The sun., 1891-05-24
SOME NEW hooks.
A New Philosopher or Socialism.

Iacordairc. solitary thinkers; they dispose o.
great mower. are at the head OF wide
spread agitation. and base their conclusion:
and their aspirations upon real and profound
evil and real need. Contrary to the idens ol
tho democrats socialists they wish to reform
society in tho nnmo OF God. but do not wish
the reform for that reason to be less radical or
less profound. Nor do they. therefore eSer-
else over tho working classes nm attraction less
dangerous or less intonse."
Theso words form tho conclusion OF IN
Interesting book that has Just appeared in
Italy undor the title II Sociaiisno Cdtouco.
tho first of n serios which the young writer.
Sigror FnASCEsCo s. NITTr. hns announced
concerning contomporary socialism. which he
rroposes to study In all It's branches and all
jts developments. The book. whish is wrtton
with lucidity OF style and in that calm
obiect,ye spirit which seems to be tho dis
tinctive characteristic OF tho best Italian
authors OF tho day. will soon be published in
both English and Fronch. 1t Is noteworthy
that In tho course Of only n few weeks
tho italian edition has become entirely ex-
hausted. O phenomenon which is OF the very
rnrest occurrence In that country. whore poo
Mo read little aud buy less. 1t is worthy Of
note too. that tho author Is barely two and
twenty. and that though no has not yet fin
ished his University studies he has already
NeSn cRltCu 10 IN iElpoItuuL pObt tb DTolosSOE
at ono OF tho Italian universities.
signor Ntti dcvotes his first volume to Cath
ole socialism. because he considers that 1t 10
OF tho very greatest Importance for the future
OF all civilized societies. and every ono should
be awa.,. he thinks. OF tho truo nature Of its
tendencies. which are quito rs subversive in
their way "a those OF democratic socialism.
Socialism," ho says. although now forms
OF |. come to light every day. 10 still moro OF o
dream thnn n doctrine. Whooeor will under
stand 1t must study 1t from every point OF view.
hope therefore. that thia book. which has cost
mo no little labor. and for which 1 fool no small
affection. may provo neither useless nor super.
1uous."
Tho chapter which follows the Introduction.
gives rapid ekotch OF the errors Into which
modern writer's On socialism have failon with
regard TO the socinl struggles Of the past. We
err" tho author says. I'm believing that tho
communistic idea is necessarily linked to Tho
democratic idea. In ancient times, especially
in Greece. communism was an aristocratio
ideal. Plato. who was the first to formulate It.
was n pure aristocrat by conviction Sparta,
the republic which longest retained institu-
tions analogous to communism. was at the
same time the most aristocratic republic
in Greece. Besides. Plato's projects and
reforms were considered as dreams, and
no attempt was ever made to carry
them out. The social problem. as to whose
existence no one eau have a doubt, was first
propounded at the beginning OF our own age.
Its terms were, as Renan snys. extremely dif-
fcult. because on the one hand il was neces-
sary to preserve the benefits OF civilization.
and on the other to enable all to partake of
those benefits. At first this statement looks
like a contradiction In terms. for tho abject
condition OF one class seems to 10 q necessary
condition OF society as 1t now exists. do not
hesitate to say. says Renan. that never since
the beginning has there been propounded So
terrible a problem. That Of antique slavery
was far less terrible: yet centuries have been
required to bring men to the point OF conceiv-
Ing OF society without slavery"
One Of the ablest parts OF Nitti's book Is that
in which he points out how. In order to have
arrived at the standpoint where socialism is
clamored for. mankind must first have acquired
political liberty. He shows us how socialism
nr. es from the profound contrast between the
liberty which the people have obtained and the
economic servitude Of which thcy have only felt
the weight since that political freedom has
been theirs. Until the pre-. .ent nge a true de-
mocracy has mover existed. Attica was an
oligarchy. Rome was governed by a ruling
race. the italian commonwealths OF tho Middle
Ages granted no franchise outside the walls OF
their towns the republics Of the Low Countries
were oligarchical. Democracy. like socialism.
is an essentially modern DEVELOPMENT. and So
ciaism is not only modern fact. but one en-
tirely peculiar to Christian countries. To seek
for socialism. for example. in the societies OF
China is absurd. More's Utopia and other
systems OF the same type are only distant
echoes Of Platonism. The men who preceded
and prepared the French Revolution we're the
true pioneers Of socialism. the original OF
which is not to be sought further back than
the second half OF the eighteenth century.
The Abb6 Mably. writer who has been for
gotten. but who exercised great influence over
the philosophy OF the eighteenth century. de- |
rives the evils OF society almost entirely from
an unequal division OF property. contrary to
natural laws. Necker calls hereditary prop
crty privilege. tho rich being strong from
not being Obliged to give their labor on the |
lowest terms" Tho Benedictins Deschamps |
cries out: We have the hopo less chimericnl |
than mon think OF passing Into state OF true |
custom OF equality. Il state OF cal natural law. !
which is far preferable to n savage state" For !
81. Just properly Is infamous. Robespierre |
said " no one ought to exist who possessed more |
than 400 llvres dc rento." Montosquieu formu- |
lated the socialistio ideal when 10 wrote:
- Tho Stale ought to give to each citizen |
an assured subsistence, decent clothing, % |
lain in his report on tho decree OF the l4th OF |
June, 1901. writos that tho "ation is Obliged 10
give work to those who noed it, and to succor
the inflrm. And tho Convention sanctioned
the principle when 1t decreed that public aid
IL sncred duty. which society owes suhsis:-
enco to It's less fortunate members"
Senor Niti points out how the doctrines OF
The liberal school arc certainly In opposition
10 those OF socialism. but not the less has the
influence Of the liberal school been worry groat
upon the development oi socialism. Bebel.
Tho famous German social democrat, In sit
ing OF the ReIchstac. said to tho Liberal Depu-
lies: I've are your pupils: We have done no
more than draw logical deductions from your
Tho utilitarian morality Of Ric-
,ardo. Of Sspior. OF John Stuart Mill. OF Bas-
lint. Of Rossi. OF Dunoyer pushed to Its ul.i-
mate consequences has produced modern
socialism, and for this reason when usefulness
Alone Ia made tho basis Of economic morals.
certain inferences are necessarily drawn by
The people which. when exaggerated, lead to
socialism. Economic causes have influenced