Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/144

128 drifting toward Socialism. Already in 1898, writing of the parliamentary elections, we commented upon this fact in L'Humanité nouvelle. Even since then the fact has become more and more accentuated. Frequently, in the elections, the Royalist or Bonapartist gives place to a "Rallié" or a Catholic Republican, who himself makes room for a Progressist Republican, who in his turn is supplanted by a Radical. The Radical next sees his votes given to a Socialist Radical, who in turn has to give his seat to a Socialist. The Radical majority is gradually increasing, and little by little it is becoming impregnated with socialism. It may therefore be predicted that the future ministries, called to direct the affairs of France, will have a long life. They will find themselves in the presence of an opposition of the Right which will go on decreasing, and a majority in which the extreme Left, with its most advanced ideas, will continually increase in number. It may be presumed with a fair degree of certainty that the policy of France will tend more and more in a democratic and socialistic direction. Gradually it will give to the nation laws improving the condition of the working classes of city and country, increasing the civic liberties, reducing the burdens of the proletarians to shift them to the shoulders of the capitalists, and even socializing a few industries, such as railways, navigation, etc.

One may say, without fear of contradiction, that France, after thirty years as a nominal epublic, has at last begun to realize the true republic, to the great satisfaction of the majority of her people.