The Socialism of to-day

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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. 96 general ideas of a very elevated character, and sometimes most just ; but, upon the ground of concrete reforms, the two groups appear equally confused and impracticable. Herr Meyer asks that heavy taxes should be imposed upon all profits from trade and banking. He calls for the re-establishment of the laws against usury ; he would even limit the interest payable upon all capital not worked by its owner. He appears not to see that in thus limiting the free scope of industry, he would hurt the interests of the landed proprietors which he desires to protect He also wishes that the functions of the State should be vastly extended. The State, according to him, should first of all oblige all manufacturers to build houses for their men. It should itself house all its employés. It should pay its own men well, in order that this rate of wages should be forced, so to speak, upon individuals, and it should regulate the length of the working day in proportion to the difficulty and fatigue of the work. The acquisition of property by those who now possess none should in every way be facilitated. As M. Thiers said, upon every acre owned by a peasant will be found a gun ready to defend property. Each trade should be obliged to have a superannuation and a relief fund, and the employer should be bound to contribute a share equal to the united contributions of all his workmen. There should, finally, be a “ council of experts,” to reconcile differences arising between masters and men, and a court of arbitration to decide disputes not settled by means of compromise. Some of these measures are good ; but others are impossible of execution, such as the restriction of the interest of capital employed in banking and trade. Taken as a whole, the programme appears mean, especially side by side with the recital of motives which precede it. This is not to be wondered at ; for it is far easier to point to the ideal to be attained, than to indicate the means of reach ing it.

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