MARXISM AND DARWINISM. S9 



members of the same group, and its place is taken by- 

 mutual aid and social feeling. In the struggle be- 

 tween groups, technical equipment decides who shall 

 be the victor ; this results in the progress of technique. 

 These two circumstances lead to different effects un- 

 der different systems. Let us see in what manner they 

 work out under capitalism. 



When the bourgeoisie gained political power and 

 made the capitalist system the dominating one, it be- 

 gan by breaking the feudal bonds and freeing the 

 people from all feudal ties. It was essential for capi- 

 talism that every one should be able to take part in 

 the competitive struggle; that no one's movements 

 be tied up or narrowed by corporate duties or ham- 

 pered by legal statutes, for only thus was it possible 

 for production to develop its full capacity. The work- 

 ers must have free command over themselves and not 

 be tied up by feudal or guild duties, for only as free 

 workers can they sell their labor-power to the capi- 

 talists as a whole commodity, and only as free laborers 

 can the capitalists use them. It is for this reason that 

 the bourgeoisie has done away with all old ties 

 and duties. It made the people entirely free, but 

 at the same time left them entirely isolated and un- 

 protected. Formerly the people were not isolated; 

 they belonged to some corporation; they were under 

 the protection of some lord or commune, and in this 

 they found strength. They were a part of a social 

 group to which they owed duties and from which they 

 received protection. These duties the bourgeoisie 

 abolished ; it destroyed the corporations and abolished 

 the feudal relations. The freeing of labor meant at 

 the same time that all refuge was taken away from 

 him and~ that he could no longer rely upon others. 



