INTRODUCTION. 
XV 
then, a Socialist ? After “ the Days of June,” in 1848, Proudhon 
said to the magistrate who examined him, that he went to con 
template “the sublime horrors of the cannonade.” “But,” 
said the magistrate, “are you not, then, a Socialist?” “Cer 
tainly.” “ Well, but what, then, is Socialism ? ” “ It is,” replied 
Proudhon, “every aspiration towards the improvement of 
society.” “But in that case,” very justly remarked the magis 
trate, ‘we are all Socialists.” “That is precisely what I 
think,” rejoined Proudhon. 
Proudhon s definition is too wide ; it omits two charac 
teristics. In the first place, every socialistic doctrine aims at 
introducing greater equality into social conditions; and secondly. 
It tries to realize these reforms by the action of the law or 
the State. Socialism is an equalizer and a leveller; and it 
does not admit that mere liberty can usher in the reign of 
justice. All sensible economists recognize the existence of 
many evils and iniquities in society ; but they think that these 
evils will decrease under the influence of “ natural laws ” and 
t e beneficial results of laissez faire. Christianity condemns 
ric es and inequality with all the vehemence of Socialism ; but 
It is not to the State that it looks for the establishment of the 
reign of justice. The Socialist is a pessimist. He places in 
full relief the bad side of the social state. He points to the 
strong crushing the weak, the rich making gain out of the 
poor, inequality becoming harsher and more pronounced. He 
aspires to an ideal where well-being will be allotted in propor- 
Ijtion to desert and to services rendered. The economist is 
an optimist He does not go so far as to pretend that all 
IS perfect; but he thinks that man, in pursuing his individual 
interests, advances the general weal as much as possible, and 
at rorn the free play of all his self-regarding instincts there 
wi resu t a better order of things. Consequently, according 
o im, the only thing to be done is to get rid of all shackles, 
o reduce the action of the State to a minimum, and to interfere 
m the way of government as little as possible. 
Let us endeavour to point out the causes of the origin and 
growth of modern Socialism. 
As soon as man had attained sufficient culture to be