The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest / The writings of philosophers, poets, novelists, social reformers, and others who have voiced the struggle against social injustice; selected from twenty-five languages; covering a period of five thousand years

by Unknown

We, who still wage his battles, are his thralls,

And dying do him homage; yea, and give

Daily our living souls to be enticed

Into his power. So long as on war’s walls

We build engines of death that he may live,

So long shall we serve Krupp instead of Christ.

By The Empress Catherine II of Russia

(1729-1796)

The only way to save our empires from the encroachment of the people is to engage in war, and thus substitute national passions for social aspirations.