The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-29

Eoefallsa.

sociaiisn.
The second edition Of Contemporary Socialism.
nv JOHN RAE iBcribner'sh lie In large measure
a new book. That Is TO say. the chapters on
."ThS Progress and Present Position OF Social
fsm" and on Russian Nihilism" retain only
a few sentences from tho FIRST edition OF the
hook. while the chspters on "Anarchism" and
on state Socialism are entirely new. From
the facts brought forward 1t seems n fair de.
duction that socialism proper. by which. OF
course We mean the Revolutionary soetnl do
mocracy. has lost ground In several countries
>ompared with State socialism. by which Is
signifled tho application Of the principles OF
paternnl government on an extensive scale.
Moreover. oven in Germany. whero tho social
democrats remain numerically strong. they
hnye since tho repeal OF tho laws intended to
suppross them. evinced willingness to as
sumo an opportunist rather than an irrecon-
clable attitude. They are. in fact, excmpi-
tying the old fable Of the man with the
cloak. who only drew Il around him the moro
closely under the Bullets OF tho wind. but
flung It of when tho suns rays fell on him.
Naturally. however. tho increasing inclination
Of socialism proper to arrive at some under
standing with the State has caused splitting
OF OF the intractable and incorporating
so.called party OF anarchy. 1t is some features
Of the new material collected by Mr.. Rao that
Il may interest tho reader to examine in some
detail
...,.;
II seems TIM. In England socialism proper.
by which, wo repeat. must be Understood rovo-
lutionnry social democracy. seems decidedly
weaker than Il was few yenrs ago. while. on
the other hand. State socialism has acquired
q much stronger hold on the trade unions. The
fact Is tho more noteworthy because it Is only
about eight years since socialism. considered
o. IN organized movement. may be said to have
started upon English soil England. In fact,
was the last country to be reached by tho con-
temporary wnve Of revolutionary socialism.
although tho scheme of socialist doctrine has
been largely evolved by Karl Marx and others
from o study OF English circumstances. and is
asserted to be peculiarly adapted to them.
England still lie, IA sho has long been. al
ternately tho hopo and the despair OF Conti-
nental Socialists Every requisite OF revolution
is there. and yet the people will not rise. The
yeomen aro COMO: the land has &C me- into the
hands Of fow: industry is carried on by In
tensely centralized capital: tho system OF pro-
duction on large scale has almost attained
tho utmost limits: tho mass OF hepeople has
become proletariat: tho toilers are crowded
In large towns: every tenth person is pauper.
"The English" said Eugene Dupont, leading
member OF tho old International "possess
ali tho materials necessary for the social
revolution. but they lack the Genernlizlng
spirit and tho revolutionary passion"
According to Karl Marx. any proletariat
movement in which the English proletartat
should take no part. would DO no better than
q storm in glass OF water" yet although Marx
himself resided In Engls nd for most Of his
life. no organized attempt was made to gain
over the English proletariht to socialism till
1888 the year he died. It is true that after
the fall OF the Paris Commune hopes we're for
time entertained Of starting serious Socialist
propaganda in the larger English towns: but
these hopes proved 50 delusive that Karl Marx
said more than once to Mr.. Hyndman. as we
are told by the latter. that he despaired of
any great movement in England unless in re-
Spouse to some violent impetus from without"
In 1888. however. interest In socialism Seemed
to break out spontaneously In England. For
season the air hummed with q multifarious
social agitation. and there was soon fairly
complete array Of Socialist organizations
social democratic. anarchist. dllletante-which
havs over since attracted a good deal OF atten-
ton by means OF newspapers, lectures. debates.
speeches. and demonstrations In the streets.
It was In the year lust mentioned that the
Democratic Federation. which had bean estab-
lished little while before to promote meas
ures OF radical reform. including among other
things the naturalization Of the land. adopted
the socialistic principles OF Karl Marx and
changed It's name to the Social Democratic
Federation. It's principal founders were Mr..
william Morris. the poet and artist. who. as o
manufacturer OF furniture had long been ex-
ceptiopally equitable in his arrangements
with his work people: Mr.. H. NJ. Hyndman. q
journalist Of standing and ability; Mr. ].
Stuart GIennie and Mr.. Belfort Bax. both
authors OF considerable reputo: DR.. Aveling. q
popular lecturer on science and son-in-law OF
Fa Marx: Miss Helen Taylor. stepdaughtcr
OF John Stuart Mil. and the Rev. Stewart
Headlam In January, 1894, they started a
weekly newspaper. Justice. and monthly
magazine. 7b:daH both OF which. still
appear. and they also began the active work OF
lecturing and founding branches. Before the
year was out. however. that deadly enemy OF
Socialists. tho spirit of division. entered among
them and Mr.. Morris. with Dr. Aveling and
Mr.. Bax, seeded and set up an Independent
organization called the Socialistic League.
with y separate weekly organ: the Common
zeal. Tho schism seems to have arisen out
OF the common difference Of opinion concern
ing the proprioty OF mixing In current politics
Tho samo descriptive tendency has persisted
In the separative associations. and toward the
end Of 1890 Mr.. William Norris. with his local
following. abandoned the Socialist League.
OF these English revolutionary bodies. tho
Social Democratic Federation and tho Social
list League. neither has a complete organiza-
tlon like analogous societies In Continental
countries They have never hold a Congress-
either national or provincial They consist Of
q central com mittee in London and OF de-
tachcd local groups in the provinces: tho ex-
tent OF their membership is not accurately
known. but It Is not extensive In the case.
also. OF both associations the number OF mem
bors is declining. and 1t has always been
variable, young men Joining for year or
, Two and then leaving. Thor chief sue