The Days of a Man 1912 



As to England, he said she had prevented Germany 

 from establishing due trade relations; and the idea 

 that English would become the world language of 

 commerce he strongly resented. 



As a theoretical basis for his general thesis, he 

 expounded the German theory of "der Staat," the 

 State, 



as a spiritual collective personality living a life of its own 

 above and beyond that of its subjects. Law governs the individ- 

 ual, but the State is above all law, knowing for its acts no 

 sanction save its own. Law is only a makeshift, the reality is 

 force; law is a device of the weak for their own protection, force 

 is the right of the strong. 1 



From this main premise is easily derived the idea 

 that a state can do no wrong, that might creates need 

 and need creates right, and that there exists no 

 power either outside or within the consciousness of 

 man which can sit in judgment on the state. To be 

 simple, weak, peace-loving, or backward constitutes 

 the "unpardonable sin" of a state. 



Three Bernhardi rested his whole case for war on three 



fallacies b as j c propositions which he termed, respectively, 

 the historical, the psychological, and the biological 

 argument. First, there have always been wars, and as 

 human nature does not change, wars will always be. 

 Second, the desire for conflict is ingrained in man's 

 being, and war develops the highest discipline. 2 

 Thirdly, war is a biological necessity, 3 the one 

 agency for the survival of the fittest in the struggle 

 of existence - - a process as vital to human advance- 

 ment as to the evolution of animals and plants. 



1 "Das Gesetz ist nur ein f'ersuch, der Krieg ist die Wirklichkeit; das Gesttz ist 

 nurfiir die Schwachen, der Krieg fur die Star ken." 



2 "Die hochste Kultur findet sick in dem Kriege." 



3 " Der Krieg ist eine biologische Not-wendigkeit. " 



n 416 3 



