Bertrand Russell

Name: The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism — PART IIBOLSHEVIK THEORYII. DECIDING FORCES IN POLITICS
Author: Bertrand Russell

The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

Summary

“The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism — PART IIBOLSHEVIK THEORYII. DECIDING FORCES IN POLITICS”, published in 1920, is a work by Bertrand Russell. It explores elements such as rivalry, acquisitiveness and intelligence.

Quotes from The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (Bertrand Russell)

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ These four passions--acquisitiveness, vanity, rivalry, and love of power--are, after the basic instincts, the prime movers of almost all that happens in politics. Their operation is intensified and regularized by herd instinct. But herd instinct, by its very nature, cannot be a prime mover, since it merely causes the herd to act in unison, without determining what the united action is to be. Among men, as among other gregarious animals, the united action, in any given circumstances, is determined partly by the common passions of the herd, partly by imitation of leaders. ”

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Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ Until 1914, acquisitiveness had prevailed, on the whole, since the fall of Napoleon; the past six years have seen a prevalence of the instinct of rivalry. Scientific intelligence makes it possible to indulge this instinct more fully than is possible for primitive peoples, since it sets free more men from the labour of producing necessaries. It is possible that scientific intelligence may, in time, reach the point when it will enable rivalry to exterminate the human race. ”

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Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ It will then depend upon the passions of the rulers how this power is used. Success will come to the State which discovers how to promote pugnacity to the extent required for external war, but not to the extent which would lead to domestic dissensions. There is no method by which it can be insured that rulers shall desire the good of mankind, and therefore there is no reason to suppose that the power to modify men's emotional nature would cause progress.
If men desired to diminish rivalry, there is an obvious method. Habits of power intensify the passion of rivalry ”

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Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ Love of property, of which the fundamental political importance is obvious, may be derived historically and psychologically from the hoarding instinct. Love of the good opinion of others (which we may call vanity) is a desire which man shares with many animals; it is perhaps derivable from courtship, but has great survival value, among gregarious animals, in regard to others besides possible mates. Rivalry and love of power are perhaps developments of jealousy ”

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Source: Wikisource

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ When intelligence provides improved methods of production, these may be employed to increase the general share of goods, or to set apart more of the labour power of the community for the business of killing its rivals. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ For those who dislike wars, this is an additional argument against all forms of dictatorship. But dislike of war is far less common than we used to suppose; and those who like war can use the same argument to support dictatorship. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ The classification of the passions which is most convenient in political theory is somewhat different from that which would be adopted in psychology.
We may begin with desires for the necessaries of life: food, drink, sex, and (in cold climates) clothing and housing. When these are threatened, there is no limit to the activity and violence that men will display. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ The physiological causes of emotions have begun to be known, through the studies of such men as Cannon (_Bodily Changes in Pain, Hunger, Fear and Rage_) . In time, it may become possible, by physiological means, to alter the whole emotional nature of a population. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ The desire for some form of superiority is common to almost all energetic men. No social system which attempts to thwart it can be stable, since the lazy majority will never be a match for the energetic minority. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (1920)

“ The larger events in the political life of the world are determined by the interaction of material conditions and human passions. The operation of the passions on the material conditions is modified by intelligence. The passions themselves may be modified by alien intelligence guided by alien passions. ”

Bertrand Russell

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Quotes from The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism… (Bertrand Russell)

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