And not only to the heretofore unaroused does he bring awakening, but
the entire character of the world movement is modified by this
circulation of the comrades of all nations among themselves. Originally
the American movement, the native creation which arose with Josiah
Warren in 1829, was purely individualistic; the student of economy will
easily understand the material and historical causes for such
development. But within the last twenty years the communist idea has
made great progress, owing primarily to that concentration in capitalist
production which has driven the American workingman to grasp at the
idea of solidarity, and, secondly, to the expulsion of active communist
propagandists from Europe. Again, another change has come within the
last ten years. Till then the application of the idea was chiefly
narrowed to industrial matters, and the economic schools mutually
denounced each other; to-day a large and genial tolerance is growing.
The young generation recognizes the immense sweep of the idea through
all the realms of art, science, literature, education, sex relations and
personal morality, as well as social economy, and welcomes the accession
to the ranks of those who struggle to realize the free life, no matter
in what field. For this is what Anarchism finally means, the whole
unchaining of life after two thousand years of Christian asceticism and
hypocrisy.
Apart from the question of ideals, there is the question of method.
"How do you propose to get all this?" is the question most frequently
asked us. The same modification has taken place here. Formerly there
were "Quakers" and "Revolutionists"; so there are still. But while they
neither thought well of the other, now both have learned that each has
his own use in the great play of world forces. No man is in himself a
unit, and in every soul Jove still makes war on Christ. Nevertheless,
the spirit of peace grows; and while it would be idle to say that
Anarchists in general believe that any of the great industrial problems
will be solved without the use of force, it would be equally idle to
suppose that they consider force itself a desirable thing, or that it
furnishes a final solution to any problem. From peaceful experiment
alone can come final solution, and that the advocates of force know and
believe as well as the Tolstoyans. Only they think that the present
tyrannies provoke resistance. The spread of Tolstoy's "War and Peace"
and "The Slavery of Our Times," and the growth of numerous Tolstoy
clubs having for their purpose the dissemination of the literature of
non-resistance, is an evidence that many receive the idea that it is
easier to conquer war with peace. I am one of these. I can see no end
of retaliations unless someone ceases to retaliate. But let no one
mistake this for servile submission or meek abnegation; my right shall
be asserted no matter at what cost to me, and none shall trench upon it
without my protest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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