william joyce - dictatorship

8/12/2019 William Joyce - Dictatorship

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ictatorshipWilliam oyce

1933 London: British UnionofFascists

12p

ctators Iby

illiam oyce

OCTO ER

1933

PRI E 2d


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DICT TORSHIPTi l l r b )rtl (/rlllo(((I/ s II ((mtruJ iclitm111 ircm), i tu . in fact a {icliot/,

(with apologies to DEltoH).D ~ I O t ~ R A C Y , indl..,t.:d, is ~ radically and indi\jduully anJtq,UlfCd tllste, nor arc ~ I g n l i lackin g that the relish may. l ~ Y be In d c a ~ l I l g with the Fascist concept ordLct.ltOrshlP, It would be a convelUence to omi t 311 reference to democ r a ~ i c p h e n o m c n ~ , were not ~ m c reader might be sufficienti)'cunous to rcqmrc a brief CXllmll l l l l lan of the stimulus which ha sproduC\:d the greatest response and the mos t fundamental revolution~ i n c e the Renaissance. Assu redly dictlltorship, 3S we understand it,has on abundance of positive merits; but its establishment Illaync\'crtheless. be ~ r i u m p h a n t l r vindicated by nothing morc than :Icasual conSidera tion of th at refined nonsense which is known asdemocracy. Whilst dictatorship may, as we shall see , be defined vcryprecisely. the tenn "democracy" has a mutability of meaning infull conformity with the fickleness of the thing, wh ose exponents havethu s a characteris tic ad,':mtage in \'erbal tact iC . Some would explainit b)' the epigram" Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity "; and thisepigram was the last epitap h written on social sanity.The inhcritllllcc of m c ntal and ph )'s ical ehnrllcter-

islics. dt c existcnce of in superable differcnces ofeO\,ironment. the laws o f biolog) and psychology mo kcit imposs ible Ihot there should exisl any rc.ol equa lit ybetween mcn.Differences there must be, though these differences need nutfind their expression in snobbery or in those social d is tinctions whichrest upon such obscure titles as a Knighthood cre:lled to rid somc

ronsli tuency of an incumbent, when his seat is desired by a moretL'ch nically ul>Cful member of the Prime ;\Iinister's Par ty. TheFl lscist is o pp osed Co u l lm) of the in equuli ti es of our presentb) 'stem . li e opposes these inequalities, however, not because they areincqualities but because they Me in no wise correlated with the onlytrue criterion of discrimination - the standard of sen 'ice to the State,Thus when the Fascist condemns prh'ilege without senice, he isvcr\, far frOIll opposing the Inw s of the greater sciences, Fascism,in 'fact, is the ani)' scientific appro:lCh to politics and 1.'COllomics

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I ~ . d a ) ; and du.:tatorlihip i the 0111)' (;cLcnt lill' ,I j'lproach to go\C:rnment.I here art people who fondly hclicn: .. l."Clual it) " to be desirableha .e conseque ntly in ferred that it i,. p O t o ~ i b l e . Such rea&onmg are not un com mon :ltnong:.t the ..entimcntal.N OT infrl:(luentiy "e heu of "I:qu.ality of opportunity". The p h r a ~, as, by. many S o c i a l i ~ I . \ I , Jbllurd, IInbli ,I.I: accept J. B.\\:tOOn. d l s c r e ~ l t e d bout that he could m;lkc human b c : i n ~ l > "hsthe \\llihed, pro\lded thlll he could cMtml thc em ironment of theirchildhood . The opportun it\' of bccoming J m;lthcmatieian ill 5 C l o ; ~tD the child who is d e s t i n ~ tn be 2 m u ~ i e i i l n ; 2nd if we " i ~ h e d forreal e(llIalit) t might well bes:in meal'iuring indi\idllal differencethen \ aryinf,: opportunitit:li in ~ l I c h : I \\J}' th.at the Olo..t gi hcdch ild \\as afforded the 1 1 : ; I ~ t help. F:.I oCil'm will, in faet, pr()\idelIupcrior opportunity for merit alone.N 0W, unhappily, in contemplation of the entuncing topic of equal-it), we hlln: forJ.::ouen liberty, No deep stud)' of humanIHHurc is required to re\t-1I1 the fnct that n soc ie l) whiehdetermin ed to enforce eqUlllit), would Junc 10 di"pcnse withliber t )'. The equalitarian of modern tirnt.'lI j our I ) r o c r t l ~ t e a n carpenter, "hOk "tretehing and hewing would accommodate e\e'1 \ictimto his bed. Th:lt e q ~ I l . l i t ) ill certainly the a n t i t h e t l i ~ to libert) ilo aconclusion which e \ ' ~ I ) ' man would be entitled to drlw, if Ime\\what the word .. Iibert) " me:lnt: hut no rrech.inn of definitionpossible. The liberty to rob a neif.:hbour's h e n - r o o ~ t , the liberty toruin thou)and > of human b e i n s : ~ by unscnlpuloull but" Iq:itimate"speculation, the liberty to huy drinks :It ~ u n r i s < , and the libert, to

b r ~ a t h e are all \:llued in differellt dl:gree- h) cliffl:rent 10\'e , of ( r ~ -dom. It l'II.'CII\);. then, tll;lt the p u r r ~ M , . ' of 1a\1 to r e ~ t r i ( " t humanliberty in the intl:rot.; of MlCiet)'; and the pre


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l',)1):;.;iml:' d c ~ i g n of dllmimuing h i ~ fclhm:>; :md thol>c who contendlUI ~ ' 1 I \ 1 , l l i t ) , Me l ~ n . I I ) C\m:.tr.lll1cd to OId\' '>c;lt.c its cl>t.lblishmcllt by: . l I l ~ l l l l r f O H ~ . I'rom the:>c f J . l t ~ the rC,lson s ickens and recoils' but

t h l ' ~ m,l)..e J. dcmlX't'.llic fr.lwlnit) impossible outside the ~ r c : l throthclhOl.xl of political corruption. The pe rson wbo wishes tofind frll lCrnil) of th e h i ~ h c s t kind con beg in lind end hi sM:::urch "ielt Fnsci lm: {or FlIscislll is II creed which kn owsnothing of di;;tinclious cx tc rahll to itscU. Ftlscism is th etarm ot socilll orgunistltion which 1llonc CU ll I)roduce u truecomfAd.:-;;hip hllsed o n unh'cr5ol service a nd c mnncipolcdtrom the jCll lous ics inhere nt in dCl\1ocrnlic tcuching.DE),IOCR.\CY being thus b'lscd m u t u a l l ~ c o n t r ~ d i c l o r y pril.lci-pks, we should not wonder th(lt I\S \'ery eSlstencc IS often dCllled.But there is wmething worse under the sun than theoretical democracy. Then: is sham democracy. the principles will not work, theillusion of their working must be given if only in deference to the:ohades of those pious hypocrites who introduced into this countrylot onh democrac\' but the least humane labour conditions thathad e\'er been k n ~ \ \ n in this Island. The ., Laissez Faire" or" Po\'ert)' " school of economics conspired. to d c . p ~ i \ e of \ c i r vitalSlIstcn:mce the maSSeS whom they tutored 11\ pohtlcs; and 10 retu rnthe workers were presented with the illusion of democracy by thepolitical branch of the conspiracy. The great condition of thisillusion W35 that govcrnment s ~ o u l d ~ to, "of .th e people, bythe l>eople and for the pt."'Ople " \\:Iulst politiCians c l ~ h e sought acompromise bet\\:n their own ~ l I c f s and ,the plausible proposalwhich won elections, or, more sLlnp l) dec ided to content.ra te. onplausibil ity alone . 1'I.leanwhile, the i ~ o ~ law of wages m a l O . t a l l \ e ~the ascetism necessary for the appreciation of democracy. .Dl sraeit,no mean offender, had the graee to write: : "'fhe I , ~ wearyof statesmen whom democracy has degraded II\to politiCians . Andsince the sole approach to power was the capacity to win the approvalof unfortunate people who could more easily fo:rm judgme.nts uponthe higher mathematics than on profound questions of P?hcy,. therewas e\'oh-ed the type of politician who can best be described III thewords of :\1ilton: -

. . . . he seemedFor dignit), composed and high esploit;But a\1 was false and hollow, though hiS tongueDropped manna and could make the worse appearThe better reason, to perplex and dashMaturest counsels; for his thoughts werc low;To vice industrious, hut to nobler deedsTimorous and slothful, yet he ple3scd ~ l e carAnd with persuasivc :lcccnt thus bCJ:an. .r be . 1 fact the corruption which has rendered the c f f c c t l ~ cH ~ a n , II r ., cou,,',), 'I mcrc il11,)ossibilit)' until he and IllSgo\'crnmcnl 0 us .

works ;Ire abolished. A t limcs he follow8 hi ll own iuc1inalion.'(,lit li mes he COlI suh s Ih e peo ple, hut ncver docs he rise ahoveth e principle th nt th e poo;o;ess ion of o ffICe is infinitcl ), mo reimpo rttlill thun it s usc. li e must Jt IC;lst prctt:nd. on o c c ; \ ~ i o n s toresl>c:ct the I>opuiar mandate. li e m u ~ t make the promi leS thatwill win the votes. And he mllst re


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'l 'l H S ' \ I : u l i ( . I l \ ' ~ .\IId p t . u L ' i h i l i t ~ I I I I \ p.1 t i l l , I I .( ~ , I I I IWl l kp l , n n p . U I , i f \ \ \ . \ . \ . , , , . "-Ia 11;111".m u ~ t he,' \\ n ll . TIll' h.; .. ill, ..... 01 II ' I . \ ~ I t 1,1 \ 1'1I1I(; ll' k th;tI 'I.'.tt"r I . 1\ C l l I 1 U l l , H I . t n 1 l1 l f " . 1 ' p ," r' n r ilL\ ,I l ' \ ' n I U l ~ clIn \'Cllll111lli .." , ha\l.' prl .; ...hcd Fr .. "ICII,{ Ill"0Ih' I ~ r c k \ . t tH .Ullll lwl : and it i . onl\- f . co.; C 011XI II I I . urt ( ' I IH l I t ' I I ' ,,1111.'11 hI mr t'l t I l ' "n- , , ' IH (;11\ c'rnm en Ili l t lOPI t IrilT _ . . .ISntht'r" ' :h Jll ilh ill Trade l i ' ; U;\.h ttd .." r\,.'I, UJlO Il l 'I i c l lP imllo rls to kee ll the h " Cof " ll/o C .. II, 10\\ III ulld th e re n ; ~ 1 ~ ~ ' i ~ i

' ree r;l( cr... " h n " ould 11II\'c n ur dcmocrnc, ' deh I . ' .stlln dltrd (.f li , in l. 10 II ,uh .or ic nlul level 0" ' . >c, I t ~L I ' I . . Icr (;Ollntne o la\"(:' '" ' ' ' "'ll)I,.,('h.( to tI ll" ,)1.1"111,.' of d,IlI, .., '' ')' "" ,1 h, " ' 1I. h . . . . . . . . . . \1.' "Uf\'I\'e( It )\,t I . ~ ~ , . t . 1 h,.hlllent of dl{'t,lIor"llIp,,: and it i" lx"."ominR i l l c r e ; u ~ i n ~ I(,\ Ident thilt our (lwn I'la[ m: Iilu"t end in the ",1I11e W;\\' if we a ' ,not to IX' ' '\('n I 1 I I ) ' I . ' rec t I 11\ I , I c t ; I t ' I ~ \1 1' I" now "weeping the worldnot m,'rciy the dcsllc IIf 111;\1\ hut by the inc'\or;lble destin)' ofiron nl'Cl",-,it\.O'LY .th e , Illo:,.t credulous and the c"st adaptable retain :In\" showof ~ : t h I I I Th is Itll's of f"ith is remarkab ly we i ill us

t ~ a t ~ I I ~ . a h,oo k 1)\ :\ Ir, John Str.H,hey enti tl ed" T he ;'\Ienaee of,Fa s,c lsl1l , '\ow. t h o ~ ' s . : I ~ :\Ir. ~ t r ; l d u J . \ ' canno l }ct be regarded ns,In ' n g : e n u o ~ I a n d IIn::-tlllllll), ;1uffc rinl s. the nhsolulc need b) cheirof some

.. In o rder to w o rd o ff Fo scism . to prcser\'C thc prin.c lpl e o f dClIloerilc r . , th e Social DeDloerlus ( in Germunr ) hnd month o(ler 1I10 l1th CO support 0 e r n m e n twhich had in prncti cc be co me u di c tatorship. In orderto pre \'cnt th e ul1clllplo )'ed .. be ing sllcrificed b )' Il Fuscislre gime" Ih e Socilll De moerlit fO supported thc reduction oun e mplo)' Ilu.: nt be ne fic tel 9 3 11 w eek ."( d ) " T h e IHtr ilccion of e c u r i l l ~ . 111 the cost o( II temporar)" po lilicul und indus lr i a l retreul, 11 broad .. united(ront .. lIJ, nin s l Fnscis lI1 ticelllS irresis tible Ne\'c rthcle ss il c an be conclu ti ivel)" demonstr(ued I I l I l t Ihispo lic)', il it is loll o wed 10 the end b)" the British worker .mu st lend thelll. with II posith'elr mnthemnticnl inc"ilnbilitr to their dcle nt. ruin lind masslICre ,"

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( e) .. Ihe prc"enl leuller ' fI( the I.lIhuur I'url) . .pr mni t'e III (IPPU Ii C II Worker,.' dielfllllrliihip. IIhhOlI_h theunl )" l i J l ~ worker,.' diclfllof8hip i" rllridJ) ' IIhfllishin/dfl:< 1 prh 'il cgc ::- . hn > _onc ,'crr lflr tuwllrdli reillitiing I Ige nuin e e qulllit )" o( opportuuic)'. hn" IIbolishcd um:mplo)'.mc nl _ . . l ind undcninbl)' cn jo ), Ihc p(lst;ion lilc 'lupportuf . , Ihe induslriol workers, "W I I I I .S ' I' the context or the c),tr.l(;I dOC'IIi nut m"kc it Jh:Iolutd}

cleJr 10 which dictatorship :\ Ir. Strachcy i refcrring, the ~ c n c r a ltendency ol th e booklet would lead us to ~ u p J ' l O C th:lt Ihe ; l l I u ~ i o nwa .. to Sm'iel ltu l remaking of II ltl) , the masurfull'Om l>th:ncy of hi > rule, Ihe renai'sJnce of the Cernlan nation ,Ichic\'edby Il itler, and e\'en the despcr:ltc autocrJcy of l l l u ~ ~ have combined to com 'ince all realists tl the fact that the ,':lriolb doctors whoha\'e been trying to sa , 'e the languishing demncr.lcy had far ~ t t c rco ncentr:ltc their attention on .. postmoncm" tcchniquc. The agetil h i p has come; and it has arri\'ed as the result til lICientificevo lution ra ther than as :1 consc'llIencc til individual dCliire; (or theworld is ntlt longer to be tihcd, ;tnd jolted. ;and projoctcd intI,) spaceby the capric ious play o thOse unrc.c,ui:tted (orceS which constituh.'de mocrac),. I'rolessor Ein stein, a:. the great exponent o rdati\'i tymis:h t realise this truth, The organic unit} or the state C:IIIl bederivcd only from that organic uni ty ol go\'ernment whieh is dict.;ttorship" 'lOW the studen t o( polit ics might well 3sk whether aristocracy C311-no t be postulated as an alternati\'e to democracy :md autocracyThe practical \'ailit or the question dOd not justif) our J : i \ i n ~ dlatfilII trea tment wh ich its theorct iClI c r ~ t d e m a n d Be It admittedthat the Roman Rc:public in man) respects compares , ~ i l hthc Roman Empi re, We nevertheless h:1\'C to concur \I'lth I d l d bin the ;tphorism " tha t a city is made not ol ?r icks ~ ~ t o mcn ".And one hund red yeal'1l aftO , Carlyle could write: Alas, whereare now th e lI engists 3nd Alaries who .. ' . will ' , ' , l i k ~ ~ r e . p i I l 2 r sguide Oilwards those superfluous m:l....;.ses o( IIIdomlt:l tle I'nng ~ ' a l o u r ,c..-quipfltd no t now with the l e 3 ~ c and warehanot, but With thesteam c:nJti ne and a r c : Where are they : I'reservinJ theirj::a llle: "O U R ar ililocrncy has ccased to r c p r e ~ n t thc l)t:


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0 h .. olh ..r luuu . ,h \\i11 lat ..r be " ..ell it COIl50lIant \\ith theI l'u;po:o;e of. F;\-.c sm to build ul' a flew ~ r i ..toc:r3cy baM:d nn mer;1,\ one, rom ~ \ - h l e h (ltct:nnN \\ ill be drnwn. A \\ akncss of autocrnc'.I il .. ~ r n I;' th;\( ,H.ltocrjJtl' lIu:o;t Ix hnrn and not made. Fnscisn;; ~ I n I ~ I It c scrnce . of hcredit,. lind en\'ironment to secure

, IH II S . " I p r o d \ ~ c c \\ orth,. lenders, ~ o r is it cuential that the~ t ~ c t l & t n . ~ h l l l : h o ~ l d \Il\"anahly exel', J Iwo ;Iuthoruy, howC'"e r, p o c ~ ~ ~in the t : ~ r p o r a Sta te t,he 1Il0 >t elahorate ;llId uti,,(:lctor) methodc\er de\l i>Cd for consultIng th e: properl)' informed opinion of thepeople. Occupo t ionnl rcprCSCllftH ion is calculated to enable delegatt:il to gi\'e information 011 su bjects with which they ,Ire familiar: theinno\'ation will probably comc as a shock to Ollr p r e ~ n l memheni ofI'ariiallle:nt.who, Ihrough failure of r g y or lack of grace, are ceasinge:\'e:n to stlllmlate a know le:dge winch the)' do not p o ~ E"enIhe once \'igorou Mr , Church ill feels it nec::eliSary to admit that IheSc:cretary of State for India may be right. 0 'J'empn r.1 0 :\ torC l "On the Olher hand, the Fa;(:ist syatem will provide for the electionof certain members whose dUly will be to exercise a reprel;Cnlalionmorc general than experts could exercise. The nominatio l1 ofthese members will reside in th e Fascist system o Go\'eru.ment, (Iud su ch nominations will be possible nei th e r for the)'oung gen tlef olk who ha\'e wearied of kipperparties . nor (orthe o ld cap lains of industr )' who ha \'e los t man)' bea\' il)'insured cra ll. nor )'et (or th e o ~ e l c s s agitotors who think.because th e)' kn ow morc th an Aristotle. cbot Ih er oughe 10be directing th e bu s iness of the nOlio n.THE purpose of this paper, howc\'cr, is not to examine in detail thecorporate system, a description of whic.h must sought andfound elsewhere. Suffice it to sa)" that the Fascist dietatorship will_at once make possible the re21 representation of the people b\' insisting on the appointment as delegates of those who are able to represent. Such a concept seems to ha\'e been unknown to democr.:l.cy.When the Fascist recognizes thllt the people must be consulted, heshows not only that his philosophy differs from that of the tyunt,but also that he realizes to the full the foil)' of power abused andthe necessity for harmony between gO\'ernlllent and people: andthis h3rmony is bound to arise from the: unifying spirit of Fa:;ci:.m.whilst it could arise from no other source.SOME nah'e opponents occasionall)' a 'k ho\\ a Fasci ..t Go\"Crnmelllcould e changed, once the dic12,torship hol d been established. I fthese curious enquirer.,; wish to know how the system could be :dten:d,they must be made nware that we would never ad\"()Cll te a :;)"8tell.lin which we did not belie\'e. Dubiet), is assu redly the mark ofdemocracy; but ec.rtainty is the mark of s c i ~ 113d we anydoub18 we would proceed no further. But the dClllocnt ref .ardsgovern:nent as emolument nther than .as a r c : s p o n ~ i b i l i ~ y . liein polities a continuum of ehanges \\h lch t.he opportunist ~ a ) tur,nto account : .\IId he may be loth to lOSt' hiS 0 \\ 11 opportUIllI)" . \ \emUllt then, at first, p.udon him if hi main solicitudc ill ronC1:rnt'dles,


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IUUlhillil) i t ~ d f dnn .llld ....m .111."." '1'1' ' h I " , h,: I"" Im \' ans,:t"t b, thl' Ilr o \ cd inti . _ MIIIIW ,,{ J/U\tlnn)cn{ ~ r t : : l n b a t i l l T h ~ 1 ~ 1 I 1 F a M : i s t : w i l t ~ I I ~ ~ C ~ ~ t ' l d ~ C 1 l the i ~ ~I a r h l H n t ' n l l l r ~ J.ppro,";l' or such iI chan I ' ~ h t ~ to h ' C h ~ l t t choit'c.

1 : / o : I I r < l c ( ~ . l . ~ of his;:h value. Uut II p : l l r i o ~ e ~ ' O ' ~ d be 5OuJ.:ht ;,jlldt It" l l ~ ~ l I U " ' I I ; ' ~ (If th t' pc:.?ple :llikc, From the as ct ofl u ~ t o n C : l 1 co ntllllllt) ' dcmocrat... III Iuro .... h"" ' d r dbl I . I . J , ' t.COr 0 coml N -,I t lal t\\'o cc ntunt'.\>, The record is bad : but du rins: a form'r

l g c of so cIal . dC\',dopmcllt, t ~ l i .democ ra cy could al IC:lst s t r u A A ~ c~ \ I t ~ , the .llIultltudmolls, multIfarious and con tradictor\" claims ofU l d . I \ l d u l l l i ~ ~ ' . That struru:le of COUn>c, conditio'ncd b}' thcfUllle prcml:-'C ll d c m o c r : t ~ y itself. But no\,:, (I new Iltage o socialdt'\e1.opment ha:- begun, I he ~ w e r o machlllery and the rclt()urcc>

o f . ~ l e n ~ h3\C cre.lted .. colllplexlt)' o f human and indw.trinl relation."Iuch dcfil,.S the co nception of our I I \ C e o r ~ jusl : IS it t:n.:es the

IIllelilgenC'e of o ur n t c ~ n p o r : l r i t . ~ . , till.c h an intrica te and compli.catc.'d field of rel.ltiollt.lllplt, org:UII";ltlon thc undeniahle conditiono r rae,iOlI ,.,urYi\'.II: ~ n d organi.sation canllot proCt.'cd from :an) of theOpposlllJ.: forcc.'S winch fill th s field . Rather ~ l U S t their oppositionbc resoh-cd b\ a power s uperior to thc contcntlOn , In tllC restllI:mtp h :m . e:lch (urce will play it.. p;lrt: but the direc tion of 1TI11I)\ for.:..'s

will be l m ~ c ;lnd thc illh:nl'iity of M)Ule \\ill he dilllini (hed. Thetat k prc"'Cnt.lo ,j difficulty in eo mpuriwil with which the labours ofJ e r c u l c ~ would .:tppc.lr to he simple buiTooner\". Ilerein lic>. theIIMnifeot inadCtIU;lcy of the old po litical p a r t i t ~ . Ilerdn liell the.Hle(III;lc}, nf the F :I,


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william joyce - dictatorship

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