CHAPTER VI. The Economic Constitution and Socialization

THE ECONOMIC CONSTITUTION AND SOCIALIZATION

The Constitution imposes on each German the duty of work. It is not sufficient in modern states, especially in one defeated in war, that every one therein merely work, unless this work is directed in a certain spirit, following a given plan and toward a determined end. The fundamental idea that inspired the Constituent Assembly in the last provisions of its work is as follows: The whole German system of economy, public and private, is destroyed or demolished by the war. Germany cannot dream of rising from its ruins unless it realizes immediate and radical reforms. It must completely reconstruct its former economic system. The whole country must become an immense enterprise directed by a conscious will aimed at a definite goal. All the forces of the country solidly organized and scientifically utilized must be so managed that a maximum of production will be assured.

To this end, two series of reforms are contemplated. They are summed up in these words, “councils” and “collective economy.” On the one hand, there is projected an Economic Constitution, whose organs are progressively destined to be parallel to those of the political Constitution. On the other hand, the effort is made to realize in the organization of production and distribution an economic system that is intermediate between that of private economy on the one hand, and a purely socialist régime on the other.

Nothing systematic, however, has as yet been achieved. The ground is new. Surprised by the Revolution, the theoreticians of new systems have not yet fixed their schemes nor elaborated complete and coherent plans. On the other hand, the majority of the National Assembly is formed by a coalition of parties whose economic conceptions differ still more than do their political conceptions. This lack of definiteness and these differences endanger all effective realization of a solution. But the necessity of reforms has made itself imperatively felt and economic difficulties are so grave and menacing that they cannot wait indefinitely for solution. Further, there are very many people who are restive and who do not hesitate to resort to general strikes and even to revolts, when governments hesitate too long in effecting a reform from which they hope an amelioration of their lot. That is why one will look in vain for a plan as a whole or a logical order in the provisions we are about to study. Most of them were adopted by an assembly uncertain of the work it should do, one which went about its tasks most hurriedly and obeyed the pressure of external forces more powerful than itself.