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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lyQ the socialism of TO-DAY. equality, or even the application of the maxim, “to each according to his needs;" while Collectivism claims to assure to every one the integral enjoyment of the product of his labour. Thus the true and, in reality, the sole incentive to economical activity, namely, personal interest, which is entirely abolished by the first system, is in some degree maintained by the second. Phe principle of Communism leads to consumption in common, as in the family, or rather as in the convent or the barracks; while Collectivism is consistent with the separate existence of families. Communists would absolutely abolish the right of hereditary succession ; whereas Collectivists preserve it as to everything not belonging to the State. The question of the right of succession was keenly discussed at the Congress of Bâle. The Collectivists, represented chiefly by De Paepe, invoked the very strong arguments habitually made use of in favour of the hereditary transmission of property. Suppose a person makes himself a fortune by deductions, not out of the produce of another person’s labour, but out of that of his own, and by depriving himself of certain pleasures ; is it not fair that he should be able to transmit his savings to his children? Will not this power evidently be an incentive to work and a check upon squandering, and therefore a gam to society as a whole ? If everybody receives a thorough educa tion and the means of production, individual inheritance cannot violate rational equality. Although there was a strong current of Communism in the congress, the abolition of the right of inheritance obtained only thirty-two votes out of sixty-eight, and consequently it was treated as rejected. It would interrupt this rapid sketch of events too much to discuss thoroughly the theoretical ideas admitted by the Inter national. I shall limit myself to two summary remarks. The new social organization, longed for by Collectivism, supposes that agricultural and industrial enterprises would pass into the hands of autonomous co-operative associations. But will these associations be able to subsist on an exclusively republican and elective basis, without the principle of authority and of the hierarchy at present represented by the master? In the factory, as on board ship, discipline and obedience are indis-

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