1. World-wide Socialism.--The germ of this appears in the supra-national
union which is the essential characteristic of Switzerland. But the
young Zofingians are under no illusions, and they frankly denounce the
faults of their own people. "We are far from being a nation of
brothers....Our nation is divided: it is rent asunder by egoisms and
imperialisms.... For every strong man who misuses his strength and his
wealth, displays the spirit of imperialism" (A. de Mestral). This
scourge must be vigorously combated. How? "By direct struggle with
capitalism," says one (Alexander Jaques of Lausanne). "By organising
solidarity," says another (Ernest Gloor of Lausanne). But the Swiss are
fast bound, willy-nilly, to the social system of other nations, "to the
international system of economic imperialism, the most abominable of all
the internationalisms." It is therefore categorically incumbent upon the
Swiss to devote themselves to furthering an active internationalism of
social solidarity. They must enter into an understanding with
anti-imperialists throughout the world. "It is necessary to promote the
formation of an international group organised for the struggle against
imperialist, absolutist, and materialist principles, simultaneously, in
every land" (Châtenay).
2. World-wide Individualism.--We require a counterpoise to sociocracy.
We must beware of any organisation, be it internationalist or pacifist,
which claims to subjugate and atrophy the living forces of man. The
political ideal is a genuine federalism which shall respect
individualisms. As the old saying has it: Let everything be after its
kind!
3. World-wide Democracy.--In this matter the students display perfect
unanimity, for they have absolute faith in democracy. But with their
customary scrupulousness, their dread of pharisaism, they admit that
Switzerland is still far from being a true democracy. "To-day democracy
is purely formal; in our own time the principle of true democracy is, in
a sense, revolutionary."
They tell us some of their aspirations. They desire the democratic
control of foreign policy. They want pacifism on a democratic basis.
Almost universally in Europe, political power is in the control of a
handful of men who embody imperialist egoism. The people must share this
power. Each nation has the right to control its own destinies, in
accordance with its own ideas and the dictates of its own will.
But once more, no illusions! With a clear-sightedness which is rare at
this hour, these young men point out that "imperialism has become
democratic," saying: "The western democracies, closely examined, are
nothing more than the sovereignty of a capitalist and landowning caste."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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