Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-10-19

pense of the capitalist class, the
latter will replace him by anoth-
er president.
Capitalists will say, "Presid-
ents come and presidents go, but
We capitalists remain. II any par
ticular president doesn't defend
our interests, we will find anoth-
er. What can the president coun-
terpose against the will OF the
capitalist class? :.
Human society is divided into
rich and poor, wealthy and ex-
plotted; II we neglect the contra.
dictions between the poor and
rich, this means that we neglect
the fundamental fact.
Il don't deny the existence Of
intermediate middle strata, who
join either one side or the other
OF the two classes that are fight
ing each other, or occupy a neu-
trail or sentimental position In
this struggle But | repeat that
II we neglect this fundamental
struggle between two basic class
es, that means we ignore the
facts.
This struggle Is taking place
and will take place. The result
OF this struggle Is being decided
by the class of proletarians, the
class Of workers.
Capitalism will be destroyed
not by organizers of production.
not by technical intellectuals,
but by the working class, because
these former strata do not play
an independent role. For the en-
gineer or organizer of production
doesn't work as he would like, but
as he is ordered, as the interests
of the employer demand. Natur-
ally there are exceptions. There
are some who are freed from
the poisonous capitalist influence.
Technical intellectuals, under
certain conditions, can perform
miracles and be of enormous
use to mankind. But they can
also cause enormous harm.
in addition, how can you for
get that in order to redlvide the
world you must have power? 1t
seems to me, Mr.. Wells, that you
greatly underestimate the ques-
ton of power, that is entirely ON
tilted from your conception. What
can people do even with the best
intentions il they are incapable
OF raising the question OF seizure
of power and not have the power
in their hands?
AT best they can offer to sup
port some new class which takes
power, but they themselves can
not overturn the world. For this
there is required a big class,
which would replace the capital.
list class and similarly become
complete master, as the rapital-
lists were. This class is the work.
ing class.
1T is naturally necessary to ac-
cept the help of the technical in.
telligentsia, and in turn to give
them aid. But we must not think
that the technical intelligentsia
can play an Independent historic
role. Remaking the world is
great, complicated, and painful
process. A great class is required
for this great work"
Wells further touched on the
question of Communist propa-
ganda in the West. He thought
that under modern conditions
this propaganda sounds very old
fashioned, because it is propa-
ganda of violent actions. This
propaganda of violenet overthrow
OF the social order was suitable
when it was question OF indi-
vidual domination of one or an
other tyranny. But in modern
conditions, when the ruling sys-
tenn will break down anyway, and
is disintegrating, it is necessary
to put the emphasis on insurrec-
ton, but on effectiveness, on
competence, on productivity. |
consider the idea of instruction
out of date"
STAIN: "Of course the old
system is breaking down and dis
integrating. This is true. But it
is also true that new efforts are
being made with different meth
DDS and by all means to defend
and save this dying system. From
correct premises, you draw an in
correct conclusion. You correctly
state that the old world is break
ing down. But you are not right
when you think that it will break
down of itself. No, replacement
OF one social order by another
social order is a complex and
lengthy revolutionary process.
This is not simply spontaneous
process, but it is a struggle, it is
a process connected with the
conflict of classes. Capitalism is
rotten, but we cannot simply
compare it to q tree which is SO