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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Walter Duranty
Ivy Cottage, Knockout, Kent
November 14th, 1 9 2 9.
My dear Wally:
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
It is a long while since I heard from you. You never seemed to be in Paris at the same time that I was. How is everything with you.
I should like to know something of your plans because I have an idea of running out to Moscow in the course of the next 2 or 3 months. I have not seen it since the war, and I should very much like to get a first hand notion of the new regime. Most of the fantastic bourgeois nonsense and appears to be exploded. What I really want to know is what life is like from the purely political standpoint.
I have also ideas which I should like to put before the Soviet. I was very sorry to hear that the 5 day week system had been abandoned. The fact is that I regarded it as my pet child. My scheme (which I called the Sunday Saving Scheme) was however a little different in detail. I proposed to keep the 7 day week—principally for the convenience of the moon whose revolutionary sentiment has never been doubted. Also with the half day on 'Saturday' it gives a longer rest for the workers, and a slightly greater proportion of rest in the week. Besides, I think people need a clear Saturday noon to Monday morning to get the cobwebs out of their brain.
My scheme also envisaged a good deal of elasticity in the choice of the weekly day of rest.
My information is that the scheme broke down because people objected to being separated by administrative sense. At the same time, I must point out that this scheme is already in operation when it is a matter of important public services: and with special trades, such as barbers, port-butchers, and the like. I have never heard anyone complain of any inconvenience. It is only a question of extending national normal convenience.
I also want to get the U.S.S.R. to adopt a state religion. Of course I hate the word religion. It is not so bad in the light of skeat, although even he rather slurs over the true etymology by introducing the totally alien idea of God. He is right when he gives it as the opposite to negligence.
My attitude is, to put it briefly, the following: The Russian temperament, perhaps more than any other in the world, demands something in the nature of spiritual debauch. Complete forgetfulness of the pain of existence is artificial ecstasy.
This is a national characteristic and does not depend on Christianity at all. As you know, all sorts of little Messiahs are always springing up spontaneously in Russia, and getting very often a wide and important following. The success of any movement depends more on its extravagance than any other qualities.
Of course the powers that be may say, and very rightly, that this is indulgence, whether in alcohol or piety, is very bad for the people. That is no doubt true, but we have got to face the facts, and in the present stage of evolution of the Russian temperament, we cannot expect them to think like Ray Lankester. It consequently seems to me that the next step in their evolution is to give them the ecstasy for which they crave, without attaching it to any absurd theories such as Christianity or any other mystical cult.
I had Russia particularly in mind when I wrote the Gnostic Mass. In this ceremony we have every opportunity for the enjoyment of those states of consciousness which will alleviate the pain of the realization of the futility of material existence. But there is nothing in the ritual which is not scientifically accurate. And the element which produces fanaticism and other socially dangerous states of mind are eliminated.
It is not only impracticable but dangerous to sit on the safety valve. I do think the authorities ought to realize that nothing tends to foster counter-revolutionary sentiment than depriving the people of the natural outlet for their pent-up energies. The Romans knew perfectly well what they were doing when the separated the popular demand for bread and circuses. It is certainly not sufficient to ensure the material comfort of the people. There is another type of hunger which must be satisfied or trouble immediately results.
The adoption of my Gnostic Mass would, I feel sure, serve to wean the people from their superstitious beliefs and give them something to look forward to (on occasions when they feel like blowing off steam) without filling their minds with subversive ideas.
"You will understand, of course, that this proposal of mine is based on purely philosophical and psychological grounds. I make no pretence to understand the economic and political situation in Russia or in any other country. It is emphatically none of my business, and I should not dream even of forming an opinion of such matters. The most I can say is that I regard the present regime in Russia as the greatest social experiment ever attempted, and I should not like to see it destroyed by mistaken judgment as to the national temperament. The danger seems to me that the optimism of the authorities as to the possibilities of enlightening the people may lead to their overthrow and the temporary failure of the whole plan. We have already seen how attempts to apply the doctrine of Marx too strictly have been defeated. At least partially! Modifications have had to be introduced. I am thoroughly agnostic on such points. It seems to me that no doctrine of any kind is universally applicable.
I wish you would let me have your ideas on these matters, and if possible those of any important persons with whom you may be in touch. In particular, are you going to be in Moscow all winter?
Love is the law, love under will.
Yours ever
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