Page:Tolstoy - A Great Iniquity.djvu/34

26 people have invented for them; and not by that alone for which the people unceasingly look, and for which they unceasingly ask.

Of all indispensable alterations of the forms of social life, there is in the life of the world one which is most ripe, one without which not a single step forward in improvement in the life of men can be accomplished. The necessity of this alteration is obvious to every man who is free from preconceived theories. This alteration is not the work of Russia alone, but of the whole world. All the calamities of mankind in our time are connected with this condition. We, in Russia, are in the fortunate position that the great majority of our people, living by agricultural labour, do not recognise private property in land and desire and demand the abolition of this old abuse, and do not cease to express this desire.

But no one sees this, no one wants to see it!

Whence this dreadful perversity? Why do kind, good, intelligent men, of which there are many amongst the Liberals, Socialists, and Revolutionists, not excluding even Government officials—why do these men, desiring the people’s welfare, not see the one thing they are in need of, that towards which they unceasingly strive, and without which they ceaselessly suffer? Why are they concerned instead with the most various things, the realisation of which, without the realisation of that which the people desire, can in no case contribute to their welfare? The whole of the activity of governmental as well as of anti-governmental servants of the people resembles that of a man who, whilst trying to help a horse stuck in a bog, sits in the cart and transfers from one place to