The Ethics of the Morality Muffs. (1933)

From the August 1933 issue of the Socialist Standard

The “Ethical Union” bears the mark of its own condemnation writ large in its forehead. Its name gives it away. The “ethics" which are to transform society are the “ethics" born of capitalism. “The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class"—grasp this fact, first clearly enunciated, and proved by Marx and Engels, and the nauseating twaddle dished out by J. A. Hobson in his pamphlet “The Moral Challenge to the Economic System" will stand out for what it is worth.

The “Chief Object" of the Union is: “ . . .  To advocate a religion of human fellowship and service . . . and by purely human and natural means to help men to love, know, and to do the right in all relations of life."

The “purely human and natural means" touch is the feeble expression of a shamefaced agnosticism claiming to be “religious."

The “doing right" in “all relations of life" has an ancient and fish-like smell. The business end of the Christian knife has always carved deep in the body of the exploited class—chattel-slave, serf, wage-slave—the injunction to “do right" in the station of life to which the capitalist Mumbo-Jumbo has called him.

See content the humble gleaner 

   Take the scattered ears that fall,

God his children ever viewing,

   Kindly, bounteous cares for all.

But in a small collection of verse not favoured in choirs and places where they sing (“Nettles," D. H. Lawrence):

Almighty Mammon, make me rich!

Make me rich quickly, with never a hitch 

In my fine prosperity! Kick those in the ditch 

Who hinder me, Mammon, great son of a bitch 

Note well: the Ethical Union was founded in 1896. 1914-18 taught it nothing. Its Chief Object is, “The supreme aim of religion is the love of goodness." Let us call to witness Robert Graves (“Good-bye to all that," p. 295) for one sidelight on Christians at war.

The bayonet-fighting instructors’ faces were permanently set in a ghastly grin, “ Hurt him now! In at the belly! Tear his guts out! ” they would scream as the men charged the dummies. “Now that upper swing at his privates with the butt. No more little Fritzes. Naaoh! Anyone would think that you loved the bloody swine, patting and stroking ’em like that. Bite him I say 1 stick your teeth in him and worry him! Eat his heart out.’’

. . . Pass the Woodbine, Willy, to the gentle Nazarene.

J. A. Hobson talks of the “collapse of capitalism’’ (p. 4), and bases the alleged “collapse" upon the fact that “all the goods and services which this economic system could produce could not get consumed." Considering that the working class has never had “enough purchasing power to buy," the “collapse" is many hundred years overdue (read our penny pamphlet, “Why Capitalism will not Collapse").

The Macaulayesque twaddle is faithfully reproduced: “No reader of English history can fail to recognise that though much injustice and oppression of the weak exist to-day the callous indifference with which these evils were once regarded by the well-to-do has largely disappeared."

Marx and Engels (Communist Manifesto, 1848) supply the answer: “A part of the bourgeoisie is desirous of redressing social grievances . . .  to this section belong economists, philanthropists, humanitarians . . . hole and corner reformers of every imaginable kind." The sentimental yearnings of Lady Bountiful towards Poor Jo are the holy water with which she consecrates the essential obscurity of her parasitism on the working class.

J. A. Hobson actually sees “many signs of what may be almost called a revolutionary spirit among abler business men" (p. 17)—a spirit which will, he thinks, induce the lion to lie down with the lamb (Erewhon Butler's thesis that “eating" is “loving" has pertinence here).

Fellow workers: the S.P.G.B. puts a straight issue to you. If your chains gall, if you dread the future for your children (your responsibility) seek a knowledge of the only path to emancipation. Discard your “leaders." Have faith in yourselves. Get knowledge, get understanding. Buy the SOCIALIST STANDARD, read its pamphlets (they will be historical documents of the first value), attend our meetings, bombard our speakers with questions. It is your business.

Augustus Snellgrove