prejudices； behind which lurk in
ambush just as many bourgeois interests。 All the preceding classes that got
the upper hand； sought to fortify their already acquired status by
subjecting society at large to their conditions of appropriation。 The
proletarians cannot become masters of the productive forces of society；
except by abolishing their own previous mode of appropriation； and
thereby also every other previous mode of appropriation。 They have
nothing of their own to secure and to fortify； their mission is to destroy all
previous securities for； and insurances of； individual property。 All previous
historical movements were movements of minorities； or in the interest of
minorities。 The proletarian movement is the self…conscious； independent
movement of the immense majority； in the interest of the immense
majority。 The proletariat； the lowest stratum of our present society； cannot
stir； cannot raise itself up； without