Nothing can be more futile than to describe conditions in
Russia as a sort of divine punishment for revolution, or
indeed to describe them at all without emphasizing the fact
that the crisis in Russia is part of the crisis in Europe, and
has been in the main brought about like the revolution itself,
by the same forces that have caused, for example, the crisis
in Germany or the crisis in Austria.


No country in Europe is capable of complete economic
independence. In spite of her huge variety of natural
resources, the Russian organism seemed in 1914 to have
been built up on the generous assumption that with Europe
at least the country was to be permanently at peace, or at the
lost to engage in military squabbles which could be reckoned
in months, and would keep up the prestige of the
autocracy without seriously hampering imports and exports.
Almost every country in Europe, with the exception of
England, was better fitted to stand alone, was less
completely specialized in a single branch of production.
England, fortunately for herself, was not isolated during the
war, and will not become isolated unless the development of
the crisis abroad deprives her of her markets. England
produces practically no food, but great quantities of coal,
steel and manufactured goods. Isolate her absolutely, and
she will not only starve, but will stop producing
manufactured goods, steel and coal, because those who
usually produce these things will be getting nothing for their