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  associations ­
  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  demands ­
  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  anything ­
  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  associations, ­
  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