The Socialism of to-day

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 835096955

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-28834

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Laveleye, Émile de

Title:: The Socialism of to-day

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Field & Tuer

Year of publication:: 1884

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (XLIV, 331 S.)

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

88 7'HE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. present too much isolated. Upon the solution of this question depend the future of States and the fate of civilization. It remains to be seen whether the different classes of society have enough forethought, energy, and wisdom to contribute to the constitution of a new order of things. If they give proof of these qualities, they will be governed by free institutions and elected rulers ; if not, they will be kept down by the iron hand of Cæsarism.” Herr VVagener, like Prof. Huber, advocated the immediate formation of trade councils, in which working men should have their representatives, and which should be invested with the right of settling wages. In England it is well known that, in cases of strikes, masters and men often submit their differences to arbitration. The proposal, then, is to create a body of permanent arbitrators, and to give an executive force to their decisions. From 1866 to 1870 foreign affairs absorbed all attention, and orthodox Political Economy was all-powerful in the councils of the Government and in the Chambers. It was there represented by distinguished men, such as the Minister Delbrück, the Deputies Lasker, Braun, Bamberger, Julius Faucher, etc. It is to their influence that are due the abolition of laws against usury, a policy of free-trade shown by the reduction or suppression of certain custom duties and the monetary reform, upon the basis of a gold standard, necessitating the forced sale of silver. The Imperial Chancellor did not interfere, because “ it did not belong to his department.” But his ideas are not by any means those of the orthodox economy. The Protectionists have always placed their hopes in him, and he recently proved, by bringing about an increase of the custom duties, that he is on their side.* * In 1876 I was present in Eisenach at the “ Social Science Congress” of the Kathedersocialisten. In the first sitting Herr Rudolf Meyer rose to propose that the question of German industry, and of the means of remedying the intense crisis through which it was passing, should be placed on the orders of the day. As Herr Meyer was a friend of Councillor Wagener, it got noised about that he had been sent to Eisenach by the Chancellor in order to obtain a vote in favour of protection. To escape the danger it was ruled from the chair that, since the question was not on the programme of the congress, it could not be discussed. We may add that this supposition was unfounded, for shortly afterwards Herr Meyer

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: The Socialism of to-day

Monograph

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation