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

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THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. 4 political soil, and sends representatives to Parliament, it endeavours to make known the means by which it hopes to realize the reforms it has in view. This is what it claims :— “ The German Socialist party demands, in order to pave the way for the solution of the social question, the creation of socialistic productive associa tions aided by the State, under the democratic control of the working people. These productive associations for manufacture and agriculture should be created on a sufficiently large scale to enable the socialistic organization of labour to arise out of them. As basis of the State, it de mands direct and universal suffrage for all citizens of twenty years of age, in all elections both of State and Commune; direct legislation, by the people, including the decision of peace or war ; general liability to bear arms and a militia composed of civilians instead of a standing army ; the abolition of all laws restricting the right of association, the right of assembly, the free expression of opinion, free thought, and free inquiry ; gratuitous justice administered by the people ; compulsory education, the same for all and given by the State ; and a declaration that religion is an object of private concern.” This programme of practical politics does not contain any thing very subversive of order. All that it demands is found either in Germany itself or in the neighbouring country of Switzerland, except the aid to be given to productive associa tions, an experiment made in France in 1848, without any success. With regard to the final object, “the Socialistic organization of all labour,” the terms are extremely vague. What is the precise meaning of the word “ Socialist,” which recurs so often, and what is this new organization they have in view ? We shall endeavour to determine this by examining the writings whence these ideas have come. It is a remarkable thing, as was affirmed by the deputy Bamberger, that nowhere have socialistic ideas found a more cordial welcome than in Germany. That, according to him, is owing to the speculative character of the nation, which is easily seduced by ideal visions of Utopia. Not only do these visions allure almost all the working men, but even the middle classes cannot resist them \ and one often hears, “Well, perhaps all would be better so ; why not try?” Furthermore, Socialism has penetrated to the upper classes ; it sits in academies ; it occupies professorial chairs in universities, and it is scholars who have originated the party cries which working men’s associations now repeat ; it is

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