The Labor enquirer., 1886-07-17
REVOLT.
A Translation From the 0riqi-
nal of Prince Peter
Krapotkine.
Society Splitting and Sub-Diyid-
ing, and What is to
be Done?
How Is 1t That Words Which Have
Been as Empty Sounds Were
Translated Into ActsY

From the French OF Pierre Krapotkine-
Translated for THE ENQUIRER by W. c,
owen.
In the life of societies there are
epochs in which Revolution becomes an
imperative necessity. in which it forces
itself to the front. Nv ideas spring up
on all sides; they strive to make their
way to Lut themselves in practice, but
they dash themselves against the wis
inertia" OF those who are interested in
maintaining the old regime !: they stife
in the suffocating atmosphere of ancient
preiudlces and traditions. The ortho-
dOx views upon the constitution OF
states, upon the laws of social equilib-
rum, upon the political and economical
relations of citizens to one another fall
before the severe criticism which ssps
them daily and upon every opportunity,
alike in the>drawing room and the tav-
ern, in the ranks of the philosopher and
in ordinary conversation. Political, eco
nomical and social institutions fall Into
ruins; the building having ceased to be
habltable does but hinder and obstruct
the development of the shoots which are
growing in its cracked walls and spring
ing up around it. The want of a new
life makes itself felt. The esta a5lished
code Of morality, which governs most
men in their daily life, no longer aD
pears sufficient, PEOPLE perceive that
such and such a thing, formerly re-
garded AS equitable, is nothing but
crying injustice yesterdays morality Is
recognized to ,daY as being revolving I'M
morality. The conflict between the new
ideas and the old traditions breaks out
in every class of society, in every circle,
even in the bosom Of the family. The
son en- ers into strife with his father
he discovers that what his father
throughout his whole life considered
natural is revolving; the daughter rebels
against principles which her mother
handed down TO her as the fruit of long
experience. The public conscience rises
daily against the scandals which take
place in the heart Of the privileged and
lelsured classes, against the crimes
which are committed in the name of the
right of the strongest, or to maintain
that classes privileges. Those who de-
sire the triumph Of justice, those who
wish to put the new ideas into practice.
are soon compelled to recognize that the
realization Of their generous, humanita-
rlan, regenerative ideas cannot take
place in society as it is constituted they
understand the necessity of a Revolu-
tionary storm to sweep away the mill
dew, to breathe the life into hearts be-
numbed, and to bring to humanity the
devotion, the self-denial, heroism, with
out which society becomes debased, de-
graded, rotten.
In epocns of an unbridled race for
wealth, of feverlsh speculations and cri-
ses, of the sudden ruin Of great indus
tries, and the ephemeral expansion Of
other branches Of production, of scau-
dalous fortunes amassed and dissipated
in the course of few years, men under
stand that the economical institutions
which govern productiOl and exchange
are far from giving to society the com .
fort which they are supposed TO guaran-
tee It, and that they bring about pre-
cisely different result. Instead Of order
they engender chaos; instead Of com
fort, mi ,ery, insecurity for the morrow ;
instead of harmony of interests war, un
ceasing war between the proft.monger
and the worker, as we'll as between pro-
dt-monger and prodt-monger, worker
and worker. Men see society splitting
more and more into two hostile camps
and al the same time subdivldlng into
thousand small groups waging desperate
war upon one mother. Weary of these
wars, wear of the misery they beget,
society PUSHES forward in search of a new
form Of organization; it demands With
piercing cries the complete alteration OF
the system OF property, of production,
Of exchange and of all the economic ae-
.auons which flow from it.
The government machine, charged
With maintaining the existing state OF
things, continues to perform lis duties,
but with each turn of the wheels that
have got out of gear, it stumoles and
comes to standstill. 1t becomes more
and more difficult for it to work, and the
dlscontent excited by its failures ls ever
on the increase. Every day brings
fresh demands upon it. Reform this,
reform that" is the cry on every side
War, finance, taxes, courts Of justice,
police, they must all be altered, reor'
Eanlzed, put upon new bases" say the
refOrmers Meanwhile everyone under
stands that it is impossib Bile TO remodel
OF alter anything, since it Is all of one
piece; it must all be re-made at once,
and how is it to be re-msde when so
ciety is divided into two openly hostile
camps? To satisfy the malcontents
would be only give birth to new ones.
Unable to launch themselves on the
pathway to reform. since that would be
tantamouut to engaging in Revolution