The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-24
WHAT is SOCIALISM,
A Philosopher Who Doubts the Under
standing of Its Disciples

standing of Its Disciples
1t seems the duty of every propa-
gator of Socialism to tell us distinct
ly what the new social system is to
be: what are to be the form and pow
ers of its government; and how it is
to be introduced. On the last point
especially some alarming language is
before us In France the rule of lib
erty, equality and fraternity-the last
two socialistic-was opened by the
Reign of Terror naturally followed
by Napoleon. In Russia the other
day we saw an opening of the same
character which would probably have
led to similar developments. To the
classes which suffer under the pres
ent regime much may be permitted,
but not to the philosophic reformer
who puts the match to the magazine
of class hatred.
Thorough fraternity without equal
ity would seem hardly possible. But
how much truth there is in Jeffer-
sons saying that all men were crea-
tee equal we know too well. Count
less are the divergences and inequali-
ties of capacity and character; conse-
quently of success and position in
life. Hence has come class. which,
we trust, there will not be in heaven,
but of which, Or of it's social and in
dustrial divisions, we seem not like
ly on earth to see the end, though
we may find, and are bound always
to seek mitigation. An octogenarian
in England, for example, has seen not
a little done during his lifetime in
the direction of social amelioration,
and sees not a little now doing. The
condition of the laboring poor gener-
ally has undoubtedly been improved,
and is apparently still improving.
The main source of the misery at
present perhaps is redundancy OF
population in certain centres, caused
by reckless breeding, which produces
swarms of want and barbarism, such
as made hideous the Mafeking night.
Upper classes are more prudent in
marriage and the breeding OF chill
dren. Unfortunately, the beneficent
schemes of material relief and the
assumption of parental care by the
state, laudable as they are, can hard
ly fail to encourage imprudence.
Nautilus was not sentimental, but he
was in intention thoroughly benevo-
lent as well as clear sighted.
With the Oneida community, the
example of which | find cited in a
Socialist essay, | was allowed to
spend two days. properly speaking,
it was communistic. not socialistic;
but there is an identity of sentiment,
if not OF precise form and aim. The
success of Oneida proved nothing.
1t was an industrial company of both
sexes, under a strong ruler with a
religious tie. and celibate; though
from its celibacy. having grown veal
thy, il was beginning to slide away.
Apparently, since il had grown veal
thy, it had been giving up labor. 1t
was drawing a handsome income
from three factories of the ordinary
owner. No general movement ap
pears to have come of It, or of any
experiment of the kind under what
ever name and form it might be
made.
Neither Sir. Thomas More, who is
very near akin to the Socialist of
our day, nor Plato, ever applied his
theories. In the middle ages we
have Communism, it may be said, in
religious and chiefly in monastic
form. Perhaps the sentiment of fra
ternity and the craving for its reali.
cation which led to religious and
monastic Communism in the middle
ages may be again at work today
| . In Hn1,
Under the reign Of Socialism, at
least of Socialism of the thoroughgo
ing kind everything apparently is to
be regulated by 1.-The state" The
state, apparently, is to assign to all
their parts and their shares, as well
as to regulate education and inter
vene betwo N parents and their chill
dren. Is the state to hold everybody
to their work? The land is to be
entirely in its hands; the cultivators
being tenants-at-will. OF such a de
spotism the most reactionary of Tor
les never dreamed. But what pre-
cisely is "the state?" In a Social
list treatise before us II is mere
abstraction. The same may be said
of "the people," The only reality
apparently, will be the government
and this will be absolute. How is
the government to be composed
Presumably it is to be elective. But
what is to be the mode of election
If it is to be the present mode. or
anything like it, let the Regeneration
of society look into the reports OF
election trials and see what the re.
suit would Drobably he
The assumption that the improve
ment of land and the increase of its
produce can only be secured by cut
ting it into small holdings under
state ownership and grant, may have
stronger foundation than has yet
/ appeared. But in England, from
Coke of Norfolk onward, we have had
land improvers, and agricultural ma
chinery must surely have been help
ed by their long purse. That a mum
Der of English landowners have tax
en- advantage of their wealth to lead