And still, I repeat, it seems to me quite possible that in the next few
years Europe may grow enthusiastic for Bolshevism. Not for its own sake, rather
in spite of what it is. Imagine that the "five years plan" pursued
with herculean efforts by the Soviet Government fulfils expectations and that
the economic situation of Russia is not only restored, but much improved.
Whatever the content of Bolshevism be, it represents a gigantic human
enterprise. In it, men have resolutely embraced a purpose of reform, and live
tensely under the discipline that such a faith instils into them. If natural
forces, so responseless to the enthusiasms of man, do not bring failure to this
attempt; if they merely give it free scope to act, its wonderful character of a
mighty enterprise will light up the continental horizon as with a new and
flaming constellation. If Europe, in the meantime, persists in the ignoble
vegetative existence of these last years, its muscles flabby for want of
exercise, without any plan of a new life, how will it be able to resist the
contaminating influence of such an astounding enterprise? It is simply a
misunderstanding of the European to expect that he can hear unmoved that call to
new action when he has no standard of a cause as great to unfurl in opposition.
For the sake of serving something that will give a meaning to his existence, it
is not impossible that the European may swallow his objections to Communism and
feel himself carried away not by the substance of the faith, but by the fervour
of conduct it inspires. To my mind the building-up of Europe into a great
national State is the one enterprise that could counterbalance a victory of the
"five years plan." Experts in political economy assure us that such a
victory has little probability in its favour. But it would be degradation
indeed, if anti-Communism were to hope for everything from the material
difficulties encountered by its adversary. His failure would then be equivalent
to universal defeat of actual man. Communism is an extravagant moral code, but
nothing less than a moral code. Does it not seem more worthy and more fruitful
to oppose to that Slavonic code, a new European code, the inspiration towards a
new programme of life?
