The Labor enquirer., 1886-07-17
REVOLT.
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REVOLT.
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party should have thoroughly elabOr-
ated the theories which 1t cries up and
the programme which it strives to real
lie, it should have actively spread them
by word of mouth and bY pen. But if
it has not sufficiently stated what it
wants, and openly before the world, in
the street, bv a series of acts hiCh are
the realization of its own special
thought if it has done little or nothing
against those who are its principal enc
mics, and has not struck at the institu-
tiOns which it aims at demOlishlng if it
has been theore tically, hnt not practi-
callY power; if it has contributed but
little to the awakening Of the spirit Of
Revolt, or has neglected 10 direct it
against that which it will seek specially
to strike when the Revolution comes !;
we'll, that partv IS not so well known ;
what it wants, not having been empha-
sized daily by acts the echo Of which
reaches the most isolated cabins, has not
sufficiently infused itself into tie masses
Of the people; it has not passed the test
of the crowd and of the street, and has
not found for itself the simple state
ment which sums its teaching no in a
popular phrase.
The party's most Jealous writers are
recognized by their readers and think
ers of merit, but they have neither the
reputation nor the capacity of men of
action, and on the day when the crowd
desceEds upon the street, 1t will rather
follow the lead of those, whose theories
are perhaps more confused and whose
aims are narrower, but whom it reCog-
nizes more readily because it has seen
them act.
The party which has done the most
Revolutionary agitation, which has
shown the greatest amount of life and
audacitY, will be the party that will
have the greatest following when the
day for action comes, when it is neCeS-
sarv to step to the front and put the
Revolution through. But the one that
has not had sufficient courage to empha-
size itself during the preparatory period
of Revolutionary acts, which has not
sufficient impulsiVe power to inspire in.
dIviduals, and groups with the Senti-
ment of self denial, with an irresistible
desire to put their ideas into practire-
for if the desire had existe it would
fore the crowd descended upon the
street-whiCh has not known how to
render its flag popular and Its aims paIp-
able and omprehensibe-tha party
will have but a slender chance Of carry
ing out the smallest part of its pro-
gramme. 1t will be thrust on one side
by the parties of action.
See What the history Of the periods
preceding the great Revolution teach es
u.s. The Revolutionary OOurgeOlSe made
itself clearly understood; not single
means of agitation did it neglect to rouse
the spirit Of Revolt, when it was seek
Ing to overthrow the monarchy; the
French peasant of the last century also
understood it instinctiveIv when he was
working for the abolition of feudal
rights; and the International acted in
accord with the same principles when it
sought to awaken the spirit of Revolt in
| the hearts of the wOrkingmen of the
cities, and to direct it against the wage
workers natural enemy-the monopo-
lizer of the instruments of production
and of the raw material.