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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102 THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. peasants and working men. In ancient Greece, the “ tyrants,” that is to say, the dictators, usually got possession of power by placing themselves at the head of the poor against the rich. It was thus that Cæsar, at Rome, hoped to establish absolute power. In the Middle Ages, in France, the king was looked upon as the protector of the people and the communes against the feudal lords. To-day the Monarchical Socialists invite the sovereign to fulfil a similar mission, but this time against the financial and industrial middle classes who exercise the privileges of the landed aristocracy. They invoke the authority of Lorenz von Stein, the eminent professor at Vienna : “ Every monarchy,” he said, “ will be no more than an empty shadow, and will give place to a republic, or be transformed into a military despotism, unless, imbued with the moral dignity of its rôle, it takes the initiation in the matter of social reforms.” What good can a constitutional sovereign do, when he is at the mercy of the parties who in turn dispose of the majority? And what are these parties ? Coalitions of interests, groups oí cliques, representatives and agents of selfish class interests, who make use of power only to work to their own advantage the making of the laws and the framing of the budget. The king alone can rise superior to this conflict of ambitions and greedy desires, so as to represent the permanent interests of the nation ; he alone can take in hand the cause of the oppressed, because he alone draws no profit from their degra dation. Such is the language of the Christian Socialists in Germany. This ideal of a good despot, assuring to each his share of terrestrial happiness, has a certain Messianic charm about it, which may allure, especially when the parliamentary machine becomes effete or breaks up. But who will guarantee that the despot shall not be a fool, an idiot, or a vicious wretch? Cæsarism was too unsuccessful to induce men to return to it, at least voluntarily. However, the Christian Socialists certainly express very well the idea that the Emperor William himself has conceived of his mission. He has a horror of government by majorities; he readily listens to the grievances of the labourers ; and, as we have seen, he spends money out of his

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