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largest in Europe after the Russians, will not be injured by the defensive plan of the Allies—the principle of nationality, proclaimed by the Allies, will apply to it also; but Austria-Hungary, this anti-national and purely dynastic state, must be dismembered, just as the anti-national Turkey has been dismembered.
Pangerman Central Europe with its political consequence is an attempt to organise Europe, Asia and Africa; but this organisation is to be carried out by militaristic force, by the domination of the elect German nation over the other nations. The organisation of Europe and mankind according to the plan of the Allies is a broader program, a pan-human program, carried out democratically through the self-determination of nations and without militarism. Pangermanism is geographically and culturally a smaller and reactionary program: it aims at the unification of the Old World, Europe, Asia and Africa. But alongside of the Old World there has developed the New World—America. The program of the Allies proclaims the organisation of the Old and New Worlds, the direct organisation of all mankind.
Every thoughtful democratic and progressive statesman, every enlightened and culturally active nation must accept the program of the Allies, because it is politically broader and culturally and morally higher. The Allies champion humanity, the Pangermans force; the Allies champion progress, Austria-Hungary and Germany are the champions of the Middle Ages. Pangermanism and its Central Europe is a program of the theocratic anachronistic monarchies—the Allies and their program of the organisation of mankind is a democratic program constructed logically on humanitarian ideals.
The Pangerman alliance concluded merely because of geographical and historical reasons, but because of deep inner relationship; Prussia, Austria, and Turkey are in their substance dynastic, militaristic, aggressive, anti-national and anti-democratic. Turkey has fallen. Austria is following Turkey, and Prussia will fall immediately after and through Austria.
The program of the Allies is in its consequences also a program for the liberation and humanisation of the German nation.
I. Democracy is the political organisation of society resting on the ethical foundation of humanitism; aristocracy (oligarchy-monarchism), as it developed historically, is based on theocracy, on religion and church. European States have not yet freed themselves, all and to the fullest extent, from mediæval theocratism.
II. Democracy is a society resting on labour. In a democracy there are no men or classes exploiting the labour of others; a democratic state does not admit of militarism or secret diplomacy, its internal and external policy is subject to the judgment and direction of Parliament. Democracy, it has been said, is discussion; men are governed by arguments, not by an arbitrary will and violence; democracy to-day is not possible without science, democracy is the organisation of progress in all branches of human activity.
Democratic states aim at administration, not at domination; they are states without dynasties; the so-called constitutional monarchy is a transitional form, a mixture of aristocracy and democracy.
Democracy is the antithesis of aristocracy and oligarchy; monarchy is a form of oligarchy.
III. The discrepancy between State and ethnographic frontiers causes the unrest and wars in Europe. Nations are the natural organs of mankind; nationality is the best guarantee of internationality which, together with nationality is the goal of European development. One conditions the other. States are instruments, the development of nations is the goal. Democracy, therefore, accepts the modern principle of nationality and rejects the (Prussian) worship of the State and, therefore, of dynasties. The problem is not only to liberate nations, but also to unify them. The cry of “no annexations” is not clear; the right of nations to self-determination proclaimed by the Russian revolution demands changes of political boundaries. The States are nationalised.
