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TRANSLATORS PREFACE.
has in some cases been pushed too far, and that the conflict of
individual self-interests cannot always be relied upon to produce
the welfare of the whole. These ideas are more in the nature
of a feeling or sentiment than of a reasoned conviction. A
critical survey of the socialistic thought of Europe, such as
M. de Laveleye has made, is certainly well calculated to assist
the formation of a rational judgment.
There are, however. Socialists of several types in England
too, and, accordingly, I have ventured to add to M. de
Laveleye’s account of European Socialism, a chapter on contemporary
Socialism in England. In this chapter I have
endeavoured to give a faithful account of the three main
socialistic movements at present stirring amongst us, viz. the
movement for the Nationalization of the Land, which has taken
more forms than one, but which is mainly associated with the
name of Henry George ; the Christian Socialist movement, of
which the Guild of St. Matthew, marching far beyond the
position taken up by Maurice and Kingsley, represents the
van ; and the thorough-going Collectivist agitation of the
Social Democratic Federation, which aims at the complete
overthrow of the existing social, economical, and political order,
and the concentration of the land, and all the instruments of
production of the country in the hands of a democratic State.
These movements may as yet be small in comparison with
some of those on the continent described by M. de Laveleye ;
nevertheless, as a German writer, speaking of another matter,
once said, “ Sirius may be larger than the Sun, but he does not
ripen our grapes,” and in the same way to English readers, an
account of what is going on, perhaps without their knowing it,
in their midst, comparatively slight as the movements may be,
ought to be of some interest.
The time is indeed at hand when England, as well as other
democracies, if she is in any way to control her destinies, must
make up her mind not only as to the true goal of social
