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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3540-h.zip b/3540-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9bd7c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/3540-h.zip diff --git a/3540-h/3540-h.htm b/3540-h/3540-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..deba91f --- /dev/null +++ b/3540-h/3540-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,852 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Article on the Census in Moscow</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + P.headingsummary { margin-left: 5%;} + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4, H5 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + table { border-collapse: collapse; } + td { vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid black;} + td p { margin: 0.2em; } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + .citation {vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: none;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Article on the Census in Moscow, by Count Lyof N. Tolstoi</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Article on the Census in Moscow, by Count +Lyof N. Tolstoi, Translated by Isabel F. Hapgood + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Article on the Census in Moscow + + +Author: Count Lyof N. Tolstoi + + + +Release Date: December 27, 2007 [eBook #3540] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed from the 1887 Tomas Y. Crowell “What to +do?” edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org</p> +<h1>MOSCOW CENSUS—FROM “WHAT TO DO?”</h1> +<h2>ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW. [1882.]</h2> +<p>The object of a census is scientific. A census is a +sociological investigation. And the object of the science +of sociology is the happiness of the people. This science +and its methods differ sharply from all other sciences.</p> +<p>Its peculiarity lies in this, that sociological investigations +are not conducted by learned men in their cabinets, observatories +and laboratories, but by two thousand people from the +community. A second peculiarity is this, that the +investigations of other sciences are not conducted on living +people, but here living people are the subjects. A third +peculiarity is, that the aim of every other science is simply +knowledge, while here it is the good of the people. One man +may investigate a nebula, but for the investigation of Moscow, +two thousand persons are necessary. The object of the study +of nebulæ is merely that we may know about nebulæ; +the object of the study of inhabitants is that sociological laws +may be deduced, and that, on the foundation of these laws, a +better life for the people may be established. It makes no +difference to the nebula whether it is studied or not, and it has +waited long, and is ready to wait a great while longer; but it is +not a matter of indifference to the inhabitants of Moscow, +especially to those unfortunates who constitute the most +interesting subjects of the science of sociology.</p> +<p>The census-taker enters a night lodging-house; in the basement +he finds a man dying of hunger, and he politely inquires his +profession, his name, his native place, the character of his +occupation, and after a little hesitation as to whether he is to +be entered in the list as alive, he writes him in and goes his +way.</p> +<p>And thus will the two thousand young men proceed. This +is not as it should be.</p> +<p>Science does its work, and the community, summoned in the +persons of these two thousand young men to aid science, must do +its work. A statistician drawing his deductions from +figures may feel indifferent towards people, but we +census-takers, who see these people and who have no scientific +prepossessions, cannot conduct ourselves towards them in an +inhuman manner. Science fulfils its task, and its work is +for its objects and in the distant future, both useful and +necessary to us. For men of science, we can calmly say, +that in 1882 there were so many beggars, so many prostitutes, and +so many uncared-for children. Science may say this with +composure and with pride, because it knows that the confirmation +of this fact conduces to the elucidation of the laws of +sociology, and that the elucidation of the laws of sociology +leads to a better constitution of society. But what if we, +the unscientific people, say: “You are perishing in vice, +you are dying of hunger, you are pining away, and killing each +other; so do not grieve about this; when you shall have all +perished, and hundreds of thousands more like you, then, +possibly, science may be able to arrange everything in an +excellent manner.” For men of science, the census has +its interest; and for us also, it possesses an interest of a +wholly different significance. The interest and +significance of the census for the community lie in this, that it +furnishes it with a mirror into which, willy nilly, the whole +community, and each one of us, gaze.</p> +<p>The figures and deductions will be the mirror. It is +possible to refrain from reading them, as it is possible to turn +away from the looking-glass. It is possible to glance +cursorily at both figures and mirror, and it is also possible to +scrutinize them narrowly. To go about in connection with +the census as thousands of people are now about to do, is to +scrutinize one’s self closely in the mirror.</p> +<p>What does this census, that is about to be made, mean for us +people of Moscow, who are not men of science? It means two +things. In the first place, this, that we may learn with +certainty, that among us tens of thousands who live in ease, +there dwell tens of thousands of people who lack bread, clothing +and shelter; in the second place, this, that our brothers and +sons will go and view this and will calmly set down according to +the schedules, how many have died of hunger and cold.</p> +<p>And both these things are very bad.</p> +<p>All cry out upon the instability of our social organization, +about the exceptional situation, about revolutionary +tendencies. Where lies the root of all this? To what +do the revolutionists point? To poverty, to inequality in +the distribution of wealth. To what do the conservatives +point? To the decline in moral principle. If the +opinion of the revolutionists is correct, what must be +done? Poverty and the inequality of wealth must be +lessened. How is this to be effected? The rich must +share with the poor. If the opinion of the conservatives is +correct, that the whole evil arises from the decline in moral +principle, what can be more immoral and vicious than the +consciously indifferent survey of popular sufferings, with the +sole object of cataloguing them? What must be done? +To the census we must add the work of affectionate intercourse of +the idle and cultivated rich, with the oppressed and +unenlightened poor.</p> +<p>Science will do its work, let us perform ours also. Let +us do this. In the first place, let all of us who are +occupied with the census, superintendents and census-takers, make +it perfectly clear to ourselves what we are to investigate and +why. It is the people, and the object is that they may be +happy. Whatever may be one’s view of life, every one +will agree that there is nothing more important than human life, +and that there is no more weighty task than to remove the +obstacles to the development of this life, and to assist it.</p> +<p>This idea, that the relations of men to poverty are at the +foundation of all popular suffering, is expressed in the Gospels +with striking harshness, but at the same time, with decision and +clearness for all.</p> +<p>“He who has clothed the naked, fed the hungry, visited +the prisoner, that man has clothed Me, fed Me, visited Me,” +that is, has done the deed for that which is the most important +thing in the world.</p> +<p>However a man may look upon things, every one knows that this +is more important than all else on earth.</p> +<p>And this must not be forgotten, and we must not permit any +other consideration to veil from us the most weighty fact of our +existence. Let us inscribe, and reckon, but let us not +forget that if we encounter a man who is hungry and without +clothes, it is of more moment to succor him than to make all +possible investigations, than to discover all possible +sciences. Perish the whole census if we may but feed an old +woman. The census will be longer and more difficult, but we +cannot pass by people in the poorer quarters and merely note them +down without taking any heed of them and without endeavoring, +according to the measure of our strength and moral sensitiveness, +to aid them. This in the first place. In the second, +this is what must be done: All of us, who are to take part in the +census, must refrain from irritation because we are annoyed; let +us understand that this census is very useful for us; that if +this is not cure, it is at least an effort to study the disease, +for which we should be thankful; that we must seize this +occasion, and, in connection with it, we must seek to recover our +health, in some small degree. Let all of us, then, who are +connected with the census, endeavor to take advantage of this +solitary opportunity in ten years to purify ourselves somewhat; +let us not strive against, but assist the census, and assist it +especially in this sense, that it may not have merely the harsh +character of the investigation of a hopelessly sick person, but +may have the character of healing and restoration to +health. For the occasion is unique: eighty energetic, +cultivated men, having under their orders two thousand young men +of the same stamp, are to make their way over the whole of +Moscow, and not leave a single man in Moscow with whom they have +not entered into personal relations. All the wounds of +society, the wounds of poverty, of vice, of ignorance—all +will be laid bare. Is there not something re-assuring in +this? The census-takers will go about Moscow, they will set +down in their lists, without distinction, those insolent with +prosperity, the satisfied, the calm, those who are on the way to +ruin, and those who are ruined, and the curtain will fall. +The census-takers, our sons and brothers, these young men will +behold all this. They will say: “Yes, our life is +very terrible and incurable,” and with this admission they +will live on like the rest of us, awaiting a remedy for the evil +from this or that extraneous force. But those who are +perishing will go on dying, in their ruin, and those on the road +to ruin will continue in their course. No, let us rather +grasp the idea that science has its task, and that we, on the +occasion of this census, have our task, and let us not allow the +curtain once lifted to be dropped, but let us profit by the +opportunity in order to remove the immense evil of the separation +existing between us and the poor, and to establish intercourse +and the work of redressing the evil of unhappiness and ignorance, +and our still greater misfortune,—the indifference and +aimlessness of our life.</p> +<p>I already hear the customary remark: “All this is very +fine, these are sounding phrases; but do you tell us what to do +and how to do it?” Before I say what is to be done, +it is indispensable that I should say what is not to be +done. It is indispensable, first of all, in my opinion, in +order that something practical may come of this activity, that no +society should be formed, that there should be no publicity, that +there should be no collection of money by balls, bazaars or +theatres; that there should be no announcement that Prince A. has +contributed one thousand rubles, and the honorable citizen B. +three thousand; that there shall be no collection, no calling to +account, no writing up,—most of all, no writing up, so that +there may not be the least shadow of any institution, either +governmental or philanthropic.</p> +<p>But in my opinion, this is what should be done instantly: +Firstly, All those who agree with me should go to the directors, +and ask for their shares the poorest sections, the poorest +dwellings; and in company with the census-takers, twenty-three, +twenty-four or twenty-five in number, they should go to these +quarters, enter into relations with the people who are in need of +assistance, and labor for them.</p> +<p>Secondly: We should direct the attention of the +superintendents and census-takers to the inhabitants in need of +assistance, and work for them personally, and point them out to +those who wish to work over them. But I am asked: What do +you mean by <i>working over them</i>? I reply; Doing good +to people. The words “doing good” are usually +understood to mean, giving money. But, in my opinion, doing +good and giving money are not only not the same thing, but two +different and generally opposite things. Money, in itself, +is evil. And therefore he who gives money gives evil. +This error of thinking that the giving of money means doing good, +arose from the fact, that generally, when a man does good, he +frees himself from evil, and from money among other evils. +And therefore, to give money is only a sign that a man is +beginning to rid himself of evil. To do good, signifies to +do that which is good for man. But, in order to know what +is good for man, it is necessary to be on humane, i.e., on +friendly terms with him. And therefore, in order to do +good, it is not money that is necessary, but, first of all, a +capacity for detaching ourselves, for a time at least, from the +conditions of our own life. It is necessary that we should +not be afraid to soil our boots and clothing, that we should not +fear lice and bedbugs, that we should not fear typhus fever, +diphtheria, and small-pox. It is necessary that we should +be in a condition to seat ourselves by the bunk of a +tatterdemalion and converse earnestly with him in such a manner, +that he may feel that the man who is talking with him respects +and loves him, and is not putting on airs and admiring +himself. And in order that this may be so, it is necessary +that a man should find the meaning of life outside himself. +This is what is requisite in order that good should be done, and +this is what it is difficult to find.</p> +<p>When the idea of assisting through the medium of the census +occurred to me, I discussed the matter with divers of the +wealthy, and I saw how glad the rich were of this opportunity of +decently getting rid of their money, that extraneous sin which +they cherish in their hearts. “Take three +hundred—five hundred rubles, if you like,” they said +to me, “but I cannot go into those dens +myself.” There was no lack of money. Remember +Zaccheus, the chief of the Publicans in the Gospel. +Remember how he, because he was small of stature, climbed into a +tree to see Christ, and how when Christ announced that he was +going to his house, having understood but one thing, that the +Master did not approve of riches, he leaped headlong from the +tree, ran home and arranged his feast. And how, as soon as +Christ entered, Zaccheus instantly declared that he gave the half +of his goods to the poor, and if he had wronged any man, to him +he would restore fourfold. And remember how all of us, when +we read the Gospel, set but little store on this Zaccheus, and +involuntarily look with scorn on this half of his goods, and +fourfold restitution. And our feeling is correct. +Zaccheus, according to his lights, performed a great deed. +He had not even begun to do good. He had only begun in some +small measure to purify himself from evil, and so Christ told +him.</p> +<p>He merely said to him: “To-day is salvation come nigh +unto this house.”</p> +<p>What if the Moscow Zaccheuses were to do the same that he +did? Assuredly, more than one milliard could be +collected. Well, and what of that? Nothing. +There would be still greater sin if we were to think of +distributing this money among the poor. Money is not +needed. What is needed is self-sacrificing action; what is +needed are people who would like to do good, not by giving +extraneous sin-money, but by giving their own labor, themselves, +their lives. Where are such people to be found? Here +they are, walking about Moscow. They are the student +enumerators. I have seen how they write out their +charts. The student writes in the night lodging-house, by +the bedside of a sick man. “What is your +disease?”—“Small-pox.” And the +student does not make a wry face, but proceeds with his +writing. And this he does for the sake of some doubtful +science. What would he do if he were doing it for the sake +of his own undoubted good and the good of others?</p> +<p>When children, in merry mood, feel a desire to laugh, they +never think of devising some reason for laughter, but they laugh +without any reason, because they are gay; and thus these charming +youths sacrifice themselves. They have not, as yet, +contrived to devise any means of sacrificing themselves, but they +devote their attention, their labor, their lives, in order to +write out a chart, from which something does or does not +appear. What would it be if this labor were something +really worth their while? There is and there always will be +labor of this sort, which is worthy of the devotion of a whole +life, whatever the man’s life may be. This labor is +the loving intercourse of man with man, and the breaking-down of +the barriers which men have erected between themselves, so that +the enjoyment of the rich man may not be disturbed by the wild +howls of the men who are reverting to beasts, and by the groans +of helpless hunger, cold and disease.</p> +<p>This census will place before the eyes of us well-to-do and +so-called cultivated people, all the poverty and oppression which +is lurking in every corner of Moscow. Two thousand of our +brothers, who stand on the highest rung of the ladder, will come +face to face with thousands of people who stand on the lowest +round of society. Let us not miss this opportunity of +communion. Let us, through these two thousand men, preserve +this communion, and let us make use of it to free ourselves from +the aimlessness and the deformity of our lives, and to free the +condemned from that indigence and misery which do not allow the +sensitive people in our ranks to enjoy our good fortune in +peace.</p> +<p>This is what I propose: (1) That all our directors and +enumerators should join to their business of the census a task of +assistance,—of work in the interest of the good of these +people, who, in our opinion, are in need of assistance, and with +whom we shall come in contact; (2) That all of us, directors and +enumerators, not by appointment of the committee of the City +Council, but by the appointment of our own hearts, shall remain +in our posts,—that is, in our relations to the inhabitants +of the town who are in need of assistance,—and that, at the +conclusion of the work of the census, we shall continue our work +of aid. If I have succeeded in any degree in expressing +what I feel, I am sure that the only impossibility will be +getting the directors and enumerators to abandon this, and that +others will present themselves in the places of those who leave; +(3) That we should collect all those inhabitants of Moscow, who +feel themselves fit to work for the needy, into sections, and +begin our activity now, in accordance with the hints of the +census-takers and directors, and afterwards carry it on; (4) That +all who, on account of age, weakness, or other causes, cannot +give their personal labor among the needy, shall intrust the task +to their young, strong, and willing relatives. (Good +consists not in the giving of money, it consists in the loving +intercourse of men. This alone is needed.)</p> +<p>Whatever may be the outcome of this, any thing will be better +than the present state of things.</p> +<p>Then let the final act of our enumerators and directors be to +distribute a hundred twenty-kopek pieces to those who have no +food; and this will be not a little, not so much because the +hungry will have food, but because the directors and enumerators +will conduct themselves in a humane manner towards a hundred poor +people. How are we to compute the possible results which +will accrue to the balance of public morality from the fact that, +instead of the sentiments of irritation, anger, and envy which we +arouse by reckoning the hungry, we shall awaken in a hundred +instances a sentiment of good, which will be communicated to a +second and a third, and an endless wave which will thus be set in +motion and flow between men? And this is a great +deal. Let those of the two thousand enumerators who have +never comprehended this before, come to understand that, when +going about among the poor, it is impossible to say, “This +is very interesting;” that a man should not express himself +with regard to another man’s wretchedness by interest only; +and this will be a good thing. Then let assistance be +rendered to all those unfortunates, of whom there are not so many +as I at first supposed in Moscow, who can easily be helped by +money alone to a great extent. Then let those laborers who +have come to Moscow and have eaten their very clothing from their +backs, and who cannot return to the country, be despatched to +their homes; let the abandoned orphans receive supervision; let +feeble old men and indigent old women, who subsist on the charity +of their companions, be released from their half-famished and +dying condition. (And this is very possible. There +are not very many of them.) And this will also be a very, +very great deal accomplished. But why not think and hope +that more and yet more will be done? Why not expect that +that real task will be partially carried out, or at least begun, +which is effected, not by money, but by labor; that weak +drunkards who have lost their health, unlucky thieves, and +prostitutes who are still capable of reformation, should be +saved? All evil may not be exterminated, but there will +arise some understanding of it, and the contest with it will not +be police methods, but by inward modes,—by the brotherly +intercourse of the men who perceive the evil, with the men who do +not perceive it because they are a part of it.</p> +<p>No matter what may be accomplished, it will be a great +deal. But why not hope that every thing will be +accomplished? Why not hope that we shall accomplish thus +much, that there shall not exist in Moscow a single person in +want of clothing, a single hungry person, a single human being +sold for money, nor a single individual oppressed by the judgment +of man, who shall not know that there is fraternal aid for +him? It is not surprising that this should not be so, but +it is surprising that this should exist side by side with our +superfluous leisure and wealth, and that we can live on +composedly, knowing that these things are so. Let us forget +that in great cities and in London, there is a proletariat, and +let us not say that so it must needs be. It need not be +this, and it should not, for this is contrary to our reason and +our heart, and it cannot be if we are living people. Why +not hope that we shall come to understand that there is not a +single duty incumbent upon us, not to mention personal duty, for +ourselves, nor our family, nor social, nor governmental, nor +scientific, which is more weighty than this? Why not think +that we shall at last come to apprehend this? Only because +to do so would be too great a happiness. Why not hope that +some the people will wake up, and will comprehend that every +thing else is a delusion, but that this is the only work in +life? And why should not this “some time” be +now, and in Moscow? Why not hope that the same thing may +happen in society and humanity which suddenly takes place in a +diseased organism, when the moment of convalescence suddenly sets +in? The organism is diseased this means, that the cells +cease to perform their mysterious functions; some die, others +become infected, others still remain in perfect condition, and +work on by themselves. But all of a sudden the moment comes +when every living cell enters upon an independent and healthy +activity: it crowds out the dead cells, encloses the infected +ones in a living wall, it communicates life to that which was +lifeless; and the body is restored, and lives with new life.</p> +<p>Why should we not think and expect that the cells of our +society will acquire fresh life and re-invigorate the +organism? We know not in what the power of the cells +consists, but we do know that our life is in our own power. +We can show forth the light that is in us, or we may extinguish +it.</p> +<p>Let one man approach the Lyapinsky house in the dusk, when a +thousand persons, naked and hungry, are waiting in the bitter +cold for admission, and let that one man attempt to help, and his +heart will ache till it bleeds, and he will flee thence with +despair and anger against men; but let a thousand men approach +that other thousand with a desire to help, and the task will +prove easy and delightful. Let the mechanicians invent a +machine for lifting the weight that is crushing us—that is +a good thing; but until they shall have invented it, let us bear +down upon the people, like fools, like <i>muzhiki</i>, like +peasants, like Christians, and see whether we cannot raise +them.</p> +<p>And now, brothers, all together, and away it goes!</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 3540-h.htm or 3540-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/4/3540 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Article on the Census in Moscow + + +Author: Count Lyof N. Tolstoi + + + +Release Date: December 27, 2007 [eBook #3540] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW*** + + +Transcribed from the 1887 Tomas Y. Crowell "What to do?" edition by David +Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org + + + + + +MOSCOW CENSUS--FROM "WHAT TO DO?" + + +ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW. [1882.] + + +The object of a census is scientific. A census is a sociological +investigation. And the object of the science of sociology is the +happiness of the people. This science and its methods differ sharply +from all other sciences. + +Its peculiarity lies in this, that sociological investigations are not +conducted by learned men in their cabinets, observatories and +laboratories, but by two thousand people from the community. A second +peculiarity is this, that the investigations of other sciences are not +conducted on living people, but here living people are the subjects. A +third peculiarity is, that the aim of every other science is simply +knowledge, while here it is the good of the people. One man may +investigate a nebula, but for the investigation of Moscow, two thousand +persons are necessary. The object of the study of nebulae is merely that +we may know about nebulae; the object of the study of inhabitants is that +sociological laws may be deduced, and that, on the foundation of these +laws, a better life for the people may be established. It makes no +difference to the nebula whether it is studied or not, and it has waited +long, and is ready to wait a great while longer; but it is not a matter +of indifference to the inhabitants of Moscow, especially to those +unfortunates who constitute the most interesting subjects of the science +of sociology. + +The census-taker enters a night lodging-house; in the basement he finds a +man dying of hunger, and he politely inquires his profession, his name, +his native place, the character of his occupation, and after a little +hesitation as to whether he is to be entered in the list as alive, he +writes him in and goes his way. + +And thus will the two thousand young men proceed. This is not as it +should be. + +Science does its work, and the community, summoned in the persons of +these two thousand young men to aid science, must do its work. A +statistician drawing his deductions from figures may feel indifferent +towards people, but we census-takers, who see these people and who have +no scientific prepossessions, cannot conduct ourselves towards them in an +inhuman manner. Science fulfils its task, and its work is for its +objects and in the distant future, both useful and necessary to us. For +men of science, we can calmly say, that in 1882 there were so many +beggars, so many prostitutes, and so many uncared-for children. Science +may say this with composure and with pride, because it knows that the +confirmation of this fact conduces to the elucidation of the laws of +sociology, and that the elucidation of the laws of sociology leads to a +better constitution of society. But what if we, the unscientific people, +say: "You are perishing in vice, you are dying of hunger, you are pining +away, and killing each other; so do not grieve about this; when you shall +have all perished, and hundreds of thousands more like you, then, +possibly, science may be able to arrange everything in an excellent +manner." For men of science, the census has its interest; and for us +also, it possesses an interest of a wholly different significance. The +interest and significance of the census for the community lie in this, +that it furnishes it with a mirror into which, willy nilly, the whole +community, and each one of us, gaze. + +The figures and deductions will be the mirror. It is possible to refrain +from reading them, as it is possible to turn away from the looking-glass. +It is possible to glance cursorily at both figures and mirror, and it is +also possible to scrutinize them narrowly. To go about in connection +with the census as thousands of people are now about to do, is to +scrutinize one's self closely in the mirror. + +What does this census, that is about to be made, mean for us people of +Moscow, who are not men of science? It means two things. In the first +place, this, that we may learn with certainty, that among us tens of +thousands who live in ease, there dwell tens of thousands of people who +lack bread, clothing and shelter; in the second place, this, that our +brothers and sons will go and view this and will calmly set down +according to the schedules, how many have died of hunger and cold. + +And both these things are very bad. + +All cry out upon the instability of our social organization, about the +exceptional situation, about revolutionary tendencies. Where lies the +root of all this? To what do the revolutionists point? To poverty, to +inequality in the distribution of wealth. To what do the conservatives +point? To the decline in moral principle. If the opinion of the +revolutionists is correct, what must be done? Poverty and the inequality +of wealth must be lessened. How is this to be effected? The rich must +share with the poor. If the opinion of the conservatives is correct, +that the whole evil arises from the decline in moral principle, what can +be more immoral and vicious than the consciously indifferent survey of +popular sufferings, with the sole object of cataloguing them? What must +be done? To the census we must add the work of affectionate intercourse +of the idle and cultivated rich, with the oppressed and unenlightened +poor. + +Science will do its work, let us perform ours also. Let us do this. In +the first place, let all of us who are occupied with the census, +superintendents and census-takers, make it perfectly clear to ourselves +what we are to investigate and why. It is the people, and the object is +that they may be happy. Whatever may be one's view of life, every one +will agree that there is nothing more important than human life, and that +there is no more weighty task than to remove the obstacles to the +development of this life, and to assist it. + +This idea, that the relations of men to poverty are at the foundation of +all popular suffering, is expressed in the Gospels with striking +harshness, but at the same time, with decision and clearness for all. + +"He who has clothed the naked, fed the hungry, visited the prisoner, that +man has clothed Me, fed Me, visited Me," that is, has done the deed for +that which is the most important thing in the world. + +However a man may look upon things, every one knows that this is more +important than all else on earth. + +And this must not be forgotten, and we must not permit any other +consideration to veil from us the most weighty fact of our existence. Let +us inscribe, and reckon, but let us not forget that if we encounter a man +who is hungry and without clothes, it is of more moment to succor him +than to make all possible investigations, than to discover all possible +sciences. Perish the whole census if we may but feed an old woman. The +census will be longer and more difficult, but we cannot pass by people in +the poorer quarters and merely note them down without taking any heed of +them and without endeavoring, according to the measure of our strength +and moral sensitiveness, to aid them. This in the first place. In the +second, this is what must be done: All of us, who are to take part in the +census, must refrain from irritation because we are annoyed; let us +understand that this census is very useful for us; that if this is not +cure, it is at least an effort to study the disease, for which we should +be thankful; that we must seize this occasion, and, in connection with +it, we must seek to recover our health, in some small degree. Let all of +us, then, who are connected with the census, endeavor to take advantage +of this solitary opportunity in ten years to purify ourselves somewhat; +let us not strive against, but assist the census, and assist it +especially in this sense, that it may not have merely the harsh character +of the investigation of a hopelessly sick person, but may have the +character of healing and restoration to health. For the occasion is +unique: eighty energetic, cultivated men, having under their orders two +thousand young men of the same stamp, are to make their way over the +whole of Moscow, and not leave a single man in Moscow with whom they have +not entered into personal relations. All the wounds of society, the +wounds of poverty, of vice, of ignorance--all will be laid bare. Is +there not something re-assuring in this? The census-takers will go about +Moscow, they will set down in their lists, without distinction, those +insolent with prosperity, the satisfied, the calm, those who are on the +way to ruin, and those who are ruined, and the curtain will fall. The +census-takers, our sons and brothers, these young men will behold all +this. They will say: "Yes, our life is very terrible and incurable," and +with this admission they will live on like the rest of us, awaiting a +remedy for the evil from this or that extraneous force. But those who +are perishing will go on dying, in their ruin, and those on the road to +ruin will continue in their course. No, let us rather grasp the idea +that science has its task, and that we, on the occasion of this census, +have our task, and let us not allow the curtain once lifted to be +dropped, but let us profit by the opportunity in order to remove the +immense evil of the separation existing between us and the poor, and to +establish intercourse and the work of redressing the evil of unhappiness +and ignorance, and our still greater misfortune,--the indifference and +aimlessness of our life. + +I already hear the customary remark: "All this is very fine, these are +sounding phrases; but do you tell us what to do and how to do it?" Before +I say what is to be done, it is indispensable that I should say what is +not to be done. It is indispensable, first of all, in my opinion, in +order that something practical may come of this activity, that no society +should be formed, that there should be no publicity, that there should be +no collection of money by balls, bazaars or theatres; that there should +be no announcement that Prince A. has contributed one thousand rubles, +and the honorable citizen B. three thousand; that there shall be no +collection, no calling to account, no writing up,--most of all, no +writing up, so that there may not be the least shadow of any institution, +either governmental or philanthropic. + +But in my opinion, this is what should be done instantly: Firstly, All +those who agree with me should go to the directors, and ask for their +shares the poorest sections, the poorest dwellings; and in company with +the census-takers, twenty-three, twenty-four or twenty-five in number, +they should go to these quarters, enter into relations with the people +who are in need of assistance, and labor for them. + +Secondly: We should direct the attention of the superintendents and +census-takers to the inhabitants in need of assistance, and work for them +personally, and point them out to those who wish to work over them. But +I am asked: What do you mean by _working over them_? I reply; Doing good +to people. The words "doing good" are usually understood to mean, giving +money. But, in my opinion, doing good and giving money are not only not +the same thing, but two different and generally opposite things. Money, +in itself, is evil. And therefore he who gives money gives evil. This +error of thinking that the giving of money means doing good, arose from +the fact, that generally, when a man does good, he frees himself from +evil, and from money among other evils. And therefore, to give money is +only a sign that a man is beginning to rid himself of evil. To do good, +signifies to do that which is good for man. But, in order to know what +is good for man, it is necessary to be on humane, i.e., on friendly terms +with him. And therefore, in order to do good, it is not money that is +necessary, but, first of all, a capacity for detaching ourselves, for a +time at least, from the conditions of our own life. It is necessary that +we should not be afraid to soil our boots and clothing, that we should +not fear lice and bedbugs, that we should not fear typhus fever, +diphtheria, and small-pox. It is necessary that we should be in a +condition to seat ourselves by the bunk of a tatterdemalion and converse +earnestly with him in such a manner, that he may feel that the man who is +talking with him respects and loves him, and is not putting on airs and +admiring himself. And in order that this may be so, it is necessary that +a man should find the meaning of life outside himself. This is what is +requisite in order that good should be done, and this is what it is +difficult to find. + +When the idea of assisting through the medium of the census occurred to +me, I discussed the matter with divers of the wealthy, and I saw how glad +the rich were of this opportunity of decently getting rid of their money, +that extraneous sin which they cherish in their hearts. "Take three +hundred--five hundred rubles, if you like," they said to me, "but I +cannot go into those dens myself." There was no lack of money. Remember +Zaccheus, the chief of the Publicans in the Gospel. Remember how he, +because he was small of stature, climbed into a tree to see Christ, and +how when Christ announced that he was going to his house, having +understood but one thing, that the Master did not approve of riches, he +leaped headlong from the tree, ran home and arranged his feast. And how, +as soon as Christ entered, Zaccheus instantly declared that he gave the +half of his goods to the poor, and if he had wronged any man, to him he +would restore fourfold. And remember how all of us, when we read the +Gospel, set but little store on this Zaccheus, and involuntarily look +with scorn on this half of his goods, and fourfold restitution. And our +feeling is correct. Zaccheus, according to his lights, performed a great +deed. He had not even begun to do good. He had only begun in some small +measure to purify himself from evil, and so Christ told him. + +He merely said to him: "To-day is salvation come nigh unto this house." + +What if the Moscow Zaccheuses were to do the same that he did? Assuredly, +more than one milliard could be collected. Well, and what of that? +Nothing. There would be still greater sin if we were to think of +distributing this money among the poor. Money is not needed. What is +needed is self-sacrificing action; what is needed are people who would +like to do good, not by giving extraneous sin-money, but by giving their +own labor, themselves, their lives. Where are such people to be found? +Here they are, walking about Moscow. They are the student enumerators. I +have seen how they write out their charts. The student writes in the +night lodging-house, by the bedside of a sick man. "What is your +disease?"--"Small-pox." And the student does not make a wry face, but +proceeds with his writing. And this he does for the sake of some +doubtful science. What would he do if he were doing it for the sake of +his own undoubted good and the good of others? + +When children, in merry mood, feel a desire to laugh, they never think of +devising some reason for laughter, but they laugh without any reason, +because they are gay; and thus these charming youths sacrifice +themselves. They have not, as yet, contrived to devise any means of +sacrificing themselves, but they devote their attention, their labor, +their lives, in order to write out a chart, from which something does or +does not appear. What would it be if this labor were something really +worth their while? There is and there always will be labor of this sort, +which is worthy of the devotion of a whole life, whatever the man's life +may be. This labor is the loving intercourse of man with man, and the +breaking-down of the barriers which men have erected between themselves, +so that the enjoyment of the rich man may not be disturbed by the wild +howls of the men who are reverting to beasts, and by the groans of +helpless hunger, cold and disease. + +This census will place before the eyes of us well-to-do and so-called +cultivated people, all the poverty and oppression which is lurking in +every corner of Moscow. Two thousand of our brothers, who stand on the +highest rung of the ladder, will come face to face with thousands of +people who stand on the lowest round of society. Let us not miss this +opportunity of communion. Let us, through these two thousand men, +preserve this communion, and let us make use of it to free ourselves from +the aimlessness and the deformity of our lives, and to free the condemned +from that indigence and misery which do not allow the sensitive people in +our ranks to enjoy our good fortune in peace. + +This is what I propose: (1) That all our directors and enumerators should +join to their business of the census a task of assistance,--of work in +the interest of the good of these people, who, in our opinion, are in +need of assistance, and with whom we shall come in contact; (2) That all +of us, directors and enumerators, not by appointment of the committee of +the City Council, but by the appointment of our own hearts, shall remain +in our posts,--that is, in our relations to the inhabitants of the town +who are in need of assistance,--and that, at the conclusion of the work +of the census, we shall continue our work of aid. If I have succeeded in +any degree in expressing what I feel, I am sure that the only +impossibility will be getting the directors and enumerators to abandon +this, and that others will present themselves in the places of those who +leave; (3) That we should collect all those inhabitants of Moscow, who +feel themselves fit to work for the needy, into sections, and begin our +activity now, in accordance with the hints of the census-takers and +directors, and afterwards carry it on; (4) That all who, on account of +age, weakness, or other causes, cannot give their personal labor among +the needy, shall intrust the task to their young, strong, and willing +relatives. (Good consists not in the giving of money, it consists in the +loving intercourse of men. This alone is needed.) + +Whatever may be the outcome of this, any thing will be better than the +present state of things. + +Then let the final act of our enumerators and directors be to distribute +a hundred twenty-kopek pieces to those who have no food; and this will be +not a little, not so much because the hungry will have food, but because +the directors and enumerators will conduct themselves in a humane manner +towards a hundred poor people. How are we to compute the possible +results which will accrue to the balance of public morality from the fact +that, instead of the sentiments of irritation, anger, and envy which we +arouse by reckoning the hungry, we shall awaken in a hundred instances a +sentiment of good, which will be communicated to a second and a third, +and an endless wave which will thus be set in motion and flow between +men? And this is a great deal. Let those of the two thousand +enumerators who have never comprehended this before, come to understand +that, when going about among the poor, it is impossible to say, "This is +very interesting;" that a man should not express himself with regard to +another man's wretchedness by interest only; and this will be a good +thing. Then let assistance be rendered to all those unfortunates, of +whom there are not so many as I at first supposed in Moscow, who can +easily be helped by money alone to a great extent. Then let those +laborers who have come to Moscow and have eaten their very clothing from +their backs, and who cannot return to the country, be despatched to their +homes; let the abandoned orphans receive supervision; let feeble old men +and indigent old women, who subsist on the charity of their companions, +be released from their half-famished and dying condition. (And this is +very possible. There are not very many of them.) And this will also be +a very, very great deal accomplished. But why not think and hope that +more and yet more will be done? Why not expect that that real task will +be partially carried out, or at least begun, which is effected, not by +money, but by labor; that weak drunkards who have lost their health, +unlucky thieves, and prostitutes who are still capable of reformation, +should be saved? All evil may not be exterminated, but there will arise +some understanding of it, and the contest with it will not be police +methods, but by inward modes,--by the brotherly intercourse of the men +who perceive the evil, with the men who do not perceive it because they +are a part of it. + +No matter what may be accomplished, it will be a great deal. But why not +hope that every thing will be accomplished? Why not hope that we shall +accomplish thus much, that there shall not exist in Moscow a single +person in want of clothing, a single hungry person, a single human being +sold for money, nor a single individual oppressed by the judgment of man, +who shall not know that there is fraternal aid for him? It is not +surprising that this should not be so, but it is surprising that this +should exist side by side with our superfluous leisure and wealth, and +that we can live on composedly, knowing that these things are so. Let us +forget that in great cities and in London, there is a proletariat, and +let us not say that so it must needs be. It need not be this, and it +should not, for this is contrary to our reason and our heart, and it +cannot be if we are living people. Why not hope that we shall come to +understand that there is not a single duty incumbent upon us, not to +mention personal duty, for ourselves, nor our family, nor social, nor +governmental, nor scientific, which is more weighty than this? Why not +think that we shall at last come to apprehend this? Only because to do +so would be too great a happiness. Why not hope that some the people +will wake up, and will comprehend that every thing else is a delusion, +but that this is the only work in life? And why should not this "some +time" be now, and in Moscow? Why not hope that the same thing may happen +in society and humanity which suddenly takes place in a diseased +organism, when the moment of convalescence suddenly sets in? The +organism is diseased this means, that the cells cease to perform their +mysterious functions; some die, others become infected, others still +remain in perfect condition, and work on by themselves. But all of a +sudden the moment comes when every living cell enters upon an independent +and healthy activity: it crowds out the dead cells, encloses the infected +ones in a living wall, it communicates life to that which was lifeless; +and the body is restored, and lives with new life. + +Why should we not think and expect that the cells of our society will +acquire fresh life and re-invigorate the organism? We know not in what +the power of the cells consists, but we do know that our life is in our +own power. We can show forth the light that is in us, or we may +extinguish it. + +Let one man approach the Lyapinsky house in the dusk, when a thousand +persons, naked and hungry, are waiting in the bitter cold for admission, +and let that one man attempt to help, and his heart will ache till it +bleeds, and he will flee thence with despair and anger against men; but +let a thousand men approach that other thousand with a desire to help, +and the task will prove easy and delightful. Let the mechanicians invent +a machine for lifting the weight that is crushing us--that is a good +thing; but until they shall have invented it, let us bear down upon the +people, like fools, like _muzhiki_, like peasants, like Christians, and +see whether we cannot raise them. + +And now, brothers, all together, and away it goes! + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW*** + + +******* This file should be named 3540.txt or 3540.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/5/4/3540 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.05/20/01*END* +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + +Please be advised that David sent the two Moscow Census pieces to me +as one file, and that I split it into two, since some people have a +bit of trouble when we put two titles in one file. However, I did NOT +change the numbering of the footnotes, so they all appear at the end +of each file. + + + + + +This etext was produced by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk, +from the 1887 Thomas Y. Crowell edition. + + + + + +THE MOSCOW CENSUS--FROM "WHAT TO DO?" +by Count Lyof N. Tolstoi + + + + +Translated from the Russian by +Isabel F. Hapgood + + + + +ARTICLE ON THE CENSUS IN MOSCOW. [1882.] + + + +The object of a census is scientific. A census is a sociological +investigation. And the object of the science of sociology is the +happiness of the people. This science and its methods differ sharply +from all other sciences. + +Its peculiarity lies in this, that sociological investigations are +not conducted by learned men in their cabinets, observatories and +laboratories, but by two thousand people from the community. A +second peculiarity is this, that the investigations of other sciences +are not conducted on living people, but here living people are the +subjects. A third peculiarity is, that the aim of every other +science is simply knowledge, while here it is the good of the people. +One man may investigate a nebula, but for the investigation of +Moscow, two thousand persons are necessary. The object of the study +of nebulae is merely that we may know about nebulae; the object of +the study of inhabitants is that sociological laws may be deduced, +and that, on the foundation of these laws, a better life for the +people may be established. It makes no difference to the nebula +whether it is studied or not, and it has waited long, and is ready to +wait a great while longer; but it is not a matter of indifference to +the inhabitants of Moscow, especially to those unfortunates who +constitute the most interesting subjects of the science of sociology. + +The census-taker enters a night lodging-house; in the basement he +finds a man dying of hunger, and he politely inquires his profession, +his name, his native place, the character of his occupation, and +after a little hesitation as to whether he is to be entered in the +list as alive, he writes him in and goes his way. + +And thus will the two thousand young men proceed. This is not as it +should be. + +Science does its work, and the community, summoned in the persons of +these two thousand young men to aid science, must do its work. A +statistician drawing his deductions from figures may feel indifferent +towards people, but we census-takers, who see these people and who +have no scientific prepossessions, cannot conduct ourselves towards +them in an inhuman manner. Science fulfils its task, and its work is +for its objects and in the distant future, both useful and necessary +to us. For men of science, we can calmly say, that in 1882 there +were so many beggars, so many prostitutes, and so many uncared-for +children. Science may say this with composure and with pride, +because it knows that the confirmation of this fact conduces to the +elucidation of the laws of sociology, and that the elucidation of the +laws of sociology leads to a better constitution of society. But +what if we, the unscientific people, say: "You are perishing in +vice, you are dying of hunger, you are pining away, and killing each +other; so do not grieve about this; when you shall have all perished, +and hundreds of thousands more like you, then, possibly, science may +be able to arrange everything in an excellent manner." For men of +science, the census has its interest; and for us also, it possesses +an interest of a wholly different significance. The interest and +significance of the census for the community lie in this, that it +furnishes it with a mirror into which, willy nilly, the whole +community, and each one of us, gaze. + +The figures and deductions will be the mirror. It is possible to +refrain from reading them, as it is possible to turn away from the +looking-glass. It is possible to glance cursorily at both figures +and mirror, and it is also possible to scrutinize them narrowly. To +go about in connection with the census as thousands of people are now +about to do, is to scrutinize one's self closely in the mirror. + +What does this census, that is about to be made, mean for us people +of Moscow, who are not men of science? It means two things. In the +first place, this, that we may learn with certainty, that among us +tens of thousands who live in ease, there dwell tens of thousands of +people who lack bread, clothing and shelter; in the second place, +this, that our brothers and sons will go and view this and will +calmly set down according to the schedules, how many have died of +hunger and cold. + +And both these things are very bad. + +All cry out upon the instability of our social organization, about +the exceptional situation, about revolutionary tendencies. Where +lies the root of all this? To what do the revolutionists point? To +poverty, to inequality in the distribution of wealth. To what do the +conservatives point? To the decline in moral principle. If the +opinion of the revolutionists is correct, what must be done? Poverty +and the inequality of wealth must be lessened. How is this to be +effected? The rich must share with the poor. If the opinion of the +conservatives is correct, that the whole evil arises from the decline +in moral principle, what can be more immoral and vicious than the +consciously indifferent survey of popular sufferings, with the sole +object of cataloguing them? What must be done? To the census we +must add the work of affectionate intercourse of the idle and +cultivated rich, with the oppressed and unenlightened poor. + +Science will do its work, let us perform ours also. Let us do this. +In the first place, let all of us who are occupied with the census, +superintendents and census-takers, make it perfectly clear to +ourselves what we are to investigate and why. It is the people, and +the object is that they may be happy. Whatever may be one's view of +life, every one will agree that there is nothing more important than +human life, and that there is no more weighty task than to remove the +obstacles to the development of this life, and to assist it. + +This idea, that the relations of men to poverty are at the foundation +of all popular suffering, is expressed in the Gospels with striking +harshness, but at the same time, with decision and clearness for all. + +"He who has clothed the naked, fed the hungry, visited the prisoner, +that man has clothed Me, fed Me, visited Me," that is, has done the +deed for that which is the most important thing in the world. + +However a man may look upon things, every one knows that this is more +important than all else on earth. + +And this must not be forgotten, and we must not permit any other +consideration to veil from us the most weighty fact of our existence. +Let us inscribe, and reckon, but let us not forget that if we +encounter a man who is hungry and without clothes, it is of more +moment to succor him than to make all possible investigations, than +to discover all possible sciences. Perish the whole census if we may +but feed an old woman. The census will be longer and more difficult, +but we cannot pass by people in the poorer quarters and merely note +them down without taking any heed of them and without endeavoring, +according to the measure of our strength and moral sensitiveness, to +aid them. This in the first place. In the second, this is what must +be done: All of us, who are to take part in the census, must refrain +from irritation because we are annoyed; let us understand that this +census is very useful for us; that if this is not cure, it is at +least an effort to study the disease, for which we should be +thankful; that we must seize this occasion, and, in connection with +it, we must seek to recover our health, in some small degree. Let +all of us, then, who are connected with the census, endeavor to take +advantage of this solitary opportunity in ten years to purify +ourselves somewhat; let us not strive against, but assist the census, +and assist it especially in this sense, that it may not have merely +the harsh character of the investigation of a hopelessly sick person, +but may have the character of healing and restoration to health. For +the occasion is unique: eighty energetic, cultivated men, having +under their orders two thousand young men of the same stamp, are to +make their way over the whole of Moscow, and not leave a single man +in Moscow with whom they have not entered into personal relations. +All the wounds of society, the wounds of poverty, of vice, of +ignorance--all will be laid bare. Is there not something re-assuring +in this? The census-takers will go about Moscow, they will set down +in their lists, without distinction, those insolent with prosperity, +the satisfied, the calm, those who are on the way to ruin, and those +who are ruined, and the curtain will fall. The census-takers, our +sons and brothers, these young men will behold all this. They will +say: "Yes, our life is very terrible and incurable," and with this +admission they will live on like the rest of us, awaiting a remedy +for the evil from this or that extraneous force. But those who are +perishing will go on dying, in their ruin, and those on the road to +ruin will continue in their course. No, let us rather grasp the idea +that science has its task, and that we, on the occasion of this +census, have our task, and let us not allow the curtain once lifted +to be dropped, but let us profit by the opportunity in order to +remove the immense evil of the separation existing between us and the +poor, and to establish intercourse and the work of redressing the +evil of unhappiness and ignorance, and our still greater misfortune,- +-the indifference and aimlessness of our life. + +I already hear the customary remark: "All this is very fine, these +are sounding phrases; but do you tell us what to do and how to do +it?" Before I say what is to be done, it is indispensable that I +should say what is not to be done. It is indispensable, first of +all, in my opinion, in order that something practical may come of +this activity, that no society should be formed, that there should be +no publicity, that there should be no collection of money by balls, +bazaars or theatres; that there should be no announcement that Prince +A. has contributed one thousand rubles, and the honorable citizen B. +three thousand; that there shall be no collection, no calling to +account, no writing up,--most of all, no writing up, so that there +may not be the least shadow of any institution, either governmental +or philanthropic. + +But in my opinion, this is what should be done instantly: Firstly, +All those who agree with me should go to the directors, and ask for +their shares the poorest sections, the poorest dwellings; and in +company with the census-takers, twenty-three, twenty-four or twenty- +five in number, they should go to these quarters, enter into +relations with the people who are in need of assistance, and labor +for them. + +Secondly: We should direct the attention of the superintendents and +census-takers to the inhabitants in need of assistance, and work for +them personally, and point them out to those who wish to work over +them. But I am asked: What do you mean by WORKING OVER THEM? I +reply; Doing good to people. The words "doing good" are usually +understood to mean, giving money. But, in my opinion, doing good and +giving money are not only not the same thing, but two different and +generally opposite things. Money, in itself, is evil. And therefore +he who gives money gives evil. This error of thinking that the +giving of money means doing good, arose from the fact, that +generally, when a man does good, he frees himself from evil, and from +money among other evils. And therefore, to give money is only a sign +that a man is beginning to rid himself of evil. To do good, +signifies to do that which is good for man. But, in order to know +what is good for man, it is necessary to be on humane, i.e., on +friendly terms with him. And therefore, in order to do good, it is +not money that is necessary, but, first of all, a capacity for +detaching ourselves, for a time at least, from the conditions of our +own life. It is necessary that we should not be afraid to soil our +boots and clothing, that we should not fear lice and bedbugs, that we +should not fear typhus fever, diphtheria, and small-pox. It is +necessary that we should be in a condition to seat ourselves by the +bunk of a tatterdemalion and converse earnestly with him in such a +manner, that he may feel that the man who is talking with him +respects and loves him, and is not putting on airs and admiring +himself. And in order that this may be so, it is necessary that a +man should find the meaning of life outside himself. This is what is +requisite in order that good should be done, and this is what it is +difficult to find. + +When the idea of assisting through the medium of the census occurred +to me, I discussed the matter with divers of the wealthy, and I saw +how glad the rich were of this opportunity of decently getting rid of +their money, that extraneous sin which they cherish in their hearts. +"Take three hundred--five hundred rubles, if you like," they said to +me, "but I cannot go into those dens myself." There was no lack of +money. Remember Zaccheus, the chief of the Publicans in the Gospel. +Remember how he, because he was small of stature, climbed into a tree +to see Christ, and how when Christ announced that he was going to his +house, having understood but one thing, that the Master did not +approve of riches, he leaped headlong from the tree, ran home and +arranged his feast. And how, as soon as Christ entered, Zaccheus +instantly declared that he gave the half of his goods to the poor, +and if he had wronged any man, to him he would restore fourfold. And +remember how all of us, when we read the Gospel, set but little store +on this Zaccheus, and involuntarily look with scorn on this half of +his goods, and fourfold restitution. And our feeling is correct. +Zaccheus, according to his lights, performed a great deed. He had +not even begun to do good. He had only begun in some small measure +to purify himself from evil, and so Christ told him. + +He merely said to him: "To-day is salvation come nigh unto this +house." + +What if the Moscow Zaccheuses were to do the same that he did? +Assuredly, more than one milliard could be collected. Well, and what +of that? Nothing. There would be still greater sin if we were to +think of distributing this money among the poor. Money is not +needed. What is needed is self-sacrificing action; what is needed +are people who would like to do good, not by giving extraneous sin- +money, but by giving their own labor, themselves, their lives. Where +are such people to be found? Here they are, walking about Moscow. +They are the student enumerators. I have seen how they write out +their charts. The student writes in the night lodging-house, by the +bedside of a sick man. "What is your disease?"--"Small-pox." And +the student does not make a wry face, but proceeds with his writing. +And this he does for the sake of some doubtful science. What would +he do if he were doing it for the sake of his own undoubted good and +the good of others? + +When children, in merry mood, feel a desire to laugh, they never +think of devising some reason for laughter, but they laugh without +any reason, because they are gay; and thus these charming youths +sacrifice themselves. They have not, as yet, contrived to devise any +means of sacrificing themselves, but they devote their attention, +their labor, their lives, in order to write out a chart, from which +something does or does not appear. What would it be if this labor +were something really worth their while? There is and there always +will be labor of this sort, which is worthy of the devotion of a +whole life, whatever the man's life may be. This labor is the loving +intercourse of man with man, and the breaking-down of the barriers +which men have erected between themselves, so that the enjoyment of +the rich man may not be disturbed by the wild howls of the men who +are reverting to beasts, and by the groans of helpless hunger, cold +and disease. + +This census will place before the eyes of us well-to-do and so-called +cultivated people, all the poverty and oppression which is lurking in +every corner of Moscow. Two thousand of our brothers, who stand on +the highest rung of the ladder, will come face to face with thousands +of people who stand on the lowest round of society. Let us not miss +this opportunity of communion. Let us, through these two thousand +men, preserve this communion, and let us make use of it to free +ourselves from the aimlessness and the deformity of our lives, and to +free the condemned from that indigence and misery which do not allow +the sensitive people in our ranks to enjoy our good fortune in peace. + +This is what I propose: (1) That all our directors and enumerators +should join to their business of the census a task of assistance,--of +work in the interest of the good of these people, who, in our +opinion, are in need of assistance, and with whom we shall come in +contact; (2) That all of us, directors and enumerators, not by +appointment of the committee of the City Council, but by the +appointment of our own hearts, shall remain in our posts,--that is, +in our relations to the inhabitants of the town who are in need of +assistance,--and that, at the conclusion of the work of the census, +we shall continue our work of aid. If I have succeeded in any degree +in expressing what I feel, I am sure that the only impossibility will +be getting the directors and enumerators to abandon this, and that +others will present themselves in the places of those who leave; (3) +That we should collect all those inhabitants of Moscow, who feel +themselves fit to work for the needy, into sections, and begin our +activity now, in accordance with the hints of the census-takers and +directors, and afterwards carry it on; (4) That all who, on account +of age, weakness, or other causes, cannot give their personal labor +among the needy, shall intrust the task to their young, strong, and +willing relatives. (Good consists not in the giving of money, it +consists in the loving intercourse of men. This alone is needed.) + +Whatever may be the outcome of this, any thing will be better than +the present state of things. + +Then let the final act of our enumerators and directors be to +distribute a hundred twenty-kopek pieces to those who have no food; +and this will be not a little, not so much because the hungry will +have food, but because the directors and enumerators will conduct +themselves in a humane manner towards a hundred poor people. How are +we to compute the possible results which will accrue to the balance +of public morality from the fact that, instead of the sentiments of +irritation, anger, and envy which we arouse by reckoning the hungry, +we shall awaken in a hundred instances a sentiment of good, which +will be communicated to a second and a third, and an endless wave +which will thus be set in motion and flow between men? And this is a +great deal. Let those of the two thousand enumerators who have never +comprehended this before, come to understand that, when going about +among the poor, it is impossible to say, "This is very interesting;" +that a man should not express himself with regard to another man's +wretchedness by interest only; and this will be a good thing. Then +let assistance be rendered to all those unfortunates, of whom there +are not so many as I at first supposed in Moscow, who can easily be +helped by money alone to a great extent. Then let those laborers who +have come to Moscow and have eaten their very clothing from their +backs, and who cannot return to the country, be despatched to their +homes; let the abandoned orphans receive supervision; let feeble old +men and indigent old women, who subsist on the charity of their +companions, be released from their half-famished and dying condition. +(And this is very possible. There are not very many of them.) And +this will also be a very, very great deal accomplished. But why not +think and hope that more and yet more will be done? Why not expect +that that real task will be partially carried out, or at least begun, +which is effected, not by money, but by labor; that weak drunkards +who have lost their health, unlucky thieves, and prostitutes who are +still capable of reformation, should be saved? All evil may not be +exterminated, but there will arise some understanding of it, and the +contest with it will not be police methods, but by inward modes,--by +the brotherly intercourse of the men who perceive the evil, with the +men who do not perceive it because they are a part of it. + +No matter what may be accomplished, it will be a great deal. But why +not hope that every thing will be accomplished? Why not hope that we +shall accomplish thus much, that there shall not exist in Moscow a +single person in want of clothing, a single hungry person, a single +human being sold for money, nor a single individual oppressed by the +judgment of man, who shall not know that there is fraternal aid for +him? It is not surprising that this should not be so, but it is +surprising that this should exist side by side with our superfluous +leisure and wealth, and that we can live on composedly, knowing that +these things are so. Let us forget that in great cities and in +London, there is a proletariat, and let us not say that so it must +needs be. It need not be this, and it should not, for this is +contrary to our reason and our heart, and it cannot be if we are +living people. Why not hope that we shall come to understand that +there is not a single duty incumbent upon us, not to mention personal +duty, for ourselves, nor our family, nor social, nor governmental, +nor scientific, which is more weighty than this? Why not think that +we shall at last come to apprehend this? Only because to do so would +be too great a happiness. Why not hope that some the people will +wake up, and will comprehend that every thing else is a delusion, but +that this is the only work in life? And why should not this "some +time" be now, and in Moscow? Why not hope that the same thing may +happen in society and humanity which suddenly takes place in a +diseased organism, when the moment of convalescence suddenly sets in? +The organism is diseased this means, that the cells cease to perform +their mysterious functions; some die, others become infected, others +still remain in perfect condition, and work on by themselves. But +all of a sudden the moment comes when every living cell enters upon +an independent and healthy activity: it crowds out the dead cells, +encloses the infected ones in a living wall, it communicates life to +that which was lifeless; and the body is restored, and lives with new +life. + +Why should we not think and expect that the cells of our society will +acquire fresh life and re-invigorate the organism? We know not in +what the power of the cells consists, but we do know that our life is +in our own power. We can show forth the light that is in us, or we +may extinguish it. + +Let one man approach the Lyapinsky house in the dusk, when a thousand +persons, naked and hungry, are waiting in the bitter cold for +admission, and let that one man attempt to help, and his heart will +ache till it bleeds, and he will flee thence with despair and anger +against men; but let a thousand men approach that other thousand with +a desire to help, and the task will prove easy and delightful. Let +the mechanicians invent a machine for lifting the weight that is +crushing us--that is a good thing; but until they shall have invented +it, let us bear down upon the people, like fools, like muzhiki, like +peasants, like Christians, and see whether we cannot raise them. + +And now, brothers, all together, and away it goes! + + + + +Footnotes: + +{1} The fine, tall members of a regiment, selected and placed +together to form a showy squad. + +{2} [] Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition printed in +Russia, in the set of Count Tolstoi's works. + +{3} Reaumur. + +{4} A drink made of water, honey, and laurel or salvia leaves, which +is drunk as tea, especially by the poorer classes. + +{5} [] Omitted by the censor from the authorized edition published +in Russia in the set of count Tolstoi's works. The omission is +indicated thus . . . + +{6} Kalatch, a kind of roll: baranki, cracknels of fine flour. + +{7} An arshin is twenty-eight inches. + +{8} A myeshchanin, or citizen, who pays only poll-tax and not a +guild tax. + +{9} Omitted in authorized edition. + +{10} Omitted by the censor in the authorized edition. + +{11} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{12} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{13} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{14} Omitted by the Censor from the authorized edition. + +{15} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{16} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition + +{17} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{18} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{19} A very complicated sort of whist. + +{20} The whole of this chapter is omitted by the Censor in the +authorized edition, and is there represented by the following +sentence: "And I felt that in money, in money itself, in the +possession of it, there was something immoral; and I asked myself, +What is money?" + +{21} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{22} Omitted by the Censor in the authorized edition. + +{23} The above passage is omitted in the authorized edition, and the +following is added: "I came to the simple and natural conclusion, +that, if I pity the tortured horse upon which I am riding, the first +thing for me to do is to alight, and to walk on my own feet." + +{24} Omitted in the authorized edition. + +{25} Omitted in the authorized edition. + +{26} "Into a worse state," in the authorized edition. + +{27} Omitted in the authorized edition. + +{28} Omitted in the authorized edition. + +{29} Reaumur. + +{30} In the Moscow edition (authorized by the Censor), the +concluding paragraph is replaced by the following: --"They say: The +action of a single man is but a drop in the sea. A drop in the sea! + +"There is an Indian legend relating how a man dropped a pearl into +the sea, and in order to recover it he took a bucket, and began to +bail out, and to pour the water on the shore. Thus he toiled without +intermission, and on the seventh day the spirit of the sea grew +alarmed lest the man should dip the sea dry, and so he brought him +his pearl. If our social evil of persecuting man were the sea, then +that pearl which we have lost is equivalent to devoting our lives to +bailing out the sea of that evil. The prince of this world will take +fright, he will succumb more promptly than did the spirit of the sea; +but this social evil is not the sea, but a foul cesspool, which we +assiduously fill with our own uncleanness. All that is required is +for us to come to our senses, and to comprehend what we are doing; to +fall out of love with our own uncleanness,--in order that that +imaginary sea should dry away, and that we should come into +possession of that priceless pearl,--fraternal, humane life." + +{31} An arshin is twenty-eight inches. + +{32} The fast extends from the 5th to the 30th of June, O.S. (June +27 to July 12, N.S.) + +{33} A pood is thirty-six pounds. + +{34} Robinson Crusoe. + +{35} Here something has been omitted by the Censor, which I am +unable to supply.--TRANS. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Article on The Moscow Census, by Lyof N. Tolstoi + diff --git a/old/ancim10.zip b/old/ancim10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1b2d950 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ancim10.zip |