SOCIALISM IN ENGLAND. 
325 
present stage of civilization, would probably be found not very 
far apart They have in common the absolute abolition, that 
is, the forcible destruction, root and branch, of the existing 
social economical and political order, and it would require the 
mind of a sibyl to foresee the shape which, after the chaos, the 
palingenesis will assume. 
Mr. Matthew Arnold once said, “No individual life can be 
truly prosperous passed in the midst of those who suffer. To 
the noble soul it cannot be happy, to the ignoble it cannot be 
safe.” There are many noble souls, outside the Social Demo 
cratic Federation, who feel this truth profoundly. They, how 
ever, may be called Social Reformers rather than Socialists. 
They admit many counts of the indictment drawn against the 
existing industrialism by the Revolutionary Socialists, but they 
Say that these latter, by their reckless exaggerations, only 
obscure the facts ; by aggravating the existing antagonism 
between employers and employed, only shut the door to the 
reconciliation of their interests ; and, by urging on a hopeless 
and hideous revolution, only postpone reform. The position 
of Radicals who have accepted the teaching of the new Political 
Kconomy is well stated by the late Mr. Arnold Toynbee, one 
of its most ardent representatives. “ The Radical Creed, as I 
understand it,” he says, “ is this : We have not abandoned our 
old belief in liberty, justice, and self-help, but we say that under 
certain conditions the people cannot help themselves, and that 
then they should be helped by the State representing directly 
the whole people. In giving this State help, we make three 
conditions : first, the matter must be one of primary social 
importance ; next, it must be proved to be practicable ; thirdly, 
the State interference must not diminish self-reliance. . . . We 
differ from Tory Socialism in so far as we are in favour, not of 
Paternal, but of fraternal government, and we differ from Con 
tinental Socialism, because we accept the principle of private 
property and repudiate confiscation and violence.” 
In spite of the efforts of the Social Democrats, the conflict 
classes is not nearly so bitter as it used to be even a few 
years ago. Trades Unionism, apart from its action in providing 
I^Gnefit Societies, is no longer looked upon as other than a 
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