Page:Karl Kautsky - Ethics and The Materialist Conception of History - tr. J. B. Askew (1906).pdf/33

 large degree, imprisoned in the old methods of thought, so that the class antagonisms appear in a very undeveloped form. Thus in such countries it does not at once come to a final and decisive struggle in the class war; it comes to no decisive overthrow of the old classes, who here continue to rule without any limit, and in all the neighbouring countries remain at the height of their power. The new classes are still incapable of taking on the government because they do not realise their own position in society, and alarmed by the novelty of their own endeavour, themselves seek for support and points of contact in the traditional relations.

It would thus seem to be a general law of social development that countries which are pioneers in the economic development are tempted to great compromises in the place of radical solutions.

For example, France in the Middle Ages stood by the side of Italy at the head of the economic development of Europe. She came more and more into opposition with the Papacy—their Government first rebelled against Rome. But just because she opened the way in this direction, she never succeeded in founding a national Church, and was only able to force the Papacy to a compromise which, with unimportant interruptions, has lasted up to the present. On the other hand, the most radical champions against the Papal power were the two States which were economically the most backward—Scotland and Sweden.

Since the Reformation, England, together with Scotland, has taken the place of France and Italy, the pioneers of her economic development, and thus compromise became for both these countries the form of the solution of their class struggles. Just because in England in the seventeeth century capital acquired power more rapidly than elsewhere, because there earlier than in other countries did it come to a struggle with the feudal aristocracy, this fight has ended with a compromise, which accounts for the fact that the feudal system of landed property is stronger in England even to-day than in any other country of Europe