THE SOCIALISTS OF THE CHAIR. 
277 
doubts to arise as to the truth and definitive triumph of the 
economic doctrines represented by the congress of Economists ; 
and on all sides it is questioned whether absolute freedom of 
labour and the complete abolition of the antiquated regulations 
of the Middle Ages will bring about that perfectly happy 
situation which the believers in laissez faire have so enthusi 
astically predicted.” While separating himself from the old 
optimism of the Manchester party {Das Manchesterthum), 
Schmoller was careful to show that he did not accept the con 
clusions of the Socialists. “Though by no means satisfied,” 
he said, “ with existing social conditions, and convinced of the 
necessity of reforms, we preach neither the upsetting of science 
nor the overthrow of the existing social order, and we protest 
against all socialistic experiments. All the great advances 
shown in history have been the results of the work of ages. 
The existing economic legislation, the present methods of pro 
duction, the psychological conditions of the different classes, 
ought to be the basis of our reforming energy. We demand 
neither the abolition of industrial freedom nor the suppression 
of the wage system ; but we do not wish, out of respect for 
abstract principles, to allow the most crying abuses to become 
daily worse, and to permit so-called freedom of contract to 
end in the actual exploitation of the labourer. We do not 
desire the State to advance money to working men in order 
that they may make experiments on systems inevitably destined 
to fail, but we demand that it should concern itself, in an 
altogether new spirit, with their instruction and training, and 
should see that labour is not conducted under conditions 
which must have for their inevitable effect the degradation 
of the labourer.” During the session of 1872 three papers 
gave rise to profound discussions : one, by Brentano, on 
Factory Legislation ; a second, by Schmoller, on Strikes and 
Trades Unions ; and a third, by Engel, on Labourers’ Dwellings 
( Wohnungsnoth). 
In the session of 1873 the Socialists of the Chair formed 
themselves definitively into an “Association for Social Politics” 
( Verein für Sozial folitik), which has met, generally at Eisenach, 
almost every year since. The way in which the papers to be