💾 Archived View for library.inu.red › file › errico-malatesta-pro-government-anarchists.gmi captured on 2023-01-29 at 09:42:52. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
➡️ Next capture (2024-06-20)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Title: Pro-Government Anarchists Author: Errico Malatesta Date: April 1916 Language: en Topics: anti-militarism, anti-war, critique, war, the state Source: Freedom (London) 30, no. 324 (April 1916). http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/malatesta/ForgottenPrinciples.html
A manifesto has just appeared, signed by Kropotkin, Grave, Malato, and a
dozen other old comrades, in which, echoing the supporters of the
Entente Governments who are demanding a fight to a finish and the
crushing of Germany, they take their stand against any idea of
“premature peace.”
The capitalist Press publishes, with natural satisfaction, extracts from
the manifesto, and announces it as the work of “leaders of the
International Anarchist Movement.”
Anarchists, almost all of whom have remained faithful to their
convictions, owe it to themselves to protest against this attempt to
implicate Anarchism in the continuance of a ferocious slaughter that has
never held promise of any benefit to the cause of Justice and Liberty,
and which now shows itself to be absolutely barren and resultless even
from the standpoint of the rulers on either side.
The good faith and good intentions of those who have signed the
manifesto are beyond all question. But, however painful it may be to
disagree with old friends who have rendered so many services to that
which in the past was our common cause, one cannot—having regard to
sincerity, and in the interest of our movement for emancipation—fail to
dissociate oneself from comrades who consider themselves able to
reconcile Anarchist ideas and co-operation with the Governments and
capitalist classes of certain countries in their strife against the
capitalists and Governments of certain other countries.
During the present war we have seen Republicans placing themselves at
the service of kings, Socialists making common the cause with the ruling
class, Labourists serving the interests of capitalists; but in reality
all these people are, in varying degrees, Conservatives—believers in the
mission of the State, and their hesitation can be understood when the
only remedy lay in the destruction of every Governmental chain and the
unloosing of the Social Revolution. But such hesitation is
incomprehensible in the case of Anarchists.
We hold that the State is incapable of good. In the field of
international as well as of individual relations it can only combat
aggression by making itself the aggressor; it can only hinder crime by
organising and committing still greater crime.
Even on the supposition—which is far from being the truth—that Germany
alone was responsible for the present war, it is proved that, as long as
governmental methods are adhered to, Germany can only be resisted by
suppressing all liberty and reviving the power of all the forces of
reaction. Except the popular Revolution, there is no other way of
resisting the menace of a disciplined Army but to try and have a
stronger and more disciplined Army; so that the sternest
anti-militarists, if they are not Anarchists, and if they are afraid of
the destruction of the State, are inevitably led to become ardent
militarists.
In fact, in the problematical hope of crushing Prussian Militarism, they
have renounced all the spirit and all the traditions of Liberty; they
have Prussianised England and France; they have submitted themselves to
Tsarism; they have restored the prestige of the tottering throne of
Italy.
Can Anarchists accept this state of things for a single moment without
renouncing all right to call themselves Anarchists? To me, even foreign
domination suffered by force and leading to revolt, is preferable to
domestic oppression meekly, almost gratefully, accepted, in the belief
that by this means we are preserved from a greater evil.
It is useless to say that this is a question of an exceptional time, and
that after having contributed to the victory of the Entente in “this
war,” we shall return, each into his own camp, to the struggle for his
own ideal.
If it is necessary to-day to work in harmony with the Government and the
capitalist to defend ourselves against “the German menace,” it will be
necessary afterwards, as well as during the war.
However great may be the defeat of the German Army—if it is true that it
will be defeated—it will never be possible to prevent the German
patriots thinking of, and preparing for, revenge; and the patriots of
the other countries, very reasonably from their own point of view, will
want to hold themselves in readiness so that they may not again be taken
unaware. This means that Prussian Militarism will become a permanent and
regular institution in all countries.
What will then be said by the self-styled Anarchists who to-day desire
the victory of one of the warring alliances? Will they go on calling
themselves anti-militarists and preaching disarmament, refusal to do
military service, and sabotage against National Defense, only to become,
at the first threat of war, recruiting-sergeants for those Governments
that they have attempted to disarm and paralyse?
It will be said that these things will come to an end when the German
people have rid themselves of their tyrants and ceased to be a menace to
Europe by destroying militarism in their own country. But, if that is
the case, the Germans who think, and rightfully so, that English and
French domination (to say nothing of Tsarist Russia) would be so more
delightful to the Germans than German domination to the French and
English, will desire first to wait for the Russians and the others to
destroy their own militarism, and will meanwhile continue to increase
their own country’s Army.
And then, how long will the Revolution be delayed? How long Anarchy?
Must we always wait for the others to begin?
The line of conduct for Anarchists is clearly marked out by the very
logic of their aspirations.
The war ought to have been prevented by bringing about the Revolution,
or at least by making the Government afraid of the Revolution. Either
the strength or the skill necessary for this has been lacking.
Peace ought to be imposed by bringing about the Revolution, or at least
by threatening to do so. To the present time, the strength or the skill
is wanting.
Well! There is only one remedy: to do better in future. More than ever
we must avoid compromise; deepen the chasm between capitalists and wage
slaves, between rulers and ruled; preach expropriation of private
property and the destruction of States as the only means of guaranteeing
fraternity between the peoples and Justice and Liberty for all; and we
must prepare to accomplish these things.
Meanwhile it seems to me that it is criminal to do anything that tends
to prolong the war, that slaughters men, destroys wealth, and hinders
all resumption of the struggle for emancipation. It appears to me that
preaching “war to the end” is really playing the game of the German
rulers, who are deceiving their subjects and inflaming their ardor for
fighting by persuading them that their opponents desire to crush and
enslave the German people.
To-day, as ever, let this be our slogan: Down with Capitalists and
Governments, all Capitalists and Governments!
Long live the peoples, all the peoples!