Page:Grigory Zinoviev - Army and People (1920).pdf/17

 This is why it is first of all necessary to come to a mutual understanding concerning this fundamental idea; there is no greater hypocrisy, no more deeply rooted prejudice than the opinion that any army, or any large part of one, can stand outside of politics. If anyone thinks this honestly, that person is a victim of self-delusion. The bourgeoisie never for one second admitted this honestly, but administered a pill to the ignorant people in order the better to deceive them, as the workers are fooled by the Non-Partisan. The Non-Partisans do not say to the worker „Go join a bourgeois Party“, because they know that no worker will do it. But they do say to him, „Be of no party“, and with that hook they angle for the people. Just so with the army. The bourgeosie can not well say to the soldier: „Go and serve the golden calf, the money bag“. To say so bluntly would be indecorous. But it is put like this: „Stand aside from politics; politics do not concern you; officers must not take any interest in politics; the army must keep out of politics“. This sounds rather well, and on this hook a fish may be caught here and there.

It goes without saying that an individual group may take no active part in politics. There are learned men, interested in some particular specialty, who love military science as such, for itself, and give their work to it from sheer abstract love of the subject. Such men as