 Opposed to revolutionary tactics, Bernstein argued that revolution was only justified if capitalism falls of its own accord.But if capitalism fails to self-destruct under the crisis of capital, as predicted by Marx, Bernstein and Marxist reformers believed that a transition to socialism could be accomplished through the existing political structure.To the consternation of orthodox Marxists, the contradiction of capitalism did not result in the worsening of economic conditions, pitting socialist theory against empirical data.