ole direction of social evolution
would be altered. For, while the Socialists expect to utilize every
reform of capitalist collectivism, and can only build on that
foundation, their later policy would be diametrically opposed to it. A
Socialist government would begin immediately an almost complete reversal
of the statesmanship of "State Socialism." The first measure it would
undertake would be to begin at once to increase wages _faster than the
rate of increase of the total wealth of the community_. Secondly, within
a few years, it would give to the masses of the population, according to
their abilities, all the education needed to fill _from the ranks of the
non-capitalistic classes_ a proportion of all the most desirable and
important positions in the community, corresponding to their numbers,
and would see to it that they got these positions.

It is undoubtedly the opinion of the most representative figures of the
international Socialist movement that there is not the slightest
possibility that any of the non-Socialist reformers of to-day or of the
near future are following or will follow any such policy, or even take
the slightest step in that direction; and that there is nothing
Socialists can do to force such a policy on the capitalists until they
are actually or practically in power. Society may continue to progress,
but it is surely inconceivable to any close observer, as it is
inconceivable to the Socialists, that the privileged classes will ever
consent, without the most violent struggle, to a program which, viewed
as a whole, would lead, _however gradually or indirectly_, to a more
equitable distribution of wealth and political power.

FOOTNOTES:

[90] Kautsky, "The Capitalist Class" (pamphlet).

[91] Marx's letters to Sorge.

[92] Marx's letters to Sorge.

PART II

THE POLITICS OF SOCIALISM

CHAPTER I

"STATE SOCIALISM" WITHIN THE MOVEMENT

The Socialist movement must be judged by its acts, by the decisions
Socialists have reached and the reasoning they have used as they have
met concrete problems.

The Socialists themselves agree that first importance is to be attached,
not to the theories of Socialist writers, but to the principles that
have actually guided Socialist parties and their instructed
representatives in capitalist legislatures. These and the proceedings of
international and national congresses and the discussion that constantly
goes on within each party, and not theo