quite
feudal and dismembered Germany, to put the "American federal system"
in place of the one and indivisible republic and its levelling
centralization.

The state-founding Hercules indeed does not copy slavishly the North
American federal republic. He decorates it with "social institutions";
he would regulate the property relations "according to rational
principles," and the seven great measures wherewith he would abolish
the old bourgeois society are by no means wretched flimsy recipes
collected from modern, objectionable communist and socialist
cookshops.

To the "Incas" and "Campe's books for children" the great Karl Heinzen
is indebted for his recipe for the "humanizing of society," just as he
is indebted for the latter pompous phrase not to the philosopher and
Pomeranian Ruge, but rather to a "Peruvian" grown grey in wisdom. And
Mr Engels calls all this arbitrarily-contrived, commonplace enthusiasm
for world improvement.

Take for instance any well-meaning citizen and ask him on his
conscience: What is the difficulty under which the existing property
relations labour? And the worthy man will place his index finger at
the tip of his nose, draw two deep breaths of thought, and then give
it out as his opinion, that it is a shame for many to possess
"nothing," not even the most absolute necessities, while others roll
in shameless millions, not only to the detriment of the propertyless
masses, but also to that of honest citizens. _Aurea mediocritas._
Golden mediocrity, the worthy member of the middle class will exclaim.
It is only extremes that should be avoided. What rational state
constitution would be compatible with these extremes, these highly
objectionable extremes?

And now take a look at the Heinzen "federal republic," with "social
institutions" and seven measures for the "humanizing of society."
There a minimum of property is assured to every citizen, below which
he cannot fall, and a maximum of property is prescribed which he must
not exceed. Has Mr Heinzen then not solved all difficulties inasmuch
as he has repeated in the form of State decrees and thereby realized
the pious desire of all worthy citizens, that none should have too
little and none too much?

And in the same equally simple and generous fashion Mr Heinzen solves
all the economic problems. He has regulated property according to
reasonable principles corresponding to honest cheapness.

And do not raise the objection that the "rational r