22 MARXISM AND DARWINISM. 



IV. DARWINISM AND THE CLASS STRUGGLE. 



That Marxism owes its importance and position 

 only to the role it takes in the proletarian class strug- 

 gle, is known to all. With Darwinism, however, things 

 seem different to the superficial observer, for Darwin- 

 ism deals with a new scientific truth which has to 

 contend with religious prejudices and ignorance. Yet 

 it is not hard to see that in reality Darwinism had to 

 undergo the same experiences as Marxism. Darwinism 

 is not a mere abstract theory which was adopted by 

 the scientific world after discussing and testing it in 

 a mere objective manner. No, immediately after Dar- 

 winism made its appearance, it had its enthusiastic 

 advocates and passionate opponents ; Darwin's name, 

 too, was either highly honored by people who under- 

 stood something of his theory, or despised by people 

 who knew nothing more of his theory than that "man 

 "^^j*^ descended from the monkey," and who were surely 

 ^^^Ji^' unqualified to judge from a scientific standpoint the 

 i,^^ ivP correctness or falsity of Darwin's theory. Darwinism, 

 /J^ too, played a role in the class-struggle, and it is owing 



^^^^ to this role that it spread so rapidly and had enthusi- 

 astic advocates and venomous opponents. 



Darwinism served as a tool to the bourgeoisie in 

 their struggle against the feudal class, against the no- 

 bility, clergy-rights and feudal lords. This was an en- 

 tirely diflPerent struggle from the struggle now waged 

 by the proletarians. The bourgeoisie was not an ex- 

 ploited class striving to abolish exploitation. Oh no. 

 l'^\ What the bourgeoisie wanted was to get rid of the 

 old ruling powers standing in their way. The bour- 

 geoisie themselves wanted to rule, basing their de- 

 mands upon the fact that they were the most impor- 



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