THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAV. 
54 
all Germany, the police seized the coffin at Cologne in the 
name of the family, and sent it to Breslau, where the body was 
interred in the Jewish cemetery. 
In the principal towns the working men’s associations wished 
to honour his memory by funeral ceremonies, at which he was 
represented as the martyr and saint of Socialism. The im 
pression was so profound that numbers of the people believed, 
and still believe, that he did not die, and that he will come 
again in his glory, to preside over the great revolution and 
reorganization of society. A Lassallian party arose, which has 
continued in spite of all efforts to extinguish it, and which has 
never been completely amalgamated with the International 
Socialism of Karl Marx. 
We shall try to exhibit the ideas of Lassalle as a whole, 
without attempting to analyze his numberless publications, all 
of which relate to special circumstances. 
Can the working man, under the present social system, by 
his own efforts better his condition, as asserted by Schulze- 
Delitzsch? No, replied Lassalle, the “iron law” of wages 
stands in the way. 
What is this “ iron law,” das eherne Udingesetz, which is the 
foundation of all his deductions ? It is the law by virtue of 
which, in existing society, and under the action of supply imd 
demand, the average wages of the working man are reduced to 
the minimum necessary for existence and reproduction. That 
is the level towards which wages, however they may fluctuate, 
inevitably tend, without being able to remain, for any length 
of time, either above or below it. Wages cannot long remain 
above this line, for then, in consequence of the greater comfort 
and ease of the working classes, the number of marriages and 
births among them would increase, with the natural result that 
the number of hands seeking employment would likewise 
increase ; and by their offering themselves for work in com 
petition with each other, the rate of wages would be brought 
back to the same fatal point. Neither can they fall much 
below this level, for then want and famine would bring in their 
train increased mortality, emigration, diminution of marriages 
and births, and, in consequence, a reduction of the number