Part 138 (2/2)

In politics the military ideal, the military processes, are so predominant as to almost monopolise ”that part of ethics.” The science of government, the plain wholesome business of managing a community for its own good; doing its work, advancing its prosperity, improving its morals--this is frankly understood and accepted as A Fight from start to finish. Marshall your forces and try to get in, this is the political campaign. When you are in, fight to stay in, and to keep the other fellow out. Fight for your own hand, like an animal; fight for your master like any hired bravo; fight always for some desired ”victory”--and ”to the victors belong the spoils.”

This is not by any means the true nature of politics. It is not even a fair picture of politics to-day; in which man, the human being, is doing n.o.ble work for humanity; but it is the effect of man, the male, on politics.

Life, to the ”male mind” (we have heard enough of the ”female mind” to use the a.n.a.logue!) _is_ a fight, and his ancient military inst.i.tutions and processes keep up the delusion.

As a matter of fact life is growth. Growth comes naturally, by multiplication of cells, and requires three factors to promote it; nourishment, use, rest. Combat is a minor incident of life; belonging to low levels, and not of a developing influence socially.

The science of politics, in a civilized community, should have by this time a fine acc.u.mulation of simplified knowledge for diffusion in public schools; a store of practical experience in how to promote social advancement most rapidly, a progressive economy and ease of administration, a simplicity in theory and visible benefit in practice, such as should make every child an eager and serviceable citizen.

What do we find, here in America, in the field of ”politics?”

We find first a party system which is the technical arrangement to carry on a fight. It is perfectly conceivable that a flouris.h.i.+ng democratic government be carried on _without any parties at all;_ public functionaries being elected on their merits, and each proposed measure judged on its merits; though this sounds impossible to the androcentric mind.

”There has never been a democracy without factions and parties!” is protested.

There has never been a democracy, so far--only an androcracy.

A group composed of males alone, naturally divides, opposes, fights; even a male church, under the most rigid rule, has its secret undercurrents of antagonism.

”It is the human heart!” is again protested. No, not essentially the human heart, but the male heart. This is so well recognized by men in general, that, to their minds, in this mingled field of politics and warfare, women have no place.

In ”civilized warfare” they are, it is true, allowed to trail along and practice their feminine function of nursing; but this is no part of war proper, it is rather the beginning of the end of war. Some time it will strike our ”funny spot,” these strenuous efforts to hurt and destroy, and these accompanying efforts to heal and save.

But in our politics there is not even provision for a nursing corps; women are absolutely excluded.

”They cannot play the game!” cries the practical politician. There is loud talk of the defilement, the ”dirty pool” and its resultant darkening of fair reputations, the total unfitness of lovely woman to take part in ”the rough and tumble of politics.”

In other words men have made a human inst.i.tution into an ultra-masculine performance; and, quite rightly, feel that women could not take part in politics _as men do._ That it is not necessary to fulfill this human custom in so masculine a way does not occur to them. Few men can overlook the limitations of their s.e.x and see the truth; that this business of taking care of our common affairs is not only equally open to women and men, but that women are distinctly needed in it.

Anyone will admit that a government wholly in the hands of women would be helped by the a.s.sistance of men; that a gynaecocracy must, of its own nature, be one sided. Yet it is hard to win reluctant admission of the opposite fact; that an androcracy must of its own nature be one sided also, and would be greatly improved by the partic.i.p.ation of the other s.e.x.

The inextricable confusion of politics and warfare is part of the stumbling block in the minds of men. As they see it, a nation is primarily a fighting organization; and its princ.i.p.al business is offensive and defensive warfare; therefore the ultimatum with which they oppose the demand for political equality--”women cannot fight, therefore they cannot vote.”

Fighting, when all is said, is to them the real business of life; not to be able to fight is to be quite out of the running; and ability to solve our growing ma.s.s of public problems; questions of health, of education, of morals, of economics; weighs naught against the ability to kill.

This naive a.s.sumption of supreme value in a process never of the first importance; and increasingly injurious as society progresses, would be laughable if it were not for its evil effects. It acts and reacts upon us to our hurt. Positively, we see the ill effects already touched on; the evils not only of active war; but of the spirit and methods of war; idealized, inculcated and practiced in other social processes. It tends to make each man-managed nation an actual or potential fighting organization, and to give us, instead of civilized peace, that ”balance of power” which is like the counted time in the prize ring--only a rest between combats.

It leaves the weaker nations to be ”conquered” and ”annexed” just as they used to be; with tariffs instead of tribute. It forces upon each the burden of armament; upon many the dreaded conscription; and continually lowers the world's resources in money and in life.

Similarly in politics, it adds to the legitimate expenses of governing the illegitimate expenses of fighting; and must needs have a ”spoils system” by which to pay its mercenaries.

In carrying out the public policies the wheels of state are continually clogged by the ”opposition;” always an opposition on one side or the other; and this slow wiggling uneven progress, through shorn victories and haggling concessions, is held to be the proper and only political method.

”Women do not understand politics,” we are told; ”Women do not care for politics;” ”Women are unfitted for politics.”

It is frankly inconceivable, from the androcentric view-point, that nations can live in peace together, and be friendly and serviceable as persons are. It is inconceivable also, that in the management of a nation, honesty, efficiency, wisdom, experience and love could work out good results without any element of combat.

The ”ultimate resort” is still to arms. ”The will of the majority” is only respected on account of the guns of the majority. We have but a partial civilization, heavily modified to s.e.x--the male s.e.x.

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