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

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XXXVl INTRODUCTION. to obey.” * In the Middle Ages, the teachings of Christianity being still misunderstood, the feudal lord saw in the serf a beast of burden divinely predestined to work for him. Now that the principle of the equality of all men according to nature and right has penetrated men’s hearts and minds, we must shut ourselves up in inhuman egoism or profound ignorance, if we would remain unmoved by the claims of the labouring classes. The great difference between the actual position of affairs and anything history shows us, lies in the fact that the diffusion of Socialism is enormously favoured by the press and by schools. Education offered to all, even forced upon them, schools every where open, and cheap books, pamphlets, and newspapers spread throughout the country ideas of radical reform. In the Middle Ages the revolts of the peasants against oppression were merely local and passing events ; and the same may be said of those of the sixteenth century. Once they were crushed, these aspirations towards equality disappeared as thohgh drowned in blood. To-day, however, this is no longer the case. The energetic repression of the Revolution of June, 1848, and of the Commune of 1871, served only to spread far and wide the principles sought to be extinguished, and to make them sink deeper into the hearts of the working classes. Socialists of all countries celebrate the i8th of March, the anniversary of the proclamation of the Commune. If Socialism is to be exterminated, it must be attacked in its origin and in its methods of diffusion. It will be necessary to proscribe Christianity, burn the Bible, teach with the ancient philosophers that natural inequality justifies slavery; above all, no more primary education and no newspapers. If the existing in equality of conditions is permanent and necessary, then to spread the Gospel, to open a school, to establish a printing press, and to extend the suffrage, are in so many ways to attack the social order. The rivalry, the wars, and the enormous armies of our continental states hasten the progress of that very Socialism which they were specially intended to combat ; and this they do in two ways. In the first place, they maintain and increase * Polit. \. 3.

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