Page:Karl Kautsky - The Social Revolution and On the Morrow of the Social Revolution - tr. John Bertram Askew (1903).djvu/52

40 hopelessly sunk in the misery with which it is continually threatened. And not only, too, for the raising of the proletariat from, its misery is the activity of the representatives of the proletariat in Parliament, and on local bodies, and the efficiency of the working men's organisations indispensable; it is also needed for the better practical acquaintance of the proletariat with the duties and machinery of the State and municipal administration with the working of the industry on a large scale—in other words for the attainment of that intellectual ripeness which the proletariat needs if it is to dispense with the bourgeoisie as a ruling class.

Thus, democracy is indispensable as a means to make the proletariat ripe for the social revolution. But it is not in a position to prevent this revolution. Democracy is for the proletariat what light and air are for the organism; without them it cannot develop its strength; but through the growth of one class one ought not to overlook the simultaneous growth of its opponent. Democracy does not hinder the growth of capitalism, whose organisation, and political and economic power grow at the same time as the strength of the proletariat. Certainly the Co-operative movement grows, but the accumulation of capital proceeds still more quickly; certainly the trade unions increase, but at the same time the concentration of capital, its organisation in gigantic monopolies, grow still more rapidly. Certainly too, to touch on a hitherto undiscussed point, the Socialist press grows, but so does, at the same time, the colourless unprincipled press, which demoralises and poisons large sections of the community; certainly wages rise, but still more rapid is the rise of profits; certainly the number of the Socialist deputies in Parliament increases, but still deeper and deeper sink the importance and efficiency of these institutions, while at the same time their majorities, as well as Governments, become more and more dependent on the power of high finance.

Thus develop along with the means at the disposal of the proletariat, also those of capitalism, and the end of it can be none other than a great general battle between the two, a battle which can only end when the proletariat has won the day.

For the capitalist class is superfluous, while the proletariat has become the most indispensable class of society. The capitalist class is not in the position to eliminate the proletariat, or to annihilate it. After every defeat the latter is bound to rise anew and more threatening than ever; on the other hand it cannot use the first great victory over capital, which puts the political power into its hands, otherwise than by the way of abolishing the capitalist nexus. As long as this does not occur the fight between the two classes will and can come to no conclusion. Social peace under the capitalist mode of production is a Utopia which has arisen from the vary real needs of the Intellectuals, but finds in reality no means for its realization. And no less a Utopia is the imperceptible growing of capitalism into Socialism. We have not the