Scientific history teaches that without war many revolutions could never
have taken place. One of the greatest problems of future government is
to reconcile democratic equality with hereditary inequality among the
people. Governments differ much more in form than in substance, and make
progress when the resultant activities of the citizens direct and
control them.
With this in mind, a few principles of revolutions may be instructive in
connection with the present European situation.
1. The causes of revolutions are summed up in the word "discontent,"
which must be general and accompanied with hope in order to produce
results.
2. Modern revolutions appear to be more abrupt than ancient. Contrary to
expectation, conservative people may have the most violent revolutions,
because of not being able to adapt themselves to changes of environment.
3. Revolution owes its power to the unchaining of the people, and does
not take place without the aid of an important fraction of the army,
which usually becomes disaffected by power of suggestion.
4. The triumphant party will organize according to whether the
revolution is effected by soldiers, radicals, or conservatives.
5. The violence is liable to be great if a belief as well as material
interests are being defended.
6. For ideas which cause violent contradictions are matters of faith,
rather than of knowledge.
7. If the triumphant party go to extremes, bordering upon absurdities,
they are liable to be turned down by the people.
8. Most revolutions aim to put a new person in power, who usually tries
to establish an equilibrium between the struggling factions, and not be
too much dominated by any one class.
9. The rapidity of modern revolutions is explained by quick methods of
publicity, and the slight resistance and ease with which some
governments have been overturned is surprising, indicating blind
confidence and inability to foresee.
10. Governments sometimes have fallen so easily that they are said to
have committed suicide.
11. Revolutionary organizations are impulsive, though often timid, and
are influenced by a few leaders, who may cause them to act contrary to
the wishes of the majority. Thus royal assemblies have destroyed
empires and humanitarian legislatures have permitted massacres.
12. When all social restraints are abandoned, and instinctive impulses
are allowed full sway, there is danger of return to barbarianism. For
the ancestral ego (inherent in everyone) is let loose.
13. A country will prosper in proportion that the really superior
persons rule, and this superiority is both moral and mental.
14. If certain social tendencies appear to lower the power of mind,
they, nevertheless, may lessen injustice to the weaker classes; and if
it be a choice between mentality and morality, morality should be
preferred.
15. A financial aristocracy does not promote much jealousy in those who
hope to form a part of it in the future.
16. Science has caused many things once held to be historical to be now
considered doubtful. Thus it is asked--
17. Would not the results of the French Revolution, which cost so much
bloodshed, have been obtained without violence later, through gradual
evolution? And were the results of the French Revolution worth the cost
of the terrible barbarism and suffering that took place?