108 THE CLASS STRUGGLE ACCUSE 109 But in the course of developments this war has evolved a change of functions in the conception of Fatherland.
In former times there were no fatherlands, but simply nations which had to be governed. Since the 70 the ideal of a Lational state has come to life in the bourgeoisie and so Austria was looked upon as a remnant of olden times, that was expected sooner or later to fall apart in to separate national entities.
Now this idea of the fatherland has met a new conception, one that is no longer based upon nationalist lines, but upon questions of economic interests. The bourgeoisie has discovered its interest in the conservation of the economic field of Austria, an interest not only in Austria but in the foundation of a great Central European empire with the King of Prussia, of course, at its head, to whom Austria shall be subservient. Its ideal is no longer national independence but national rule. They are no longer satisfied with the class rule of the bourgeoisie over the proletariat, they aspire to establish a kingdom from Berlin to Bagdad, over which the German people, e. the German bourgeoisie, shall rule.
Since the beginning of the war the same national and economic policy has made itself felt in other nations. We have seen that among the Czechs, too, economic interests have come into a sharp conflict with national interests. But the same change of functions has taken place within the Social Democracy. When Bebel attacked Bismarck most violently it was not because he had created the German Imperial government in place of a German Republic, but because he had created a Prussian Germany in place of a Greater Germany, for which the German democracy of that time and with it the labor democracy had been fighting. Now we see in this war that the labor movement has deviated from this old national principle, that the Social Democrats have adopted the imperialist mode of thought, and are defending a program in which they do not defend the German national state which would correspond with the national defense of the French and the Belgians, but the integrity of the German Empire, including even its colonies. There was a period in the war when Socialdemocrats sacrificed the international character of their movement by openly supporting a policy of might and strategic securities. There have been Social Democrats who have gone so far as to surrender themselves to the shameless policy of conquest of an imperialist bourgeoisie. These words of the prosecutor cannot harm me. do not say that it is inspiring to be an Austrian. consider it to be a misfortune that must be borne, a misfortune especially where a Sturgkh is at the head of the nation.
The party has always maintained that Austria can exist only as federation of national states; much energy was spent in the effort to spread recognition of the necessity of democracy in the nation. cannot, of course, foretell what will become of this nation in this war. There are only two eventualities, and have furthered neither of these eventualities, but have, rather, occupied a strictly neutral position toward Austria. The Socialist cause, have always maintained, is far greater than any teniporary state formation, and we must therefore refuse to compromise or bind its fate by an intimate identity with the fate of a nation, a mistake that was made in the past, regret to say, by a number of my former friends. Little as shall claim the title patriot, nevertheless refuse to be termed antipatriot, particularly when this is represented as the motive for my deed. To be sure, Austria plays a part in my motives, not the national, but the moral existence of Austria, the Austrian spirit.
Even when was still a boy at high school, always felt that the greatest, the most unforgivable sin, is the sin against the spirit, and that is a national sin in Austria. If you desire to comprehend my deed and all that has led to it, an understanding of my revolt and my opposition to this sin that has smothered every vestige of manliness in Austria must run, like a red line, through your consideration.
We are living in a state that was recaptured for Catholicism in a counter reformation of fire and sword. We are a state that has nothing but scorn for the convictions of men, a state that has never recognized the right of the individual to act according to his convictions. We are a state in which the slavish servility of all classes of the population have led to happenings that stand before me as a burning mask of shame upon our people.