145 



It is, thanks to this theory, that philosophers 

 in law and sociologists, can determine the 

 true nature and the functions of the State 

 which, not being anything else than "society 

 juridically and politically organised," is only 

 the secular arm of which the class holding the 

 economic power and consequently the 

 political, judicial, and administrative power 

 makes use to preserve as long as possible 

 its own privileges. 



The other sociological theory by which 

 Karl Marx has really dissipated the clouds 

 which obscured till now the heaven of 

 socialist aspirations, and which has furnished 

 to scientific socialism the political compass 

 for steering itself with complete assurance in 

 the contentions of the life of every day, is the 

 great historic law of the class struggle* 



Granted that the economic conditions of 

 social groups as well as those of individuals 

 are the fundamental determinant of all moral, 

 juridical, and political manifestations, it is 

 evident that each social group, each individual 

 will be led to act according to his economic 

 benefit, because that is the physical basis of 

 life and the condition of all other develop- 

 ments. In the political order each social class 

 will be driven to make laws, to establish 

 institutions, to consecrate customs and beliefs 



* As a proof of this conspiracy of silence on the 

 theories of Karl Marx, it is sufficient for me to recall 

 that the historians of socialism only speak in general of 

 the technical theory of surplus value and leave on one 

 side the two other laws : the determination of social 

 phenomena and institutions by economic conditions and 

 the struggle of the classes. 



