Bolshevism is internally aristocratic and externally militant.  The Communists in many ways resemble the British public-school type:  they have all the good and bad traits of an aristocracy which is young and vital.  They are courageous, energetic, capable of command, always ready to serve the State; on the other hand, they are dictatorial, lacking in ordinary consideration for the plebs.  They are practically the sole possessors of power, and they enjoy innumerable advantages in consequence.  Most of them, though far from luxurious, have better food than other people.  Only people of some political importance can obtain motor-cars or telephones.  Permits for railway journeys, for making purchases at the Soviet stores (where prices are about one-fiftieth of what they are in the market), for going to the theatre, and so on, are, of course, easier to obtain for the friends of those in power than for ordinary mortals.  In a thousand ways, the Communists have a life which is happier than that of the rest of the community.  Above all, they are less exposed to the unwelcome attentions of the police and the extraordinary commission.

The Communist theory of international affairs is exceedingly simple.  The revolution foretold by Marx, which is to abolish capitalism throughout the world, happened to begin in Russia, though Marxian theory would seem to demand that it should begin in America.  In countries where the revolution has not yet broken out, the sole duty of a Communist is to hasten its advent.  Agreements with capitalist States can only be make-shifts, and can never amount on either side to a sincere peace.  No real good can come to any country without a bloody revolution:  English Labour men may fancy that a peaceful evolution is possible, but they will find their mistake.  Lenin told me that he hopes to see a Labour Government in England, and would wish his supporters to work for it, but solely in order that the futility of Parliamentarism may be conclusively demonstrated to the British working man.  Nothing will do any real good except the arming of the proletariat and the disarming of the bourgeoisie.  Those who preach anything else are social traitors or deluded fools.

For my part, after weighing this theory carefully, and after admitting the whole of its indictment of bourgeois capitalism, I find myself definitely and strongly opposed to it.  The Third International is an organization which exists to promote the class-war and to hasten the advent of revolution everywhere.  My objection is not that capitalism is less bad than the Bolsheviks believe, but that Socialism is less good, not in its best form, but in the only form which is likely to be brought about by war.  The evils of war, especially of civil war, are certain and very great; the gains to be achieved by victory are problematical.  In the course of a desperate struggle, the heritage of civilization is likely to be lost, while hatred, suspicion, and cruelty become normal in the relations