Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 21 - From Marx to Mao

EUROPEAN WAR AND INTERNATIONAL SOCIALISM
23
chauvinism, but that in each country the socialists (who
are not opportunists) ought to see their main enemy in
their “own” (“home-made”) chauvinism.
Is it true, however, that the “incapacità” is so very absolute?
Is that so? Fucilare?* Heldentod** and a miserable
death? All this in vantaggio di un altra patria?*** Not
always!! The initiative was possible and even obligatory.
Illegal propaganda and civil war would be more honest,
and obligatory for socialists (this is what the Russian
socialists are calling for).
For Instance, they take comfort in the illusion that the
war will end and things will settle down. ... But no! For
the collapse of the present-day (1889-1914) International
not to turn into the collapse of socialism, for the masses
not to turn away, and to prevent the domination of anarchism
and syndicalism (just as shamefully [as] in France),
the truth must be looked in the face. Whoever wins,
Europe is threatened by the growth of chauvinism, by
“revenge-seeking”. etc. Militarism, whether German or Great-
Russian, fosters counter-chauvinism and the like.
It is our duty to draw the conclusion of the complete
collapse of the opportunism, the reformism, so impressively
proclaimed in Italy (and so decisively rejected by the
Italian comrades 17 and ****
N. B. insert: the contemptuous and scornful attitude of
Die Neue Zeit 18 towards the Italian socialists and Avanti!:
petty concessions to opportunism! “The golden mean.”
The so-called “Centre”= lackeys of the opportunists.
Written in late
August-September 1914
First published on August 1,
Published according to
1929, in Pravda No. 174 the manuscript
* Shoot down?—Ed.
** A hero’s death.—Ed.
*** For the sake of another country?—Ed.
**** The manuscript breaks off here. The next two sentences
are marginal notes.—Ed.