Sri Aurobindo
Karmayogin
Political Writings and Speeches — 1909-1910
Karmayogin: A Weekly Review
Saturday 11th December 1909 — No.23
Facts and Opinions
The English Revolution
The note of revolution which was struck with resounding force by Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Winston Churchill in the quarrel with the Lords, is now ringing louder in England and has been 
taken up in soberer but not less emphatic tones by Mr. Asquith and Sir Edward Grey.
There can be no doubt that there was dissension in the Cabinet over the Budget and that the concessions made by the Government in the process of passing it were forced upon Mr. Lloyd George and certainly not to the taste of that fiery and uncompromising Celt.
But the reactionary attempt of the House of Lords to control finance, has evidently closed up the ranks by driving the Moderates over to the cause of revolution.
It is evidently felt by the Liberals that, with an Upper Chamber more and more shamelessly and constantly a mere tool of the Conservative leaders, it is impossible for any Liberal Government to accept office unless it has a mandate to end or mend the Lords.
We cannot believe that a similar feeling will not actuate the great mass of Liberals all over Great Britain and heal all differences.
Already the Labour Executive has decided to make the victory easier for the Government by not dividing the forward vote in a considerable number of constituencies and we have no doubt this is the outward sign of a secret compact between the Labour party and the Liberals by which the return of a powerful Socialist party has been secured.
Even the extreme Socialists, who usually are against all dealing with the middle class and whose motto is “A plague on both your houses”, are calling on the Socialists1 of all shades to support the Government in abolishing the House of Lords.
If Mr. Asquith had followed the line we suggested as possible in a previous number and introduced a moderate but effective bill for nullifying the Lords' veto, he would certainly have gained a number of Moderate votes which will now be denied to him, but it is doubtful whether the gain of the entire Socialist vote, secured by keeping himself free to end the House of Lords, is not, in the present condition of English politics, a compensation far exceeding the loss.
Already Tariff Reform is receding into the background and promises to be a subordinate issue.
The battle is over the constitutional, not the fiscal issue.
By their anxiety to bring Unionist Labour candidates into the field and the eager talk of Conservative leaders about the necessity of reforming the Lords, the party of reaction show that they perfectly understand from what quarters disaster 
threatens.
Now that the Liberal party is pledged to destroy the Lords' veto, the English Revolution is assured and it will be not a middle class but a Socialist and Labour revolution.
This result is assured whether the Liberals win or lose in the present battle.
One campaign does not decide the fortunes of such a war.