The spiritual, intellectual, and artistic uplift consequent upon such
a condition of society would be tremendous. All the human world
would surge upward in a mighty wave.
This was the opportunity vouchsafed the capitalist class. Less
blindness on its part, less greediness, and a rational management,
were all that was necessary. A wonderful era was possible for the
human race. But the capitalist class failed. It made a shambles of
civilization. Nor can the capitalist class plead not guilty. It
knew of the opportunity. Its wise men told of the opportunity, its
scholars and its scientists told it of the opportunity. All that
they said is there to-day in the books, just so much damning evidence
against it. It would not listen. It was too greedy. It rose up (as
it rises up to-day), shamelessly, in our legislative halls, and
declared that profits were impossible without the toil of children
and babes. It lulled its conscience to sleep with prattle of sweet
ideals and dear moralities, and allowed the suffering and misery of
mankind to continue and to increase, in short, the capitalist class
failed to take advantage of the opportunity.
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