Lenin CW-Vol. 23.pdf - From Marx to Mao

A TURN IN WORLD POLITICS263robbers, are not in a position to determine this exactly—whenthis imperialist peace will come, what changes in the courseof the war will precede it, what the details of that peacewill be. Nor is that important. What is important is thefact that a turn towards peace has been made; the importantthing is the fundamental character of that peace. And thesetwo circumstances have been made sufficiently clear by thepreceding development of events.In the twenty-nine months of war, the extent of the resourcesof both imperialist coalitions has become sufficientlyevident. All, or nearly all, possible allies of any importanceamong the nearest “neighbours” have been drawn into theslaughter; the strength of the armies and navies has beentested and re-tested, measured and re-measured. Financecapital has made billions: the mountain of war debts showsthe extent of the tribute the proletariat and the propertylessmasses “must” now pay for decades to the internationalbourgeoisie for having graciously permitted them to killoff millions of their fellow wage-slaves in a war for thedivision of imperialist booty.It is probably impossible, in the present war, to skinthe oxen of wage-labour any more than has been done already—thisis one of the profound economic reasons for theturn we now observe in world politics. It is impossible,because all resources in general are becoming exhausted.The American multimillionaires and their younger brethrenin Holland, Switzerland, Denmark and other neutral countriesare beginning to notice that the gold mine is giving out.That is behind the growth of neutral pacifism, and not noblehumanitarian sentiments, as the naïve, wretched and ridiculousTurati, Kautsky and Co. think.Added to this is the growing discontent and anger amongthe masses. In our last issue we quoted the evidence ofGuchkov and Helfferich, 106 showing that both dread revolution.Is it not about time to stop the first imperialistslaughter?The objective conditions compelling cessation of thewar are thus supplemented by the influence of the classinstinct and class interests of the profit-glutted bourgeoisie.The political turn based on this economic turn followstwo main lines: victorious Germany is driving a wedge