Die Alters- und Invaliden-Versicherung

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 829218297

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-85640

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Steinberg-Skirbs, ... von

Title:: Die Alters- und Invaliden-Versicherung

Place of publication:: Berlin

Publisher:: F. Kortkampf

Year of publication:: 1884

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (42 S.)

Collection:: Economics Books

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XVlll INTROD UCTION (“ Two words in the world there be, these simply rrnne and thine. Could one take them away, peace there would be and freedom. All then would be free ; none enslaved, nor man nor woman ; both corn and wine would be in common.”) Whenever these ideas, borrowed from Christianity and monasticism, reached the masses at a time when their suffer ings had become intolerable, they provoked risings and massacres, such as those of the Shepherds and the Jacquerie in France, the insurrection of Wat Tyler in England, and that of John of Leyden in Germany.* Let us now examine how Socialism, abandoning the mystical region of communistic dreams and aspirations after equality, has become the creed of a political party. Ideas and microbes are in this respect alike, that they must find favourable surroundings before they can thrive. These favour able surroundings have been produced by a variety of causes, chief among which are the beliefs and aspirations of Chris tianity, the political principles embodied in our constitutions and laws, and the changes in the methods of production. Of all the influences favourable to the development of Socialism, the most potent has been the religious influence j for it has pro duced in us certain sentiments which have long formed part of our very nature, and in these sentiments the claims of Socialism find at once a kind of instinctive origin and a rational justification. No one can deny that Christianity preaches the raising up of the poor and the down-trodden. It inveighs against riches as vehemently as the most radical Socialist. Need we recall words graven in the memory of every one ? Even after her alliance with absolute monarchy, the Catholic Church uttered these words by the mouth of Bossuet “ The murmurs of the poor are just. Wherefore this inequality of conditions ? All are made of the same clay, and there is no way to justify inequality unless by saying that God has commended the poor unto the * See The History of Socialism, Die Socialisten, by M. Quack, un fortunately not finished ; also that by M. B. Malón. , . , t See his sermon, “ Sur les dispositions relativement aux necessites de la vie."

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