Page:Peter Alexeivitch Kropotkin - The Commune of Paris (1896).djvu/9

 Rh bringing about within herself a social revolution; a revolution which would have completely transformed the whole system of production and exchange by basing them on justice; which would have completely modified human relations by putting them on a footing of equality; which would have formed our social morality anew by founding it upon equality and solidarity. Communal independence was then but a means for the people of Paris; the Social Revolution was their end.

And this end might have been attained if the devolution of March 18th had been able to take its natural course, if the people of Paris had nut been cut to pieces by the assasinsassassins [sic] from Versailles. To find a clear, precise idea, comprehensible to all the world and summing up in a few words what was needed to accomplish the Revolution, this was really the preoccupation of the people of Paris from the earliest days of their independence. But a great idea does not germinate in a day, however rapid the elaboration and propagation of ideas during periods of revolution. It always needs a certain time to develop, to spread throughout the masses, to translate itself into action, and this time failed the Commune of Paris. More especially, because as we have before observed, Socialism twenty years ago was passing through a period of transition. The authoritative and semi-religious Communism of 1848 had no longer any hold over the practical, free-thinking minds of our epoch. The Collectivism which attempted to yoke together the Wage System and collective property was incomprehensible, unattractive and bristling with difficulties in practical application. Free Communism, Anarchist Communism, was but beginning to dawn upon the minds of the workers and scarcely ventured to provoke the attacks of the worshippers of government. Minds were undecided. Socialists themselves, having no definite end in view, did not dare to lay hands upon private property; and deluded themselves with the argument which has lulled the activities of many an age: "Let us first make sure of victory, and then see what can be done."

Make sure of victory! As if there were any way of forming a free Commune without laying hands upon property! As if there were any way of conquering the foe whilst the great mass of the people is not directly interested in the triumph of the Revolution, by seeing that it will bring material, moral and intellectual well-being to everybody! They tried to consolidate the Commune first and defer the Social Revolution until afterwards, whereas the only way to go