| |
[XIX.1.]
as two persons, confront each other is for the political economist an
accidental event, and hence only to be explained by reference to
external factors. (See Mill.)
The nations which are still dazzled by the sensual glitter of precious
metals, and are therefore still fetish-worshippers of metal money, are
not yet fully developed money-nations. Contrast of France and England.
The extent to which the solution of theoretical riddles is the task of
practice and effected through practice, the extent to which true practice
is the condition of a real and positive theory, is shown, for example,
in fetishism. The sensual consciousness of the fetish-worshipper
is different from that of the Greek, because his sensual existence is
different. The abstract enmity between sense and spirit is necessary so
long as the human feeling for nature, the human sense of nature, and therefore
also the natural sense of man, are not yet produced by man's
own labour.
Equality is nothing but a transition of the German "Ich = Ich"
into the French, i.e., political, form. Equality as the basis of
communism is its political justification, and it is the same as
when the German justifies it by conceiving man as universal self-consciousness.
Naturally, the transcendence of the estrangement always proceeds from
that form of the estrangement which is the dominant power: in Germany,
self-consciousness; in France, equality, because it is politics;
in England, real, material, practical need taking only itself as
its standard. It is from this standpoint that Proudhon is to be criticised
and appreciated.
If we characterise communism itself because of its character as
negation of the negation, as the appropriation of the human essence through
the intermediary of the negation of private property - as being not yet
the true, self-originating position but rather a position originating
from private property [...] in old-German fashion - in the way of Hegel's
phenomenology--[...] finished as a conquered moment and [...] one
might be satisfied by it, in his consciousness [...] of the human being
only by real [...] transcendence of his thought now as before [...],
[XX.1.]
|
|
[XIX.2.]
since with him therefore the real estrangement of the life of man remains,
and remains all the more, the more one is conscious of it as such, hence
it [the negation of this estrangement] can be accomplished solely by bringing
about communism.
In order to abolish the idea of private property, the idea of
communism is quite sufficient. It takes actual communist action
to abolish actual private property. History will lead to it; and this
movement, which in theory we already know to be a self-transcending
movement, will constitute in actual fact a very rough and protracted process.
But we must regard it as a real advance to have at the outset gained a
consciousness of the limited character as well as of the goal of this
historical movement - and a consciousness which reaches out beyond it.
When communist artisans associate with one another, theory, propaganda,
etc., is their first end. But at the same time, as a result of this association,
they acquire a new need - the need for society - and what appears as a
means becomes an end. In this practical process the most splendid results
are to be observed whenever French socialist workers are seen together.
Such things as smoking, drinking, eating, etc., are no longer means of
contact or means that bring them together. Association, society and conversation,
which again has association as its end, are enough for them; the brotherhood
of man is no mere phrase with them, but a fact of life, and the nobility
of man shines upon us from their work-hardened bodies.
[XX.2.]
|
|