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！
he may be beaten with bricks and clubs by the men who by superior
strength and capacity scab upon him as he scabs upon them by longer
hours and smaller wages； but through it all he will persist； giving a bit
more of most for least than they are giving。
49
… Page 50…
War of the Classes
THE QUESTION OF THE
MAXIMUM
For any social movement or development there must be a maximum
limit beyond which it cannot proceed。 That civilization which does not
advance must decline； and so； when the maximum of development has
been reached in any given direction； society must either retrograde or
change the direction of its advance。 There are many families of men that
have failed； in the critical period of their economic evolution； to effect a
change in direction； and were forced to fall back。 Vanquished at the
moment of their maximum； they have dropped out of the whirl of the
world。 There was no room for them。 Stronger competitors have taken their
places； and they have either rotted into oblivion or remain to be crushed
under the iron heel of the dominant races in as remorseless a struggle as
the world has yet witnessed。 But in this struggle fair women and
chivalrous men will play no part。 Types and ideals have changed。 Helens
and Launcelots are anachronisms。 Blows will be given and taken； and men
fight and die； but not for faiths and altars。 Shrines will be desecrated； but
they will be the shrines； not of temples； but market…places。 Prophets will
arise； but they will be the prophets of prices and products。 Battles will be
waged； not for honor and glory； nor for thrones and sceptres； but for
dollars and cents and for marts and exchanges。 Brain and not brawn will
endure； and the captains of war will be commanded by the captains of
industry。 In short； it will be a contest for the mastery of the world's
commerce and for industrial supremacy。
It is more significant； this struggle into which we have plunged； for the
fact that it is the first struggle to involve the globe。 No general movement
of man has been so wide…spreading； so far…reaching。 Quite local was the
supremacy of any ancient people； likewise the rise to empire of
Macedonia and Rome； the waves of Arabian valor and fanaticism； and the
mediaeval crusades to the Holy Sepulchre。 But since those times the planet
has undergone a unique shrinkage。
50
… Page 51…
War of the Classes
The world of Homer； limited by the coast…lines of the Mediterranean
and Black seas； was a far vaster world than ours of today； which we weigh；
measure； and compute as accurately and as easily as if it were a child's
play…ball。 Steam has made its parts accessible and drawn them closer
together。 The telegraph annihilates space and time。 Each morning； every
part knows what every other part is thinking； contemplating； or doing。 A
discovery in a German laboratory is being demonstrated in San Francisco
within twenty…four hours。 A book written in South Africa is published by
simultaneous copyright in every English…speaking country； and on the day
following is in the hands of the translators。 The death of an obscure
missionary in China； or of a whiskey…smuggler in the South Seas； is served；
the world over； with the morning toast。 The wheat output of Argentine or
the gold of Klondike are known wherever men meet and trade。 Shrinkage；
or centralization； has become such that the humblest clerk in any
metropolis may place his hand on the pulse of the world。 The planet has
indeed grown very small； and because of this； no vital movement can
remain in the clime or country where it takes its rise。
And so today the economic and industrial impulse is world…wide。 It is
a matter of import to every people。 None may be careless of it。 To do so is
to perish。 It is become a battle； the fruits of which are to the strong； and to
none but the strongest of the strong。 As the movement approaches its
maximum； centralization accelerates and competition grows keener and
closer。 The competitor nations cannot all succeed。 So long as the
movement continues its present direction； not only will there not be room
for all； but the room that is will become less and less； and when the
moment of the maximum is at hand； there will be no room at all。
Capitalistic production will have overreached itself； and a change of
direction will then be inevitable。
Divers queries arise： What is the maximum of commercial
development the world can sustain？ How far can it be exploited？ How
much capital is necessary？ Can sufficient capital be accumulated？ A brief
resume of the industrial history of the last one hundred years or so will be
relevant at this stage of the discussion。 Capitalistic production； in its
modern significance； was born of the industrial revolution in England in
51
… Page 52…
War of the Classes
the latter half of the eighteenth century。 The great inventions of that period
were both its father and its mother； while； as Mr。 Brooks Adams has
shown； the looted treasure of India was the potent midwife。 Had there not
been an unwonted increase of capital； the impetus would not have been
given to invention； while even steam might have languished for
generations instead of at once becoming； as it did； the most prominent
factor in the new method of production。 The improved application of these
inventions in the first decades of the nineteenth century mark the transition
from the domestic to the factory system of manufacture and inaugurated
the era of capitalism。 The magnitude of this revolution is manifested by
the fact that England alone had invented the means and equipped herself
with the machinery whereby she could overstock the world's markets。 The
home market could not consume a tithe of the home product。 To
manufacture this home product she