The¡¡Altruist¡¡in¡¡Politics
by¡¡Benjamin¡¡Cardozo
There¡¡comes¡¡not¡¡seldom¡¡a¡¡crisis¡¡in¡¡the¡¡life¡¡of¡¡men£»¡¡of¡¡nations£»
and¡¡of¡¡worlds£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡old¡¡forms¡¡seem¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡decay£»¡¡and¡¡the
old¡¡rules¡¡of¡¡action¡¡have¡¡lost¡¡their¡¡binding¡¡force¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡evils¡¡of
existing¡¡systems¡¡obscure¡¡the¡¡blessings¡¡that¡¡attend¡¡them£»¡¡and£»
where¡¡reform¡¡is¡¡needed£»¡¡the¡¡cry¡¡is¡¡raised¡¡for¡¡subversion¡£¡¡¡¡The
cause¡¡of¡¡such¡¡phenomena¡¡is¡¡not¡¡far¡¡to¡¡seek¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨It¡¡used¡¡to¡¡appear
to¡¡me£»¡¨¡¡writes¡¡Count¡¡Tolstoi£»¡¡in¡¡a¡¡significant¡¡passage£»¡¡¡¨it¡¡used
to¡¡appear¡¡to¡¡me¡¡that¡¡the¡¡small¡¡number¡¡of¡¡cultivated£»¡¡rich¡¡and
idle¡¡men£»¡¡of¡¡whom¡¡I¡¡was¡¡one£»¡¡composed¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡of¡¡humanity£»¡¡and
that¡¡the¡¡millions¡¡and¡¡millions¡¡of¡¡other¡¡men¡¡who¡¡had¡¡lived¡¡and¡¡are
still¡¡living¡¡were¡¡not¡¡in¡¡reality¡¡men¡¡at¡¡all¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡this¡¡spirit¡
the¡¡spirit¡¡that¡¡sees¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡of¡¡humanity¡¡in¡¡the¡¡few£»¡¡and¡¡throws
into¡¡the¡¡background¡¡the¡¡millions¡¡and¡¡millions¡¡of¡¡other¡¡men¡it¡¡is
this¡¡spirit¡¡that¡¡has¡¡aroused¡¡the¡¡antagonism¡¡of¡¡reformers£»¡¡and
made¡¡the¡¡decay¡¡of¡¡the¡¡old¡¡forms£»¡¡the¡¡rupture¡¡of¡¡the¡¡old
restrictions£»¡¡the¡¡ideal¡¡of¡¡them¡¡and¡¡of¡¡their¡¡followers¡£¡¡¡¡When
wealth¡¡and¡¡poverty¡¡meet¡¡each¡¡other¡¡face¡¡to¡¡face£»¡¡the¡¡one¡¡the
master¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other¡¡the¡¡dependent£»¡¡the¡¡one¡¡exalted¡¡and¡¡the¡¡other
debased£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡perhaps¡¡hardly¡¡matter¡¡for¡¡surprise¡¡that¡¡the
dependent¡¡and¡¡debased¡¡and¡¡powerless¡¡faction£»¡¡in¡¡envy¡¡of¡¡their
opponents'¡¡supremacy£»¡¡should¡¡demand£»¡¡not¡¡simple¡¡reform£»¡¡but
absolute¡¡community¡¡and¡¡equality¡¡of¡¡wealth¡£¡¡¡¡That¡¡cry¡¡for
communism¡¡is¡¡no¡¡new¡¡one¡¡in¡¡the¡¡history¡¡of¡¡mankind¡£¡¡¡¡Thousands¡¡of
years¡¡ago¡¡it¡¡was¡¡heard¡¡and¡¡acted¡¡on£»¡¡and£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡lapse¡¡of
centuries£»¡¡its¡¡reverberations¡¡have¡¡but¡¡swelled¡¡in¡¡volume¡£¡¡¡¡Again
and¡¡again£»¡¡the¡¡altruist¡¡has¡¡arisen¡¡in¡¡politics£»¡¡has¡¡bidden¡¡us
share¡¡with¡¡others¡¡the¡¡product¡¡of¡¡our¡¡toil£»¡¡and¡¡has¡¡proclaimed¡¡the
communistic¡¡dogma¡¡as¡¡the¡¡panacea¡¡for¡¡our¡¡social¡¡ills¡£¡¡¡¡So¡¡today£»
amid¡¡the¡¡buried¡¡hopes¡¡and¡¡buried¡¡projects¡¡of¡¡the¡¡past£»¡¡the
doctrine¡¡of¡¡communism¡¡still¡¡lives¡¡in¡¡the¡¡minds¡¡of¡¡men¡£¡¡¡¡Under
stress¡¡of¡¡misfortune£»¡¡or¡¡in¡¡dread¡¡of¡¡tyranny£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡still
preached¡¡in¡¡modern¡¡times¡¡as¡¡Plato¡¡preached¡¡it¡¡in¡¡the¡¡world¡¡of¡¡the
Greeks¡£
Yet¡¡it¡¡is¡¡indeed¡¡doubtful¡¡whether£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡history¡¡of¡¡mankind£»¡¡a
doctrine¡¡was¡¡ever¡¡taught¡¡more¡¡impracticable¡¡or¡¡more¡¡false¡¡to¡¡the
principles¡¡it¡¡professes¡¡than¡¡this¡¡very¡¡doctrine¡¡of¡¡communism¡£¡¡¡¡In
a¡¡world¡¡where¡¡self¡interest¡¡is¡¡avowedly¡¡the¡¡ruling¡¡motive£»¡¡it
seeks¡¡to¡¡establish¡¡at¡¡once¡¡an¡¡all¡reaching¡¡and¡¡all¡controlling
altruism¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡a¡¡world¡¡where¡¡every¡¡man¡¡is¡¡pushing¡¡and¡¡fighting¡¡to
outstrip¡¡his¡¡fellows£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡make¡¡him¡¡toil¡¡with¡¡like¡¡vigor¡¡for
their¡¡common¡¡welfare¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡a¡¡world¡¡where¡¡a¡¡man's¡¡activity¡¡is
measured¡¡by¡¡the¡¡nearness¡¡of¡¡reward£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡hold¡¡up¡¡a
prospective¡¡recompense¡¡as¡¡an¡¡equal¡¡stimulant¡¡to¡¡labor¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨The¡¡more
bitterly¡¡we¡¡feel£»¡¨¡¡writes¡¡George¡¡Eliot£»¡¡¡¨the¡¡more¡¡bitterly¡¡we
feel¡¡the¡¡folly£»¡¡ignorance£»¡¡neglect£»¡¡or¡¡self¡seeking¡¡of¡¡those¡¡who
at¡¡different¡¡times¡¡have¡¡wielded¡¡power£»¡¡the¡¡stronger¡¡is¡¡the
obligation¡¡we¡¡lay¡¡on¡¡ourselves¡¡to¡¡beware¡¡lest¡¡we¡¡also£»¡¡by¡¡a¡¡too
hasty¡¡wresting¡¡of¡¡measures¡¡which¡¡seem¡¡to¡¡promise¡¡immediate
relief£»¡¡make¡¡a¡¡worse¡¡time¡¡of¡¡it¡¡for¡¡our¡¡own¡¡generation£»¡¡and¡¡leave
a¡¡bad¡¡inheritance¡¡for¡¡our¡¡children¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡In¡¡the¡¡future£»¡¡when¡¡the
remoteness¡¡of¡¡his¡¡reward¡¡shall¡¡have¡¡weakened¡¡the¡¡laborer's¡¡zeal£»
we¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡judge¡¡more¡¡fairly¡¡of¡¡the¡¡blessings¡¡that¡¡the
communist¡¡offers¡£¡¡¡¡Instead¡¡of¡¡the¡¡present¡¡world£»¡¡where¡¡some¡¡at
least¡¡are¡¡well¡to¡do¡¡and¡¡happy£»¡¡the¡¡communist¡¡holds¡¡before¡¡us¡¡a
world¡¡where¡¡all¡¡alike¡¡are¡¡poor¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡the¡¡activity£»¡¡the¡¡push£»¡¡the
vigor¡¡of¡¡our¡¡modern¡¡life£»¡¡his¡¡substitute¡¡is¡¡a¡¡life¡¡aimless¡¡and
unbroken¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡so¡¡we¡¡have¡¡to¡¡say¡¡to¡¡communists¡¡what¡¡George¡¡Eliot
might¡¡have¡¡said£º¡¡Be¡¡not¡¡blinded¡¡by¡¡the¡¡passions¡¡of¡¡the¡¡moment£»
but¡¡when¡¡you¡¡prate¡¡about¡¡your¡¡own¡¡wrongs¡¡and¡¡the¡¡sufferings¡¡of
your¡¡offspring£»¡¡take¡¡heed¡¡lest¡¡in¡¡the¡¡long¡¡run¡¡you¡¡make¡¡a¡¡worse
time¡¡of¡¡it¡¡for¡¡your¡¡own¡¡generation£»¡¡and¡¡leave¡¡a¡¡bad¡¡inheritance
for¡¡your¡¡children¡£
Little¡¡thought¡¡has¡¡been¡¡taken¡¡by¡¡these¡¡altruistic¡¡reformers¡¡for
the¡¡application¡¡of¡¡the¡¡doctrines¡¡they¡¡uphold¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡the¡¡question
how¡¡one¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡labor¡¡can¡¡be¡¡measured¡¡against¡¡another£»¡¡how¡¡the
labor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡artisan¡¡can¡¡be¡¡measured¡¡against¡¡the¡¡labor¡¡of¡¡the
artist£»¡¡how¡¡the¡¡labor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡strong¡¡can¡¡be¡¡measured¡¡against¡¡the
labor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡weak£»¡¡the¡¡communists¡¡can¡¡give¡¡no¡¡answer¡£¡¡¡¡Absorbed£»
as¡¡they¡¡are£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡principle¡¡of¡¡equality£»¡¡they¡¡have¡¡still
forgotten¡¡the¡¡equality¡¡of¡¡work¡¡in¡¡the¡¡equality¡¡of¡¡pay£»¡¡they¡¡have
forgotten¡¡that¡¡reward£»¡¡to¡¡be¡¡really¡¡equal£»¡¡must¡¡be¡¡proportionate
to¡¡effort£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡and¡¡all¡¡socialists¡¡have¡¡forgotten¡¡that¡¡we
cannot¡¡make¡¡an¡¡arithmetic¡¡of¡¡human¡¡thought¡¡and¡¡feeling£»¡¡and¡¡that
for¡¡all¡¡our¡¡crude¡¡attempts¡¡to¡¡balance¡¡recompense¡¡against¡¡toil£»
for¡¡all¡¡our¡¡crude¡¡attempts¡¡to¡¡determine¡¡the¡¡relative¡¡severity¡¡of
different¡¡kinds¡¡of¡¡toil£»¡¡for¡¡all¡¡our¡¡crude¡¡attempts¡¡to¡¡determine
the¡¡relative¡¡strain¡¡on¡¡different¡¡persons¡¡of¡¡the¡¡same¡¡kind¡¡of
toil£»¡¡yet¡¡not¡¡only¡¡will¡¡the¡¡ratio£»¡¡dealing£»¡¡as¡¡it¡¡does£»¡¡with¡¡our
subjective¡¡feelings£»¡¡be¡¡a¡¡blundering¡¡one£»¡¡but¡¡a¡¡system¡¡based¡¡upon
it¡¡will¡¡involve¡¡inequalities¡¡greater£»¡¡because¡¡more¡¡insidious£»
than¡¡those¡¡of¡¡the¡¡present¡¡system¡¡it¡¡would¡¡discard¡£
Instances£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡are¡¡not¡¡wanting¡¡to¡¡substantiate¡¡the¡¡claim¡¡that
communism£»¡¡by¡¡unduly¡¡exalting¡¡our¡¡altruistic¡¡impulses£»¡¡proceeds
upon¡¡a¡¡false¡¡psychological¡¡basis¡£¡¡¡¡Yet¡¡if¡¡an¡¡instance¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be
chosen£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡hard¡¡to¡¡find¡¡one¡¡more¡¡suggestive¡¡than¡¡that
afforded¡¡by¡¡the¡¡efforts¡¡of¡¡Robert¡¡Owen¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡year¡¡1824¡¡saw¡¡the
rise¡¡of¡¡Owen's¡¡little¡¡community¡¡of¡¡New¡¡Harmony£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡year¡¡of
1828¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡community's¡¡final¡¡disruption¡£¡¡¡¡Individuals¡¡had
appropriated¡¡to¡¡themselves¡¡the¡¡property¡¡designed¡¡for¡¡all£»¡¡and
even¡¡Owen£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡given¡¡to¡¡the¡¡enterprise¡¡his¡¡money¡¡and¡¡his
life£»¡¡was¡¡obliged¡¡to¡¡admit¡¡that¡¡men¡¡were¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡fitted¡¡for¡¡the
communistic¡¡stage£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡moment¡¡of¡¡transition¡¡from
individualism¡¡to¡¡communism¡¡had¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡arrived¡£¡¡¡¡Men¡¡trained
under¡¡the¡¡old¡¡system£»¡¡with¡¡its¡¡eager¡¡rivalry£»¡¡its¡¡selfish
interests£»¡¡could¡¡not¡¡quite¡¡yet¡¡enter¡¡into¡¡the¡¡spirit¡¡of¡¡self¡
renunciation¡¡that¡¡communism¡¡demands¡£¡¡¡¡And¡¡Owen£»¡¡therefore£»¡¡was
led¡¡to¡¡put¡¡his¡¡trust¡¡in¡¡education¡¡as¡¡the¡¡great¡¡moulder¡¡of¡¡the
minds¡¡of¡¡men¡£¡¡¡¡Through¡¡this¡¡agency£»¡¡he¡¡hoped£»¡¡the¡¡eager¡¡rivalry£»
the¡¡selfish¡¡interests£»¡¡the¡¡sordid¡¡love¡¡of¡¡gain£»¡¡might¡¡be¡¡lost¡¡in
higher£»¡¡purer£»¡¡more¡¡disinterested¡¡ends£»¡¡and£»¡¡animated¡¡by¡¡that
hope¡the¡¡hope¡¡that¡¡in¡¡the¡¡fullness¡¡of¡¡time¡¡another¡¡New¡¡Harmony£»
free¡¡from¡¡contention¡¡and¡¡the¡¡disappointments¡¡of¡¡the¡¡old¡¡one£»
might¡¡serve¡¡to¡¡immortalize¡¡his¡¡name¡animated¡¡by¡¡that¡¡hope£»¡¡Owen
passed¡¡the¡¡last¡¡thirty¡¡years¡¡of¡¡his¡¡life£»¡¡and¡¡with¡¡that¡¡hope
still¡¡before¡¡his¡¡eyes¡¡he¡¡died¡£
But¡¡years¡¡now¡¡have¡¡passed¡¡since¡¡Owen¡¡lived£»¡¡the¡¡second¡¡New
Harmony¡¡has¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡been¡¡seen£»¡¡the¡¡so¡called¡¡rational¡¡system¡¡of
education¡¡has¡¡not¡¡yet¡¡transformed¡¡the¡¡impulses¡¡or¡¡the¡¡aims¡¡of
men£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡communist¡¡of¡¡today£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡history¡¡of¡¡two¡¡thousand
years¡¡of¡¡failure¡¡behind¡¡him£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡same¡¡pathetic¡¡confidence
still¡¡looks¡¡for¡¡the¡¡realization¡¡of¡¡his¡¡dreams¡¡to¡¡the¡¡communism¡¡of
the¡¡future¡£
And¡¡yet£»¡¡granting¡¡that¡¡communism¡¡were¡¡practicable£»¡¡granting¡¡that
Owen's¡¡hopes¡¡had¡¡some¡¡prospect¡¡of¡¡fulfillment£»¡¡the¡¡doctrine¡¡still
embodies¡¡evils¡¡that¡¡must¡¡make¡¡it¡¡forever¡¡inexpedient¡£¡¡¡¡The
readers¡¡of¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Matthew¡¡Arnold's¡¡works¡¡must¡¡have¡¡noticed¡¡the
emphasis¡¡with¡¡which¡¡he¡¡dwells¡¡on¡¡the¡¡instinct¡¡of¡¡expansion¡¡as¡¡a
factor¡¡in¡¡human¡¡progress¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡the¡¡refutation¡¡alike¡¡of
communism¡¡and¡¡socialism¡¡that¡¡they¡¡thwart¡¡the¡¡instinct¡¡of
expansion£»¡¡that¡¡they¡¡substitute¡¡for¡¡individual¡¡energy¡¡the¡¡energy
of¡¡the¡¡government£»¡¡that¡¡they¡¡substitute¡¡for¡¡human¡¡personality¡¡the
blind£»¡¡mechanical¡¡power¡¡of¡¡the¡¡State¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡one¡¡system£»¡¡as¡¡the
other£»¡¡marks¡¡the¡¡end¡¡of¡¡individualism¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡one¡¡system£»¡¡as¡¡the
other£»¡¡would¡¡make¡¡each¡¡man¡¡the¡¡image¡¡of¡¡his¡¡neighbor¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡one
system£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡other£»¡¡would¡¡hold¡¡back¡¡the¡¡progressive£»¡¡and£»¡¡by
uniformity¡¡of¡¡reward£»¡¡gain¡¡uniformity¡¡of¡¡type¡£
I¡¡can¡¡look¡¡forward¡¡to¡¡no¡¡blissful¡¡prospect¡¡for¡¡a¡¡race¡¡of¡¡men
that£»¡¡under¡¡the¡¡dominion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡State£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡cost¡¡of¡¡all¡¡freedom
of¡¡action£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡cost£»¡¡indeed£»¡¡of¡¡their¡¡own¡¡true¡¡selves£»¡¡shall
enjoy£»¡¡if¡¡one¡¡will£»¡¡a¡¡fair¡¡abundance¡¡of¡¡the¡¡material¡¡blessings¡¡of
life¡£¡¡¡¡Some¡¡Matthew¡¡Arnold¡¡of¡¡the¡¡future¡¡would¡¡inevitably¡¡say¡¡of
them¡¡in¡¡phase¡¡like¡¡that¡¡applied¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Puritans¡¡of¡¡old£º¡¡¡¨They
entered¡¡the¡¡prison¡¡of¡¡socialism¡¡and¡¡had¡¡the¡¡key¡¡turned¡¡upon¡¡their
spirit¡¡there¡¡for¡¡hundreds¡¡of¡¡years¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡Into¡¡that¡¡prison¡¡of
socialism£»¡¡with¡¡broken¡¡enterprise¡¡and¡¡broken¡¡energy£»¡¡as¡¡serfs
under¡¡the¡¡mastery¡¡of¡¡the¡¡State£»¡¡while¡¡human¡¡personality¡¡is
preferred¡¡to¡¡unreasoning¡¡mechanism£»¡¡mankind¡¡must¡¡hesitate¡¡to
step¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡they¡¡shall¡¡once¡¡have¡¡entered¡¡within¡¡it£»¡¡when¡¡the¡¡key
shall¡¡have¡¡been¡¡turned¡¡upon¡¡their¡¡spirit¡¡and¡¡have¡¡confined¡¡them
in¡¡narrower¡¡straits¡¡than¡¡even¡¡Puritanism¡¡could¡¡have¡¡done£»¡¡it¡¡will
be¡¡left¡¡for¡¡them¡¡to¡¡find£»¡¡in¡¡their¡¡blind¡¡obedience¡¡and¡¡passive
submission£»¡¡the¡¡recompense¡¡for¡¡the¡¡singleness¡¡of¡¡character£»¡¡the
foresight£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡energy£»¡¡that¡¡they¡¡have¡¡left¡¡behind¡¡them¡£
In¡¡almost¡¡every¡¡phase¡¡of¡¡life£»¡¡this¡¡doctrine¡¡of¡¡political
altruists¡¡is¡¡equally¡¡impracticable¡¡and¡¡pernicious¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡its¡¡social
results£»¡¡it¡¡involves¡¡the¡¡substitution¡¡of¡¡the¡¡community¡¡in¡¡the
family's¡¡present¡¡position¡£¡¡¡¡In¡¡its¡¡political¡¡aspects£»¡¡it¡¡involves
the¡¡absolute¡¡dominion¡¡of¡¡the¡¡State¡¡over¡¡the¡¡actions¡¡and¡¡property
of¡¡its¡¡subjects¡£¡¡¡¡Thus£»¡¡though¡¡claiming¡¡to¡¡be¡¡an¡¡exaltation¡¡of
the¡¡so¡called¡¡natural¡¡rights¡¡of¡¡liberty¡¡and¡¡equality£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡in
reality¡¡their¡¡emphatic¡¡debasement¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡teaches¡¡that¡¡thoughtless
docility¡¡is¡¡a¡¡recompense¡¡for¡¡stunted¡¡enterprise¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡magnifies
material¡¡good¡¡at¡¡the¡¡cost¡¡of¡¡every¡¡rational¡¡endowment¡£¡¡¡¡It
inculcates¡¡a¡¡self
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