GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

708 ETHICS AMD POLITICS: THE MODERNS
power and the foundation of the power which he obtains.
The rulers once established do not constitute a dosed class*
Communists, indeed, would vehemently repudiate the
notion that die communist party in its constitution and
membership remotely resembles a caste. Membership, they
would point out, is open to any person of sufficient enthusiasm
and correct views. Thus the workers are not only
die foundation and instrument of power in the communist
State, but may themselves through membership of the
communist party, become its holders. Thus the communist
State is veritably a workers' State.
Now Plato would insist that a State based on die power
of the workers can never be a good State; for (a) such a
State would still be a class State run, not in the interests
of all, but of the formerly exploited and now governing
class. Thus like all States which have hitherto existed, it
would be a State divided against itself and the interests
of some citizens would be opposed to the interests of
others.
(*) 'Communism/ Plato would point out, 'has not transcended
die class war. Communism represents the victory
of one side in the war, and the communist State which is
dominated by the victorious party in the struggle can never
be other than a warring State.
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(c) 'Not only, Plato would continue, 'do the rulers in a
modern communist State represent and govern in the
interests of a particular class, they are often recruited from
that class. They are not, that is to say, a caste apart, living
a special kind of life and K%nHmg down their traditions
of nobility, wisdom and public service from father to son.
The rulers consist of those men who happen to have ob-
tained the favour of the masses, either by winning their
votes or by zeal in persecuting their enemies, the members
of die fonneriy-exploiting class. The rulers will, therefore,
be imbued by die same desires as those which sway die
masses; they will pursue their aims, aspire to their ideals,
value the things that % value, and call good what thy
call good.