The main points of Bernstein's position on this subject, as already stated, are: 1st, that as a matter of fact the concentration of capital is not as rapid as Marx or some Marxists imagined or believed. 2d, that as a matter of fact there is no centralization of capital, that wealth does not accumulate in few hands only, to the exclusion of all others, and that the middle class is, therefore, growing instead of disappearing. And 3d, that the reason for the divergence in the tendencies of the concentration of capital on the one hand, and the centralization of wealth on the other, is due to the development of the new social factor, the corporation.
This being a purely theoretical discussion, the first point can hardly be considered. Theoretically only the tendency of the evolutionary phenomena is of any importance. What may, therefore, have been of very great importance in the discussion between Bernstein and Kautsky, which embraced other than purely theoretical matters, may be of only secondary importance here. The length of time which History will take to complete the evolutionary process outlined by Marx is no part of the Marxian theoretical system. Marx never stated it, and it could, therefore, only be surmised what his opinion on this subject was. But even if he had expressly stated it, that would not, of itself, make it part of his theoretical system. Besides, the ground is so well covered by Kautsky that one does not feel like doing less, and can hardly do more, than reproduce the Kautsky argument in full. And as considerations of space do not permit us to do that, we must refer those of our readers who may be interested in this phase of the discussion to the original.
As to whether, and how far, the second point made by Bernstein is of any importance in the discussion of the Marxian theory will be considered later. Here we will examine the phenomenon supposed to have been noted by him. We have already mentioned the fact that the only proof on which Bernstein relies to establish his second proposition are certain statistics as to incomes. But right here the fallacy
