JACQUES MARITAIN
221
incomparable heritage of civilization." Yesterday, the atheism of
bourgeois man, of Stalinist totalitarianism, of Fascism, were three
different forms of the same essential heresy; today, by a verbal
transsubstantiation, the atheistic bourgeois democracies become
protagonists of the Christian principles they had shamelessly
Douted for more than a century. Yesterday, M. Maritain was hope·
ful that with the extension of the Popular Front and the signing
of the Franco·Soviet pact, the Christian truths held in captive by
the state philosophy of Stalin might yet convert their captors;
today Stalinism is not only the creed of the unregenerated but of
the unregenerate. Had the war broken out with either Hitler or
Stalin on the side of the Allies, it is reasonable to assume that M.
Maritain would soon find an essential difference between these
twin forms of totalitarianism. And how fervently must M. Mari·
lain pray for the continuance of Italian neutrality! For if
totali·
tarian
Italy, that most ancient of Christian lands, joins the defend·
ers of Christian civilization, it will spoil the lines of his apology;
and if it joins its sisters then we will have the strange spectacle of
a totalitarianism, presumably tamed by the papacy, waging war
against
th~
principles of Christianity. A cruel dilemma only one
degree less cruel than the fate of an apologist called upon to
explain the possible support of Christian principles by Moham·
medan Turkey, not to mention China and Japan.
So many questions crowd the mind concerning M. Maritain's
Christian
defence of Allied victory that it is difficult to know where
10
begin. We might question him about the application of the first
principles of Christian civilization by France and England to the
.
of India and Indo·China. We might inquire why he so
lightly disregards the danger he himself cites that war may bring
many features of totalitarianism to the old Christian countries.
e might ask why, if he believes that Europe has already been
for Christianity by baptism of fire, he is staunchly opposed
a peace without complete military victory. But all this is foreign
. for M. Maritain and we wish to question him in his own
How is it possible for capitalist democracies thrice accursed
bourgeois humanism, metaphysical nominalism, and educa·
secularism to become the defenders of "the first principles
all Christian civilization"?
There is only one answer that M. Maritain, as a Catholic, can
