Page:Lenin - The Collapse of the Second International - tr. Sirnis (1919).pdf/48



The serious scientific and political question which, by means of all sorts of tricks, Katusky deliberately shirked, thus affording immense pleasure to the opportunists, consists in this: What caused the most prominent representatives of the second International to betray Socialism?

Naturally we must not put this question as though we were concerned with the personal conduct of such and such authorities. Their future biographers will have to examine the matter from the personal standpoint; but for the present the Socialist movement is not at all interested therein. It is interested, however, in an investigation of the historical origin, the significance, and the force of the Socialist Jingo current. 1. What was the origin of Socialist Jingoism? 2. Whence was its force derived? 3. How are we to combat it? Only by putting the question in this way are we able to show that we are in earnest. To discuss the problem in the terms of "personalities" simply means making use of a trick—the trick of a sophist.

To answer the first question we must examine (1) whether the Ideological and political basis of Socialist Jingoism is not connected with some former current in working-class history; (2) in what relation does the present division of Socialists into opponents and defenders of Socialist Jingoism stand to the historical divisions which preceded the war, viewing the matter from the standpoint of de facto political divisions.

By Socialist Jingoism we understand the doctrine which recognises the idea of national defence in the present imperialist war; which justifies a union of Socialists with the bourgeoisie and the governments of "their " respective countries in this war, and which refuses to preach or to support proletarian revolutionary action against "their own" bourgeoisie, and so forth. It is perfectly clear that the fundamental ideological and political contents of Socialist Jingoism fully coincides with the principles of opportunism,