Page:The Spirit of Russia by T G Masaryk, volume 2.pdf/113

Rh the revolutionary idea. The secret conspirator may and must do anything needful for the cause; he may lie if lying will promote the working of the revolutionary forces; he must enter into suitable relationships with prostitutes, with the police, with "the so-called criminals," etc. The members of society, against which Nečaev is campaigning, are divided by him into six categories. The first of these consists of individuals whom the revolutionaries have sentenced to death, and who must be removed forthwith, whereas the most evil of creatures may be left alive if his misdeeds promote the growth of revolutionary energy. The second class consists of persons whose lives may provisionally be spared. In the third category are "highly placed beasts," wealthy individuals who are personally of no importance, but who can be exploited for the benefit of the revolution. In the fourth class are aspiring officials and liberals of various grades. With these the revolutionary remains ostensibly on friendly terms that he may learn their secrets, may compromise them, may make it impossible for them to draw back, and may compel them to serve the revolution. Fifthly come the doctrinaires, those who are conspirators and revolutionaries in word merely, and similar chatterers; these must be urged to deeds and converted into genuine revolutionaries. Women constitute the sixth category, the most important of all, and these are divided into three sub-classes: (a) those of no account must be exploited like the men in categories three and four; (b) the enthusiasts among them, who however are not yet fully won over to the cause, must be treated like the men of the fifth category; (c) the adepts, the genuinely revolutionary women "must be regarded as the greatest of our treasures, without which we could do nothing."

The real aim of the secret society is to secure perfect freedom and complete happiness for the workers. But since this freedom and this happiness can be secured in no other way than by an all-destroying revolution carried out by the people as a whole, the guiding purpose of the secret society must be to increase the existing evils in order that the people may lose patience and may be stimulated to a mass rising.

In 1869 and 1870 Nečaev published a periodical in Geneva. It was entitled "Narodnaja Rasprava" (The People's Assize), and no more than two numbers appeared. Herein was preached absolute negation and pandestruction. The formulation of