This, of course, is the same intellectual appeal of Communism.
Lenin taught that the masses could not be trusted to handle their own affairs and that a special group of disciplined intellectuals must assume this role for them. That is the function of the Communist Party, which never comprises more than about three per cent of the population. Even when the charade of free elections is allowed, only members of the Party—or those over whom the KGB has total control—are permitted to run for office. The concept that a ruling party or class is the ideal structure for society is at the heart of all collectivist schemes, regardless of whether they are called Socialism, Communism, Nazism, Fascism, or any other
"ism" which may yet be invented to disguise it. It is easy, therefore, for adherents of this elitist mentality to be comfortable in almost any of these collectivist camps, a fact to which Dr. Quigley alluded when he wrote: "This network, which we may identify as the Round Table Groups, has no aversion to cooperating with the Communists, or any other groups, and frequently does so."2
1. See Kenneth Clark,
2. Quigley,
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Returning to the subject of the origins of this group, however, Dr. Quigley tells us:
Ruskin spoke to the Oxford undergraduates as members of theprivileged ruling class. He told them that they were the possessors ofa magnificent tradition of education, beauty, rule of law, freedom,decency, and self-discipline, but that this tradition could not be saved,and did not deserve to be saved, unless it could be extended to thelower classes in England itself and to the non-English massesthroughout the world.
Ruskin's message had a sensational impact. His inaugural lecturewas copied out in long-hand by one undergraduate, Cecil Rhodes,who kept it with him for thirty years.
Cecil Rhodes made one of the world's greatest fortunes. With the cooperation of the Bank of England and financiers like Rothschild, he was able to establish a virtual monopoly over the diamond output of South Africa and most of the gold as well. The major portion of this vast income was spent to advance the ruling-class ideas of John Ruskin.
Dr. Quigley explains:
The Rhodes Scholarships, established by the terms of CecilRhodes' seventh will, are known to everyone. What is not so widelyknown is that Rhodes in five previous wills left his fortune to form asecret society, which was to devote itself to the preservation andexpansion of the British Empire. And what does not seem to be knownto anyone is that this secret society was created by Rhodes and hisprincipal trustee, Lord Milner, and continues to exist to this day.... Inhis book on Rhodes' wills, he [Stead, who was a member of the innercircle] wrote in one place: "Mr. Rhodes was more than the founder ofa dynasty. He aspired to be the creator of one of those vastsemi-religious, quasi-political associations which, like the Society ofJesus, have played so large a part in the history of the world. To bemore strictly accurate, he wished to found an Order as the instrumentof the will of the Dynasty.2...
