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charity and
poverty； celibacy and mortification of the flesh； monastic life
and
Mother Church？ Christian Socialism is but the holy； water with
which
the priest consecrates the heart…burnings of the aristocrat。
B。 Petty…Bourgeois Socialism
The feudal aristocracy was not the only class that has ruined by
the bourgeoisie； not the only class whose conditions of existence
pined and perished in the atmosphere of modern bourgeois society。
The mediaeval burgesses and the small peasant proprietors were
the precursors of the modern bourgeoisie。 In those countries
which
are but little developed； industrially and commercially； these
two
classes still vegetate side by side with the rising bourgeoisie。
In countries where modern civilisation has become fully
developed； a new class of petty bourgeois has been formed；
fluctuating between proletariat and bourgeoisie and ever renewing
itself as a supplementary part of bourgeois society。 The
individual members of this class； however； are being constantly
hurled down into the proletariat by the action of competition；
and； as modern industry develops； they even see the moment
approaching when they will completely disappear as an independent
section of modern society； to be replaced； in manufactures；
agriculture and commerce； by overlookers； bailiffs and shopmen。
In countries like France； where the peasants constitute far more
than half of the population； it was natural that writers who
sided with the proletariat against the bourgeoisie； should use；
in their criticism of the bourgeois regime； the standard of the
peasant and petty bourgeois； and from the standpoint of these
intermediate classes should take up the cudgels for the working
class。 Thus arose petty…bourgeois Socialism。 Sismondi was the
head of this school； not only in France but also in England。
This school of Socialism dissected with great acuteness the
contradictions in the conditions of modern production。 It laid
bare the hypocritical apologies of economists。 It proved；
incontrovertibly； the disastrous effects of machinery and
division of labour； the concentration of capital and land in a
few hands； overproduction and crises； it pointed out the
inevitable ruin of the petty bourgeois and peasant； the misery of
the proletariat； the anarchy in production； the crying
inequalities in the distribution of wealth； the industrial war of
extermination between nations； the dissolution of old moral
bonds； of the old family relations； of the old nationalities。
In its positive aims； however； this form of Socialism aspires
either to restoring the old means of production and of exchange；
and with them the old property relations； and the old society； or
to cramping the modern means of production and of exchange；
within the framework of the old property relations that have
been； and were bound to be； exploded by those means。 In either
case； it is both reactionary and Utopian。
Its last words are： corporate guilds for manufacture；
patriarchal relations in agriculture。
Ultimately； when stubborn historical facts had dispersed all
intoxicating effects of self…deception； this form of Socialism
ended in a miserable fit of the blues。
C。 German； or 〃True；〃 Socialism
The Socialist and Communist literature of France； a literature
that originated under the pressure of a bourgeoisie in power； and
that was the expression of the struggle against this power； was
introduced into Germany at a time when the bourgeoisie； in that
country； had just begun its contest with feudal absolutism。
German philosophers； would…be philosophers； and beaux esprits；
eagerly seized on this literature； only forgetting； that when
these writings immigrated from France into Germany； French social
conditions had not immigrated along with them。 In contact with
German social conditions； this French literature lost all its
immediate practical significance； and assumed a purely literary
aspect。 Thus； to the German philosophers of the eighteenth
century； the demands of the first French Revolution were nothing
more than the demands of 〃Practical Reason〃 in general； and the
utterance of the will of the revolutionary French bourgeoisie
signified in their eyes the law of pure Will； of Will as it was
bound to be； of true human Will generally。
The world of the German literate consisted solely in bringing
the new French ideas into harmony with their ancient
philosophical conscience； or rather； in annexing the French ideas
without deserting their own philosophic point of view。
This annexation took place in the same way in which a foreign
language is appropriated； namely； by translation。
It is well known how the monks wrote silly lives of Catholic
Saints over the manuscripts on which the classical works of
ancient heathendom had been written。 The German literate
reversed this process with the profane French literature。 They
wrote their philosophical nonsense beneath the French original。
For instance； beneath the French criticism of the economic
functions of money； they wrote 〃Alienation of Humanity；〃 and
beneath the French criticism of the bourgeois State they wrote
〃dethronement of the Category of the General；〃 and so forth。
The introduction of these philosophical phrases at the back of
the French historical criticisms they dubbed 〃Philosophy of
Action；〃 〃True Socialism；〃 〃German Science of Socialism；〃
〃Philosophical Foundation of Socialism；〃 and so on。
The French Socialist and Communist literature was thus
completely emasculated。 And； since it ceased in the hands of the
German to express the struggle of one class with the other； he
felt conscious of having overcome 〃French one…sidedness〃 and of
representing； not true requirements； but the requirements of
truth；
not the interests of the proletariat； but the interests of Human
Nature；
of Man in general； who belongs to no class； has no reality； who
exists
only in the misty realm of philosophical fantasy。
This German Socialism； which took its schoolboy task so seriously
and solemnly； and extolled its poor stock…in…trade in such
mountebank fashion； meanwhile gradually lost its pedantic
innocence。
The fight of the German； and especially； of the Prussian
bourgeoisie；
against feudal aristocracy and absolute monarchy； in other words；
the liberal movement； became more earnest。
By this； the long wished…for opportunity was offered to 〃True〃
Socialism of confronting the political movement with the
Socialist demands； of hurling the traditional anathemas against
liberalism； against representative government； against bourgeois
competition； bourgeois freedom of the press； bourgeois
legislation； bourgeois liberty and equality； and of preaching to
the masses that they had nothing to gain； and everything to lose；
by this bourgeois movement。 German Socialism forgot； in the nick
of time； that the French criticism； whose silly echo it was；
presupposed the existence of modern bourgeois society； with its
corresponding economic conditions of existence； and the political
constitution adapted thereto； the very things whose attainment
was the object of the pending struggle in Germany。
To the absolute governments； with their following of parsons；
professors； country squires and officials； it served as a welcome
scarecrow against the threatening bourgeoisie。
It was a sweet finish after the bitter pills of floggings and
bullets with which these same governments； just at that time；
dosed the German working…class risings。
While this 〃True〃 Socialism thus served the governments as a
weapon for fighting the German bourgeoisie； it； at the same time；
directly represented a reactionary interest； the interest of the
German Philistines。 In Germany the petty…bourgeois class； a
relic of the sixteenth century； and since then constantly
cropping up again under various forms； is the real social basis
of the existing state of things。
To preserve this class is to preserve the existing state of
things in Germany。 The industrial and political supremacy of the
bourgeoisie threatens it with certain destruction； on the one
hand； from the concentration of capital； on the other； from the
rise of a revolutionary proletariat。 〃True〃 Socialism appeared
to
kill these two birds with one stone。 It spread like an epidemic。
The robe of speculative cobwebs； embroidered with flowers of
rhetoric； steeped in the dew of sickly sentiment； this
transcendental robe in which the German Socialists wrapped their
sorry 〃eternal truths；〃 all skin and bone； served to wonderfully
increase the sale of their goods amongst such a public。
And on its part； German Socialism recognised； more and more； its
own calling as the bombastic representative of the petty…
bourgeois Philistine。
It proclaimed the German nation to be the model nation； and the
German petty Philist