The Socialism of to-day

Bibliographic data

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

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

254 THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. systems of social reform. It was in the discussions which took place among this band of friends, all of them imbued with their master’s ideas of equality, that the author formed his convictions on the social question, which have varied little since then, and which contemporary events have served only to confirm. Huet also published, in 1864, La Science de VEsprit. He presided over the education of Prince Milan, now King of Servia, and even followed him to Belgrade. Having returned to Paris to undergo treatment for a severe disease, he died from the effects of a surgical operation. His friends have erected a monument to his memory in the cemetery of Mount Parnassus. I shall here mention only those views of Huet which relate to social organization. For the basis of his system he takes the principles of 1789, and endeavours to realize in everything the motto, “ Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.” His ideas, on this point were, without his knowing it, similar to those of Fichte as contained in the book already mentioned, “ Materials for justifying the French Revolution.” The following is a summary of them ;—Men are by right equal. The individual ought to be able freely to develop himself ; but property is a necessary condition of liberty. Property is, therefore, a natural right, and as such should belong to everybody. “ Either words have no meaning, or to place property among natural rights implies that the original investitive title to the good things of the earth is the quality of humanity ; that the quality of humanity gives rise in itself to an immediate right to a determinate share in these good things ; an original property which would become for everybody the source, the foundation, and the means of obtaining all the rest. This is the direct consequence of the right to live. Is not this right the same for all, and do not all equally need the means of living? Has not everybody, born in the image of (Jod, a right to his original patrimony, to this magnificent present from God ? 13y reason of his place in the series of the generations of men, has not every man also a right to the capital handed down by his forefathers, the joint acquisition of men ? Nobody ought to live at another’s expense. Every man who has not forfeited it has the right to live free. It is his right that his subsistence, his labour, should not be dependent on the good will of others ; and however free he may be in his person, if he does not possess, of natural right, anything in advance, any capital,

Access restriction

Copyright

fullscreen: The Socialism of to-day

Monograph

Table of contents

Download

Monograph

This page

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation