But as the workers do not receive sufficient food stuffs and other articles of use, they are compelled to continue the use of money in their daily economy. The only difference between the present and past is that one counts with greater sums, and where they formerly strove to get 1 ruble, they now need 1,000. The spirit of capitalism consists in this that each one thinks only of himself and does not worry about the weal and woe of his fellow man. But I must admit that I have not seen very much more of the disappearance of this spirit and its replacement by the opposite, the spirit of mutual aid and of socialism, in Russia than in Western Europe. On the contrary, one makes the observation, that the people in Russia, generally, are more greedy than for instance, in Sweden. But this we must blame on the long war, which has demoralized people, as well as on the economic distress. Poverty brings misdeeds and depravity, but prosperity restores things again.
The depreciation of money and above all, in connection therewith, the shortage of goods, has brought this with it, that the workers, and still more the peasants, prefer to exchange products against products; for they know that, even if they have the money, they cannot get what they need, as it is not to be had in the country. This explains why they will exchange a hen for a glass of salt, and the like. But, as already indicated, we must ascribe this direct exchange of goods, not so much to the depreciation of money but rather to the lack of products.
Of late the policy of the Soviet government is ever more in the direction of replacing the money wage with the wage in kind. This would be equal to the abolition of money if it were carried out completely, but for the present it has not gone so far. It is possible that they will arrive at this stage, especially if a similar movement starts in other countries. But if capitalism in Western and Middle Europe keeps alive, then this hope is very poor. The concession policy which Russia now follows will again inject new life into the money system in Soviet Russia. Foreign capitalism, English and American, which is stronger than Russian capitalism ever was, will step into the latter's place. Of all the results obtained in the revolution there will then remain only the labor laws pertaining to insurance and workers' relief.
The Soviets (Councils)
The council idea is not new. It always comes up wherever the people, the working masses themselves directly try to organize their life with full independence and with the elimination of unnecessary between-hands or middlemen. The times in which people mostly get into this position are the times when old authorities are being overthrown, that is, In times of revolution. During the great French revolution the Parisians elected in their sections the organs which we to-day would call councils or Soviets.