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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SOCIALISM IN ENGLAND. 331 well that it should be so, for “wherever competition is not, monopoly is ; ” but if the present organization of the Co-opera tive Societies be continued, with such modifications as changing conditions may suggest, there is good reason to expect that it will supply such a regulative principle as will prevent, or at least largely mitigate, the evils which spring from the present economic anarchy : such as the general instability of individual traders, and the recurrent crises resulting from relative over production. The Central Committee might, for instance, give accurate statistics as to the amount of produce, and forecast approximately the demand, in the various departments of con sumption. If it be said that this is Socialism, be it so ; but it is a Socialism which will have grown up spontaneously from within, in a form suited to its environment, not one suddenly imposed from without on unprepared soil ; it will retain, while it will control, “ the motive power which has hitherto worked the social machinery ; ” it will be dependent upon Self-help not State-help ; and it will, as the Bishop of Durham puts it, make “ self-reliant men,” not “ spoon-fed children.” It is an advantage of Co-operation, not a drawback, that “ it cannot advance further than the minds and morals of the people engaged in it, nor faster than honest and competent men and women can be found to manage its concerns.” For this very reason, every advance will be sure, will pave the way for further advance, and need fear no retrogression. Whereas, were the most ideally perfect socialistic State even such as “ the idle singer of an empty day” might dream of--put into operation to-morrow, it would inevitably collapse and lead to anarchy and despotism, because “the minds and morals of the people ” would not have been prepared for it. THE END.

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