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common； and； naturally； can come to no other conclusion than that
the lot of being common to all will likewise fall to the women。
He has not even a suspicion that the real point is to do away
with the status of women as mere instruments of production。
For the rest； nothing is more ridiculous than the
virtuous indignation of our bourgeois at the community of women
which； they pretend； is to be openly and officially established
by the Communists。 The Communists have no need to introduce
community of women； it has existed almost from time immemorial。
Our bourgeois； not content with having the wives and daughters of
their
proletarians at their disposal； not to speak of common
prostitutes；
take the greatest pleasure in seducing each other's wives。
Bourgeois marriage is in reality a system of wives in common and
thus；
at the most； what the Communists might possibly be reproached
with；
is that they desire to introduce； in substitution for a
hypocritically
concealed； an openly legalised community of women。 For the rest；
it is self…evident that the abolition of the present system of
production must bring with it the abolition of the community
of women springing from that system； i。e。； of prostitution
both public and private。
The Communists are further reproached with desiring to abolish
countries and nationality。
The working men have no country。 We cannot take from them what
they have not got。 Since the proletariat must first of all
acquire political supremacy； must rise to be the leading class of
the nation； must constitute itself the nation； it is； so far；
itself national； though not in the bourgeois sense of the word。
National differences and antagonisms between peoples are daily
more and more vanishing； owing to the development of the
bourgeoisie； to freedom of commerce； to the world…market； to
uniformity in the mode of production and in the conditions of
life corresponding thereto。
The supremacy of the proletariat will cause them to vanish still
faster。
United action； of the leading civilised countries at least； is
one of
the first conditions for the emancipation of the proletariat。
In proportion as the exploitation of one individual by another
is put an end to； the exploitation of one nation by another will
also be put an end to。 In proportion as the antagonism between
classes within the nation vanishes； the hostility of one nation
to another will come to an end。
The charges against Communism made from a religious； a
philosophical； and； generally； from an ideological standpoint；
are not deserving of serious examination。
Does it require deep intuition to comprehend that man's ideas；
views and conceptions； in one word； man's consciousness； changes
with every change in the conditions of his material existence； in
his social relations and in his social life？
What else does the history of ideas prove； than that intellectual
production changes its character in proportion as material
production
is changed？ The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the
ideas of
its ruling class。
When people speak of ideas that revolutionise society； they do
but express the fact； that within the old society； the elements
of a new one have been created； and that the dissolution of the
old ideas keeps even pace with the dissolution of the old
conditions of existence。
When the ancient world was in its last throes； the ancient
religions were overcome by Christianity。 When Christian ideas
succumbed in the 18th century to rationalist ideas； feudal
society fought its death battle with the then revolutionary
bourgeoisie。 The ideas of religious liberty and freedom of
conscience merely gave expression to the sway of free competition
within the domain of knowledge。
〃Undoubtedly；〃 it will be said； 〃religious； moral； philosophical
and juridical ideas have been modified in the course of
historical development。 But religion； morality philosophy；
political science； and law； constantly survived this change。〃
〃There are； besides； eternal truths； such as Freedom； Justice；
etc。 that are common to all states of society。 But Communism
abolishes eternal truths； it abolishes all religion； and all
morality； instead of constituting them on a new basis； it
therefore
acts in contradiction to all past historical experience。〃
What does this accusation reduce itself to？ The history of all
past society has consisted in the development of class
antagonisms；
antagonisms that assumed different forms at different epochs。
But whatever form they may have taken； one fact is common to all
past ages； viz。； the exploitation of one part of society by the
other。
No wonder； then； that the social consciousness of past ages；
despite
all the multiplicity and variety it displays； moves within
certain
common forms； or general ideas； which cannot completely vanish
except
with the total disappearance of class antagonisms。
The Communist revolution is the most radical rupture with
traditional property relations； no wonder that its development
involves the most radical rupture with traditional ideas。
But let us have done with the bourgeois objections to Communism。
We have seen above； that the first step in the revolution by the
working class； is to raise the proletariat to the position of
ruling as to win the battle of democracy。
The proletariat will use its political supremacy top wrest； by
degrees； all capital from the bourgeoisie； to centralise all
instruments of production in the hands of the State； i。e。； of the
proletariat organised as the ruling class； and to increase the
total of productive forces as rapidly as possible。
Of course； in the beginning； this cannot be effected except by
means of despotic inroads on the rights of property； and on the
conditions of bourgeois production； by means of measures；
therefore；
which appear economically insufficient and untenable； but which；
in the course of the movement； outstrip themselves； necessitate
further inroads upon the old social order； and are unavoidable
as a means of entirely revolutionising the mode of production。
These measures will of course be different in different
countries。
Nevertheless in the most advanced countries； the following will
be pretty generally applicable。
1。 Abolition of property in land and application of all rents
of land to public purposes。
2。 A heavy progressive or graduated income tax。
3。 Abolition of all right of inheritance。
4。 Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels。
5。 Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State； by means
of a national bank with State capital and an exclusive
monopoly。
6。 Centralisation of the means of communication and transport
in the hands of the State。
7。 Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by
the
State； the bri