A CENTURY'S BALANCE SHEET
uring the future force of the proletariat in order to conclusively
settle the question of its coming victory. The answer to such 'a ques–
tion could only come from experience itself-the political capacity
of the proletariat could only be measured in the reality of class conflict.
A century now lies behind us, and experience has turned in its
verdict. The political capacity of the working classes has revealed
itself as a never-ending capacity for being "betrayed." It may be
claimed that we must wait a little while longer. In actuality, how–
ever, can we really look forward to a change for the better?
In 1850 Marx was addressing European workingmen in these
terms: "You will have to go through fifteen, twenty, fifty years of
civil wars and international conflicts, not only in order to transform
your circumstances but to transform yourselves and make yourselves
fit for political power." Is this process of political education still going
on today? Are European workingmen now more "fit for political
power" than they were at the conclusion of the First World War?
The answer is no. There, as elsewhere, the social and economic con–
ditions of present-day Europe hardly permit us to hope for improve–
ment. Marx's fundamental hypothesis would only regain a measure
of reality
if
some notable development in Europe's productive forces
made the proletariat once more a cohesive body with a capacity
for struggle and with faith in the future. These qualities would, in
fact, have to be raised to an even higher level than that which pre–
vailed in the past, for, even in its best days, the proletariat was not
yet "fit for political power." But such a possibility is extremely chi–
merical: European economy will not emerge from its quagmire for
a long time to come.
But, it may be urged, though it is foolish to expect a radical
change in European economy, the political capacity of the proletariat
may rise to the necessary level in response to other, more "subjective,"
factors. And certainly, many existing evils can be traced to a well–
defined center: Stalinism. And since it is permissible to expect an
internal crisis of the Stalinist regime in the years to come, may we
not look forward to a renaissance of the working-class movement
at such a time?
To be sure, Stalinism may well find itself in a critical position
sooner than many imagine. A new situation might take shape over–
night in the working-class movement. Stalinism, however, is not the
291
