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III. SOCIALIST AND COMMUNIST LITERATURE

1. REACTIONARY SOCIALISM

A. Feudal Socialism

Owing to their historical position, it became the vocation of the

aristocracies of France and England to write pamphlets against

modern bourgeois society. In the French revolution of July 1830,

and in the English reform agitation, these aristocracies again

succumbed to the hateful upstart. Thenceforth, a serious

political contest was altogether out of the question. A literary

battle alone remained possible. But even in the domain of

literature the old cries of the restoration period had become

impossible.

In order to arouse sympathy, the aristocracy were obliged to lose

sight, apparently, of their own interests, and to formulate their

indictment against the bourgeoisie in the interest of the

exploited working class alone. Thus the aristocracy took their

revenge by singing lampoons on their new master, and whispering

in his ears sinister prophecies of coming catastrophe.