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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E VANGELICAL SOCIALISTS. 11 I and on his left the literature of Scientific Socialism, and must keep the New Testament open before him.” Political Economy, he adds, plays the part of anatomy : it makes known the con struction of the social body. Socialism is the pathology which describes the malady, and the Gospel is the therapeutics which apply the remedy. Is it not remarkable that the Christian countries are pre cisely those which have evolved Socialism ? What is the reason of that? According to Herr Todt, it is because Socialism has its root in Christianity : only it has gone astray from it. It is the fruit of the Gospel, but it has become corrupt In reality, according to Herr Todt, Socialism springs from the sentiment of revolt, produced by the sight of the contrast between the existing economical constitution of society and a certain ideal of justice and equality. Hence arises the desire to remove this contrast by a radical reform of the social order. Christianity also condemns the present world, where selfishness and evil passions prevail, and announces the “new kingdom” where the first shall be last, where charity shall make all men brothers, and where the earth shall belong to the peaceful and lowly. The true Christian endeavours to correct himself and reform his surroundings according to the divine command. Whoever then asserts, like the Positivist or Economist, that the actual course of events is necessary, fatal, and conformable to natural laws, places himself in opposition to the teaching of Jesus. He, on the other hand, conforms to that teaching who aims at improvement and perfection in everything. Moreover, accord ing to Herr Todt, every Christian who is in earnest with his faith has a Socialistic vein in him, and every Socialist, however bitter his hatred of religion may be, has an unconscious Chris tianity in his heart. Radical Socialism, however, preaches atheism and communism, and in so doing is far off from the Gospel. We must, not, however, deceive ourselves, says our author : Socialism IS not, as is commonly supposed, a mere passing malady which will disappear as it came. It will grow and spread. There have been outbursts of Socialism at different epochs, when the sufferings of the people became intolerable.

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