By the beginning of this century the Trades Union movement had long ceased to serve its earlier purpose. With each succeeding year it fell more and more under the influence of social democratic politics and ended by being used merely as the battering ram for the class war.
Instead of opposing this by taking the offensive, the bourgeoisie submitted to being pressed and harried, and ended by adopting utterly inadequate measures, which, being taken too late, were ineffective and were easily repulsed owing to their weakness. So all really remained as it was, but the discontent was more serious than before.
The “free Trades Union” lowered over the political horizon and over each man’s life like a threatening storm-cloud.
It was one of the most terrible instruments of intimidation against security and national indepen¬ dence, the solidity of the State and individual freedom.
It was, above all, that which turned the idea of democracy into a repellant and derisory phrase, brought shame to liberty and mocked at brotherhood in the words : “If you won’t join us we will crack your skull for you”.
I learned then something about this “friend of man”. As years went on my opinions widened and deepened, but I never found reason to alter them.
As I obtained more insight into the externals of Social Democracy, my longing increased to understand the inner kernel of its doctrines.
The official literature of the Party was nearly use¬ less for my purpose. When dealing with economic questions its assertions and arguments are incorrect, and as regards the political aim they are fallacious. Hence I felt intensely repelled by the modern petti¬ fogging methods of expression and writing.