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3333333333333333 & S",E GE#E!(% &*E(S /. he 5eginning o; the 6uarre< 1. he .eri< o; the Hour 7. he Chance o; !eco=ery 9. "n a Sense o; .roportion 3333333333333333 & HE 5EG&##&#G "' HE 6$(!!E% & ha=e been asked to repub<ish these notes44which appeared in a week<y paper44as a rough sketch o; certain aspects o; the institution o; .ri=ate .roperty+ now so comp<ete<y ;orgotten amid the >ourna<istic >ubi<ations o=er .ri=ate Enterprise. he =ery ;act that the pub<icists say so much o; the <atter and so <itt<e o; the ;ormer is a measure o; the mora< tone o; the times. ( pickpocket is ob=ious<y a champion o; pri=ate enterprise. 5ut it wou<d perhaps be an exaggeration to say that a pickpocket is a champion o; pri=ate property. he point about Capita<ism and Commercia<ism+ as conducted o; <ate+ is that they ha=e rea<<y preached the extension o; business rather than the preser=ation o; be<ongings? and ha=e at best tried to disguise the pickpocket with some o; the =irtues o; the pirate. he point about Communism is that it on<y re;orms the pickpocket by ;orbidding pockets. .ockets and possessions genera<<y seem to me to ha=e not on<y a more norma< but a more digni;ied de;ence than the rather dirty indi=idua<ism that ta<ks about pri=ate enterprise. &n the hope that it may possib<y he<p others to understand it+ & ha=e decided to reproduce these studies as they stand+ hasty and sometimes mere<y topica< as they were. &t is indeed =ery hard to reproduce them in this ;orm+ because they were editoria< notes to a contro=ersy <arge<y conducted by others? but the genera< idea is at <east present. &n any case+ @pri=ate enterprise@ is no =ery nob<e way o; stating the truth o; one o; the en Commandments. 5ut there was at <east a time when it was more or <ess true. he ,anchester !adica<s preached a rather crude and crue< sort o; competition? but at <east they practised what they preached. he newspapers now praising pri=ate enterprise are preaching the =ery opposite o; anything that anybody dreams o; practising. he practica< tendency o; a<< trade and business to4day is towards big commercia< combinations+ o;ten more imperia<+ more impersona<+ more internationa< than many a communist commonwea<th44 things that are at <east co<<ecti=e i; not co<<ecti=ist. &t is a<< =ery we<< to repeat distracted<y+ @:hat are we coming to+ with a<< this 5o<she=ismA@ &t is eBua<<y re<e=ant to add+ @:hat are we coming to+ e=en without 5o<she=ismA@ he ob=ious answer is44,onopo<y. &t is certain<y not pri=ate enterprise. he (merican rust is not pri=ate enterprise. &t wou<d be truer to ca<< the Spanish &nBuisition pri=ate >udgment. ,onopo<y is neither pri=ate nor enterprising. &t exists to pre=ent pri=ate enterprise. (nd that system o; trust or monopo<y+ that comp<ete destruction o; property+ wou<d sti<< be the present goa< o; a<< our progress+ i; there were not a 5o<she=ist in the wor<d. #ow & am one o; those who be<ie=e that the cure ;or centra<iCation is decentra<iCation. &t has been described as a paradox. here is apparent<y something e<=ish and ;antastic about saying that when capita< has come to be too much in the hand o; the ;ew+ the right thing is to restore it into the hands o; the many. he Socia<ist wou<d put it in the hands o; e=en ;ewer peop<e? but those peop<e wou<d be po<iticians+ who Das we knowE a<ways administer it in the interests o; the many.

5ut be;ore & put be;ore the reader things written in the =ery thick o; the current contro=ersy+ & ;oresee it wi<< be necessary to pre;ace them with these ;ew paragraphs+ exp<aining a ;ew o; the terms and amp<i;ying a ;ew o; the assumptions. & was in the week<y paper arguing with peop<e who knew the shorthand o; this particu<ar argument? but to be c<ear<y understood+ we must begin with a ;ew de;initions or+ at <east+ descriptions. & assure the reader that & use words in Buite a de;inite sense+ but it is possib<e that he may use them in a di;;erent sense? and a mudd<e and misunderstanding o; that sort does not e=en rise to the dignity o; a di;;erence o; opinion. 'or instance+ Capita<ism is rea<<y a =ery unp<easant word. &t is a<so a =ery unp<easant thing. )et the thing & ha=e in mind+ when & say so+ is Buite de;inite and de;inab<e? on<y the name is a =ery unworkab<e word ;or it. 5ut ob=ious<y we must ha=e some word ;or it. :hen & say @Capita<ism+@ & common<y mean something that may be stated thus: @ hat economic condition in which there is a c<ass o; capita<ists+ rough<y recogniCab<e and re<ati=e<y sma<<+ in whose possession so much o; the capita< is concentrated as to necessitate a =ery <arge ma>ority o; the citiCens ser=ing those capita<ists ;or a wage.@ his particu<ar state o; things can and does exist+ and we must ha=e some word ;or it+ and some way o; discussing it. 5ut this is undoubted<y a =ery bad word+ because it is used by other peop<e to mean Buite other things. Some peop<e seem to mean mere<y pri=ate property. "thers suppose that capita<ism must mean anything in=o<=ing the use o; capita<. 5ut i; that use is too <itera<+ it is a<so too <oose and e=en too <arge. &; the use o; capita< is capita<ism+ then e=erything is capita<ism. 5o<she=ism is capita<ism and anarchist communism is capita<ism? and e=ery re=o<utionary scheme+ howe=er wi<d+ is sti<< capita<ism. %enin and rotsky be<ie=e as much as %<oyd George and homas that the economic operations o; to4day must <ea=e something o=er ;or the economic operations o; to4morrow. (nd that is a<< that capita< means in its economic sense. &n that case+ the word is use<ess. ,y use o; it may be arbitrary+ but it is not use<ess. &; capita<ism means pri=ate property+ & am capita<ist. &; capita<ism means capita<+ e=erybody is capita<ist. 5ut i; capita<ism means this particu<ar condition o; capita<+ on<y paid out to the mass in the ;orm o; wages+ then it does mean something+ e=en i; it ought to mean something e<se. he truth is that what we ca<< Capita<ism ought to be ca<<ed .ro<etarianism. he point o; it is not that some peop<e ha=e capita<+ but that most peop<e on<y ha=e wages because they do not ha=e capita<. & ha=e made an heroic e;;ort in my time to wa<k about the wor<d a<ways saying .ro<etarianism instead o; Capita<ism. 5ut my path has been a thorny one o; troub<es and misunderstandings. & ;ind that when & criticiCe the *uke o; #orthumber<and ;or his .ro<etarianism+ my meaning does not get home. :hen & say & shou<d o;ten agree with the ,orning .ost i; it were not so dep<orab<y .ro<etarian+ there seems to be some strange momentary impediment to the comp<ete communion o; mind with mind. )et that wou<d be strict<y accurate? ;or what & comp<ain o;+ in the current de;ence o; existing capita<ism+ is that it is a de;ence o; keeping most men in wage dependence? that is+ keeping most men without capita<. & am not the sort o; precision who pre;ers con=eying correct<y what he doesnFt mean+ rather than con=eying incorrect<y what he does. & am tota<<y indi;;erent to the term as compared to the meaning. & do not care whether & ca<< one thing or the other by this mere printed word beginning with a @C+@ so <ong as it is app<ied to one thing and not the other. & do not mind using a term as arbitrary as a mathematica< sign+ i; it is accepted <ike a mathematica< sign. & do not mind ca<<ing .roperty x and Capita<ism y+ so <ong as nobody thinks it necessary to say that x3y. & do not mind saying @cat@ ;or capita<ism and @dog@ ;or distributism+ so <ong as peop<e understand that the things are di;;erent enough to ;ight <ike cat and dog. he proposa< o; the wider distribution o; capita< remains the same+ whate=er we ca<< it+ or whate=er we ca<< the present g<aring contradiction o; it. &t is the same whether we state it by saying that there is too much capita<ism in the one sense or too <itt<e capita<ism in the other. (nd

it is rea<<y Buite pedantic to say that the use o; capita< must be capita<ist. :e might as ;air<y say that anything socia< must be Socia<ist? that Socia<ism can be identi;ied with a socia< e=ening or a socia< g<ass. :hich+ & grie=e to say+ is not the case. #e=erthe<ess+ there is enough =erba< =agueness about Socia<ism to ca<< ;or a word o; de;inition. Socia<ism is a system which makes the corporate unity o; society responsib<e ;or a<< its economic processes+ or a<< those a;;ecting <i;e and essentia< <i=ing. &; anything important is so<d+ the Go=ernment has so<d it? i; anything important is gi=en+ the Go=ernment has gi=en it? i; anything important is e=en to<erated+ the Go=ernment is responsib<e ;or to<erating it. his is the =ery re=erse o; anarchy? it is an extreme enthusiasm ;or authority. &t is in many ways worthy o; the mora< dignity o; the mind? it is a co<<ecti=e acceptance o; a =ery comp<ete responsibi<ity. 5ut it is si<<y o; Socia<ists to comp<ain o; our saying that it must be a destruction o; <iberty. &t is a<most eBua<<y si<<y o; (nti4Socia<ists to comp<ain o; the unnatura< and unba<anced bruta<ity o; the 5o<she=ist Go=ernment in crushing a po<itica< opposition. ( Socia<ist Go=ernment is one which in its nature does not to<erate any true and rea< opposition. 'or there the Go=ernment pro=ides e=erything? and it is absurd to ask a Go=ernment to pro=ide an opposition. )ou cannot go to the Su<tan and say reproach;u<<y+ @)ou ha=e made no arrangements ;or your brother dethroning you and seiCing the Ca<iphate.@ )ou cannot go to a medie=a< king and say+ @Kind<y <end me two thousand spears and one thousand bowmen+ as & wish to raise a rebe<<ion against you.@ Sti<< <ess can you reproach a Go=ernment which pro;esses to set up e=erything+ because it has not set up anything to pu<< down a<< it has set up. "pposition and rebe<<ion depend on property and <iberty. hey can on<y be to<erated where other rights ha=e been a<<owed to strike root+ besides the centra< right o; the ru<er. hose rights must be protected by a mora<ity which e=en the ru<er wi<< hesitate to de;y. he critic o; the State can on<y exist where a re<igious sense o; right protects his c<aims to his own bow and spear? or at <east+ to his own pen or his own printing4 press. &t is absurd to suppose that he cou<d borrow the roya< pen to ad=ocate regicide or use the Go=ernment printing4presses to expose the corruption o; the Go=ernment. )et it is the who<e point o; Socia<ism+ the who<e case ;or Socia<ism+ that un<ess a<< printing4presses are Go=ernment printing4presses+ printers may be oppressed. E=erything is staked on the StateFs >ustice? it is putting a<< the eggs in one basket. ,any o; them wi<< be rotten eggs? but e=en then you wi<< not be a<<owed to use them at po<itica< e<ections.

(bout ;i;teen years ago a ;ew o; us began to preach+ in the o<d #ew (ge and #ew :itness+ a po<icy o; sma<< distributed property Dwhich has since assumed the awkward but accurate name o; *istributismE+ as we shou<d ha=e said then+ against the two extremes o; Capita<ism and Communism. he ;irst criticism we recei=ed was ;rom the most bri<<iant 'abians+ especia<<y ,r. 5ernard Shaw. (nd the ;orm which that ;irst criticism took was simp<y to te<< us that our idea< was impossib<e. &t was on<y a case o; Catho<ic credu<ity about ;airy4ta<es. he %aw o; !ent+ and other economic <aws+ made it ine=itab<e that the <itt<e ri=u<ets o; property shou<d run down into the poo< o; p<utocracy. &n truth+ it was the 'abian wit+ and not mere<y the ory ;oo<+ who con;ronted our =ision with that =enerab<e =erba< opening+ @&; it were a<< di=ided up to4morrow44@ #e=erthe<ess+ we had an answer e=en in those days+ and though we ha=e since ;ound many others+ it wi<< c<ari;y the Buestion i; & repeat this point o; princip<e. &t is true that & be<ie=e in ;airy4 ta<es44 in the sense that & mar=e< so much at what does exist that & am the readier to admit what might. & understand the man who be<ie=es in the Sea Serpent on the ground that there are more ;ish in the sea than e=er came out o; it. 5ut & do it the more because the other man+ in his ardour

;or dispro=ing the Sea Serpent+ a<ways argues that there are not on<y no snakes in &ce<and+ but none in the wor<d. Suppose ,r. 5ernard Shaw+ commenting on this credu<ity+ were to b<ame me ;or be<ie=ing Don the word o; some <ying priestE that stones cou<d be thrown up into the air and hang there suspended <ike a rainbow. Suppose he to<d me tender<y that & shou<d not be<ie=e this .opish ;ab<e o; the magic stones+ i; & had e=er had the %aw o; Gra=ity scienti;ica<<y exp<ained to me. (nd suppose+ a;ter a<< this+ & ;ound he was on<y ta<king about the impossibi<ity o; bui<ding an arch. & think most o; us wou<d ;orm two main conc<usions about him and his schoo<. 'irst+ we shou<d think them =ery i<<4in;ormed about what is rea<<y meant by recogniCing a <aw o; nature. ( <aw o; nature can be recogniCed by resisting it+ or out4manoeu=ring it+ or e=en using it against itse<;+ as in the case o; the arch. (nd second+ and much more strong<y+ we shou<d think them astonishing<y i<<4in;ormed about what has a<ready been done upon this earth. Simi<ar<y+ the ;irst ;act in the discussion o; whether sma<< properties can exist is the ;act that they do exist. &t is a ;act a<most eBua<<y unmistakab<e that they not on<y exist but endure. ,r. Shaw a;;irmed+ in a sort o; abstract ;ury+ that @sma<< properties wi<< not stay sma<<.@ #ow it is interesting to note here that the opponents o; anything <ike a se=era< proprietary bring two high<y inconsistent charges against it. hey are perpetua<<y te<<ing us that the peasant <i;e in %atin or other countries is monotonous+ is unprogressi=e+ is co=ered with weedy superstitions+ and is a sort o; sur=i=a< o; the Stone (ge. )et e=en whi<e they taunt us with its sur=i=a<+ they argue that it can ne=er sur=i=e. hey point to the peasant as a perennia< stick4in4the4mud? and then re;use to p<ant him anywhere+ on the speci;ic ground that he wou<d not stick. #ow+ the ;irst o; the two types o; denunciation is arguab<e enough? but in order to denounce peasantries+ the critics must admit that there are peasantries to denounce. (nd i; it were true that they a<ways tended rapid<y to disappear+ it wou<d not be true that they exhibited those primiti=e customs and conser=ati=e opinions which they not on<y do+ in ;act+ exhibit+ but which the critics reproach them with exhibiting. hey cannot in common sense accuse a thing at once o; being antiBuated and o; being ephemera<. &t is+ o; course+ the dry ;act+ to be seen in broad day<ight+ that sma<< peasant properties are not ephemera<. 5ut anyhow+ ,r. Shaw and his schoo< must not say that arches cannot be bui<t+ and then that they dis;igure the <andscape. he *istributi=e State is not a hypothesis ;or him to demo<ish? it is a phenomenon ;or him to exp<ain. he truth is that the conception that sma<< property e=o<=es into Capita<ism is a precise picture o; what practica<<y ne=er takes p<ace. he truth is attested e=en by ;acts o; geography+ ;acts which+ as it seems to me+ ha=e been strange<y o=er<ooked. #ine times out o; ten+ an industria< ci=i<iCation o; the modern capita<ist type does not arise+ where=er e<se it may arise+ in p<aces where there has hitherto been a distributi=e ci=i<iCation <ike that o; a peasantry. Capita<ism is a monster that grows in deserts. &ndustria< ser=itude has a<most e=erywhere arisen in those empty spaces where the o<der ci=i<iCation was thin or absent. hus it grew up easi<y in the #orth o; Eng<and rather than the South? precise<y because the #orth had been comparati=e<y empty and barbarous through a<< the ages when the South had a ci=i<iCation o; gui<ds and peasantries. hus it grew up easi<y in the (merican continent rather than the European? precise<y because it had nothing to supp<ant in (merica but a ;ew sa=ages+ whi<e in Europe it had to supp<ant the cu<ture o; mu<titudinous ;arms. E=erywhere it has been but one stride ;rom the mudhut to the manu;acturing town. E=erywhere the mudhut which rea<<y turned into the ;ree ;arm has ne=er since mo=ed an inch towards the manu;acturing town. :here=er there was the mere <ord and the mere ser;+ they cou<d a<most instant<y be turned into the mere emp<oyer and the mere emp<oyee. :here=er there has been the ;ree man+ e=en when he was re<ati=e<y <ess rich and power;u<+ his mere memory has made comp<ete industria< capita<ism impossib<e. &t is an enemy that has sown these tares+ but e=en as an enemy he is a coward. 'or he can on<y sow them in waste p<aces+ where no wheat can spring

up and choke them. o take up our parab<e again+ we say ;irst that arches exist? and not on<y exist but remain. ( hundred !oman aBueducts and amphitheatres are there to show that they can remain as <ong or <onger than anything e<se. (nd i; a progressi=e person in;orms us that an arch a<ways turns into a ;actory chimney+ or e=en that an arch a<ways ;a<<s down because it is weaker than a ;actory chimney+ or e=en that where=er it does ;a<< down peop<e percei=e that they must rep<ace it by a ;actory chimney44why+ we sha<< be so audacious as to cast doubts on a<< these three assertions. (<< we cou<d possib<y admit is that the princip<e supporting the chimney is simp<er than the princip<e o; the arch? and ;or that =ery reason the ;actory chimney+ <ike the ;euda< tower+ can rise the more easi<y in a how<ing wi<derness. 5ut the image has yet a ;urther app<ication. &; at this moment the %atin countries are <arge<y made our mode< in the matter o; the sma<< property+ it is on<y in the sense in which they wou<d ha=e been+ through certain periods o; history+ the on<y exemp<ars o; the arch. here was a time when a<< arches were !oman arches? and when a man <i=ing by the %i;;ey or the hames wou<d know as <itt<e about them as ,r. Shaw knows about peasant proprietors. 5ut that does not mean that we ;ight ;or something mere<y ;oreign+ or ad=ance the arch as a sort o; &ta<ian ensign? any more than we want to make the hames as ye<<ow as the iber+ or ha=e any particu<ar taste in macaroni or ma<aria. he princip<e o; the arch is human+ and app<icab<e to and by a<< humanity. So is the princip<e o; we<<4distributed pri=ate property. hat a ;ew !oman arches stood in ruins in 5ritain is not a proo; that arches cannot be bui<t+ but on the contrary+ a proo; that they can. (nd now+ to comp<ete the coincidence or ana<ogy+ what is the princip<e o; the archA )ou can ca<< it+ i; you <ike+ an a;;ront to gra=itation? you wi<< be more correct i; you ca<< it an appea< to gra=itation. he princip<e asserts that by combining separate stones o; a particu<ar shape in a particu<ar way+ we can ensure that their =ery tendency to ;a<< sha<< pre=ent them ;rom ;a<<ing. (nd though my image is mere<y an i<<ustration+ it does to a great extent ho<d e=en as to the success o; more eBua<iCed properties. :hat upho<ds an arch is an eBua<ity o; pressure o; the separate stones upon each other. he eBua<ity is at once mutua< aid and mutua< obstruction. &t is not di;;icu<t to show that in a hea<thy society the mora< pressure o; di;;erent pri=ate properties acts in exact<y the same way. 5ut i; the other schoo< ;inds the key or comparison insu;;icient+ it must ;ind some other. &t is c<ear that no natura< ;orces can ;rustrate the ;act. o say that any <aw+ such as that o; rent+ makes against it is true on<y in the sense that many natura< <aws make against a<< mora<ity and the =ery essentia<s o; manhood. &n that sense+ scienti;ic arguments are as irre<e=ant to our case ;or property as ,r. Shaw used to say they were to his case against =i=isection. %ast<y+ it is not on<y true that the arch o; property remains+ it is true that the bui<ding o; such arches increases+ both in Buantity and Bua<ity. 'or instance+ the 'rench peasant be;ore the 'rench !e=o<ution was a<ready inde;inite<y a proprietor? it has made his property more pri=ate and more abso<ute+ not <ess. he 'rench are now <ess than e=er <ike<y to abandon the system+ when it has pro=ed ;or the second+ i; not the hundredth time+ the most stab<e type o; prosperity in the stress o; war. ( re=o<ution as heroic+ and e=en more unconBuerab<e+ has a<ready in &re<and disregarded a<ike the Socia<ist dream and the Capita<ist rea<ity+ with a dri=ing energy o; which no one has yet dared to ;oresee the <imits. So+ when the round arch o; the !omans and the #ormans had remained ;or ages as a sort o; re<ic+ the rebirth o; Christendom ;ound ;or it a ;urther app<ication and issue. &t sprang in an instant to the titanic stature o; the Gothic? where man seemed to be a god who had hanged his wor<ds upon nothing. hen was unsea<ed again something o; that ancient secret which had so strange<y described the priest as the bui<der o; bridges. (nd when & <ook to4day at some o; the bridges which he bui<t abo=e the air+ & can

understand a man sti<< ca<<ing them impossib<e+ as their on<y possib<e praise. :hat do we mean by that @eBua<ity o; pressure@ as o; the stones in an archA ,ore wi<< be said o; this in detai<? but in genera< we mean that the modern passion ;or incessant and rest<ess buying and se<<ing goes a<ong with the extreme ineBua<ity o; men too rich or too poor. he exp<anation o; the continuity o; peasantries Dwhich their opponents are simp<y ;orced to <ea=e unexp<ainedE is that+ where that independence exists+ it is =a<ued exact<y as any other dignity is =a<ued when it is regarded as norma< to a man? as no man goes naked or is beaten with a stick ;or hire. he theory that those who start reasonab<y eBua< cannot remain reasonab<y eBua< is a ;a<<acy ;ounded entire<y on a society in which they start extreme<y uneBua<. &t is Buite true that when capita<ism has passed a certain point+ the broken ;ragments o; property are =ery easi<y de=oured. &n other words+ it is true when there is a sma<< amount o; sma<< property? but it is Buite untrue when there is a <arge amount o; sma<< property. o argue ;rom what happened in the rush o; big business and the rout o; scattered sma<< businesses to what must a<ways happen when the parties are more on a <e=e<+ is Buite i<<ogica<. &t is pro=ing ;rom #iagara that there is no such thing as a <ake. "nce tip up the <ake and the who<e o; the water wi<< rush one way? as the who<e economic tendency o; capita<ist ineBua<ity rushes one way. %ea=e the <ake as a <ake+ or the <e=e< as a <e=e<+ and there is nothing to pre=ent the <ake remaining unti< the crack o; doom44 as many <e=e<s o; peasantry seem <ike<y to remain unti< the crack o; doom. his ;act is pro=ed by experience+ e=en i; it is not exp<ained by experience? but+ as a matter o; ;act+ it is possib<e to suggest not on<y the experience but the exp<anation. he truth is that there is no economic tendency whate=er towards the disappearance o; sma<< property+ unti< that property becomes so =ery sma<< as to cease to act as property at a<<. &; one man has a hundred acres and another man has ha<; an acre+ it is <ike<y enough that he wi<< be unab<e to <i=e on ha<; an acre. hen there wi<< be an economic tendency ;or him to se<< his <and and make the other man the proud possessor o; a hundred and a ha<;. 5ut i; one man has thirty acres and the other man has ;orty acres+ there is no economic tendency o; any kind whate=er to make the ;irst man se<< to the second. &t is simp<y ;a<se to say that the ;irst man cannot be secure o; thirty or the second man content with ;orty. &t is sheer nonsense? <ike saying that any man who owns a bu<< terrier wi<< be bound to se<< it to somebody who owns a masti;;. &t is <ike saying that & cannot own a horse because & ha=e an eccentric neighbour who owns an e<ephant. #eed<ess to say+ those who insist that rough<y eBua<iCed ownership cannot exist+ base their who<e argument on the notion that it has existed. hey ha=e to suppose+ in order to pro=e their point+ that peop<e in Eng<and+ ;or instance+ did begin as eBua<s and rapid<y reached ineBua<ity. (nd it on<y rounds o;; the humour o; their who<e position that they assume the existence o; what they ca<< an impossibi<ity in the one case where it has rea<<y not occurred. hey ta<k as i; ten miners had run a race+ and one o; them became the *uke o; #orthumber<and. hey ta<k as i; the ;irst !othschi<d was a peasant who patient<y p<anted better cabbages than the other peasants. he truth is that Eng<and became a capita<ist country because it had <ong been an o<igarchica< country. &t wou<d be much harder to point out in what way a country <ike *enmark need become o<igarchica<. 5ut the case is e=en stronger when we add the ethica< to the economic common sense. :hen there is once estab<ished a wide<y scattered ownership+ there is a pub<ic opinion that is stronger than any <aw? and =ery o;ten Dwhat in modern times is e=en more remarkab<eE a <aw that is rea<<y an expression o; pub<ic opinion. &t may be =ery di;;icu<t ;or modern peop<e to imagine a wor<d in which men are not genera<<y admired ;or co=etousness and crushing their neighbours but & assure them that such strange patches o; an earth<y paradise do rea<<y remain on earth.

he truth is that this ;irst ob>ection o; impossibi<ity in the abstract ;<ies ;<at in the ;ace o; a<< the ;acts o; experience and human nature. &t is not true that a mora< custom cannot ho<d most men content with a reasonab<e status+ and care;u< to preser=e it. &t is as i; we were to say that because some men are more attracti=e to women than others+ there;ore the inhabitants o; 5a<ham under 6ueen 8ictoria cou<d not possib<y ha=e been arranged on a monogamous mode<+ with one man one wi;e. Sooner or <ater+ it might be said+ a<< ;ema<es wou<d be ;ound c<ustering round the ;ascinating ;ew+ and nothing but bache<orhood be <e;t ;or the unattracti=e many. Sooner or <ater the suburb must consist o; a hundred hermitages and three harems. 5ut this is not the case. &t is not the case at present+ whate=er may happen i; the mora< tradition o; marriage is rea<<y <ost in 5a<ham. So <ong as that mora< tradition is a<i=e+ so <ong as stea<ing other peop<eFs wi=es is reprobated or being ;aith;u< to a spouse is admired+ there are <imits to the extent to which the wi<dest pro;<igate in 5a<ham can disturb the ba<ance o; the sexes. So any <and4grabber wou<d =ery rapid<y ;ind that there were <imits to the extent to which he cou<d buy up <and in an &rish or Spanish or Serbian =i<<age. :hen it is rea<<y thought hate;u< to take #abothFs =ineyard+ as it is to take $riahFs wi;e+ there is <itt<e di;;icu<ty in ;inding a <oca< prophet to pronounce the >udgment o; the %ord. &n an atmosphere o; capita<ism the man who <ays ;ie<d to ;ie<d is ;<attered? but in an atmosphere o; property he is prompt<y >eered at or possib<y stoned. he resu<t is that the =i<<age has not sunk into p<utocracy or the suburb into po<ygamy. .roperty is a point o; honour. he true contrary o; the word @property@ is the word @prostitution.@ (nd it is not true that a human being wi<< a<ways se<< what is sacred to that sense o; se<;4 ownership+ whether it be the body or the boundary. ( ;ew do it in both cases? and by doing it they a<ways become outcasts. 5ut it is not true that a ma>ority must do it? and anybody who says it is+ is ignorant+ not o; our p<ans and proposa<s+ not o; anybodyFs =isions and idea<s+ not o; distributism or di=ision o; capita< by this or that process+ but o; the ;acts o; history and the substance o; humanity. He is a barbarian who has ne=er seen an arch. &n the notes & ha=e here >otted down it wi<< be ob=ious+ o; course+ that the restoration o; this pattern+ simp<e as it is+ is much more comp<icated in a comp<icated society. Here & ha=e on<y traced it in the simp<est ;orm as it stood+ and sti<< stands+ at the beginning o; our discussion. & disregard the =iew that such @reaction@ cannot be. & ho<d the o<d mystica< dogma that what ,an has done+ ,an can do. ,y critics seem to ho<d a sti<< more mystica< dogma: that ,an cannot possib<y do a thing because he has done it. hat is what seems to be meant by saying that sma<< property is @antiBuated.@ &t rea<<y means that a<< property is dead. here is nothing to be reached upon the present <ines except the increasing <oss o; property by e=erybody+ as something swa<<owed up into a system eBua<<y impersona< and inhuman+ whether we ca<< it Communism or Capita<ism. &; we cannot go back+ it hard<y seems worth whi<e to go ;orward. here is nothing in ;ront but a ;<at wi<derness o; standardiCation either by 5o<she=ism or 5ig 5usiness. 5ut it is strange that some o; us shou<d ha=e seen sanity+ i; on<y in a =ision+ whi<e the rest go ;orward chained eterna<<y to en<argement without <iberty and progress without hope. 3333333333333333 && HE .E!&% "' HE H"$! :hen we are ;or a moment satis;ied+ or sated+ with reading the <atest news o; the <o;tiest socia< circ<es+ or the most exact records o; the most responsib<e courts o; >ustice+ we natura<<y turn to the seria< story in the newspaper+ ca<<ed @.oisoned by Her ,other@ or @ he ,ystery o; the Crimson :edding !ing+@ in search o; something ca<mer and more Buiet<y con=incing+ more rest;u<+ more

domestic+ and more <ike rea< <i;e. 5ut as we turn o=er the pages+ in passing ;rom the incredib<e ;act to the comparati=e<y credib<e ;iction+ we are =ery <ike<y to encounter a particu<ar phrase on the genera< sub>ect o; socia< degeneracy. &t is one o; a number o; phrases that seem to be kept in so<id b<ocks in the printing4o;;ices o; newspapers. %ike most o; these so<id statements+ it is o; a soothing character. &t is <ike the head<ine o; @Hopes o; a Sett<ement+@ by which we <earn that things are unsett<ed? or that topic o; the @!e=i=a< o; rade+@ which it is part o; the >ourna<istic trade periodica<<y to re=i=e. he sentence to which & re;er is to this e;;ect: that the ;ears about socia< degeneracy need not disturb us+ because such ;ears ha=e been expressed in e=ery age? and there are a<ways romantic and retrospecti=e persons+ poets+ and such ri;;4ra;;+ who <ook back to imaginary @good o<d times.@ &t is the mark o; such statements that they seem to satis;y the mind? in other words+ it is the mark o; such thoughts that they stop us ;rom thinking. he man who has thus praised progress does not think it necessary to progress any ;urther. he man who has dismissed a comp<aint+ as being o<d+ does not himse<; think it necessary to say anything new. He is content to repeat this apo<ogy ;or existing things? and seems unab<e to o;;er any more thoughts on the sub>ect. #ow+ as a matter o; ;act+ there are a number o; ;urther thoughts that might be suggested by the sub>ect. "; course+ it is Buite true that this notion o; the dec<ine o; a state has been suggested in many periods+ by many persons+ some o; them+ un;ortunate<y+ poets. hus+ ;or instance+ 5yron+ notorious<y so moody and me<odramatic+ had somehow or other got it into his head that the &s<es o; Greece were <ess g<orious in arts and arms in the <ast days o; urkish ru<e than in the days o; the batt<e o; Sa<amis or the !epub<ic o; .<ato. So again :ordsworth+ in an eBua<<y sentimenta< ;ashion+ seems to insinuate that the !epub<ic o; 8enice was not Buite so power;u< when #apo<eon trod it out <ike a dying ember as when its commerce and art ;i<<ed the seas o; the wor<d with a con;<agration o; co<our. So many writers in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries ha=e e=en gone so ;ar as to suggest that modern Spain p<ayed a <ess predominant part than Spain in the days o; the disco=ery o; (merica or the =ictory o; %epanto. Some+ e=en more <acking in that "ptimism which is the sou< o; commerce+ ha=e made an eBua<<y per=erse comparison between the ear<ier and the <ater conditions o; the commercia< aristocracy o; Ho<<and. Some ha=e e=en maintained that yre and Sidon are not Buite so ;ashionab<e as they used to be? and somebody once said something about @the ruins o; Carthage.@ &n somewhat simp<er <anguage+ we may say that a<< this argument has a =ery big and ob=ious ho<e in it. :hen a man says+ @.eop<e were as pessimistic as you are in societies which were not dec<ining+ but were e=en ad=ancing+@ it is permissib<e to rep<y+ @)es+ and peop<e were probab<y as optimistic as you are in societies which rea<<y dec<ined.@ 'or+ a;ter a<<+ there were societies which rea<<y dec<ined. &t is true that Horace said that e=ery generation seemed to be worse than the <ast+ and imp<ied that !ome was going to the dogs+ at the =ery moment when a<< the externa< wor<d was being brought under the eag<es. 5ut it is Buite <ike<y that the <ast ;orgotten court poet+ praising the <ast ;orgotten (ugustu<us at the sti;; court o; 5yCantium+ contradicted a<< the seditious rumours o; socia< dec<ine+ exact<y as our newspapers do+ by saying that+ a;ter a<<+ Horace had said the same thing. (nd it is a<so possib<e that Horace was right? that it was in his time that the turn was taken which <ed ;rom Horatius on the bridge to Herac<eius in the pa<ace? that i; !ome was not immediate<y going to the dogs+ the dogs were coming to !ome+ and their distant how<ing cou<d ;irst be heard in that hour o; the up<i;ted eag<es? that there had begun a <ong ad=ance that was a<so a <ong dec<ine+ but ended in the *ark (ges. !ome had gone back to the :o<;. & say this =iew is at <east tenab<e+ though it does not rea<<y represent my own? but it is Buite su;;icient<y reasonab<e to re;use to be dismissed with the cheap cheer;u<ness o; the current

maxim. here has been+ there can be+ such a thing as socia< dec<ine? and the on<y Buestion is+ at any gi=en moment+ whether 5yCantium had dec<ined or whether 5ritain is dec<ining. &n other words+ we must >udge any such case o; a<<eged degeneracy on its own merits. &t is no answer to say+ what is+ o; course+ per;ect<y true+ that some peop<e are natura<<y prone to such pessimism. :e are not >udging them+ but the situation which they >udged or mis>udged. :e may say that schoo<boys ha=e a<ways dis<iked ha=ing to go to schoo<. 5ut there is such a thing as a bad schoo<. :e may say the ;armers a<ways grumb<e at the weather. 5ut there is such a thing as a bad har=est. (nd we ha=e to consider as a Buestion o; the ;acts o; the case+ and not o; the ;ee<ings o; the ;armer+ whether the mora< wor<d o; modern Eng<and is <ike<y to ha=e a bad har=est. #ow the reasons ;or regarding the present prob<em o; Europe+ and especia<<y o; Eng<and+ as most menacing and tragic+ are entire<y ob>ecti=e reasons? and ha=e nothing to do with this a<<eged mood o; me<ancho<y reaction. he present system+ whether we ca<< it capita<ism or anything e<se+ especia<<y as it exists in industria< countries+ has a<ready become a danger? and is rapid<y becoming a death4trap. he e=i< is e=ident in the p<ainest pri=ate experience and in the co<dest economic science. o take the practica< test ;irst+ it is not mere<y a<<eged by the enemies o; the system+ but a=owed by the de;enders o; it. &n the %abour disputes o; our time+ it is not the emp<oyees but the emp<oyers who dec<are that business is bad. he success;u< business man is not p<eading success? he is p<eading bankruptcy. he case ;or Capita<ists is the case against Capita<ism. :hat is e=en more extraordinary is that its exponent has to ;a<< back on the rhetoric o; Socia<ism. He mere<y says that miners or rai<waymen must go on working @in the interests o; the pub<ic.@ &t wi<< be noted that the capita<ists now ne=er use the argument o; pri=ate property. hey con;ine themse<=es entire<y to this sort o; sentimenta< =ersion o; genera< socia< responsibi<ity. &t is amusing to read the capita<ist press on Socia<ists who sentimenta<<y p<ead ;or peop<e who are @;ai<ures.@ &t is now the chie; argument o; a<most e=ery capita<ist in e=ery strike that he is himse<; on the brink o; ;ai<ure. & ha=e one simp<e ob>ection to this simp<e argument in the papers about Strikes and the Socia<ist peri<. ,y ob>ection is that their argument <eads straight to Socia<ism. &n itse<; it cannot possib<y <ead to anything e<se. &; workmen are to go on working because they are the ser=ants o; the pub<ic+ there cannot be any deduction except that they ought to be the ser=ants o; the pub<ic authority. &; the Go=ernment ought to act in the interests o; the pub<ic+ and there is no more to be said+ then ob=ious<y the Go=ernment ought to take o=er the who<e business+ and there is nothing e<se to be done. & do not think the matter is so simp<e as this? but they do. & do not think this argument ;or Socia<ism is conc<usi=e. 5ut according to the (nti4Socia<ists the argument ;or Socia<ism is Buite conc<usi=e. he pub<ic a<one is to be considered+ and the Go=ernment can do anything it <ikes so <ong as it considers the pub<ic. .resumab<y it can disregard the <iberty o; the emp<oyees and ;orce them to work+ possib<y in chains. .resumab<y a<so it can disregard the property o; the emp<oyers+ and pay the pro<etariat ;or them+ i; necessary out o; their trouser4 pockets. (<< these conseBuences ;o<<ow ;rom the high<y 5o<she=ist doctrine baw<ed at us e=ery morning in the capita<ist press. hat is a<< they ha=e to say? and i; it is the on<y thing to be said+ then the other is the on<y thing to be done. &n the <ast paragraph it is noted that i; we were <e;t to the <ogic o; the <eader4writers on the Socia<ist peri<+ they cou<d on<y <ead us straight to Socia<ism. (nd as some o; us most hearti<y and =igorous<y re;use to be <ed to Socia<ism+ we ha=e <ong adopted the harder a<ternati=e ca<<ed trying to think things out. (nd we sha<< certain<y <and in Socia<ism or in something worse ca<<ed Socia<ism+ or e<se in mere chaos and ruin+ i; we make no e;;ort to see the situation as a who<e apart ;rom our immediate irritations. #ow the capita<ist system+ good or bad+ right or wrong+ rests

upon two ideas: that the rich wi<< a<ways be rich enough to hire the poor? and the poor wi<< a<ways be poor enough to want to be hired. 5ut it a<so presumes that each side is bargaining with the other+ and that neither is thinking primari<y o; the pub<ic. he owner o; an omnibus does not run it ;or the good o; a<< mankind+ despite the uni=ersa< ;raternity b<aConed in the %atin name o; the =ehic<e. He runs it to make a pro;it ;or himse<;+ and the poorer man consents to dri=e it in order to get wages ;or himse<;. Simi<ar<y+ the omnibus4conductor is not ;i<<ed with an abstract a<truistic desire ;or the nice conduct o; a crowded omnibus instead o; a c<ouded cane. He does not want to conduct omnibuses because conduct is three4;ourths o; <i;e. He is bargaining ;or the biggest wage he can get. #ow the case ;or capita<ism was that through this pri=ate bargain the pub<ic did rea<<y get ser=ed. (nd so ;or some time it did. 5ut the on<y origina< case ;or capita<ism co<<apses entire<y+ i; we ha=e to ask either party to go on ;or the good o; the pub<ic. &; capita<ism cannot pay what wi<< tempt men to work+ capita<ism is on capita<ist princip<es simp<y bankrupt. &; a tea4 merchant cannot pay c<erks+ and cannot import tea without c<erks+ then his business is bust and there is an end o; it. #obody in the o<d capita<ist conditions said the c<erks were bound to work ;or <ess+ so that a poor o<d <ady might get a cup o; tea. So it is rea<<y the capita<ist press that pro=es on capita<ist princip<es that capita<ism has come to an end. &; it had not+ it wou<d not be necessary ;or them to make the socia< and sentimenta< appea<s they do make. &t wou<d not be necessary ;or them to appea< ;or the inter=ention o; the Go=ernment <ike Socia<ists. &t wou<d not ha=e been necessary ;or them to p<ead the discom;ort o; passengers <ike sentimenta<ists or a<truists. he truth is that e=erybody has now abandoned the argument on which the who<e o; the o<d capita<ism was based: the argument that i; men were <e;t to bargain indi=idua<<y the pub<ic wou<d bene;it automatica<<y. :e ha=e to ;ind a new basis o; some kind? and the ordinary Conser=ati=es are ;a<<ing back on the Communist basis without knowing it. #ow & respect;u<<y dec<ine to ;a<< back on the Communist basis. 5ut & am sure it is per;ect<y impossib<e to continue to ;a<< back on the o<d Capita<ist basis. hose who try to do so tie themse<=es in Buite impossib<e knots. he most practica< and pressing a;;airs o; the hour exhibit the contradiction day a;ter day. 'or instance+ when some great strike or <ock4out takes p<ace in a big business <ike that o; the mines+ we are a<ways assured that no great sa=ing cou<d be achie=ed by cutting out pri=ate pro;its+ because those pri=ate pro;its are now neg<igib<e and the trade in Buestion is not now great<y enriching the ;ew. :hate=er be the =a<ue o; this particu<ar argument+ it ob=ious<y entire<y destroys the genera< argument. he genera< argument ;or capita<ism or indi=idua<ism is that men wi<< not ad=enture un<ess there are considerab<e priCes in the <ottery. &t is what is ;ami<iar in a<< Socia<istic debates as the argument o; @the incenti=e o; gain.@ 5ut i; there is no gain+ there is certain<y no incenti=e. &; roya<ty4owners and shareho<ders on<y get a <itt<e insecure or doubt;u< pro;it out o; pro;iteering+ it seems as i; they might as we<< ;a<< to the <ow<y estate o; so<diers and ser=ants o; society. & ha=e ne=er understood+ by the way+ why ory debaters are so =ery anxious to pro=e against Socia<ism that @State ser=ants@ must be incompetent and inert. Sure<y it might be <e;t to others to point out the <ethargy o; #e<son or the du<< routine o; Gordon. 5ut this co<<apse o; industria< indi=idua<ism+ which is not on<y a co<<apse but a contradiction Dsince it has to contradict a<< its own commonest maximsE+ is not on<y an accident o; our condition+ though it is most marked in our country. (nybody who can think in theories+ those high<y practica< things+ wi<< see that sooner or <ater this para<ysis in the system is ine=itab<e. Capita<ism is a contradiction? it is e=en a contradiction in terms. &t takes a <ong time to box the compass+ and a sti<< <onger time to see that it has done so? but the whee< has come ;u<< circ<e now. Capita<ism is contradictory as soon as it is comp<ete? because it is dea<ing with the mass o; men in two opposite ways at once. :hen most men are wage4earners+ it is more and more di;;icu<t ;or most

men to be customers. 'or+ the capita<ist is a<ways trying to cut down what his ser=ant demands+ and in doing so is cutting down what his customer can spend. (s soon as his business is in any di;;icu<ties+ as at present in the coa< business+ he tries to reduce what he has to spend on wages+ and in doing so reduces what others ha=e to spend on coa<. He is wanting the same man to be rich and poor at the same time. his contradiction in capita<ism does not appear in the ear<ier stages+ because there are sti<< popu<ations not reduced to the common pro<etarian condition. 5ut as soon as the wea<thy as a who<e are emp<oying the wage4earners as a who<e+ this contradiction stares them in the ;ace <ike an ironic doom and >udgment. Emp<oyer and emp<oyee are simp<i;ied and so<idi;ied to the re<ation o; !obinson Crusoe and ,an 'riday. !obinson Crusoe may say he has two prob<ems: the supp<y o; cheap <abour and the prospect o; trade with the nati=es. 5ut as he is dea<ing in these two di;;erent ways with the same man+ he wi<< get into a mudd<e. !obinson Crusoe may possib<y ;orce 'riday to work ;or nothing but his bare keep+ the white man possessing a<< the weapons. (s in the Geddes para<<e<+ he may economiCe with an (xe. 5ut he cannot cut down 'ridayFs sa<ary to nothing and then expect 'riday to gi=e him go<d and si<=er and orient pear<s in return ;or rum and ri;<es. #ow in proportion as capita<ism co=ers the who<e earth+ <inks up <arge popu<ations+ and is ru<ed by centra<iCed systems+ the nearer and nearer approaches this resemb<ance to the <one<y ;igures on the remote is<and. &; the trade with the nati=es is rea<<y going down+ so as to necessitate the wages o; the nati=es a<so going down+ we can on<y say that the case is rather more tragic i; the excuse is true than i; it is ;a<se. :e can on<y say that Crusoe is now indeed a<one+ and that 'riday is unBuestionab<y un<ucky. & think it =ery important that peop<e shou<d understand that there is a princip<e at work behind the industria< troub<es o; Eng<and in our time? and that+ whoe=er be right or wrong in any particu<ar Buarre<+ it is no particu<ar person or party who is responsib<e ;or our commercia< experiment being ;aced with ;ai<ure. &t is a =icious circ<e into which wage4earning society wi<< ;ina<<y sink when it begins to <ose pro;its and <ower wages? and though some industria< countries are sti<< rich enough to remain ignorant o; the strain+ it is on<y because their progress is incomp<ete? when they reach the goa< they wi<< ;ind the ridd<e. &n our own country+ which concerns most o; us most+ we are a<ready ;a<<ing into that =icious circ<e o; sinking wages and decreasing demand. (nd as & am going to suggest here+ in howe=er sketchy a manner+ the <ine o; escape ;rom this s<ow<y c<osing snare+ and because & know some o; the things that are common<y said about any such suggestion+ & ha=e a reason ;or reminding the reader o; a<< these things at this stage. @Sa;eG "; course itFs not sa;eG &tFs a beggar<y chance to cheat the ga<<ows.@ Such was the intemperate exc<amation o; Captain :icks in the romance o; Ste=enson? and the same romancer has put a somewhat simi<ar piece o; candour into the mouth o; (<an 5reck Stewart. @5ut mind you+ itFs no sma<< thingG ye maun <ie bare and hard . . . and ye sha<< s<eep with your hand upon your weapons. (ye+ man+ ye sha<< taig<e many a weary ;oot or we get c<ear. & te<< ye this at the start+ ;or itFs a <i;e that & ken we<<. 5ut i; ye ask what other chance you ha=e+ & answer? #ane.@ (nd & myse<; am sometimes tempted to ta<k in this abrupt manner+ a;ter <istening to <ong and thought;u< disBuisitions throwing doubt on the detai<ed per;ection o; a *istributist State+ as compared with the rich happiness and ;ina< repose that crowns the present Capita<ist and &ndustria< State. .eop<e ask us how we shou<d dea< with the unski<<ed <abour at the docks+ and what we ha=e to o;;er to rep<ace the radiant popu<arity o; %ord *e=onport and the permanent industria< peace o; the .ort o; %ondon. hose who ask us what we sha<< do with the docks se<dom seem to ask themse<=es what the docks wi<< do with themse<=es+ i; our commerce steadi<y dec<ines <ike that o; so many commercia< cities in the past. "ther peop<e ask us how we shou<d dea< with workmen ho<ding shares in a business that might possib<y go bankrupt. &t ne=er occurs

to them to answer their own Buestion+ in a capita<ist state in which business a;ter business is going bankrupt. :e ha=e got to dea< with the sma<<est and most remote possibi<ities o; our more simp<e and static society+ whi<e they do not dea< with the biggest and most b<atant ;acts about their own comp<ex and co<<apsing one. hey are inBuisiti=e about the detai<s o; our scheme+ and wish to arrange be;orehand a science o; casuistry ;or a<< the exceptions. 5ut they dare not <ook their own systems in the ;ace+ where ruin has become the ru<e. "ther peop<e wish to know whether a machine wou<d be permitted to exist in this or that position in our $topia? as an exhibit in a museum+ or a toy in the nursery+ or a @torture imp<ement o; the twentieth century@ shown in the Chamber o; Horrors. 5ut those who ask us so anxious<y how men are to work without machines do not te<< us how machines are to work i; men do not work them+ or how either machines or men are to work i; there is no work to do. hey are so eager to disco=er the weak points in our proposa< that they ha=e not yet disco=ered any strong points in their own practice. Strange that our =ain and sentimenta< =ision shou<d be so =i=id to these rea<ists that they can see its e=ery detai<? and that their own rea<ity shou<d be so =ague to them that they cannot see it at a<<? that they cannot see the most ob=ious and o=erwhe<ming ;act about it: that it is no <onger there. 'or it is one o; the grim and e=en gris<y >okes o; the situation that the =ery comp<aint they a<ways make o; us is specia<<y and pecu<iar<y true o; them. hey are a<ways te<<ing us that we think we can bring back the past+ or the barbarous simp<icity and superstition o; the past? apparent<y under the impression that we want to bring back the ninth century. 5ut they do rea<<y think they can bring back the nineteenth century. hey are a<ways te<<ing us that this or that tradition has gone ;or e=er+ that this or that cra;t or creed has gone ;or e=er? but they dare not ;ace the ;act that their own =u<gar and huckstering commerce has gone ;or e=er. hey ca<< us reactionaries i; we ta<k o; a !e=i=a< o; 'aith or a !e=i=a< o; Catho<icism. 5ut they go on ca<m<y p<astering their papers with the head<ine o; a !e=i=a< o; rade. :hat a cry out o; the distant pastG :hat a =oice ;rom the tombG hey ha=e no reason whate=er ;or be<ie=ing that there wi<< be a re=i=a< o; trade+ except that their great4grand;athers wou<d ha=e ;ound it impossib<e to be<ie=e in a dec<ine o; trade. hey ha=e no concei=ab<e ground ;or supposing that we sha<< grow richer+ except that our ancestors ne=er prepared us ;or the prospect o; growing poorer. )et it is they who are a<ways b<aming us ;or depending on a sentimenta< tradition o; the wisdom o; our ancestors. &t is they who are a<ways re>ecting socia< idea<s mere<y because they were the socia< idea<s o; some ;ormer age. hey are a<ways te<<ing us that the mi<< wi<< ne=er grind again the water that is past? without noticing that their own mi<<s are a<ready id<e and grinding nothing at a<<44<ike ruined mi<<s in some watery Ear<y 8ictorian <andscape suitab<e to their watery Ear<y 8ictorian Buotation. hey are a<ways te<<ing us that we are ;ighting against the tide o; time+ as ,rs. .artington with a mop ;ought against the tide o; the sea. (nd they cannot e=en see that time itse<; has made ,rs. .artington as antiBuated a ;igure as ,other Shipton. hey are a<ways te<<ing us that in resisting capita<ism and commercia<ism we are <ike Canute rebuking the wa=es? and they do not e=en know that the Eng<and o; Cobden is a<ready as dead as the Eng<and o; Canute. hey are a<ways seeking to o=erwhe<m us in the water4;<oods+ to sweep us away upon these weary and washy metaphors o; tide and time? ;or a<< the wor<d as i; they cou<d ca<< back the ri=ers that ha=e <e;t our cities so ;ar behind+ or summon back the se=en seas to their a<<egiance to the trident? or brid<e again+ with go<d ;or the ;ew and iron ;or the many+ the roaring ri=er o; the C<yde. :e may we<< be tempted to the exc<amation o; Captain :icks. :e are not choosing between a possib<e peasantry and a success;u< commerce. :e are choosing between a peasantry that might succeed and a commerce that has a<ready ;ai<ed. :e are not seeking to <ure men away ;rom a thri=ing business to a sort o; ho<iday in (rcadia or the peasant type o; $topia. :e are trying to make suggestions about starting anew a;ter a bankrupt business has rea<<y gone

bankrupt. :e can see no possib<e reason ;or supposing that Eng<ish trade wi<< regain its nineteenth4century predominance+ except mere 8ictorian sentimenta<ism and that particu<ar sort o; <ying which the newspapers ca<< @optimism.@ hey taunt us ;or trying to bring back the conditions o; the ,idd<e (ges? as i; we were trying to bring back the bows or the body4armour o; the ,idd<e (ges. :e<<+ he<mets ha=e come back? and body4armour may come back? and bows and arrows wi<< ha=e to come back+ a <ong time be;ore there is any return o; that ;ortunate moment on whose <uck they <i=e. &t is Buite as <ike<y that the <ong bow wi<< be ;ound through some accident superior to the ri;<e as that the batt<eship wi<< be ab<e any <onger to ru<e the wa=es without re;erence to the aerop<ane. he commercia< system imp<ied the security o; our commercia< routes? and that imp<ied the superiority o; our nationa< na=y. E=erybody who ;aces ;acts knows that a=iation has a<tered the who<e theory o; that na=a< security. he who<e huge horrib<e prob<em o; a big popu<ation on a sma<< is<and dependent on insecure imports is a prob<em Buite as much ;or Capita<ists and Co<<ecti=ists as ;or *istributists. :e are not choosing between mode< =i<<ages as part o; a serene system o; town4p<anning. :e are making a sortie ;rom a besieged city+ sword in hand? a sortie ;rom the ruin o; Carthage. @Sa;eG "; course itFs not sa;eG@ said Captain :icks. & think it is not un<ike<y that in any case a simp<er socia< <i;e wi<< return? e=en i; it return by the road o; ruin. & think the sou< wi<< ;ind simp<icity again+ i; it be in the *ark (ges. 5ut we are Christians and concerned with the body as we<< as the sou<? we are Eng<ishmen and we do not desire+ i; we can he<p it+ that the Eng<ish peop<e shou<d be mere<y the .eop<e o; the !uins. (nd we do most earnest<y desire a serious consideration o; whether the transition cannot be made in the <ight o; reason and tradition? whether we cannot yet do de<iberate<y and we<< what nemesis wi<< do waste;u<<y and without pity? whether we cannot bui<d a bridge ;rom these s<ippery downward s<opes to ;reer and ;irmer <and beyond+ without consenting yet that our most nob<e nation must descend into that =a<<ey o; humi<iation in which nations disappear ;rom history. 'or this purpose+ with great con=iction o; our princip<es and with no shame o; being open to argument about their app<ication+ we ha=e ca<<ed our companions to counci<. 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3HH&&& HE CH(#CE "' !EC"8E!)HH"nce upon a time+ or concei=ab<y e=en more than once+ there was a man who went into a pub<ic4house and asked ;or a g<ass o; beer. & wi<< not mention his name+ ;or =arious and ob=ious reasons? it may be <ibe< nowadays to say this about a man? or it may <ay him open to po<ice prosecution under the more humane <aws o; our day. So ;ar as this ;irst recorded action is concerned+ his name may ha=e been anything: :i<<iam Shakespeare or Geo;;rey Chaucer or Char<es *ickens or Henry 'ie<ding+ or any o; those common names that crop up e=erywhere in the popu<ace. he important thing about him is that he asked ;or a g<ass o; beer. he sti<< more important thing about him is that he drank it? and the most important thing o; a<< is that he spat it out again D& regret to sayE and threw the pewter mug at the pub<ican. 'or the beer was abominab<y bad. rue+ he had not yet submitted it to any chemica< ana<ysis? but+ a;ter he had drank a <itt<e o; it+ he ;e<t an inward+ a =ery inward+ persuasion that there was something wrong about it. :hen he had been i<< ;or a week+ steadi<y getting worse a<< the time+ he took some o; the beer to the .ub<ic (na<yst? and that <earned man+ a;ter boi<ing it+ ;reeCing it+ turning it green+ b<ue+ and ye<<ow+ and so on+ to<d him that it did indeed contain a =ast Buantity o; dead<y poison. @ o continue drinking it+@ said the man o; science thought;u<<y+ @wi<< undoubted<y be a course attended with risks+ but <i;e is inseparab<e ;rom risk. (nd be;ore you decide to abandon it+ you must make up your mind what Substitute you propose to put into your inside+ in p<ace o; the be=erage which at present Dmore or <essE reposes there. &; you wi<< bring me a <ist o; your se<ections in this di;;icu<t matter+ & wi<<

wi<<ing<y point out the =arious scienti;ic ob>ections that can be raised to a<< o; them.@ he man went away+ and became more and more i<<? and indeed he noticed that nobody e<se seemed to be rea<<y we<<. (s he passed the ta=ern+ his eye chanced to ;a<< upon =arious ;riends o; his writhing in agony on the ground+ and indeed not a ;ew o; them <ying dead and sti;; in heaps about the road. o his simp<e mind this seemed a matter o; some concern to the community? so he hurried to a po<ice court and <aid be;ore a magistrate a comp<aint against the inn. @&t wou<d indeed appear+@ said the Iustice o; the .eace+ @that the house you mention is one in which peop<e are systematica<<y murdered by means o; poison. 5ut be;ore you demand so drastic a course as that o; pu<<ing it down or e=en shutting it up+ you ha=e to consider a prob<em o; no <itt<e di;;icu<ty. Ha=e you considered precise<y what bui<ding you wou<d .ut &n &ts .<ace+ whether a44.@ (t this point & regret to say that the man ga=e a <oud scream and was ;orcib<y remo=ed ;rom the court announcing that he was going mad. &ndeed+ this con=iction o; his menta< ma<ady increased with his bodi<y ma<ady? to such an extent that he consu<ted a distinguished *octor o; .sycho<ogy and .sycho4(na<ysis+ who said to him con;identia<<y+ @(s a matter o; diagnosis+ there can be no doubt that you are su;;ering ;rom 5inkFs (berration? but when we come to treatment & may say ;rank<y that it is =ery di;;icu<t to ;ind anything to take the p<ace o; that a;;<iction. Ha=e you considered what is the a<ternati=e to madness44A@ :hereupon the man sprang up wa=ing his arms and cried+ @ here is none. here is no a<ternati=e to madness. &t is ine=itab<e. &t is uni=ersa<. :e must make the best o; it.@ So making the best o; it+ he ki<<ed the doctor and then went back and ki<<ed the magistrate and the pub<ic ana<yst+ and is now in an asy<um+ as happy as the day is <ong. &n the ;ab<e appearing abo=e the case is propounded which is primari<y necessary to see at the start o; a sketch o; socia< renewa<. &t concerned a gent<eman who was asked what he wou<d substitute ;or the poison that had been put into his inside+ or what constructi=e scheme he had to put in p<ace o; the den o; assassins that had poisoned him. ( simi<ar demand is made o; those o; us who regard p<utocracy as a poison or the present p<utocratic state as something <ike a den o; thie=es. &n the parab<e o; the poison it is possib<e that the reader may share some o; the impatience o; the hero. He wi<< say that nobody wou<d be such a ;oo< as not to get rid o; prussic acid or pro;essiona< crimina<s+ mere<y because there were di;;erences o; opinion about the course o; action that wou<d ;o<<ow getting rid o; them. 5ut & wou<d ask the reader to be a <itt<e more patient+ not on<y with me but with himse<;? and ask himse<; why it is that we act with this promptitude in the case o; poison and crime. &t is not+ e=en here+ rea<<y because we are indi;;erent to the substitute. :e shou<d not regard one poison as an antidote to the other poison+ i; it made the ma<ady worse. :e shou<d not set a thie; to catch a thie;+ i; it rea<<y increased the amount o; thie=ing. he princip<e upon which we are acting+ e=en i; we are acting too Buick<y to think+ or thinking too Buick<y to de;ine+ is ne=erthe<ess a princip<e that we cou<d de;ine. &; we mere<y gi=e a man an emetic a;ter he has taken a poison+ it is not because we think he can <i=e on emetics any more than he can <i=e on poisons. &t is because we think that a;ter he has ;irst reco=ered ;rom the poison+ and then reco=ered ;rom the emetic+ there wi<< come a time when he himse<; wi<< think he wou<d <ike a <itt<e ordinary ;ood. hat is the starting4point o; the who<e specu<ation+ so ;ar as we are concerned. &; certain impediments are remo=ed+ it is not so much a Buestion o; what we wou<d do as o; what he wou<d do. So i; we sa=e the <i=es o; a number o; peop<e ;rom the den o; poisoners+ we do not at that moment ask what they wi<< do with their <i=es. :e assume that they wi<< do something a <itt<e more sensib<e than taking poison. &n other words+ the =ery simp<e ;irst princip<e upon which a<< such re;orms rest+ is that there is some tendency to reco=ery in e=ery <i=ing thing i; we remo=e the pressure o; an immediate peri< or pain. #ow at the

beginning o; a<< this rough out<ine o; a socia< re;orm+ which & propose to trace here+ & wish to make c<ear this genera< princip<e o; reco=ery+ without which it wi<< be uninte<<igib<e. :e be<ie=e that i; things were re<eased they wou<d reco=er? but we a<so be<ie=e Dand this is =ery important in the practica< BuestionE that i; things e=en begin to be re<eased+ they wi<< begin to reco=er. &; the man mere<y <ea=es o;; drinking the bad beer+ his body wi<< make some e;;ort to reco=er its ordinary condition. &; the man mere<y escapes ;rom those who are s<ow<y poisoning him+ to some extent the =ery air he breathes wi<< be an antidote to his poison. (s & hope to exp<ain in the essays that ;o<<ow+ & think the Buestion o; the rea< socia< re;orm di=ides itse<; into two distinct stages and e=en ideas. "ne is arresting a race towards mad monopo<y that is a<ready going on+ re=ersing that re=o<ution and returning to something that is more or <ess norma<+ but by no means idea<? the other is trying to inspire that more norma< society with something that is in a rea< sense idea<+ though not necessari<y mere<y $topian. 5ut the ;irst thing to be understood is that any re<ie; ;rom the present pressure wi<< probab<y ha=e more mora< e;;ect than most o; our critics imagine. Hitherto a<< the triumphs ha=e been triumphs o; p<utocratic monopo<y? a<< the de;eats ha=e been de;eats o; pri=ate property. & =enture to guess that one rea< de;eat o; a monopo<y wou<d ha=e an instant and inca<cu<ab<e e;;ect+ ;ar beyond itse<;+ <ike the ;irst de;eats in the ;ie<d o; a mi<itary empire <ike .russia parading itse<; as in=incib<e. (s each group or ;ami<y ;inds again the rea< experience o; pri=ate property+ it wi<< become a centre o; in;<uence+ a mission. :hat we are dea<ing with is not a Buestion o; a Genera< E<ection to be counted by a ca<cu<ating machine. &t is a Buestion o; a popu<ar mo=ement+ that ne=er depends on mere numbers. hat is why we ha=e so o;ten taken+ mere<y as a working mode<+ the matter o; a peasantry. he point about a peasantry is that it is not a machine+ as practica<<y e=ery idea< socia< state is a machine? that is+ a thing that wi<< work on<y as it is set down to work in the pattern. )ou make <aws ;or a $topia? it is on<y by keeping those <aws that it can be kept a $topia. )ou do not make <aws ;or a peasantry. )ou make a peasantry? and the peasants make the <aws. & do not mean+ as wi<< be c<ear enough when & come to more detai<ed matters+ that <aws must not be used ;or the estab<ishment o; a peasantry or e=en ;or the protection o; it. 5ut & mean that the character o; a peasantry does not depend on <aws. he character o; a peasantry depends on peasants. ,en ha=e remained side by side ;or centuries in their separate and ;air<y eBua< ;arms+ without many o; them <osing their <and+ without any o; them buying up the bu<k o; the <and. )et =ery o;ten there was no <aw against their buying up the bu<k o; the <and. .easants cou<d not buy because peasants wou<d not se<<. hat is+ this ;orm o; moderate eBua<ity+ when once it exists+ is not mere<y a <ega< ;ormu<a? it is a<so a mora< and psycho<ogica< ;act. .eop<e beha=e when they ;ind themse<=es in that position as they do when they ;ind themse<=es at home. hat is+ they stay there? or at <east they beha=e norma<<y there. here is nothing in abstract <ogic to pro=e that peop<e cannot thus ;ee< at home in a Socia<ist $topia. 5ut the Socia<ists who describe $topias genera<<y ;ee< themse<=es in some dim way that peop<e wi<< not? and that is why they ha=e to make their mere <aws o; economic contro< so e<aborate and so c<ear. hey use their army o; o;;icia<s to mo=e men about <ike crowds o; capti=es+ ;rom o<d Buarters to new Buarters+ and doubt<ess to better Buarters. 5ut we be<ie=e that the s<a=es that we ;ree wi<< ;ight ;or us <ike so<diers. &n other words+ a<< that & ask in this pre<iminary note is that the reader shou<d understand that we are trying to make something that wi<< run o; itse<;. ( machine wi<< not run o; itse<;. ( man wi<< run o; himse<;? e=en i; he runs into a good many things that he wou<d ha=e been wiser to a=oid. :hen ;reed ;rom certain disad=antages+ he can to some extent take o=er the responsibi<ity. (<<

schemes o; co<<ecti=e concentration ha=e in them the character o; contro<<ing the man e=en when he is ;ree? i; you wi<<+ o; contro<<ing him to keep him ;ree. hey ha=e the idea that the man wi<< not be poisoned i; he has a doctor standing behind his chair at dinner4time+ to check the mouth;u<s and measure the wine. :e ha=e the idea that the man may need a doctor when he is poisoned+ but no <onger needs him when he is unpoisoned. :e do not say+ as they possib<y do say+ that he wi<< a<ways be per;ect<y happy or per;ect<y good? because there are other e<ements in <i;e besides the economic? and e=en the economic is a;;ected by origina< sin. :e do not say that because he does not need a doctor he does not need a priest or a wi;e or a ;riend or a God? or that his re<ations to these things can be ensured by any socia< scheme. 5ut we do say that there is something which is much more rea< and much more re<iab<e than any socia< scheme? and that is a society. here is such a thing as peop<e ;inding a socia< <i;e that suits them and enab<es them to get on reasonab<y we<< with each other. )ou do not ha=e to wait ti<< you ha=e estab<ished that sort o; society e=erywhere. &t makes a<< the di;;erence so soon as you ha=e estab<ished it anywhere. So i; & am to<d at the start: @)ou do not think Socia<ism or re;ormed Capita<ism wi<< sa=e Eng<and? do you rea<<y think *istributism wi<< sa=e Eng<andA@ & answer+ @#o? & think Eng<ishmen wi<< sa=e Eng<and+ i; they begin to ha=e ha<; a chance.@ & am there;ore in this sense hope;u<? & be<ie=e that the breakdown has been a breakdown o; machinery and not o; men. (nd & ;u<<y agree+ as & ha=e >ust exp<ained+ that <ea=ing work ;or a man is =ery di;;erent ;rom <ea=ing a p<an ;or a machine. & ask the reader to rea<iCe this distinction+ at this stage o; the description+ be;ore & go on to describe more de;inite<y some o; the possib<e directions o; re;orm. & am not at a<< ashamed o; being ready to <isten to reason? & am not at a<< a;raid o; <ea=ing matters open to ad>ustment? & am not at a<< annoyed at the prospect o; those who carry out these princip<es =arying in many ways in their programmes. & am much too much in earnest to treat my own programme as a party programme? or to pretend that my pri=ate bi<< must become an (ct o; .ar<iament without any amendments. 5ut & ha=e a particu<ar cause+ in this particu<ar case+ ;or insisting in this chapter that there is a reasonab<e chance o; escape? and ;or asking that the reasonab<e chance shou<d be considered with reasonab<e cheer;u<ness. & do not care =ery much ;or that sort o; (merican =irtue which is now sometimes ca<<ed optimism. &t has too much o; the ;<a=our o; Christian Science to be a com;ortab<e thing ;or Christians. 5ut & do ;ee<+ in the ;acts o; this particu<ar case+ that there is a reason ;or warning peop<e against a too hasty exhibition o; pessimism and the pride o; impotence. & do ask e=erybody to consider+ in a ;ree and open ;ashion+ whether something o; the sort here indicated cannot be carried out+ e=en i; it be carried out di;;erent<y in detai<? ;or it is a matter o; the understanding o; men. he position is much too serious ;or men to be anything but cheer;u<. (nd in this connection & wou<d =enture to utter a warning. ( man has been <ed by a ;oo<ish guide or a se<;4con;ident ;e<<ow4tra=e<<er to the brink o; a precipice+ which he might we<< ha=e ;a<<en o=er in the dark. &t may we<< be said that there is nothing to be done but to sit down and wait ;or the <ight. Sti<<+ it might be we<< to pass the hours o; darkness in some discussion about how it wi<< be best ;or them to make their way backwards to more secure ground? and the reco<<ection o; any ;acts and the ;ormu<ation o; any coherent p<an o; tra=e< wi<< not be waste o; time+ especia<<y i; there is nothing e<se to do. 5ut there is one piece o; ad=ice which we shou<d be inc<ined to gi=e to the guide who has misguided the simp<e stranger44 especia<<y i; he is a rea<<y simp<e stranger+ a man perhaps o; rude education and e<ementary emotions. :e shou<d strong<y ad=ise him not to begui<e the time by pro=ing conc<usi=e<y that it is impossib<e to go back+ that there is no rea<<y secure ground behind+ that there is no chance o; ;inding the homeward path again+ that the steps recent<y taken are irre=ocab<e+ and that progress must go ;orward and can ne=er return. &; he is a tact;u< man+ in spite o; his pre=ious error+ he wi<<

a=oid this tone in con=ersation. &; he is not a tact;u< man+ it is not a<together impossib<e that be;ore the end o; the con=ersation+ somebody wi<< go o=er the precipice a;ter a<<? and it wi<< not be the simp<e stranger. (n army has marched across a wi<derness+ its co<umn+ in the mi<itary phrase+ in the air? under a con;ident commander who is certain he wi<< pick up new communications which wi<< be ;ar better than the o<d ones. :hen the so<diers are a<most worn out with marching+ and the rank and ;i<e o; them ha=e su;;ered horrib<e pri=ations ;rom hunger and exposure+ they ;ind they ha=e on<y ad=anced unsupported into a hosti<e country? and that the signs o; mi<itary occupation to be seen on e=ery side are on<y those o; an enemy c<osing round. he march is sudden<y ha<ted and the commander addresses his men. here are a great many things that he may say. Some may ho<d that he had much better say nothing at a<<. ,any may ho<d that the <ess he says the better. "thers may urge+ =ery tru<y+ that courage is e=en more needed ;or a retreat than ;or an ad=ance. He may be ad=ised to rouse his disappointed men by threatening the enemy with a more dramatic disappointment? by dec<aring that they wi<< best him yet? that they wi<< dash out o; the net e=en as it is thrown+ and that their escape wi<< be ;ar more =ictorious than his =ictory. 5ut anyhow there is one kind o; speech which the commander wi<< not make to his men+ un<ess he is much more o; a ;oo< than his origina< b<under pro=es him. He wi<< not say: @:e ha=e now taken up a position which may appear to you =ery depressing? but & assure you it is nothing to the depression which you wi<< certain<y su;;er as you make a series o; ine=itab<y ;uti<e attempts to impro=e it+ or to ;a<< back on what you may ;oo<ish<y regard as a stronger position. & am =ery much amused at your absurd suggestions ;or getting back to our o<d communications? ;or & ne=er thought much o; your mangy o<d communications anyhow.@ here ha=e been mutinies in the desert be;ore now? and it is possib<e that the genera< wi<< not be ki<<ed in batt<e with the enemy. ( great nation and ci=i<iCation has ;o<<owed ;or a hundred years or more a ;orm o; progress which he<d itse<; independent o; certain o<d communications+ in the ;orm o; ancient traditions about the <and+ the hearth+ or the a<tar. &t has ad=anced under <eaders who were con;ident+ not to say cocksure. hey were Buite sure that their economic ru<es were rigid+ that their po<itica< theory was right+ that their commerce was bene;icent+ that their par<iaments were popu<ar+ that their press was en<ightened+ that their science was humane. &n this con;idence they committed their peop<e to certain new and enormous experiments? to making their own independent nation an eterna< debtor to a ;ew rich men? to pi<ing up pri=ate property in heaps on the ;aith o; ;inanciers? to co=ering their <and with iron and stone and stripping it o; grass and grain? to dri=ing ;ood out o; their own country in the hope o; buying it back again ;rom the ends o; the earth? to <oading up their <itt<e is<and with iron and go<d ti<< it was weighted <ike a sinking ship? to <etting the rich grow richer and ;ewer and the poor poorer and more numerous? to <etting the who<e wor<d be c<o=en in two with a war o; mere masters and mere ser=ants? to <osing e=ery type o; moderate prosperity and candid patriotism+ ti<< there was no independence without <uxury and no <abour without ug<iness? to <ea=ing the mi<<ions o; mankind dependent on indirect and distant discip<ine and indirect and distant sustenance+ working themse<=es to death ;or they knew not whom and taking the means o; <i;e ;rom they knew not where? and a<< hanging on a thread o; a<ien trade which grew thinner and thinner. o the peop<e who ha=e been brought into this position many things may sti<< be said. &t wi<< be right to remind them that mere wi<d re=o<t wi<< make things worse and not better. &t may be true to say that certain comp<exities must be to<erated ;or a time because they correspond to other comp<exities+ and the two must be care;u<<y simp<i;ied together. 5ut i; & may say one word to the princes and ru<ers o; such a peop<e+ who ha=e <ed them into such a pass+ & wou<d say to them as serious<y as anything was e=er said by man to men: @'or GodFs sake+ ;or our sake+ but+ abo=e a<<+ ;or your own sake+ do not be in this b<ind haste to te<< them there is no

way out o; the trap into which your ;o<<y has <ed them? that there is no road except the road by which you ha=e brought them to ruin? that there is no progress except the progress that has ended here. *o not be so eager to pro=e to your hap<ess =ictims that what is hap<ess is a<so hope<ess. *o not be so anxious to con=ince them+ now that you are at the end o; your experiment+ that you are a<so at the end o; your resources. *o not be so =ery e<oBuent+ so =ery e<aborate+ so =ery rationa< and radiant<y con=incing in pro=ing that your own error is e=en more irre=ocab<e and irremediab<e than it is. *o not try to minimiCe the industria< disease by showing it is an incurab<e disease. *o not brighten the dark prob<em o; the coa<4pit by pro=ing it is a bottom<ess pit. *o not te<< the peop<e there is no way but this? ;or many e=en now wi<< not endure this. *o not say to men that this a<one is possib<e? ;or many a<ready think it impossib<e to bear. (nd at some <ater time+ at some e<e=enth hour+ when the ;ates ha=e grown darker and the ends ha=e grown c<earer+ the mass o; men may sudden<y understand into what a b<ind a<<ey your progress has <ed them. hen they may turn on you in the trap. (nd i; they bore a<< e<se+ they might not bear the ;ina< taunt that you can do nothing? that you wi<< not e=en try to do anything. F:hat art thou+ man+ and why art thou despairingAF wrote the poet. FGod sha<< ;orgi=e thee a<< but thy despair.F ,an a<so may ;orgi=e you ;or b<undering and may not ;orgi=e you ;or despairing.@ 3333333333333333 &8 "# ( SE#SE "' .!"."! &"# hose o; us who study the papers and the par<iamentary speeches with proper attention must ha=e by this time a ;air<y precise idea o; the nature o; the e=i< o; Socia<ism. &t is a remote $topian dream impossib<e o; ;u<;i<ment and a<so an o=erwhe<ming practica< danger that threatens us at e=ery moment. &t is on<y a thing that is as distant as the end o; the wor<d and as near as the end o; the street. (<< that is c<ear enough? but the aspect o; it that arrests me at this moment is more especia<<y the $topian aspect. ( person who used to write in the *ai<y ,ai< paid some attention to this aspect? and represented this socia< idea<+ or indeed a<most any other socia< idea<+ as a sort o; paradise o; po<troons. He suggested that @weak<ings@ wished to be protected ;rom the strain and stress o; our =igorous indi=idua<ism+ and so cried out ;or this paterna< go=ernment or grand4 mother<y <egis<ation. (nd it was whi<e & was reading his remarks+ with a deep and ne=er4;ai<ing en>oyment+ that the image o; the &ndi=idua<ist rose be;ore me? o; the sort o; man who probab<y writes such remarks and certain<y reads them. he reader re;o<ds the *ai<y ,ai< and rises ;rom his intense<y indi=idua<istic break;ast4tab<e+ where he has >ust dispatched his bo<d and ad=enturous break;ast? the bacon cut in rashers ;rom the wi<d boar which but <ate<y turned to bay in his back garden? the eggs peri<ous<y snatched ;rom swaying nest and ;<apping bird at the top o; those topp<ing trees which ga=e the house its appropriate name o; .ine Crest. He puts on his curious and creati=e hat+ bui<t on some bo<d p<an entire<y made up out o; his own curious and creati=e head. He wa<ks outside his uniBue and unpara<<e<ed house+ a<so bui<t with his own we<<4won wea<th according to his own we<<4concei=ed architectura< design+ and seeming by its =ery out<ine against the sky to express his own passionate persona<ity. He strides down the street+ making his own way o=er hi<< and da<e towards the p<ace o; his own chosen and ;a=ourite <abour+ the workshop o; his imaginati=e cra;t. He <ingers on the way+ now to p<uck a ;<ower+ now to compose a poem+ ;or his time is his own? he is an indi=idua< and a ;ree man and not as these Communists. He can work at his own cra;t when he wi<<+ and <abour ;ar into the night to make up ;or an id<e morning. Such is the <i;e o; the c<erk in a wor<d o; pri=ate enterprise and practica< indi=idua<ism? such the manner o; his ;ree passage ;rom his home. He continues to stride <ight<y a<ong+ unti< he sees a;ar o;; the picturesBue and striking tower o; that workshop in which he wi<<+ as with the creati=e strokes o; a god . . .

He sees it+ & say+ a;ar o;;. he expression is not who<<y accidenta<. 'or that is exact<y the de;ect in a<< that sort o; >ourna<istic phi<osophy o; indi=idua<ism and enterprise? that those things are at present e=en more remote and improbab<e than communa< =isions. &t is not the dread;u< 5o<she=ist repub<ic that is a;ar o;;. &t is not the Socia<istic State that is $topian. &n that sense+ it is not e=en $topia that is $topian. he Socia<ist State may in one sense be =ery tru<y described as terrib<y and menacing<y near. he Socia<ist State is exceeding<y <ike the Capita<ist State+ in which the c<erk reads and the >ourna<ist writes. $topia is exact<y <ike the present state o; a;;airs+ on<y worse. &t wou<d make no di;;erence to the c<erk i; his >ob became a part o; a Go=ernment department to4 morrow. He wou<d be eBua<<y ci=i<iCed and eBua<<y unci=ic i; the distant and shadowy person at the head o; the department were a Go=ernment o;;icia<. &ndeed+ it does make =ery <itt<e di;;erence to him now+ whether he or his sons and daughters are emp<oyed at the .ost ";;ice on bo<d and re=o<utionary Socia<istic princip<es or emp<oyed at the Stores on wi<d and ad=enturous &ndi=idua<ist princip<es. & ne=er heard o; anything resemb<ing ci=i< war between the daughter at the Stores and the daughter in the .ost ";;ice. & doubt whether the young <ady at the .ost ";;ice is so imbued with 5o<she=ist princip<es that she wou<d think it a part o; the Higher ,ora<ity to expropriate something without payment o;; the counter o; the Stores. & doubt whether the young <ady at the Stores shudders when she passes a red pi<<ar box+ seeing in it an outpost o; the !ed .eri<. :hat is rea<<y a <ong way o;; is this indi=idua<ity and <iberty the *ai<y ,ai< praised. &t is the tower that a man has bui<t ;or himse<; that is seen in the distance. &t is .ri=ate Enterprise that is $topian+ in the sense o; something as distant as $topia. &t is .ri=ate .roperty that is ;or us an idea< and ;or our critics an impossibi<ity. &t is that which can rea<<y be discussed a<most exact<y as the writer in the *ai<y ,ai< discusses Co<<ecti=ism. &t is that which some peop<e consider a goa< and some peop<e a mirage. &t is that which its ;riends maintain to be the ;ina< satis;action o; modern hopes and hungers+ and its enemies maintain to be a contradiction to common sense and common human possibi<ities. (<< the contro=ersia<ists who ha=e become conscious o; the rea< issue are a<ready saying o; our idea< exact<y what used to be said o; the Socia<istsF idea<. hey are saying that pri=ate property is too idea< not to be impossib<e. hey are saying that pri=ate enterprise is too good to be true. hey are saying that the idea o; ordinary men owning ordinary possessions is against the <aws o; po<itica< economy and reBuires an a<teration in human nature. hey are saying that a<< practica< business men know that the thing wou<d ne=er work+ exact<y as the same ob<iging peop<e are a<ways prepared to know that State management wou<d ne=er work. 'or they ho<d the simp<e and touching ;aith that no management except their own cou<d e=er work. hey ca<< this the <aw o; nature? and they ca<< anybody who =entures to doubt it a weak<ing. 5ut the point to see is that+ a<though the norma< so<ution o; pri=ate property ;or a<< is e=en now not =ery wide<y rea<iCed+ in so ;ar as it is rea<iCed by the ru<ers o; the modern market Dand there;ore o; the modern wor<dE it is to this norma< notion o; property that they app<y the same criticism as they app<ied to the abnorma< notion o; Communism. hey say it is $topian? and they are right. hey say it is idea<istic? and they are right. hey say it is Buixotic? and they are right. &t deser=es e=ery name that wi<< indicate how comp<ete<y they ha=e dri=en >ustice out o; the wor<d? e=ery name that wi<< measure how remote ;rom them and their sort is the standard o; honourab<e <i=ing? e=ery name that wi<< emphasiCe and repeat the ;act that property and <iberty are sundered ;rom them and theirs+ by an abyss between hea=en and he<<. hat is the rea< issue to be ;ought out with our serious critics? and & ha=e written here a series o; artic<es dea<ing more direct<y with it. &t is the Buestion o; whether this idea< can be anything but an

idea<? not the Buestion o; whether it is to be con;ounded with the present contemptib<e rea<ity. &t is simp<y the Buestion o; whether this good thing is rea<<y too good to be true. 'or the present & wi<< mere<y say that i; the pessimists are con=inced o; their pessimism+ i; the sceptics rea<<y ho<d that our socia< idea< is now banished ;or e=er by mechanica< di;;icu<ties or materia<istic ;ate+ they ha=e at <east reached a remarkab<e and curious conc<usion. &t is hard<y stranger to say that man wi<< ha=e hence;orth to be separated ;rom his arms and <egs+ owing to the impro=ed pattern o; whee<s+ than to say that he must ;or e=er say ;arewe<< to two supports so natura< as the sense o; choosing ;or himse<; and o; owning something o; his own. hese critics+ whether they ;igure as critics o; Socia<ism or *istributism+ are =ery ;ond o; ta<king about extra=agant stretches o; the imagination or impossib<e strains upon human nature. & con;ess & ha=e to stretch and strain my own human imagination and human nature =ery ;ar+ to concei=e anything so crooked and uncanny as the human race ending with a comp<ete ;orget;u<ness o; the possessi=e pronoun. #e=erthe<ess+ as we say+ it is with these critics we are in contro=ersy. *istribution may be a dream? three acres and a cow may be a >oke? cows may be ;abu<ous anima<s? <iberty may be a name? pri=ate enterprise may be a wi<d goose chase on which the wor<d can go no ;urther. 5ut as ;or the peop<e who ta<k as i; property and pri=ate enterprise were the princip<es now in operation44 those peop<e are so b<ind and dea; and dead to a<< the rea<ities o; their own dai<y existence+ that they can be dismissed ;rom the debate. &n this sense+ there;ore+ we are indeed $topian? in the sense that our task is possib<y more distant and certain<y more di;;icu<t. :e are more re=o<utionary in the sense that a re=o<ution means a re=ersa<: a re=ersa< o; direction+ e=en i; it were accompanied with a restraint upon pace. he wor<d we want is much more di;;erent ;rom the existing wor<d than the existing wor<d is di;;erent ;rom the wor<d o; Socia<ism. &ndeed+ as has been a<ready noted+ there is not much di;;erence between the present wor<d and Socia<ism? except that we ha=e <e;t out the <ess important and more ornamenta< notions o; Socia<ism+ such additiona< ;ancies as >ustice+ citiCenship+ the abo<ition o; hunger+ and so on. :e ha=e a<ready accepted anything that anybody o; inte<<igence e=er dis<iked in Socia<ism. :e ha=e e=erything that critics used to comp<ain o; in the deso<ate uti<ity and unity o; %ooking 5ackward. &n so ;ar as the wor<d o; :e<<s or :ebb was criticiCed as a centra<iCed+ impersona<+ and monotonous ci=i<iCation+ that is an exact description o; existing ci=i<iCation. #othing has been <e;t out but some id<e ;ancies about ;eeding the poor or gi=ing rights to the popu<ace. &n e=ery other way the uni;ication and regimentation is a<ready comp<ete. $topia has done its worst. Capita<ism has done a<< that Socia<ism threatened to do. he c<erk has exact<y the sort o; passi=e ;unctions and permissi=e p<easures that he wou<d ha=e in the most monstrous mode< =i<<age. & do not sneer at him? he has many inte<<igent tastes and domestic =irtues in spite o; the ci=i<iCation he en>oys. hey are exact<y the tastes and =irtues he cou<d ha=e as a tenant and ser=ant o; the State. 5ut ;rom the moment he wakes up to the moment he goes to s<eep again+ his <i;e is run in groo=es made ;or him by other peop<e+ and o;ten other peop<e he wi<< ne=er e=en know. He <i=es in a house that he does not own+ that he did not make+ that he does not want. He mo=es e=erywhere in ruts? he a<ways goes up to his work on rai<s. He has ;orgotten what his ;athers+ the hunters and the pi<grims and the wandering minstre<s+ meant by ;inding their way to a p<ace. He thinks in terms o; wages? that is+ he has ;orgotten the rea< meaning o; wea<th. His highest ambition is concerned with getting this or that subordinate post in a business that is a<ready a bureaucracy. here is a certain amount o; competition ;or that post inside that business? but so there wou<d be inside any bureaucracy. his is a point that the apo<ogists o; monopo<y o;ten miss. hey sometimes p<ead that e=en in such a system there may sti<< be a competition among ser=ants? presumab<y a competition in ser=i<ity. 5ut so there might be a;ter #ationa<iCation+ when they were a<< Go=ernment ser=ants. he who<e ob>ection to State

Socia<ism =anishes+ i; that is an answer to the ob>ection. &; e=ery shop were as thorough<y nationa<iCed as a po<ice station+ it wou<d not pre=ent the p<easing =irtues o; >ea<ousy+ intrigue+ and se<;ish ambition ;rom b<ooming and b<ossoming among them+ as they sometimes do e=en among po<icemen. (nyhow+ that wor<d exists? and to cha<<enge that wor<d may be ca<<ed $topian? to change that wor<d may be ca<<ed insane<y $topian. &n that sense the name may be app<ied to me and those who agree with me+ and we sha<< not Buarre< with it. 5ut in another sense the name is high<y mis<eading and particu<ar<y inappropriate. he word @$topia@ imp<ies not on<y di;;icu<ty o; attainment but a<so other Bua<ities attached to it in such examp<es as the $topia o; ,r. :e<<s. (nd it is essentia< to exp<ain at once why they do not attach to our $topia44i; it is a $topia. here is such a thing as what we shou<d ca<< idea< *istributism? though we shou<d not+ in this =a<e o; tears+ expect *istributism to be idea<. &n the same sense there certain<y is such a thing as idea< Communism. 5ut there is no such thing as idea< Capita<ism? and there is no such thing as a Capita<ist idea<. (s we ha=e a<ready noticed Dthough it has not been noticed o;ten enoughE+ whene=er the capita<ist does become an idea<ist+ and specia<<y when he does become a sentimenta<ist+ he a<ways ta<ks <ike a Socia<ist. He a<ways ta<ks about @socia< ser=ice@ and our common interests in the who<e community. 'rom this it ;o<<ows that in so ;ar as such a man is <ike<y to ha=e such a thing as a $topia+ it wi<< be more or <ess in the sty<e o; a Socia<ist $topia. he success;u< ;inancier can put up with an imper;ect wor<d+ whether or no he has the Christian humi<ity to recogniCe himse<; as one o; its imper;ections. 5ut i; he is ca<<ed upon to concei=e a per;ect wor<d+ it wi<< be something in the way o; the pattern state o; the 'abians or the &.%... He wi<< <ook ;or something systematiCed+ something simp<i;ied+ something a<< on the same p<an. (nd he wi<< not get it? at <east he wi<< not get it ;rom me. &t is exact<y ;rom that simp<i;ication and sameness that & pray to be sa=ed+ and shou<d be proud i; & cou<d sa=e anybody. &t is exact<y ;rom that order and unity that & ca<< on the name o; %iberty to de<i=er us. :e do not o;;er per;ection? what we o;;er is proportion. :e wish to correct the proportions o; the modern state? but proportion is between =aried things? and a proportion is hard<y e=er a pattern. &t is as i; we were drawing the picture o; a <i=ing man and they thought we were drawing a diagram o; whee<s and rods ;or the construction o; a !obot. :e do not propose that in a hea<thy society a<< <and shou<d be he<d in the same way? or that a<< property shou<d be owned on the same conditions? or that a<< citiCens shou<d ha=e the same re<ation to the city. &t is our who<e point that the centra< power needs <esser powers to ba<ance and check it+ and that these must be o; many kinds: some indi=idua<+ some communa<+ some o;;icia<+ and so on. Some o; them wi<< probab<y abuse their pri=i<ege? but we pre;er the risk to that o; the State or o; the rust+ which abuses its omnipotence. 'or instance+ & am sometimes b<amed ;or not be<ie=ing in my own age+ or b<amed sti<< more ;or be<ie=ing in my own re<igion. & am ca<<ed medie=a<? and some ha=e e=en traced in me a bias in ;a=our o; the Catho<ic Church to which & be<ong. 5ut suppose we were to take a para<<e< ;rom these things. &; anyone said that medie=a< kings or modern peasant countries were to b<ame ;or to<erating patches o; a=owed 5o<she=ism+ we shou<d be rather surprised i; we ;ound that the remark rea<<y re;erred to their to<erating monasteries. )et it is Buite true in one sense that monasteries are de=oted to Communism and that monks are a<< Communists. heir economic and ethica< <i;e is an exception to a genera< ci=i<iCation o; ;euda<ism or ;ami<y <i;e. )et their pri=i<eged position was regarded as rather a prop o; socia< order. hey gi=e to certain communa< ideas their proper and proportionate p<ace in the State? and something o; the same thing was true o; the Common %and. :e shou<d we<come the chance o; a<<owing any gui<ds or groups o; a

communa< co<our their proper and proportionate p<ace in the State? we shou<d be per;ect<y wi<<ing to mark o;; some part o; the <and as Common %and. :hat we say is that mere<y nationa<iCing a<< the <and is <ike mere<y making monks o; a<< the peop<e? it is gi=ing those idea<s more than their proper and proportionate p<ace in the State. he ordinary meaning o; Communism is not that some peop<e are Communists+ but that a<< peop<e are Communists. 5ut we shou<d not say+ in the same hard and <itera< sense+ that the meaning o; *istributism is that a<< peop<e are *istributists. :e certain<y shou<d not say that the meaning o; a peasant state is that a<< peop<e are peasants. :e shou<d mean that it had the genera< character o; a peasant state? that the <and was <arge<y he<d in that ;ashion and the <aw genera<<y directed in that spirit? that any other institutions stood up as recogniCab<e exceptions+ as <andmarks on that high tab<e<and o; eBua<ity. &; this is inconsistent+ nothing is consistent? i; this is unpractica<+ a<< human <i;e in unpractica<. &; a man wants what he ca<<s a ;<ower4garden he p<ants ;<owers where he can+ and especia<<y where they wi<< determine the genera< character o; the <andscape gardening. 5ut they do not comp<ete<y co=er the garden? they on<y positi=e<y co<our it. He does not expect roses to grow in the chimney4 pots+ or daisies to c<imb up the rai<ings? sti<< <ess does he expect tu<ips to grow on the pine+ or the monkey tree to b<ossom <ike a rhododendron. 5ut he knows per;ect<y we<< what he means by a ;<ower4garden? and so does e=erybody e<se. &; he does not want a ;<ower4garden but a kitchen4 garden+ he proceeds di;;erent<y. 5ut he does not expect a kitchen4garden to be exact<y <ike a kitchen. He does not dig out a<< the potatoes+ because it is not a ;<ower4garden and the potato has a ;<ower. He knows the main thing he is trying to achie=e? but+ not being a born ;oo<+ he does not think he can achie=e it e=erywhere in exact<y the same degree+ or in a manner eBua<<y unmixed with things o; another sort. he ;<ower4gardener wi<< not banish nasturtiums to the kitchen4garden because some strange peop<e ha=e been known to eat them. #or wi<< the other c<ass a =egetab<e as a ;<ower because it is ca<<ed a cau<i;<ower. So+ ;rom our socia< garden+ we shou<d not necessari<y exc<ude e=ery modern machine any more than we shou<d exc<ude e=ery medie=a< monastery. (nd indeed the apo<ogue is appropriate enough? ;or this is the sort o; e<ementary human reason that men ne=er <ost unti< they <ost their gardens: >ust as that higher reason that is more than human was <ost with a garden <ong ago. 3333333333333333 && S",E (S.EC S "' 5&G 5$S&#ESS /. he 5<u;; o; the 5ig Shops 1. ( ,isunderstanding about ,ethod 7. ( Case in .oint 9. he yranny o; rusts 3333333333333333 & HE 5%$'' "' HE 5&G SH".S wice in my <i;e has an editor to<d me in so many words that he dared not print what & had written+ because it wou<d o;;end the ad=ertisers in his paper. he presence o; such pressure exists e=erywhere in a more si<ent and subt<e ;orm. 5ut & ha=e a great respect ;or the honesty o; this particu<ar editor? ;or it was+ e=ident<y as near to comp<ete honesty as the editor o; an important week<y magaCine can possib<y go. He to<d the truth about the ;a<sehood he had to te<<. "n both those occasions he denied me <iberty o; expression because & said that the wide<y ad=ertised stores and <arge shops were rea<<y worse than <itt<e shops. hat+ it may be interesting to note+ is one o; the things that a man is now ;orbidden to say? perhaps the on<y thing he is rea<<y ;orbidden to say. &; it had been an attack on Go=ernment+ it wou<d ha=e been to<erated. &; it had

been an attack on God+ it wou<d ha=e been respect;u<<y and tact;u<<y app<auded. &; & had been abusing marriage or patriotism or pub<ic decency+ & shou<d ha=e been hera<ded in head<ines and a<<owed to spraw< across Sunday newspapers. 5ut the big newspaper is not <ike<y to attack the big shop? being itse<; a big shop in its way and more and more a monument o; monopo<y. 5ut it wi<< be we<< i; & repeat here in a book what & ;ound it impossib<e to repeat in an artic<e. & think the big shop is a bad shop. & think it bad not on<y in a mora< but a mercanti<e sense? that is+ & think shopping there is not on<y a bad action but a bad bargain. & think the monster emporium is not on<y =u<gar and inso<ent+ but incompetent and uncom;ortab<e? and & deny that its <arge organiCation is e;;icient. %arge organiCation is <oose organiCation. #ay+ it wou<d be a<most as true to say that organiCation is a<ways disorganiCation. he on<y thing per;ect<y organic is an organism? <ike that grotesBue and obscure organism ca<<ed a man. He a<one can be Buite certain o; doing what he wants? beyond him+ e=ery extra man may be an extra mistake. (s app<ied to things <ike shops+ the who<e thing is an utter ;a<<acy. Some things <ike armies ha=e to be organiCed? and there;ore do their =ery best to be we<< organiCed. )ou must ha=e a <ong rigid <ine stretched out to guard a ;rontier? and there;ore you stretch it tight. 5ut it is not true that you must ha=e a <ong rigid <ine o; peop<e trimming hats or tying bouBuets+ in order that they may be trimmed or tied neat<y. he work is much more <ike<y to be neat i; it is done by a particu<ar cra;tsman ;or a particu<ar customer with particu<ar ribbons and ;<owers. he person to<d to trim the hat wi<< ne=er do it Buite suitab<y to the person who wants it trimmed? and the hundredth person to<d to do it wi<< do it bad<y? as he does. &; we co<<ected a<< the stories ;rom a<< the housewi=es and househo<ders about the big shops sending the wrong goods+ smashing the right goods+ ;orgetting to send any sort o; goods+ we shou<d beho<d a we<ter o; ine;;iciency. here are ;ar more b<unders in a big shop than e=er happen in a sma<< shop+ where the indi=idua< customer can curse the indi=idua< shopkeeper. Con;ronted with modern e;;iciency the customer is si<ent? we<< aware o; that organiCationFs ta<ent ;or sacking the wrong man. &n short+ organiCation is a necessary e=i<44which in this case is not necessary. & ha=e begun these notes with a note on the big shops because they are things near to us and ;ami<iar to us a<<. & need not dwe<< on other and sti<< more entertaining c<aims made ;or the co<ossa< combination o; departments. "ne o; the ;unniest is the statement that it is con=enient to get e=erything in the same shop. hat is to stay+ it is con=enient to wa<k the <ength o; the street+ so <ong as you wa<k indoors+ or more ;reBuent<y underground+ instead o; wa<king the same distance in the open air ;rom one <itt<e shop to another. he truth is that the monopo<istsF shops are rea<<y =ery con=enient44to the monopo<ist. hey ha=e a<< the ad=antage o; concentrating business as they concentrate wea<th+ in ;ewer and ;ewer o; the citiCens. heir wea<th sometimes permits them to pay to<erab<e wages? their wea<th a<so permits them to buy up better businesses and ad=ertise worse goods. 5ut that their own goods are better nobody has e=er e=en begun to show? and most o; us know any number o; concrete cases where they are de;inite<y worse. #ow & expressed this opinion o; my own Dso shocking to the magaCine editor and his ad=ertisersE not on<y because it is an examp<e o; my genera< thesis that sma<< properties shou<d be re=i=ed+ but because it is essentia< to the rea<iCation o; another and much more curious truth. &t concerns the psycho<ogy o; a<< these things: o; mere siCe+ o; mere wea<th+ o; mere ad=ertisement and arrogance. (nd it gi=es us the ;irst working mode< o; the way in which things are done to4day and the way in which Dp<ease GodE they may be undone to4morrow. here is one ob=ious and enormous and entire<y neg<ected genera< ;act to be noted be;ore we consider the <aws chie;<y needed to renew the State. (nd that is the ;act that one considerab<e re=o<ution cou<d be made without any <aws at a<<. &t does not concern any existing <aw+ but rather an existing superstition. (nd the curious thing is that its upho<ders boast that it is a superstition.

he other day & saw and =ery thorough<y en>oyed a popu<ar p<ay ca<<ed &t .ays to (d=ertise? which is a<< about a young business man who tries to break up the soap monopo<y o; his ;ather+ a more o<d4;ashioned business man+ by the wi<dest app<ication o; (merican theories o; the psycho<ogy o; ad=ertising. "ne thing that struck me as rather interesting about it was this. &t was Buite good comedy to gi=e the o<d man and the young man our sympathy in turn. &t was Buite good ;arce to make the o<d man and the young man each a<ternate<y <ook a ;oo<. 5ut nobody seemed to ;ee< what & ;e<t to be the most outstanding and ob=ious points o; ;o<<y. hey sco;;ed at the o<d man because he was o<d? because he was o<d4;ashioned? because he himse<; was hea<thy enough to sco;; at the monkey tricks o; their mad ad=ertisements. 5ut nobody rea<<y criticiCed him ;or ha=ing made a corner+ ;or which he might once ha=e stood in a pi<<ory. #obody seemed to ha=e enough instinct ;or independence and human dignity to be irritated at the idea that one purse4proud o<d man cou<d pre=ent us a<< ;rom ha=ing an ordinary human commodity i; he chose. (nd as with the o<d man+ so it was with the young man. He had been taught by his (merican ;riend that ad=ertisement can hypnotiCe the human brain? that peop<e are dragged by a dead<y ;ascination into the doors o; a shop as into the mouth o; a snake? that the subconscious is captured and the wi<< para<ysed by repetition? that we are a<< made to mo=e <ike mechanica< do<<s when a )ankee ad=ertiser says+ @*o &t #ow.@ 5ut it ne=er seemed to occur to anybody to resent this. #obody seemed su;;icient<y a<i=e to be annoyed. he young man was made game o; because he was poor? because he was bankrupt? because he was dri=en to the shi;ts o; bankruptcy? and so on. 5ut he did not seem to know he was something much worse than a swind<er+ a sorcerer. He did not know he was by his own boast a mesmerist and a mystagogue? a destroyer o; reason and wi<<? an enemy o; truth and <iberty. & think such peop<e exaggerate the extent to which it pays to ad=ertise? e=en i; there is on<y the de=i< to pay. 5ut in one sense this psycho<ogica< case ;or ad=ertising is o; great practica< importance to any programme o; re;orm. he (merican ad=ertisers ha=e got ho<d o; the wrong end o; the stick? but it is a stick that can be used to beat something e<se besides their own absurd big drum. &t is a stick that can be used a<so to beat their own absurd business phi<osophy. hey are a<ways te<<ing us that the success o; modern commerce depends on creating an atmosphere+ on manu;acturing a menta<ity+ on assuming a point o; =iew. &n short+ they insist that their commerce is not mere<y commercia<+ or e=en economic or po<itica<+ but pure<y psycho<ogica<. & hope they wi<< go on saying it? ;or then some day e=erybody may sudden<y see that it is true. 'or the success o; big shops and such things rea<<y is psycho<ogy? not to say psycho4ana<ysis? or+ in other words+ nightmare. &t is not rea< and+ there;ore+ not re<iab<e. his point concerns mere<y our immediate attitude+ at the moment and on the spot+ towards the who<e p<utocratic occupation o; which such pub<icity is the gaudy banner. he =ery ;irst thing to do+ be;ore we come to any o; our proposa<s that are po<itica< and <ega<+ is something that rea<<y is Dto use their be<o=ed wordE entire<y psycho<ogica<. he =ery ;irst thing to do is to te<< these (merican poker4p<ayers that they do not know how to p<ay poker. 'or they not on<y b<u;;+ but they boast that they are b<u;;ing. &n so ;ar as it rea<<y is a Buestion o; an instant psycho<ogica< method+ there must be+ and there is+ an immediate psycho<ogica< answer. &n other words+ because they are admitted<y b<u;;ing+ we can ca<< their b<u;;. & said recent<y that any practica< programme ;or restoring norma< property consists o; two parts+ which current cant wou<d ca<< destructi=e and constructi=e? but which might more tru<y be ca<<ed de;ensi=e and o;;ensi=e. he ;irst is stopping the mere mad stampede towards monopo<y+ be;ore the <ast traditions o; property and <iberty are <ost. &t is with that pre<iminary prob<em o; resisting the wor<dFs trend towards being more monopo<ist+ that & am ;irst o; a<< dea<ing here. #ow+ when

we ask what we can do+ here and now+ against the actua< growth o; monopo<y+ we are a<ways gi=en a =ery simp<e answer. :e are to<d that we can do nothing. 5y a natura< and ine=itab<e operation the <arge things are swa<<owing the sma<<+ as <arge ;ish might swa<<ow <itt<e ;ish. he trust can absorb what it <ikes+ <ike a dragon de=ouring what it <ikes+ because it is a<ready the <argest creature <e;t a<i=e in the <and. Some peop<e are so ;ina<<y reso<=ed to accept this resu<t that they actua<<y condescend to regret it. hey are so con=inced that it is ;ate that they wi<< e=en admit that it is ;ata<ity. he ;ata<ists a<most become sentimenta<ists when <ooking at the <itt<e shop that is being bought up by the big company. hey are ready to weep+ so <ong as it is admitted that they weep because they weep in =ain. hey are wi<<ing to admit that the <oss o; a <itt<e toy4 shop o; their chi<dhood+ or a <itt<e tea4shop o; their youth+ is e=en in the true sense a tragedy. 'or a tragedy means a<ways a manFs strugg<e with that which is stronger than man. (nd it is the ;eet o; the gods themse<=es that are here tramp<ing on our traditions? it is death and doom themse<=es that ha=e broken our <itt<e toys <ike sticks? ;or against the stars o; destiny none sha<< pre=ai<. &t is amaCing what a <itt<e b<u;; wi<< do in this wor<d. 'or they go on saying that the big ;ish eats the <itt<e ;ish+ without asking whether <itt<e ;ish swim up to big ;ish and ask to be eaten. hey accept the de=ouring dragon without wondering whether a ;ashionab<e crowd o; princesses ran a;ter the dragon to be de=oured. hey ha=e ne=er heard o; a ;ashion? and do not know the di;;erence between ;ashion and ;ate. he necessitarians ha=e here care;u<<y chosen the one examp<e o; something that is certain<y not necessary+ whate=er e<se is necessary. hey ha=e chosen the one thing that does happen sti<< to be ;ree+ as a proo; o; the unbreakab<e chains in which a<< things are bound. 8ery <itt<e is <e;t ;ree in the modern wor<d? but pri=ate buying and se<<ing are sti<< supposed to be ;ree? and indeed sti<< are ;ree? i; anyone has a wi<< ;ree enough to use his ;reedom. Chi<dren may be dri=en by ;orce to a particu<ar schoo<. ,en may be dri=en by ;orce away ;rom a pub<ic4house. (<< sorts o; peop<e+ ;or a<< sorts o; new and nonsensica< reasons+ may be dri=en by ;orce to a prison. 5ut nobody is yet dri=en by ;orce to a particu<ar shop. & sha<< dea< <ater with some practica< remedies and reactions against the rush towards rings and corners. 5ut e=en be;ore we consider these+ it is we<< to ha=e paused a moment on the mora< ;act which is so e<ementary and so entire<y ignored. "; a<< things in the wor<d+ the rush to the big shops is the thing that cou<d be most easi<y stopped44by the peop<e who rush there. :e do not know what may come <ater? but they cannot be dri=en there by bayonets >ust yet. (merican business enterprise+ which has a<ready used 5ritish so<diers ;or purposes o; ad=ertisement+ may doubt<ess in time use 5ritish so<diers ;or purposes o; coercion. 5ut we cannot yet be dragooned by guns and sabres into )ankee shops or internationa< stores. he a<<eged economic attraction+ with which & wi<< dea< in due course+ is Buite a di;;erent thing: & am mere<y pointing out that i; we came to the conc<usion that big shops ought to be boycotted+ we cou<d boycott them as easi<y as we shou<d D& hopeE boycott shops se<<ing instruments o; torture or poisons ;or pri=ate use in the home. &n other words+ this ;irst and ;undamenta< Buestion is not a Buestion o; necessity but o; wi<<. &; we chose to make a =ow+ i; we chose to make a <eague+ ;or dea<ing on<y with <itt<e <oca< shops and ne=er with <arge centra<iCed shops+ the campaign cou<d be e=ery bit as practica< as the %and Campaign in &re<and. &t wou<d probab<y be near<y as success;u<. &t wi<< be said+ o; course+ that peop<e wi<< go to the best shop. & deny it? ;or &rish boycotters did not take the best o;;er. & deny that the big shop is the best shop? and & especia<<y deny that peop<e go there because it is the best shop. (nd i; & be asked why+ & answer at the end with the unanswerab<e ;act with which & began at the beginning. & know it is not mere<y a matter o; business+ ;or the simp<e reason that the business men themse<=es te<< me it is mere<y a matter o; b<u;;. &t is they who say that nothing succeeds <ike a mere appearance o; success. &t is they who say that pub<icity in;<uences us

without our wi<< or know<edge. &t is they who say that @&t .ays to (d=ertise@? that is+ to te<< peop<e in a bu<<ying way that they must @*o &t #ow+@ when they need not do it at a<<. 3333333333333333 && ( ,&S$#*E!S (#*&#G (5"$ ,E H"* 5e;ore & go any ;urther with this sketch+ & ;ind & must pause upon a parenthesis touching the nature o; my task+ without which the rest o; it may be misunderstood. (s a matter o; ;act+ without pretending to any o;;icia< or commercia< experience+ & am here doing a great dea< more than has e=er been asked o; most o; the mere men o; <etters Di; & may ca<< myse<; ;or the moment a man o; <ettersE when they con;ident<y conducted socia< mo=ements or setup socia< idea<s. & wi<< promise that+ by the end o; these notes+ the reader sha<< know a great dea< more about how men might set about making a *istributi=e State than the readers o; Car<y<e e=er knew about how they shou<d set about ;inding a Hero King or a !ea< Superior. & think we can exp<ain how to make a sma<< shop or a sma<< ;arm a common ;eature o; our society better than ,atthew (rno<d exp<ained how to make the State the organ o; "ur 5est Se<;. & think the ;arm wi<< be marked on some sort o; rude map more c<ear<y than the Earth<y .aradise on the na=igation chart o; :i<<iam ,orris? and & think that in comparison with his #ews ;rom #owhere this might ;air<y be ca<<ed #ews ;rom Somewhere. !ousseau and !uskin were o;ten much more =ague and =isionary than & am? though !ousseau was e=en more rigid in abstractions+ and !uskin was sometimes =ery much excited about particu<ar detai<s. & need not say that & am not comparing myse<; to these great men? & am on<y pointing out that e=en ;rom these+ whose minds dominated so much wider a ;ie<d+ and whose position as pub<icists was much more respected and responsib<e+ nothing was as a matter o; ;act asked beyond the genera< princip<es we are accused o; gi=ing. & am mere<y pointing out that the task has ;a<<en to a =ery minor poet when these =ery ma>or prophets were not reBuired to carry out and comp<ete the ;u<;i<ment o; their own prophecies. &t wou<d seem that our ;athers did not think it Buite so ;uti<e to ha=e a c<ear =ision o; the goa< with or without a detai<ed map o; the road? or to be ab<e to describe a scanda< without going on to describe a substitute. (nyhow+ ;or whate=er reason+ it is Buite certain that i; & rea<<y were great enough to deser=e the reproaches o; the uti<itarians+ i; & rea<<y were as mere<y idea<istic or imaginati=e as they make me out+ i; & rea<<y did con;ine myse<; to describing a direction without exact<y measuring a road+ to pointing towards home or hea=en and te<<ing men to use their own good sense in getting there44i; this were rea<<y a<< that & cou<d do+ it wou<d be a<< that men immeasurab<y greater than & am were e=er expected to do? ;rom .<ato and &saiah to Emerson and o<stoy. 5ut it is not a<< that & can do? e=en though those who did not do it did so much more. & can do something e<se as we<<? but & can on<y do it i; it be understood what & am doing. (t the same time & am we<< aware that+ in exp<aining the impro=ement o; so e<aborate a society+ a man may o;ten ;ind it =ery di;;icu<t to exp<ain exact<y what he is doing+ unti< it is done. & ha=e considered and re>ected ha<; a doCen ways o; approaching the prob<em+ by di;;erent roads that a<< <ead to the same truth. & had thought o; beginning with the simp<e examp<e o; the peasant? and then & knew that a hundred correspondents wou<d <eap upon me+ accusing me o; trying to turn a<< o; them into peasants. & thought o; beginning with describing a decent *istributi=e State in being+ with a<< its ba<ance o; di;;erent things? >ust as the Socia<ists describe their $topia in being+ with its concentration in one thing. hen & knew a hundred correspondents wou<d ca<< me $topian? and say it was ob=ious my scheme cou<d not work+ because & cou<d on<y describe it when it was working. 5ut what they wou<d rea<<y mean by my being $topian+ wou<d be this: that unti< that scheme was working+ there was no work to be done. & ha=e ;ina<<y decided to approach the socia< so<ution in this ;ashion: to point out ;irst that the monopo<ist momentum is not irresistib<e? that e=en here and now much

cou<d be done to modi;y it+ much by anybody+ a<most e=erything by e=erybody. hen & wou<d maintain that on the remo=a< o; that particu<ar p<utocratic pressure+ the appetite and appreciation o; natura< property wou<d re=i=e+ <ike any other natura< thing. hen+ & say+ it wi<< be worth whi<e to propound to peop<e thus returning to sanity+ howe=er sporadica<<y+ a sane society that cou<d ba<ance property and contro< machinery. :ith the description o; that u<timate society+ with its <aws and <imitations+ & wou<d conc<ude. #ow that may or may not be a good arrangement or order o; ideas? but it is an inte<<igib<e one? and & submit with a<< humi<ity that & ha=e a right to arrange my exp<anations in that order+ and no critic has a right to comp<ain that & do not disarrange them in order to answer Buestions out o; their order. & am wi<<ing to write him a who<e Encyc<opaedia o; *istributism i; he has the patience to read it? but he must ha=e the patience to read it. &t is unreasonab<e ;or him to comp<ain that & ha=e not dea<t adeBuate<y with Joo<ogy+ State .ro=ision 'or+ under the <etter 5? or described the honourab<e socia< status o; the Gui<d o; the Ky<ographers whi<e & am sti<< dea<ing a<phabetica<<y with the Gui<d o; (rchitects. & am wi<<ing to be as much o; a bore as Euc<id? but the critic must not comp<ain that the ;orty4eighth proposition o; the second book is not a part o; the .ons (sinorum. he ancient Gui<d o; 5ridge45ui<ders wi<< ha=e to bui<d many such bridges. #ow ;rom comments that ha=e come my way+ & gather that the suggestions & ha=e a<ready made may not a<together exp<ain their own p<ace and purpose in this scheme. & am mere<y pointing out that monopo<y is not omnipotent e=en now and here? and that anybody cou<d think+ on the spur o; the moment+ o; many ways in which its ;ina< triumph can be de<ayed and perhaps de;eated. Suppose a monopo<ist who is my morta< enemy endea=ours to ruin me by pre=enting me ;rom se<<ing eggs to my neighbours+ & can te<< him & sha<< <i=e on my own turnips in my own kitchen4 garden. & do not mean to tie myse<; to turnips? or swear ne=er to touch my own potatoes or beans. & mean the turnips as an examp<e? something to throw at him. Suppose the wicked mi<<ionaire in Buestion comes and grins o=er my garden wa<< and says+ @& percei=e by your star=ed and emaciated appearance that you are in immediate need o; a ;ew shi<<ings? but you canFt possib<y get them+@ & may possib<y be stung into retorting+ @)es+ & can. & cou<d se<< my ;irst edition o; ,artin ChuCC<ewit.@ & do not necessari<y mean that & see myse<; a<ready in a pauperFs gra=e un<ess & can se<< ,artin ChuCC<ewit? & do not mean that & ha=e nothing e<se to suggest except se<<ing ,artin ChuCC<ewit? & do not mean to brag <ike any common po<itician that & ha=e nai<ed my co<ours to the ,artin ChuCC<ewit po<icy. & mean to te<< the o;;ensi=e pessimist that & am not at the end o; my resources? that & can se<< a book or e=en+ i; the case grows desperate+ write a book. & cou<d do a great many things be;ore & came to de;inite<y anti4socia< action <ike robbing a bank or Dworse sti<<E working in a bank. & cou<d do a great many things o; a great many kinds+ and & gi=e an examp<e at the start to suggest that there are many more o; them+ not that there are no more o; them. here are a great many things o; a great many kinds in my house+ besides the copy o; a ,artin ChuCC<ewit. #ot many o; them are o; great =a<ue except to me? but some o; them are o; some =a<ue to anybody. 'or the who<e point o; a home is that it is a hotch4potch. (nd mine+ at any rate+ rises to that austere domestic idea<. he who<e point o; oneFs own house is that it is not on<y a number o; tota<<y di;;erent things+ which are ne=erthe<ess one thing+ but it is one in which we sti<< =a<ue e=en the things that we ;orget. &; a man has burnt my house to a heap o; ashes+ & am none the <ess >ust<y indignant with him ;or ha=ing burnt e=erything+ because & cannot at ;irst e=en remember e=erything he has burnt. (nd as it is with the househo<d gods+ so it is with the who<e o; that househo<d re<igion+ or what remains o; it+ to o;;er resistance to the destructi=e discip<ine o; industria< capita<ism. &n a simp<er society+ & shou<d rush out o; the ruins+ ca<<ing ;or he<p on the Commune or the King+ and crying out+ @HaroG a robber has burnt my house.@ & might+ o; course+ rush down the street crying in one passionate breath+ @HaroG a robber has burnt my ;ront door o;

seasoned oak with the usua< ;ittings+ ;ourteen window ;rames+ nine curtains+ ;i=e and a ha<; carpets+ 2L7 books+ o; which ;our were editions de <uxe+ one portrait o; my great4grandmother+@ and so on through a<< the items? but something wou<d be <ost o; the ;ierce and simp<e ;euda< cry. (nd in the same way & cou<d ha=e begun this out<ine with an in=entory o; a<< the a<terations & shou<d <ike to see in the <aws+ with the ob>ect o; estab<ishing some economic >ustice in Eng<and. 5ut & doubt whether the reader wou<d ha=e had any better idea o; what & was u<timate<y dri=ing at? and it wou<d not ha=e been the approach by which & propose at present to dri=e. & sha<< ha=e occasion <ater to go into some s<ight detai< about these things? but the cases & gi=e are mere<y i<<ustrations o; my ;irst genera< thesis: that we are not e=en at the moment doing e=erything that cou<d be done to resist the rush o; monopo<y? and that when peop<e ta<k as i; nothing cou<d now be done+ that statement is ;a<se at the start? and that a<< sorts o; answers to it wi<< immediate<y occur to the mind. Capita<ism is breaking up? and in one sense we do not pretend to be sorry it is breaking up. &ndeed+ we might put our own point pretty correct<y by saying that we wou<d he<p it to break up? but we do not want it mere<y to break down. 5ut the ;irst ;act to rea<iCe is precise<y that? that it is a choice between its breaking up and its breaking down. &t is a choice between its being =o<untari<y reso<=ed into its rea< component parts+ each taking back its own+ and its mere<y co<<apsing on our heads in a crash or con;usion o; a<< its component parts+ which some ca<< communism and some ca<< chaos. he ;ormer is the one thing a<< sensib<e peop<e shou<d try to procure. he <atter is the one thing that a<< sensib<e peop<e shou<d try to pre=ent. hat is why they are o;ten c<assed together. & ha=e main<y con;ined myse<; to answering what & ha=e a<ways ;ound to be the ;irst Buestion+ @:hat are we to do nowA@ o that & answer+ @:hat we must do now is to stop the other peop<e ;rom doing what they are doing now.@ he initiati=e is with the enemy. &t is he who is a<ready doing things+ and wi<< ha=e done them <ong be;ore we can begin to do anything+ since he has the money+ the machinery+ the rather mechanica< ma>ority+ and other things which we ha=e ;irst to gain and then to use. He has near<y comp<eted a monopo<ist conBuest+ but not Buite? and he can sti<< be hampered and ha<ted. he wor<d has woken up =ery <ate? but that is not our ;au<t. hat is the ;au<t o; a<< the ;oo<s who to<d us ;or twenty years that there cou<d ne=er be any rusts? and are now te<<ing us+ eBua<<y wise<y+ that there can ne=er be anything e<se. here are other things & ask the reader to bear in mind. he ;irst is that this out<ine is on<y an out<ine+ though one that can hard<y a=oid some cur=es and <oops. & do not pro;ess to dispose o; a<< the obstac<es that might arise in this Buestion+ because so many o; them wou<d seem to many to be Buite a di;;erent Buestion. & wi<< gi=e one examp<e o; what & mean. :hat wou<d the critica< reader ha=e thought+ i; at the =ery beginning o; this sketch & had gone o;; into a <ong disputation about the %aw o; %ibe<A )et+ i; & were strict<y practica<+ & shou<d ;ind that one o; the most practica< obstac<es. &t is the present ridicu<ous position that monopo<y is not resisted as a socia< ;orce but can sti<< be resented as a <ega< imputation. &; you try to stop a man cornering mi<k+ the ;irst thing that happens wi<< be a smashing <ibe< action ;or ca<<ing it a corner. &t is mani;est<y mere common sense that i; the thing is not a sin it is not a s<ander. (s things stand+ there is no punishment ;or the man who does it? but there is a punishment ;or the man who disco=ers it. & do not dea< here Dthough & am Buite prepared to dea< e<sewhereE with a<< these detai<ed di;;icu<ties which a society as now constituted wou<d raise against such a society as we want to constitute. &; it were constituted on the princip<es & suggest+ those detai<s wou<d be dea<t with on those princip<es as they arose. 'or instance+ it wou<d put an end to the nonsense whereby men+ who are more power;u< than emperors+ pretend to be pri=ate tradesmen su;;ering ;rom pri=ate ma<ice? it wi<<

assert that those who are in practice pub<ic men must be criticiCed as potentia< pub<ic e=i<s. &t wou<d destroy the absurdity by which an @important case@ is tried by a @specia< >ury@? or+ in other words+ that any serious issue between rich and poor is tried by the rich. 5ut the reader wi<< see that & cannot here ru<e out a<< the ten thousand things that might trip us up? & must assume that a peop<e ready to take the <arger risks wou<d a<so take the sma<<er ones. #ow this out<ine is an out<ine? in other words+ it is a design+ and anybody who thinks we can ha=e practica< things without theoretica< designs can go and Buarre< with the nearest engineer or architect ;or drawing thin <ines on thin paper. 5ut there is another and more specia< sense in which my suggestion is an out<ine? in the sense that it is de<iberate<y drawn as a <arge <imitation within which there are many =arieties. & ha=e <ong been acBuainted+ and not a <itt<e amused+ with the sort o; practica< man who wi<< certain<y say that & genera<iCe because there is no practica< p<an. he truth is that & genera<iCe because there are so many practica< p<ans. & myse<; know ;our or ;i=e schemes that ha=e been drawn up+ more or <ess drastica<<y+ ;or the di;;usion o; capita<. he most cautious+ ;rom a capita<ist standpoint+ is the gradua< extension o; pro;it4sharing. ( more stringent<y democratic ;orm o; the same thing is the management o; e=ery business Di; it cannot be a sma<< businessE by a gui<d or group c<ubbing their contributions and di=iding their resu<ts. Some *istributists dis<ike the idea o; the workman ha=ing shares on<y where he has work? they think he wou<d be more independent i; his <itt<e capita< were in=ested e<sewhere? but they a<< agree that he ought to ha=e the capita< to in=est. "thers continue to ca<< themse<=es *istributists because they wou<d gi=e e=ery citiCen a di=idend out o; much <arger nationa< systems o; production. & de<iberate<y draw out my genera< princip<es so as to co=er as many as possib<e o; these a<ternati=e business schemes. 5ut & ob>ect to being to<d that & am co=ering so many because & know there are none. &; & te<< a man he is too <uxurious and extra=agant+ and that he ought to economiCe in something+ & am not bound to gi=e him a <ist o; his <uxuries. he point is that he wi<< be a<< the better ;or cutting down any o; his <uxuries. (nd my point is that modern society wou<d be a<< the better ;or cutting up property by any o; these processes. his does not mean that & ha=e not my own ;a=ourite ;orm? persona<<y & pre;er the second type o; di=ision gi=en in the abo=e <ist o; examp<es. 5ut my main business is to point out that any re=ersa< o; the rush to concentrate property wi<< be an impro=ement on the present state o; things. &; & te<< a man his house is burning down in .utney+ he may thank me e=en i; & do not gi=e him a <ist o; a<< the =ehic<es which go to .utney+ with the numbers o; a<< the taxicabs and the time4tab<e o; a<< the trams. &t is enough that & know there are a great many =ehic<es ;or him to choose ;rom+ be;ore he is reduced to the pro=erbia< ad=enture o; going to .utney on a pig. &t is enough that any one o; those =ehic<es is on the who<e <ess uncom;ortab<e than a house on ;ire or e=en a heap o; ashes. & admit & might be ca<<ed unpractica< i; impenetrab<e ;orests and destructi=e ;<oods <ay between here and .utney? it might then be as mere<y idea<istic to praise .utney as to praise .aradise. 5ut & do not admit that & am unpractica< because & know there are ha<; a doCen practica< ways which are more practica< than the present state o; things. 5ut it does not ;o<<ow+ in ;act+ that & do not know how to get to .utney. Here+ ;or instance+ are ha<; a doCen things which wou<d he<p the process o; *istributism+ apart ;rom those on which & sha<< ha=e occasion to touch as points o; princip<e. #ot a<< *istributists wou<d agree with a<< o; them? but a<< wou<d agree that they are in the direction o; *istributism. D/E he taxation o; contracts so as to discourage the sa<e o; sma<< property to big proprietors and encourage the break4up o; big property among sma<< proprietors. D1E Something <ike the #apo<eonic testamentary <aw and the destruction o; primogeniture. D7E he estab<ishment o; ;ree <aw ;or the poor+ so that sma<< property cou<d a<ways be de;ended against great. D9E he de<iberate protection o; certain experiments in sma<< property+ i; necessary by tari;;s and e=en <oca< tari;;s. DLE Subsidies to ;oster the starting o; such experiments. DME ( <eague o; =o<untary dedication+ and any number o; other things o; the same kind. 5ut & ha=e inserted this chapter here

in order to exp<ain that this is a sketch o; the ;irst princip<es o; *istributism and not o; the <ast detai<s+ about which e=en *istributists might dispute. &n such a statement+ examp<es are gi=en as examp<es+ and not as exact and exhausti=e <ists o; a<< the cases co=ered by the ru<e. &; this e<ementary princip<e o; exposition be not understood & must be content to be ca<<ed an unpractica< person by that sort o; practica< man. (nd indeed in his sense there is something in his accusation. :hether or no & am a practica< man+ & am not what is ca<<ed a practica< po<itician+ which means a pro;essiona< po<itician. & can c<aim no part in the g<ory o; ha=ing brought our country to its present promising and hope;u< condition. Harder heads than mine ha=e estab<ished the present prosperity o; coa<. ,en o; action+ o; a more rugged energy+ ha=e brought us to the com;ortab<e condition o; <i=ing on our capita<. & ha=e had no part in the great industria< re=o<ution which has increased the beauties o; nature and reconci<ed the c<asses o; society? nor must the too enthusiastic reader think o; thanking me ;or this more en<ightened Eng<and+ in which the emp<oyee is <i=ing on a do<e ;rom the State and the emp<oyer on an o=erdra;t at the 5ank. 3333333333333333 &&& ( C(SE &# ."&# &t is as natura< to our commercia< critics to argue in a circ<e as to tra=e< on the &nner Circ<e. &t is not mere stupidity+ but it is mere habit? and it is not easy either to break into or to escape ;rom that iron ring. :hen we say things can be done+ we common<y mean either that they cou<d be done by the mass o; men+ or e<se by the ru<er o; the State. & ga=e an examp<e o; something that cou<d be done Buite easi<y by the mass? and here & wi<< gi=e an examp<e o; something that cou<d be done Buite easi<y by the ru<er. 5ut we must be prepared ;or our critics beginning to argue in a circ<e and saying that the present popu<ace wi<< ne=er agree or the present ru<er act in that way. 5ut this comp<aint is a con;usion. :e are answering peop<e who ca<< our idea< impossib<e in itse<;. &; you do not want it+ o; course+ you wi<< not try to get it? but do not say that because you do not want it+ it ;o<<ows that you cou<d not get it i; you did want it. ( thing does not become intrinsica<<y impossib<e mere<y by a mob not trying to obtain it? nor does a thing cease to be practica< po<itics because no po<itician is practica< enough to do it. & wi<< start with a sma<< and ;ami<iar examp<e. &n order to ensure that our huge pro<etariat shou<d ha=e a ho<iday+ we ha=e a <aw ob<iging a<< emp<oyers to shut their shops ;or ha<; a day once a week. Gi=en the pro<etarian princip<e+ it is a hea<thy and necessary thing ;or a pro<etarian state? >ust as the saturna<ia is a hea<thy and necessary thing ;or a s<a=e state. Gi=en this pro=ision ;or the pro<etariat+ a practica< person wi<< natura<<y say: @&t has other ad=antages+ too? it wi<< be a chance ;or anybody who chooses to do his own dirty work? ;or the man who can manage without ser=ants.@ hat degraded being who actua<<y knows how to do things himse<;+ wi<< ha=e a <ook in at <ast. hat iso<ated crank+ who can rea<<y work ;or his own <i=ing+ may possib<y ha=e a chance to <i=e. ( man does not need to be a *istributist to say this? it is the ordinary and ob=ious thing that anybody wou<d say. he man who has ser=ants must cease to work his ser=ants. "; course+ the man who has no ser=ants to work cannot cease to work them. 5ut the <aw is actua<<y so constructed that it ;orces this man a<so to gi=e a ho<iday to the ser=ants he has not got. He proc<aims a saturna<ia that ne=er happens to a crowd o; phantom s<a=es that ha=e ne=er been there. #ow there is not a rudiment o; reason about this arrangement. &n e=ery possib<e sense+ ;rom the immediate materia< to the abstract and mathematica< sense+ it is Buite mad. :e <i=e in days o; dangerous di=ision o; interests between the emp<oyer and the emp<oyed. here;ore+ e=en when the two are not di=ided+ but actua<<y united in one person+ we must di=ide them again into two parties. :e coerce a man into gi=ing himse<; something he does not want+ because somebody e<se who does not exist might want it. :e warn him that he had better recei=e a

deputation ;rom himse<;+ or he might go on strike against himse<;. .erhaps he might e=en become a 5o<she=ist+ and throw a bomb at himse<;? in which case he wou<d ha=e no other course <e;t to his stern sense o; <aw and order but to read the !iot (ct and shoot himse<;. hey ca<< us unpractica<? but we ha=e not yet produced such an academic ;antasy as this. hey sometimes suggest that our regret ;or the disappearance o; the yeoman or the apprentice is a mere matter o; sentiment. Sentimenta<G :e ha=e not Buite sunk to such sentimenta<ism as to be sorry ;or apprentices who ne=er existed at a<<. :e ha=e not Buite reached that richness o; romantic emotion that we are capab<e o; weeping more copious<y ;or an imaginary grocerFs assistant than ;or a rea< grocer. :e are not Buite so maud<in yet as to see doub<e when we <ook into our ;a=ourite <itt<e shop? or to set the <itt<e shopkeeper ;ighting with his own shadow. %et us <ea=e these hard4headed and practica< men o; business shedding tears o=er the sorrows o; a non4 existent o;;ice boy+ and proceed upon our own wi<d and erratic path+ that at <east happens to pass across the <and o; the <i=ing. #ow i; so sma<< a change as that were made to4morrow+ it wou<d make a di;;erence: a considerab<e and increasing di;;erence. (nd i; any rash apo<ogist o; 5ig 5usiness te<<s me that a <itt<e thing <ike that cou<d make =ery <itt<e di;;erence+ <et him beware. 'or he is doing the one thing which such apo<ogists common<y a=oid abo=e a<< things: he is contradicting his masters. (mong the thousand things o; interest+ which are <ost in the mi<<ion things o; no interest+ in the newspaper reports o; .ar<iament and pub<ic a;;airs+ there rea<<y was one de<ight;u< <itt<e comedy dea<ing with this point. Some man o; norma< sense and popu<ar instincts+ who had strayed into .ar<iament by some mistake or other+ actua<<y pointed out this p<ain ;act: that there was no need to protect the pro<etariat where there was no pro<etariat to protect? and that the <one<y shopkeeper might+ there;ore+ remain in his <one<y shop. (nd the ,inister in charge o; the matter actua<<y rep<ied+ with a ghast<y innocence+ that it was impossib<e? ;or it wou<d be un;air to the big shops. ears e=ident<y ;<ow ;ree<y in such circ<es+ as they did ;rom the rising po<itician+ %ord %undy? and in this case it was the mere thought o; the possib<e su;;erings o; the mi<<ionaires that mo=ed him. here rose be;ore his imagination ,r. Se<;ridge in his agony+ and the groans o; ,r. :oo<worth+ o; the :oo<worth ower+ thri<<ed through the kind hearts to which the cry o; the sorrowing rich wi<< ne=er come in =ain. 5ut whate=er we may think o; the sensibi<ity needed to regard the big store4owners as ob>ects o; sympathy+ at any rate it disposes at a stroke o; a<< the ;ashionab<e ;ata<ism that sees something ine=itab<e in their success. &t is absurd to te<< us that our attack is bound to ;ai<? and then that there wou<d be something Buite unscrupu<ous in its so immediate<y succeeding. (pparent<y 5ig 5usiness must be accepted because it is in=u<nerab<e+ and spared because it is =u<nerab<e. his big absurd bubb<e can ne=er concei=ab<y be burst? and it is simp<y crue< that a <itt<e pin4prick o; competition can burst it. & do not know whether the big shops are Buite so weak and wobb<y as their champion said. 5ut whate=er the immediate e;;ect on the big shops+ & am sure there wou<d be an immediate e;;ect on the <itt<e shops. & am sure that i; they cou<d trade on the genera< ho<iday+ it wou<d not on<y mean that there wou<d be more trade ;or them+ but that there wou<d be more o; them trading. &t might mean at <ast a <arge c<ass o; <itt<e shopkeepers? and that is exact<y the sort o; thing that makes a<< the po<itica< di;;erence+ as it does in the case o; a <arge c<ass o; <itt<e ;armers. &t is not in the mere<y mechanica< sense a matter o; numbers. &t is a matter o; the presence and pressure o; a particu<ar socia< type. &t is not a Buestion mere<y o; how many noses are counted? but in the more rea< sense whether the noses count. &; there were anything that cou<d be ca<<ed a c<ass o; peasants+ or a c<ass o; sma<< shopkeepers+ they wou<d make their presence ;e<t in <egis<ation+ e=en i; it were what is ca<<ed c<ass <egis<ation. (nd the =ery existence o; that third c<ass wou<d be the end o; what is ca<<ed the c<ass war? in so ;ar as its theory di=ides a<< men into emp<oyers and

emp<oyed. & do not mean+ o; course+ that this <itt<e <ega< a<teration is the on<y one & ha=e to propose? & mention it ;irst because it is the most ob=ious. 5ut & mention it a<so because it i<<ustrates =ery c<ear<y what & mean by the two stages: the nature o; the negati=e and positi=e re;orm. &; <itt<e shops began to gain custom and big shops began to <ose it+ it wou<d mean two things+ both indeed pre<iminary but both practica<. &t wou<d mean that the mere centripeta< rush was s<owed down+ i; not stopped+ and might at <ast change to a centri;uga< mo=ement. (nd it wou<d mean that there were a number o; new citiCens in the State to whom a<< the ordinary Socia<ist or ser=i<e arguments were inapp<icab<e. #ow when you ha=e got your considerab<e sprink<ing o; sma<< proprietors+ o; men with the psycho<ogy and phi<osophy o; sma<< property+ then you can begin to ta<k to them about something more <ike a >ust genera< sett<ement upon their own <ines? something more <ike a <and ;it ;or Christians to <i=e in. )ou can make them understand+ as you cannot make p<utocrats or pro<etarians understand+ why the machine must not exist sa=e as the ser=ant o; the man+ why the things we produce ourse<=es are precious <ike our own chi<dren+ and why we can pay too dear<y ;or the possession o; <uxury by the <oss o; <iberty. &; bodies o; men on<y begin to be detached ;rom the ser=i<e sett<ements+ they wi<< begin to ;orm the body o; our pub<ic opinion. #ow there are a <arge number o; other ad=antages that cou<d be gi=en to the sma<< man+ which can be considered in their p<ace. &n a<< o; them & presuppose a de<iberate po<icy o; ;a=ouring the sma<< man. 5ut in the primary examp<e here gi=en we can hard<y e=en say that there is any Buestion o; ;a=our. )ou make a <aw that s<a=e4owners sha<< ;ree their s<a=es ;or a day: the man who has no s<a=es is outside the thing entire<y? he does not come under it in <aw+ because he does not come into it in <ogic. He has been de<iberate<y dragged into it? not in order that a<< s<a=es sha<< be ;ree ;or a day+ but in order that a<< ;ree men sha<< be s<a=es ;or a <i;etime. 5ut whi<e some o; the expedients are on<y common >ustice to sma<< property+ and others are de<iberate protection o; sma<< property+ the point at the moment is that it wi<< be worth whi<e at the beginning to create sma<< property though it were on<y on a sma<< sca<e. Eng<ish citiCens and yeomen wou<d once more exist? and where=er they exist they count. here are many other ways+ which can be brie;<y described+ by which the break4up o; property can be encouraged on the <ega< and <egis<ati=e side. & sha<< dea< with some o; them <ater+ and especia<<y with the rea< responsibi<ity which Go=ernment might reasonab<y assume in a ;inancia< and economic condition which is becoming Buite <udicrous. 'rom the standpoint o; any sane person+ in any other society+ the present prob<em o; capita<ist concentration is not on<y a Buestion o; <aw but o; crimina< <aw+ not to mention crimina< <unacy. "; that monstrous mega<omania o; the big shops+ with their b<atant ad=ertisements and stupid standardiCation+ something is said e<sewhere. 5ut it may be we<< to add+ in the matter o; the sma<< shops+ that when once they exist they genera<<y ha=e an organiCation o; their own which is much more se<;4respecting and much <ess =u<gar. his =o<untary organiCation+ as e=ery one knows+ is ca<<ed a Gui<d? and it is per;ect<y capab<e o; doing e=erything that rea<<y needs to be done in the way o; ho<idays and popu<ar ;esti=a<s. wenty barbers wou<d be Buite capab<e o; arranging with each other not to compete with each other on a particu<ar ;esti=a< or in a particu<ar ;ashion+ &t is amusing to note that the same peop<e who say that a Gui<d is a dead medie=a< thing that wou<d ne=er work are genera<<y grumb<ing against the power o; a Gui<d as a <i=ing modern thing where it is actua<<y working. &n the case o; the Gui<d o; the *octors+ ;or instance+ it is made a matter o; reproach in the newspapers+ that the con;ederation in Buestion re;uses to @make medica< disco=eries accessib<e to the genera< pub<ic.@ :hen we consider the wi<d and unba<anced nonsense that is made accessib<e to the genera< pub<ic by the pub<ic press+ perhaps we ha=e some reason to doubt whether our sou<s and bodies are not at <east as sa;e in the hands o; a Gui<d as they are <ike<y to be in the hands o; a rust. 'or the moment the main point is that sma<< shops can be go=erned e=en i; they are not bossed by the Go=ernment. Horrib<e as this may

seem to the democratic idea<ists o; the day+ they can be go=erned by themse<=es. 3333333333333333 &8 HE )!(##) "' !$S S :e ha=e most o; us met in <iterature+ and e=en in <i;e+ a certain sort o; o<d gent<eman? he is =ery o;ten represented by an o<d c<ergyman. He is the sort o; man who has a horror o; Socia<ists without any =ery de;inite idea o; what they are. He is the man o; whom men say that he means we<<? by which they mean that he means nothing. 5ut this =iew is a <itt<e un>ust to this socia< type. He is rea<<y something more than we<<4meaning? we might e=en go so ;ar as to say that he wou<d probab<y be right4thinking+ i; he e=er thought. His princip<es wou<d probab<y be sound enough i; they were rea<<y app<ied? it is his practica< ignorance that pre=ents him ;rom knowing the wor<d to which they are app<icab<e. He might rea<<y be right+ on<y he has no notion o; what is wrong. hose who ha=e sat under this o<d gent<eman know that he is in the habit o; so;tening his stern repudiation o; the mysterious Socia<ists by saying that+ o; course+ it is a Christian duty to use our wea<th we<<+ to remember that property is a trust committed to us by .ro=idence ;or the good o; others as we<< as ourse<=es+ and e=en Dun<ess the o<d gent<eman is o<d enough to be a ,odernistE that it is >ust possib<e that we may some day be asked a Buestion or two about the abuse o; such a trust. #ow a<< this is per;ect<y true+ so ;ar as it goes+ but it happens to i<<ustrate in a rather curious way the Bueer and e=en uncanny innocence o; the o<d gent<eman. he =ery phrase that he uses+ when he says that property is a trust committed to us by .ro=idence+ is a phrase which takes on+ when it is uttered to the wor<d around him+ the character o; an aw;u< and appa<<ing pun. His pathetic <itt<e sentence returns in a hundred how<ing echoes+ repeating it again and again <ike the <aughter o; a hundred ;iends in he<<: @.roperty is a rust.@ #ow & cou<d not more con=enient<y sum up what & meant by this ;irst section than by taking this type o; the dear o<d conser=ati=e c<ergyman+ and considering the curious way in which he has been ;irst caught napping+ and then as it were knocked on the head. he ;irst thing we ha=e had to exp<ain to him is expressed in that horrib<e pun about the rust. :hi<e he has been crying out against imaginary robbers+ whom he ca<<s Socia<ists+ he has been caught and carried away bodi<y by rea< robbers+ whom he sti<< cou<d not e=en imagine. 'or the gangs o; gamb<ers who make the great combines are rea<<y gangs o; robbers+ in the sense that they ha=e ;ar <ess ;ee<ing than anybody e<se ;or that indi=idua< responsibi<ity ;or indi=idua< gi;ts o; God which the o<d gent<eman =ery right<y ca<<s a Christian duty. :hi<e he has been wea=ing words in the air about irre<e=ant idea<s+ he has been caught in a net wo=en out o; the =ery opposite words and notions: impersona<+ irresponsib<e+ irre<igious. he ;inancia< ;orces that surround him are ;urther away than anything e<se ;rom the domestic idea o; ownership with which+ to do him >ustice+ he himse<; began. So that when he sti<< b<eats ;aint<y+ @.roperty is a trust+@ we sha<< rep<y ;irm<y+ @( trust is not property.@ (nd now & come to the rea<<y extraordinary thing about the o<d gent<eman. & mean that & come to the Bueerest ;act about the con=entiona< or conser=ati=e type in modern Eng<ish society. (nd that is the ;act that the same society+ which began by saying there was no such danger to a=oid+ now says that the danger cannot possib<y be a=oided. "ur who<e capita<ist community has taken one huge stride ;rom the extreme o; optimism to the extreme o; pessimism. hey began by saying that there cou<d not be rusts in this country. hey ha=e ended by saying that there cannot be anything e<se except rusts in this age. (nd in the course o; ca<<ing the same thing impossib<e on ,onday and ine=itab<e on uesday+ they ha=e sa=ed the <i;e o; the great gamb<er or robber twice o=er? ;irst by ca<<ing him a ;abu<ous monster+ and second by ca<<ing him an a<mighty ;ate. we<=e

years ago+ when & ta<ked o; rusts+ peop<e said: @ here are no rusts in Eng<and.@ #ow+ when & say it+ the same peop<e say: @5ut how do you propose that Eng<and shou<d escape ;rom the rustsA@ hey ta<k as i; the rusts had a<ways been a part o; the 5ritish Constitution+ not to mention the So<ar System. &n short+ the pun and parab<e with which & began this artic<e ha=e exact<y and ironica<<y come true. he poor o<d c<ergyman is now rea<<y dri=en to ta<k as i; a rust with a big were something that had been bestowed on him by .ro=idence. He is dri=en to abandon a<< that he origina<<y meant by his own curious sort o; Christian indi=idua<ism+ and hasti<y reconci<e himse<; to something that is more <ike a sort o; p<utocratic co<<ecti=ism. He is beginning+ in a rather bewi<dered way+ to understand that he must now say that monopo<y and not mere<y pri=ate property is a part o; the nature o; things. he net had been thrown o=er him whi<e he s<ept+ because he ne=er thought o; such a thing as a net? because he wou<d ha=e denied the =ery possibi<ity o; anybody wea=ing such a net. 5ut now the poor o<d gent<eman has to begin to ta<k as i; he had been born in the net. .erhaps+ as & say+ he has had a knock on the head? perhaps+ as his enemies say+ he was a<ways >ust a <itt<e weak in the head. 5ut+ anyhow+ now that his head is in the noose+ or the net+ he wi<< o;ten start preaching to us about the impossibi<ity o; escaping ;rom nets and nooses that are wo=en or spun upon the whee< o; the ;ates. &n a word+ & wish to point out that the o<d gent<eman was much too heed<ess about getting into the net and is much too hope<ess about getting out o; it. &n short+ & wou<d sum up my genera< suggestions so ;ar by saying that the chie; danger to be a=oided now+ and the ;irst danger to be considered now+ is the danger o; supposing the capita<ist conBuest more comp<ete than it is. &; & may use the terms o; the .enny Catechism about the two sins against hope+ the peri< now is no <onger the peri< o; presumption but rather o; despair. &t is not mere impudence <ike that o; those who to<d us+ without winking an eye<id+ that there were no rusts in Eng<and. &t is rather mere impotence <ike that o; those who te<< us that Eng<and must soon be swa<<owed up in an earthBuake ca<<ed (merica. #ow this sort o; surrender to modern monopo<y is not on<y ignob<e+ it is a<so panic4stricken and premature. &t is not true that we can do nothing. :hat & ha=e written so ;ar has been directed to showing the doubt;u< and the terri;ied that it is not true that we can do nothing. E=en now there is something that can be done+ and done at once? though the things so to be done may appear to be o; di;;erent kinds and e=en o; degrees o; e;;ecti=eness. E=en i; we on<y sa=e a shop in our own street or stop a conspiracy in our own trade+ or get a 5i<< to punish such conspiracies pressed by our own member+ we may come in the nick o; time and make a<< the di;;erence. o =ary the metaphor to a mi<itary one+ what has happened is that the monopo<ists ha=e attempted an encirc<ing mo=ement. 5ut the encirc<ing mo=ement is not yet comp<ete. $n<ess we do something it wi<< be comp<ete? but it is not true to say that we can do nothing to pre=ent it being comp<eted. :e are in ;a=our o; striking out+ o; making sorties or sa<<ies+ o; trying to pierce certain points in the <ine D;ar enough apart and chosen ;or their weaknessE+ o; breaking through the gap in the uncomp<eted circ<e. ,ost peop<e around us are ;or surrender to the surprise? precise<y because it was to them so comp<ete a surprise. )esterday they denied that the enemy cou<d encirc<e. he day be;ore yesterday they denied that the enemy cou<d exist. hey are para<ysed as by a prodigy. 5ut >ust as we ne=er agreed that the thing was impossib<e+ so we do not now agree that it is irresistib<e. (ction ought to ha=e been taken <ong ago? but action can sti<< be taken now. hat is why it is worth whi<e to dwe<< on the di=erse expedients a<ready gi=en as examp<es. ( chain is as strong as its weakest <ink? a batt<e<ine is as strong as its weakest man? an encirc<ing mo=ement is as strong as its weakest point+ the point at which the circ<e may sti<< be broken. hus+ to begin with+ i; anybody asks me in this matter+ @:hat am & to do nowA@ & answer+ @*o anything+ howe=er sma<<+ that wi<< pre=ent the comp<etion o; the work o; capita<ist combination. *o

anything that wi<< e=en de<ay that comp<etion. Sa=e one shop out o; a hundred shops. Sa=e one cro;t out o; a hundred cro;ts. Keep open one door out o; a hundred doors? ;or so <ong as one door is open+ we are not in prison. hrow up one barricade in their way+ and you wi<< soon see whether it is the way the wor<d is going. .ut one spoke in their whee<+ and you wi<< soon see whether it is the whee< o; ;ate.@ 'or it is o; the essence o; their enormous and unnatura< e;;ort that a sma<< ;ai<ure is as big as a big ;ai<ure. he modern commercia< combine has a great many points in common with a big ba<<oon. &t is swo<<en and yet it is swo<<en with <e=ity? it c<imbs and yet it dri;ts? abo=e a<<+ it is ;u<< o; gas+ and genera<<y o; poison gas. 5ut the resemb<ance most re<e=ant here is that the sma<<est prick wi<< shri=e< the biggest ba<<oon. &; this tendency o; our time recei=ed anything <ike a reasonab<y de;inite check+ & be<ie=e the who<e tendency wou<d soon begin to weaken in its preposterous prestige. $nti< monopo<y is monopo<ist it is nothing. $nti< the combine can combine e=erything+ it is nothing. (hab has not his kingdom so <ong as #aboth has his =ineyard. Haman wi<< not be happy in the pa<ace whi<e ,ordecai is sitting in the gate. ( hundred ta<es o; human history are there to show that tendencies can be turned back+ and that one stumb<ing4b<ock can be the turning4point. he sands o; time are simp<y dotted with sing<e stakes that ha=e thus marked the turn o; the tide. he ;irst step towards u<timate<y winning is to make sure that the enemy does not win+ i; it be on<y that he does not win e=erywhere. hen+ when we ha=e ha<ted his rush+ and perhaps ;ought it to a standsti<<+ we may begin a genera< counter4attack. he nature o; that counter4attack & sha<< next proceed to consider. &n other words+ & wi<< try to exp<ain to the o<d c<ergyman caught in the net Dwhose su;;erings are e=er be;ore my eyesE what it wi<< no doubt com;ort him to know: that he was wrong ;rom the ;irst in thinking there cou<d be no net? that he is wrong now in thinking there is no escape ;rom the net? and that he wi<< ne=er know how wrong he was ti<< he ;inds he has a net o; his own+ and is once more a ;isher o; men. & began by enunciating the paradox that one way o; supporting sma<< shops wou<d be to support them. E=erybody cou<d do it+ but nobody can imagine it being done. &n one sense nothing is so simp<e+ and in another nothing is so hard. & went on to point out that without any sweeping change at a<<+ the mere modi;ication o; existing <aws wou<d probab<y ca<< thousands o; <itt<e shops into <i;e and acti=ity. & may ha=e occasion to return to the <itt<e shops at greater <ength? but ;or the moment & am on<y running rapid<y through certain separate examp<es+ to show that the citade< o; p<utocracy cou<d e=en now be attacked ;rom many di;;erent sides. &t cou<d be met by a concerted e;;ort in the open ;ie<d o; competition. &t cou<d be checked by the creation or e=en correction o; a <arge number o; <itt<e <aws. hird<y+ it cou<d be attacked by the more sweeping operation o; <arger <aws. 5ut when we come to these+ e=en at this stage+ we a<so come into co<<ision with <arger Buestions. he common sense o; Christendom+ ;or ages on end+ has assumed that it was as possib<e to punish cornering as to punish coining. )et to most readers to4day there seems a sort o; =ita< contradiction+ echoed in the =erba< contradiction o; saying+ @.ut not your trust in rusts.@ )et to our ;athers this wou<d not seem e=en so much o; a paradox as saying+ @.ut not your trust in princes+@ but rather <ike saying+ @.ut not your trust in pirates.@ 5ut in app<ying this to modern conditions+ we are checked ;irst by a =ery modern sophistry. :hen we say that a corner shou<d be treated as a conspiracy+ we are a<ways to<d that the conspiracy is too e<aborate to be unra=e<<ed. &n other words+ we are to<d that the conspirators are too conspiratoria< to be caught. #ow it is exact<y at this point that my simp<e and chi<d<ike con;idence in the business expert entire<y breaks down. ,y attitude+ a moment ago trust;u< and con;iding+ becomes disrespect;u< and ;ri=o<ous. & am wi<<ing to agree that & do not know much about the detai<s o; business+ but not that nobody cou<d possib<y e=er come to know anything

about them. & am wi<<ing to be<ie=e that there are peop<e in the wor<d who <ike to ;ee< that they depend ;or the bread o; <i;e on one particu<ar bounder+ who probab<y began by making <arge pro;its on short weight. & am wi<<ing to be<ie=e that there are peop<e so strange<y constituted that they <ike to see a great nation he<d up by a sma<< gang+ more <aw<ess than brigands but not so bra=e. &n short+ & am wi<<ing to admit that there may be peop<e who trust in rusts. & admit it with tears+ <ike those o; the bene=o<ent captain in the 5ab 5a<<ads who said: @&tFs human nature pFraps? i; so+ "h+ isnFt human nature <owA@

& myse<; doubt whether it is Buite so <ow as that? but & admit the possibi<ity o; this utter <owness? & admit it with weeping and <amentation. 5ut when they te<< me it wou<d be impossib<e to ;ind out whether a man is making a rust or not44that is Buite another thing. ,y demeanour a<ters. ,y spirits re=i=e. :hen & am to<d that i; cornering were a crime nobody cou<d be con=icted o; that crime44 then & <augh? nay+ & >eer. ( murder is usua<<y committed+ we may in;er+ when one gent<eman takes a dis<ike to the appearance o; another gent<eman in .iccadi<<y Circus at e<e=en oFc<ock in the morning? and steps up to the ob>ect o; his distaste and dexterous<y cuts his throat. He then wa<ks across to the kind po<iceman who is regu<ating the tra;;ic+ and draws his attention to the presence o; the corpse on the pa=ement+ consu<ting him about how to dispose o; the encumbrance. hat is apparent<y how these peop<e expect ;inancia< crimes to be done+ in order to be disco=ered. Sometimes indeed they are done a<most as braCen<y+ in communities where they can sa;e<y be disco=ered. 5ut the theory o; <ega< impotence <ooks =ery extraordinary when we consider the sort o; things that the po<ice do disco=er. %ook at the sort o; murders they disco=er. (n utter<y ordinary and obscure man in some ho<e4and4corner house or tenement among ten thousand <ike it+ washes his hands in a sink in a back scu<<ery? the operation taking two minutes. he po<ice can disco=er that+ but they cou<d not possib<y disco=er the meeting o; men or the sending o; messages that turn the who<e commercia< wor<d upside down. hey can track a man that nobody has e=er heard o; to a p<ace where nobody knew he was going+ to do something that he took e=ery possib<e precaution that nobody shou<d see. 5ut they cannot keep a watch on a man that e=erybody has heard o;+ to see whether he communicates with another man that e=erybody has heard o;+ in order to do something that near<y e=erybody knows he is trying a<< his <i;e to do. hey can te<< us a<< about the mo=ements o; a man whose own wi;e or partner or <and<ady does not pro;ess to know his mo=ements? but they cannot te<< when a great combination co=ering ha<; the earth is on the mo=e. (re the po<ice rea<<y so ;oo<ish as this? or are they at once so ;oo<ish and so wiseA "r i; the po<ice were as he<p<ess as Sher<ock Ho<mes thought them+ what about Sher<ock Ho<mesA :hat about the ardent amateur detecti=e about whom a<< o; us ha=e read and some o; us Da<asGE ha=e written. &s there no inspired s<euth to succeed where a<< the po<ice ha=e ;ai<ed? and pro=e conc<usi=e<y ;rom a greasy spot on the tab<ec<oth that ,r. !ocke;e<<er is interested in oi<A &s there no keen4 ;aced man to in;er ;rom the <ate %ord %e=erhu<me buying up a crowd o; soap4businesses that he was interested in soapA & ;ee< inc<ined to write a new series o; detecti=e stories myse<;+ about the disco=ery o; these obscure and cryptic things. hey wou<d describe Sher<ock Ho<mes with his monstrous magni;ying4g<ass poring o=er a paper and making out one o; the head<ines <etter by <etter. hey wou<d show us :atson standing in amaCement at the disco=ery o; the 5ank o; Eng<and. ,y stories wou<d bear the traditiona< sort o; tit<es+ such as @ he Secret o; the Skysign@ and @ he ,ystery o; the ,egaphone@ and @ he (d=enture o; the $nnoticed Hoarding.@ :hat these peop<e rea<<y mean is that they cannot imagine cornering being treated <ike coining. hey cannot imagine attempted ;oresta<<ing+ or+ indeed+ any acti=ity o; the rich+ coming into the rea<m o; the crimina< <aw at a<<. &t wou<d gi=e them a shock to think o; such men sub>ected to such

tests. & wi<< gi=e one ob=ious examp<e. he science o; ;inger4prints is perpetua<<y paraded be;ore us by the crimino<ogists when they mere<y want to g<ori;y their not =ery g<orious science. 'inger4 prints wou<d pro=e as easi<y whether a mi<<ionaire had used a pen as whether a housebreaker had used a >emmy. hey might show as c<ear<y that a ;inancier had used a te<ephone as that a burg<ar had used a <adder. 5ut i; we began to ta<k about taking the ;inger4prints o; ;inanciers+ e=erybody wou<d think it was a >oke. (nd so it is: a =ery grim >oke. he <aughter that <eaps up spontaneous<y at the suggestion is itse<; a proo; that nobody takes serious<y+ or thinks o; taking serious<y+ the idea o; rich men and poor being eBua< be;ore the <aw. hat is the reason why we do not treat rust magnates and monopo<ists as they wou<d be treated under the o<d <aws o; popu<ar >ustice. (nd that is the reason why & take their case at this stage+ and in this section o; my remarks+ a<ong with such apparent<y <ight and super;icia< things as trans;erring custom ;rom one shop to another. &t is because in both cases it is a Buestion who<<y and so<e<y o; mora< wi<<? and not in the <east+ in any sense+ a Buestion o; economic <aw. &n other words+ it is a <ie to say that we cannot make a <aw to imprison monopo<ists+ or pi<<ory monopo<ists+ or hang monopo<ists i; we choose+ as our ;athers did be;ore us. (nd in the same sense it is a <ie to say that we cannot he<p buying the best ad=ertised goods or going to the biggest shop or ;a<<ing in+ in our genera< socia< habits+ with the genera< socia< trend. :e cou<d he<p it in a hundred ways? ;rom the =ery simp<e one o; wa<king out o; a shop to the more ceremonia< one o; hanging a man on a ga<<ows. &; we mean that we do not want to he<p it+ that may be =ery true+ and e=en in some cases =ery right. 5ut arresting a ;oresta<<er is as easy as ;a<<ing o;; a <og or wa<king out o; a shop. .utting the <og4ro<<er in prison is no more impossib<e than wa<king out o; the shop is impossib<e? and it is high<y desirab<e ;or the hea<th o; this discussion that we shou<d rea<iCe the ;act ;rom the ;irst. .ractica<<y about ha<; o; the recogniCed expedients by which a big business is now made ha=e been marked down as a crime in some community o; the past? and cou<d be so marked in a community o; the ;uture. & can on<y re;er to them here in the most cursory ;ashion. "ne o; them is the process against which the statesmen o; the most respectab<e party ra=e day and night so <ong as they can pretend that it is on<y done by ;oreigners. &t is ca<<ed *umping. here is a po<icy o; de<iberate<y se<<ing at a <oss to destroy another manFs market. (nother is: a process against which the same statesmen o; the same party actua<<y ha=e attempted to <egis<ate+ so <ong as it was con;ined to money<enders. $n;ortunate<y+ howe=er+ it is not by any means con;ined to money<enders. &t is the trick o; tying a poorer man up in a tang<e o; a<< sorts o; ob<igations that he cannot u<timate<y discharge+ except by se<<ing his shop or business. &t is done in one ;orm by gi=ing to the desperate things on the insta<ment p<an or on <ong credit. (<< these conspiracies & wou<d ha=e tried as we try a conspiracy to o=erthrow the State or to shoot the King. :e do not expect the man to write the King a post4card+ te<<ing him he is to be shot+ or to gi=e warning in the newspapers o; the *ay o; !e=o<ution. Such p<ots ha=e a<ways been >udged in the on<y way in which they can be >udged: by the use o; common sense as to the existence o; a purpose and the apparent existence o; a p<an. 5ut we sha<< ne=er ha=e a rea< ci=ic sense unti< it is once more ;e<t that the p<ot o; three citiCens against one citiCen is a crime+ as we<< as the p<ot o; one citiCen against three. &n other words+ pri=ate property ought to be protected against pri=ate crime+ >ust as pub<ic order is protected against pri=ate >udgment. 5ut pri=ate property ought to be protected against much bigger things than burg<ars and pick4pockets. &t needs protection against the p<ots o; a who<e p<utocracy. &t needs de;ence against the rich+ who are now genera<<y the ru<ers who ought to de;end it. &t may not be di;;icu<t to exp<ain why they do not de;end it. 5ut anyhow+ in a<< these cases+ the di;;icu<ty is in imagining peop<e wanting to do it? not in imagining peop<e doing it. 5y a<< means <et peop<e say that they do not think the idea< o; the *istributi=e State is worth the risk or e=en worth the troub<e. 5ut do not <et them say that no human being in the past has e=er taken any risk? or that no chi<dren o; (dam are capab<e o; taking any troub<e. &;

they chose to take ha<; as much risk to achie=e >ustice as they ha=e a<ready taken to achie=e degradation+ i; they toi<ed ha<; as <aborious<y to make anything beauti;u< as they toi<ed to make e=erything ug<y+ i; they had ser=ed their God as they ha=e ser=ed their .ork King and their .etro< King+ the success o; our who<e *istributi=e democracy wou<d stare at the wor<d <ike one o; their ;<aming sky4signs and scrape the sky <ike one o; their craCy towers. 3333333333333333 &&& S",E (S.EC S "' HE %(#* /. he Simp<e ruth 1. 8ows and 8o<unteers 7. he !ea< %i;e on the %and 3333333333333333 & HE S&,.%E !$ H (<< o; us+ or at <east a<< those o; my generation+ heard in our youth an anecdote about George Stephenson+ the disco=erer o; the %ocomoti=e Steam4Engine. &t was said that some miserab<e rustic raised the ob>ection that it wou<d be =ery awkward i; a cow strayed on the rai<way <ine+ whereupon the in=entor rep<ied+ @&t wou<d be =ery awkward ;or the cow.@ &t is supreme<y characteristic o; his age and schoo< that it ne=er seemed to occur to anybody that it might be rather awkward ;or the rustic who owned the cow. %ong be;ore we heard that anecdote+ howe=er+ we had probab<y heard another and more exciting anecdote ca<<ed @Iack and the 5eansta<k.@ hat story begins with the strange and start<ing words+ @ here once was a poor woman who had a cow.@ &t wou<d be a wi<d paradox in modern Eng<and to imagine that a poor woman cou<d ha=e a cow? but things seem to ha=e been di;;erent in ruder and more superstitious ages. (nyhow+ she e=ident<y wou<d not ha=e had a cow <ong in the sympathetic atmosphere o; Stephenson and his steam4engine. he train went ;orward+ the cow was ki<<ed in due course? and the state o; mind o; the o<d woman was described as the *epression o; (gricu<ture. 5ut e=erybody was so happy in tra=e<<ing in trains and making it awkward ;or cows that nobody noticed that other di;;icu<ties remained. :hen wars or re=o<utions cut us o;; ;rom cows+ the industria<ists disco=ered that mi<k does not come origina<<y ;rom cans. "n this ;act some o; us ha=e ;ounded the idea that the cow Dand e=en the miserab<e rusticE ha=e a use in society+ and ha=e been prepared to concede her as much as three acres. 5ut it wi<< be we<< at this stage to repeat that we do not propose that e=ery acre shou<d be co=ered with cows? and do not propose to e<iminate townspeop<e as they wou<d e<iminate rustics. "n many minor points we might ha=e to compromise with conditions+ especia<<y at ;irst. 5ut e=en my idea<+ i; e=er & ;ound it at <ast+ wou<d be what some ca<< a compromise. "n<y & think it more accurate to ca<< it a ba<ance. 'or & do not think that the sun compromises with the rain when together they make a garden? or that the rose that grows there is a compromise between green and red. 5ut & mean that e=en my $topia wou<d contain di;;erent things o; di;;erent types ho<ding on di;;erent tenures: that as in a medie=a< state there were some peasants+ some monasteries+ some common <and+ some pri=ate <and+ some town gui<ds+ and so on+ so in my modern state there wou<d be some things nationa<iCed+ some machines owned corporate<y+ some gui<ds sharing common pro;its+ and so on+ as we<< as many abso<ute indi=idua< owners+ where such indi=idua< owners are most possib<e. 5ut with these <atter it is we<< to begin+ because they are meant to gi=e+ and near<y a<ways do gi=e+ the standard and tone o; the society. (mong the things we ha=e heard a thousand times is the statement that the Eng<ish are a s<ow peop<e+ a cautious peop<e+ a conser=ati=e peop<e+ and so on. :hen we ha=e heard a thing as

many times as that+ we genera<<y either accept it as a truism+ or sudden<y see that it is Buite untrue. (nd in this case it is Buite untrue. he rea< pecu<iarity o; Eng<and is that it is the on<y country on earth that has not got a conser=ati=e c<ass. here are a <arge number+ possib<y a ma>ority+ o; peop<e who ca<< themse<=es conser=ati=e. 5ut the more they are examined+ the <ess conser=ati=e they wi<< appear. he commercia< c<ass that is in a specia< sense capita<ist is in its nature the =ery opposite o; conser=ati=e. 5y its own pro;ession+ it proc<aims that it is perpetua<<y using new methods and seeking ;or new markets. o some o; us there seems to be something exceeding<y sta<e about a<< that no=e<ty. 5ut that is because o; the type o; mind that is in=enting+ not because it does not mean to in=ent. 'rom the biggest ;inancier ;<oating a company to the sma<<est tout pedd<ing a sewing4machine+ the same idea< pre=ai<s. &t must a<ways be a new company+ especia<<y a;ter what has genera<<y happened to the o<d company. (nd the sewing4 machine must a<ways be a new sort o; sewing4machine+ e=en i; it is the sort that does not sew. 5ut whi<e this is ob=ious o; the mere capita<ist+ it is eBua<<y true o; the pure o<igarch. :hate=er e<se an aristocracy is+ an aristocracy is ne=er conser=ati=e. 5y its =ery nature it goes by ;ashion rather than by tradition. ,en <i=ing a <i;e o; <eisure and <uxury are a<ways eager ;or new things? we might ;air<y say they wou<d be ;oo<s i; they werenFt. (nd the Eng<ish aristocrats are by no means ;oo<s. hey can proud<y c<aim to ha=e p<ayed a great part in e=ery stage o; the inte<<ectua< progress that has brought us to our present ruin. he ;irst ;act about estab<ishing an Eng<ish peasantry is that it is estab<ishing+ ;or the ;irst time ;or many centuries+ a traditiona< c<ass. he absence o; such a c<ass wi<< be ;ound to be a =ery terrib<e ;act+ i; the tug rea<<y becomes between 5o<she=ism and the historic idea< o; property. 5ut the con=erse is eBua<<y true and much more com;orting. his di;;erence in the Bua<ity means that the change wi<< begin to be e;;ecti=e mere<y by Buantity. & mean that we ha=e not been concerned so much with the strength or weakness o; a peasantry+ as with presence or absence o; a peasantry. (s the society has su;;ered ;rom its mere absence+ so the society wi<< begin to change by its mere presence. &t wi<< be a somewhat di;;erent Eng<and in which the peasant has to be considered at a<<. &t wi<< begin to a<ter the <ook o; things+ e=en when po<iticians think about peasants as o;ten as they do about doctors. hey ha=e been known e=en to think about so<diers. he primary case ;or the peasant is o; a stark and a<most sa=age simp<icity. ( man in Eng<and might <i=e on the <and+ i; he did not ha=e rent to pay to the <and<ord and wages to pay to the <abourer. He wou<d there;ore be better o;;+ e=en on a sma<< sca<e+ i; he were his own <and<ord and his own <abourer. 5ut there are ob=ious<y certain ;urther considerations+ and to my mind certain common misconceptions+ to which the ;o<<owing notes re;er rough<y in their order. &n the ;irst p<ace+ o; course+ it is one thing to say that this is desirab<e+ and another that it is desired. (nd in the ;irst p<ace+ as wi<< be seen+ & do not deny that i; it is to be desired+ it can hard<y be as a mere indu<gence is desired? there wi<< undoubted<y be reBuired a certain spirit o; e;;ort and sacri;ice ;or the sake o; an acute nationa< necessity+ i; we are to ask any <and<ord to do without rent or any ;armer to do without assistance. 5ut at <east there rea<<y is a crisis and a necessity? to such an extent that the sBuire wou<d o;ten be on<y remitting a debt which he has a<ready written o;; as a bad debt+ and the emp<oyer on<y sacri;icing the ser=ice o; men who are a<ready on strike. Sti<<+ we sha<< need the =irtues that be<ong to a crisis? and it wi<< be we<< to make the ;act c<ear. #ext+ whi<e there is a<< the di;;erence between the desirab<e and the desired+ & wou<d point out that e=en now this norma< <i;e is more desired than many suppose. &t is perhaps subconscious<y desired? but & think it worth whi<e to throw out a ;ew suggestions that may bring it to the sur;ace. %ast<y+ there is a misconception about what is meant by @<i=ing on the <and@44and & ha=e added some suggestions about how much more desirab<e it is than many suppose.

& sha<< consider these separate aspects o; agricu<tura< distributism more or <ess in the order in which & ha=e >ust noted them? but here in the pre<iminary note & am concerned on<y with the primary ;act. &; we cou<d create a peasantry we cou<d create a conser=ati=e popu<ace? and he wou<d be a bo<d man who shou<d undertake to te<< us how the present industria< dead<ock in the great cities is to produce a conser=ati=e popu<ace. & am we<< aware that many wou<d ca<< the conser=atism by coarser names? and say that peasants are stupid and stick4in4the4mud and tied to du<< and dreary existence. & know it is said that a man must ;ind it monotonous to do the twenty things that are done on a ;arm+ whereas+ o; course+ he a<ways ;inds it uproarious<y ;unny and ;esti=e to do one thing hour a;ter hour and day a;ter day in a ;actory. & know that the same peop<e a<so make exact<y the contrary comment? and say it is se<;ish and a=aricious ;or the peasant to be so intense<y interested in his own ;arm+ instead o; showing+ <ike the pro<etarians o; modern industria<ism+ a se<;<ess and romantic <oya<ty to somebody e<seFs ;actory+ and an ascetic se<;4 sacri;ice in making pro;its ;or somebody e<se. Gi=ing each o; these c<aims o; modern capita<ism their due weight+ it is sti<< permissib<e to say that in so ;ar as the peasant proprietor is certain<y tenacious o; the peasant property+ is concentrated on the interest or content with the du<<ness+ as the case may be+ he does+ in ;act+ constitute a so<id b<ock o; pri=ate property which can be counted on to resist Communism? which is not on<y more than can be said o; the pro<etariat+ but is =ery much more than any capita<ists say o; them. & do not be<ie=e that the pro<etariat is honeycombed with 5o<she=ism Di; honey be an apt metaphor ;or that doctrineE+ but i; there is any truth in the newspaper ;ears on that sub>ect it wou<d certain<y seem that <arge properties cannot pre=ent the thing happening+ whereas sma<< properties can. 5ut+ as a matter o; ;act+ a<< experience is against the assertion that peasants are dreary and degraded sa=ages+ craw<ing about on a<< ;ours and eating grass <ike the beasts o; the ;ie<d. (<< o=er the wor<d+ ;or instance+ there are peasant dances? and the dances o; peasants are <ike dances o; kings and Bueens. he popu<ar dance is much more state<y and ceremonia< and ;u<< o; human dignity than is the aristocratic dance. &n many a modern countryside the country;o<k may sti<< be ;ound on high ;esti=a<s wearing caps <ike crowns and using gestures <ike a re<igious ritua<+ whi<e the cast<e or chateau o; the <ords and <adies is a<ready ;u<< o; peop<e wadd<ing about <ike monkeys to the noises made by negroes. (<< o=er Europe peasants ha=e produced the embroideries and the handicra;ts which were disco=ered with de<ight by artists when they had <ong been neg<ected by aristocrats. hese peop<e are not conser=ati=e mere<y in a negati=e sense? though there is great =a<ue in that which is negati=e when it is a<so de;ensi=e. hey are a<so conser=ati=e in a positi=e sense? they conser=e customs that do not perish <ike ;ashions+ and cra;ts <ess ephemera< than those artistic mo=ements which so =ery soon cease to mo=e. he 5o<she=ists+ & be<ie=e+ ha=e in=ented something which they ca<< .ro<etarian (rt+ upon what princip<e & cannot imagine? sa=e that they seem to ha=e a mysterious pride in ca<<ing themse<=es a pro<etariat when they c<aim to be no <onger pro<etarian. & rather think it is mere<y the re<uctance o; the ha<;4educated to re<inBuish the use o; a <ong word. (nyhow+ there ne=er has been in this wor<d any such thing as .ro<etarian (rt. 5ut there has most emphatica<<y been such a thing as .easant (rt. & suppose that what is rea<<y meant is Communist (rt? and that phrase a<one wi<< re=ea< much. & suppose a tru<y communa< art wou<d consist in a hundred men hanging on to one huge paint4 brush <ike a battering4ram+ and steering it across some =ast can=as with the cur=es and <urches and ma>estic hesitations that wou<d express+ in dark<y out<ined ;orms+ the composite mind o; the community. .easants ha=e produced art because they were communa< but not communist. Custom and a corporate tradition ga=e unity to their art? but each man was a separate artist. &t is that satis;action o; the creati=e instinct in the indi=idua< that makes the peasantry as a who<e content and there;ore conser=ati=e. ( mu<titude o; men are standing on their own ;eet+ because they are standing on their own <and. 5ut in our country+ a<as+ the <andowners ha=e been standing

upon nothing+ except what they ha=e tramp<ed under;oot. 3333333333333333 && 8":S (#* 8"%$# EE!S :e ha=e sometimes been asked why we do not admire ad=ertisers Buite so much as they admire themse<=es. "ne answer is that it is o; their =ery nature to admire themse<=es. (nd it is o; the =ery nature o; our task that peop<e must be taught to criticiCe themse<=es? or rather Dpre;erab<yE to kick themse<=es. hey ta<k about ruth in (d=ertising? but there cannot be any such thing in the sharp sense in which we need truth in po<itics. &t is impossib<e to put in the cheery terms o; @pub<icity@ either the truth about how bad things are+ or the truth about how hard it wi<< be to cure them. #o ad=ertiser is so truth;u< as to say+ @*o your best with our rotten o<d typewriter? we canFt get anything better >ust now.@ 5ut we ha=e rea<<y got to say+ @*o your best with your rotten o<d machine o; production? donFt <et it ;a<< to pieces too sudden<y.@ :e se<dom see a gay and conspicuous hoarding inscribed+ @)ou are in ;or a rough time i; you use our new kitchen4range.@ 5ut we ha=e rea<<y got to say to our ;riends+ @)ou are in ;or a rough time i; you start new ;arms on your own? but it is the right thing.@ :e cannot pretend to be o;;ering mere<y com;orts and con=eniences. :hate=er our u<timate =iew o; <abour4sa=ing machinery+ we cannot o;;er our idea< as a <abour4sa=ing machine. here is no more Buestion o; com;ort than there is ;or a man in a ;ire+ a batt<e+ or a shipwreck. here is no way out o; the danger except the dangerous way. he sort o; ca<< that must be made on the modern Eng<ish is the sort o; ca<< that is made be;ore a great war or a great re=o<ution. &; the trumpet gi=e an uncertain sound44but it must be unmistakab<y the sound o; a trumpet. he megaphone o; mere mercanti<e se<;4satis;action is mere<y <oud and not in the <east c<ear. &n its nature it is saying smooth things+ e=en i; it is roaring them? it is <ike one whispering so;t nothings+ e=en i; its whisper is a horrib<e ye<<. How can ad=ertisement bid men prepare themse<=es ;or a batt<eA How can pub<icity ta<k in the <anguage o; pub<ic spiritA &t cannot say+ @5uy <and at 5<inkington4on4Sea and prepare yourse<; ;or the batt<e with stones and thist<es.@ &t cannot gi=e a certain sound+ <ike the o<d tocsin that rang ;or ;ire and ;<ood+ and te<< the peop<e o; .udd<eton that they are in danger o; ;amine. o do men >ustice+ no man did announce the needs o; KitchenerFs (rmy <ike the com;orts o; the kitchen4range. :e did not say to the recruits+ @Spend your ho<iday at ,ons.@ :e did not say+ @ ry our trenches? they are a treat.@ :e made some sort o; attempt to appea< to better things. :e ha=e to make that appea< again? and in the ;ace o; worse things. &t is this that is made so di;;icu<t by the who<e tone o; ad=ertisement. 'or the next thing we ha=e to consider is the need o; independent indi=idua< action on a <arge sca<e. :e want to make the need known+ as the need ;or recruits was made known. Education was too commercia< in origin+ and has a<<owed itse<; to be <arge<y swamped by commercia< ad=ertisement. &t came too much ;rom the town? and now it is near<y dri=en ;rom the town. Education rea<<y meant the teaching o; town things to country peop<e who did not want to <earn them. & suggest that education shou<d now mean the teaching o; country things to town peop<e who do want to <earn them. & Buite admit it wou<d be much better to begin at <east with those who rea<<y want it. 5ut & a<so maintain that there are rea<<y a great many peop<e in town and country who do rea<<y want it. :hether we <ook ;orward to an (grarian %aw or no+ whether our notion o; distribution is rigid or rough and ready+ whether we be<ie=e in compensation or con;iscation+ whether we <ook ;or this <aw or that <aw+ we ought not to sit down and wait ;or any <aw at a<<. :hi<e the grass grows the steed has got to show that he wants grass: the steed has got to exp<ain that he is rea<<y a gramini=orous Buadruped. he ;u<;i<ment o; par<iamentary promises grows rather s<ower than

grass? and i; nothing is done be;ore the comp<etion o; what is ca<<ed a constitutiona< process+ we sha<< be about as near to *istributism as a %abour po<itician is to Socia<ism. &t seems to me ;irst necessary to re=i=e the medie=a< or mora< method+ and ca<< ;or =o<unteers. he Eng<ish cou<d do what the &rish did. hey cou<d make <aws by obeying them. &; we are+ <ike the origina< Sinn 'einers+ to anticipate <ega< change by socia< agreement+ we want two sorts o; =o<unteers+ in order to make the experiment on the spot. :e want to ;ind out how many peasants there are+ actua< or potentia<+ who wou<d take o=er the responsibi<ity o; sma<< ;arms+ ;or the sake o; se<;4su;;iciency+ o; rea< property+ and o; sa=ing Eng<and in a desperate hour. :e want to know how many <and<ords there are who wou<d now gi=e or se<< cheap<y their <and to be cut up into a number o; such ;arms. Honest<y+ & think the <and<ord wou<d ha=e the best o; the bargain. "r rather & think that the peasant wou<d ha=e the hardest and most heroic part o; the bargain. Sometimes it wou<d practica<<y pay the <and<ord to chuck the <and a<together+ since he is paying out to something that does not pay him back. 5ut in any case+ e=erybody has got to rea<iCe that the situation is+ in no cant phrases+ one ;or heroic remedies. &t is impossib<e to disguise that the man who gets the <and+ e=en more than the man who gi=es up the <and+ wi<< ha=e to be something o; a hero. :e sha<< be to<d that heroes do not grow on e=ery hedgerow+ that we cannot ;ind enough to de;end a<< our hedges. :e raised three mi<<ion heroes with the b<ast o; a bug<e but a ;ew years ago? and the trumpet we hear to4day is in a more terrib<e sense the trump o; doom. :e want a popu<ar appea< ;or =o<unteers to sa=e the <and? exact<y as =o<unteers in /0/9 were wanted to sa=e the country. 5ut we do not want the appea< weakened by that weak4minded+ that wearisome+ that disma< and dep<orab<e thing that the newspapers ca<< "ptimism. :e are not asking babies to <ook p<easant whi<e their photographs are taken? we are asking grown men to meet a crisis as gra=e as a great war. :e are not asking peop<e to cut a coupon out o; a newspaper+ but to car=e a ;arm out o; a track<ess waste? and i; it is to be success;u<+ it must be ;aced in something o; the stubborn spirit o; the o<d ;u<;i<ment o; a =ow. St. 'rancis showed his ;o<<owers the way to a greater happiness? but he did not te<< them that a wandering and home<ess <i;e wou<d mean E=erything as #ice as ,other ,akes &t? nor did he ad=ertise it on hoardings as a Home 'rom Home. 5ut we <i=e in a time when it is harder ;or a ;ree man to make a home than it was ;or a medie=a< ascetic to do without one. he Buarre< about the %imehouse s<ums was a working mode< o; the prob<em44 i; we can ta<k o; a working mode< o; something that does not work+ and something on which on<y a madman wou<d mode< anything. he s<um4dwe<<ers actua<<y and de;inite<y say that they pre;er their s<ums to the b<ocks o; ;<ats pro=ided as a re;uge ;rom the s<ums. (nd they pre;er them+ it is stated+ because the o<d homes had backyards in which they cou<d pursue @their hobbies o; bird4;ancying and pou<try4 rearing.@ :hen o;;ered other opportunities on some scheme o; a<<otment+ they had the hideous depra=ity to say that they <iked ;ences round their pri=ate yards. So aw;u< and o=erwhe<ming is the !ed torrent o; Communism as it boi<s through the brains o; the working c<asses. #ow+ o; course+ it might concei=ab<y be necessary+ in some wi<d congestion and con=u<sion+ ;or peop<eFs houses to be pi<ed on top o; each other ;or e=er+ in the ;orm o; a tower o; ;<ats. (nd so it might be necessary ;or men to c<imb on other menFs shou<ders in a ;<ood or to get out o; a chasm c<o=en by an earthBuake. (nd it is <ogica<<y concei=ab<e+ and e=en mathematica<<y correct+ that we might thin the crowds in the %ondon streets+ i; we cou<d thus arrange men =ertica<<y instead o; horiConta<<y. &; there were on<y some expedient by which a man might wa<k about with another man standing abo=e him+ and another abo=e that+ and so on+ it wou<d sa=e a great dea< o; >ost<ing. ,en are arranged <ike that in acrobatic per;ormances? and a course o; such acrobatics might be made compu<sory in a<< the schoo<s. &t is a picture that p<eases me =ery much+ as a

picture. & <ook ;orward Din spirit o; art ;or artFs sakeE to seeing such a <i=ing tower mo=ing ma>estica<<y down the Strand. & <ike to think o; the time o; true socia< organiCation+ when a<< the c<erks o; ,essrs. 5ood<e - 5unkham sha<< no <onger come up in their present random and stragg<ing ;ashion+ each ;rom his <itt<e suburban =i<<a. hey sha<< not e=en+ as in the immediate and intermediary stage o; the Ser=i<e State+ march in a we<<4dri<<ed co<umn ;rom the dormitory in one part o; %ondon+ to the emporium in the other. #o+ a nob<er =ision has arisen be;ore me into the =ery heights o; hea=en. ( topp<ing pagoda o; c<erks+ one ba<anced on the top o; another+ mo=es down the street+ perhaps making acrobatic patterns in the air as it mo=es+ to i<<ustrate the per;ect discip<ine o; its socia< machinery. (<< that wou<d be =ery impressi=e? and it rea<<y wou<d+ among other things+ economiCe space. 5ut i; one o; the men near the top o; that swaying tower were to say that he hoped some day to be ab<e to re=isit the earth+ & shou<d sympathiCe with his sense o; exi<e. &; he were to say that it is natura< to man to wa<k on the earth+ & shou<d ;ind myse<; in agreement with his schoo< o; phi<osophy. &; he were to say that it was =ery di;;icu<t to <ook a;ter chickens in that acrobatic attitude and a<titude+ & shou<d think his di;;icu<ty a rea< one. (t ;irst it might be retorted that bird4;ancying wou<d be e=en more appropriate to such an airy perch+ but in practice those birds wou<d be =ery ;ancy birds. 'ina<<y+ i; he said that keeping chickens that <aid eggs was a worthy and =a<uab<e socia< work+ much more worthy and =a<uab<e than ser=ing ,essrs. 5ood<e - 5unkham with the most per;ect discip<ine and organiCation+ & shou<d agree with that sentiment most o; a<<. #ow the who<e o; our modern prob<em is =ery di;;icu<t+ and though in one way the agricu<tura< part o; it is much the simp<est+ in another way it is by no means the <east di;;icu<t. 5ut this %imehouse a;;air is a =i=id examp<e o; how we make the di;;icu<ty more di;;icu<t. :e are to<d again and again that the s<um4dwe<<ers o; the big towns cannot mere<y be turned <oose on the <and+ that they do not want to go on the <and+ that they ha=e no tastes or turn o; thought that cou<d make them by any process into a peop<e interested in the <and+ that they cannot be concei=ed as ha=ing any p<easures except town p<easures+ or e=en any discontents except the 5o<she=ism o; the towns. (nd then when a who<e crowd o; them want to keep chickens+ we ;orce them to <i=e in ;<ats. :hen a who<e crowd o; them want to ha=e ;ences+ we <augh and order them o;; into communa< barracks. :hen a who<e popu<ation wishes to insist on pa<ings and enc<osures and the traditions o; pri=ate property+ the authorities act as i; they were suppressing a !ed riot. :hen these =ery hope<ess s<um4dwe<<ers do actua<<y set a<< their hopes on a rura< occupation+ which they can sti<< practise e=en in the s<ums+ we tear them away ;rom that occupation and ca<< it impro=ing their condition. )ou pick a man up who has his head in a hen4coop+ ;orcib<y set him on giant sti<ts a hundred ;eet high where he cannot reach the ground+ and then say you ha=e sa=ed him ;rom misery. (nd you add that a man <ike that can on<y <i=e on sti<ts and wou<d ne=er be interested in hens. #ow the =ery ;irst Buestion that is a<ways asked o; those ad=ocating our sort o; agricu<tura< reconstruction is this Buestion+ which is ;undamenta< because it is psycho<ogica<. :hate=er e<se we may or may not need ;or a peasantry+ we do certain<y need peasants. &n the present mixture and mudd<e o; more or <ess urbaniCed ci=i<iCation+ ha=e we e=en the ;irst e<ements or the ;irst possibi<itiesA Ha=e we peasants+ or e=en potentia< peasantsA %ike a<< Buestions o; this sort+ it cannot be answered by statistics. Statistics are arti;icia< e=en when they are not ;ictitious+ ;or they a<ways assume the =ery ;act which a mora< estimate must a<ways deny? they assume that e=ery man is one man. hey are based on a sort o; atomic theory that the indi=idua< is rea<<y indi=idua<+ in the sense o; indi=isib<e. 5ut when we are dea<ing pro;essed<y with the proportion o; di;;erent <o=es or hates or hopes or hungers+ this is so ;ar ;rom being a ;act that can be assumed+ it is the =ery ;irst that must be denied. &t is denied by a<< that deeper consideration which wise men used

to ca<< spiritua<+ but which ;oo<s were ;rightened out o; ca<<ing spiritua<+ ti<< they =entured to say it in Greek and ca<< it psychica< or psycho<ogica<. &n one sense the highest spiritua<ity insists+ o; course+ that one man is one. 5ut in the sense here in=o<=ed+ the spiritua< =iew has a<ways been that one man was at <east two+ and the psycho<ogica< =iew has shown some taste ;or turning him into ha<; a doCen. &t is no good+ there;ore+ to discuss the number o; peasants who are nothing e<se but peasants. 8ery probab<y there are none at a<<. &t is no good asking how many comp<ete and compact yeomen or yoke<s are waiting a<< ready in smock4;rocks or b<ouses+ their spades and hay4;orks c<utched in their hand+ in the neighbourhood o; 5rompton or 5rixton? waiting ;or us to gi=e the signa< to rush back to the <and. &; anybody is such a ;oo< as to expect that sort o; thing+ the ;oo< is not to be ;ound in our sma<< po<itica< party. :hen we are dea<ing with a matter o; this kind+ we are dea<ing with di;;erent e<ements in the same c<ass+ or e=en in the same man. :e are dea<ing with e<ements which shou<d be encouraged or educated or Di; we must bring the word in somewhereE e=o<=ed. :e ha=e to consider whether there are any materia<s out o; which to make peasants to make a peasantry+ i; we rea<<y choose to try. #owhere in these notes ha=e & suggested that there is the ;aintest possibi<ity o; it being done+ i; we do not choose to try. #ow+ using words in this sensib<e sense+ & shou<d maintain that there is a =ery <arge e<ement sti<< in Eng<and that wou<d <ike to return to this simp<er sort o; Eng<and. Some o; them understand it better than others+ some o; them understand themse<=es better than others? some wou<d be prepared ;or it as a re=o<ution? some on<y c<ing to it =ery b<ind<y as a tradition? some ha=e ne=er thought o; it as anything but a hobby? some ha=e ne=er heard o; it and ;ee< it on<y as a want. 5ut the number o; peop<e who wou<d <ike to get out o; the tang<e o; mere rami;ications and communications in the town+ and get back nearer to the roots o; things+ where things are made direct<y out o; nature+ & be<ie=e to be =ery <arge. &t is probab<y not a ma>ority+ but & suspect that e=en now it is a =ery <arge minority. ( man does not necessari<y want this more than e=erything e<se at e=ery moment o; his <i;e. #o sane person expects any mo=ement to consist entire<y o; such monomaniacs. 5ut a good many peop<e want it a good dea<. & ha=e ;ormed that impression ;rom experience+ which is o; a<< things the most di;;icu<t to reproduce in contro=ersy. & guess it ;rom the way in which number<ess suburbans ta<k about their gardens. & guess it ;rom the sort o; things that they rea<<y en=y in the rich? one o; the most notab<e o; which is mere<y empty space. & notice it in a<< the e<ement that desires the country+ e=en i; it de;aces the country. & notice it in the pro;ound popu<ar interest e=erywhere+ especia<<y in Eng<and+ in the breeding or training o; any kind o; anima<. (nd i; & wanted a supreme+ a symbo<ic+ a triumphant examp<e o; a<< that & mean+ & cou<d ;ind it in the case & ha=e Buoted o; these men <i=ing in the most miserab<e s<ums o; %imehouse+ and re<uctant to <ea=e them because it wou<d mean <ea=ing behind a rabbit in a rabbit4hutch or a chicken in a hen4coop. #ow i; we were rea<<y doing what & suggest+ or i; we rea<<y knew what we were doing+ we shou<d seiCe on these s<um dwe<<ers as i; they were in;ant prodigies or De=en more <ucrati=eE monsters to be exhibited in a ;air. :e shou<d see that such peop<e ha=e a natura< genius ;or such things. :e shou<d encourage them in such things. :e shou<d educate them in such things. :e shou<d see in them the seed and <i=ing princip<e o; a rea< spontaneous re=i=a< o; the countryside. & repeat that it wou<d be a matter o; proportion and there;ore o; tact. 5ut we shou<d be on their side+ being con;ident that they are on our side and on the side o; the countryside. :e shou<d reconstruct our popu<ar education so as to he<p these hobbies. :e shou<d think it worth whi<e to teach peop<e the things they are so eager to teach themse<=es. :e shou<d teach them? we might e=en+ in a burst o; Christian humi<ity+ occasiona<<y a<<ow them to teach us. :hat we do is to bund<e them out o; their houses+ where they do these things with di;;icu<ty+ and drag them shrieking to new and un;ami<iar p<aces where they cannot do them at a<<. his examp<e a<one wou<d show how much

we are rea<<y doing ;or the rura< reconstruction o; Eng<and. hough much cou<d be done by =o<unteers+ and by a =o<untary bargain between the man who rea<<y cou<d do the work and the man who ;reBuent<y cannot get the rent+ there is nothing in our socia< phi<osophy that ;orbids the use o; the State power where it can be used. (nd either by the State subsidy or some <arge =o<untary ;und+ it seems to me that it wou<d sti<< be possib<e at <east to gi=e the other man something as good as the rent that he does not get. &n other words+ <ong be;ore our Communists come to the contro=ersia< ethics o; con;iscation+ it seems to me within the resources o; ci=i<iCation to enab<e 5rown to buy ;rom Smith what is now o; =ery <itt<e =a<ue to Smith and might be o; =ery great =a<ue to 5rown. & know the current comp<aint against subsidy+ and the genera< argument that app<ies eBua<<y to subscription? but & do think that a subsidy to restore agricu<ture wou<d ;ind more repayment in the ;uture than a subsidy to patch up the position o; coa<? >ust as & think that in its turn more de;ensib<e than ha<; a hundred sa<aries that we pay to a mob o; nobodies ;or p<aguing the poor with sham science and petty tyranny. 5ut there are+ as & ha=e a<ready hinted+ other ways by which e=en the State cou<d he<p in the matter. So <ong as we ha=e State education+ it seems a pity that it can ne=er at any moment be determined by the needs o; the State. &; the immediate need o; the State is to pay some attention to the existence o; the earth+ there rea<<y seems no reason why the eyes o; the schoo<masters and schoo<boys+ staring at the stars+ shou<d not be turned in the direction o; that p<anet. (t present we ha=e education+ not indeed ;or ange<s+ but rather ;or a=iators. hey do not e=en understand a manFs wish to remain tied to the ground. here is in their idea< an insanity that may be tru<y ca<<ed unearth<y. #ow & suggest such a peasantry o; =o<unteers primari<y as a nuc<eus+ but & think it wi<< be a nuc<eus o; attraction. & think it wi<< stand up not on<y as a rock but as a magnet. &n other words+ as soon as it is admitted that it can be done+ it wi<< become important when a number o; other things can no <onger be done. :hen trade is increasing<y bad+ this wi<< be counted better e=en by those who count it a second best. :hen we speak o; peop<e <ea=ing the countryside and ;<ocking to the towns+ we are not >udging the case ;air<y. Something may be a<<owed ;or a socia< type that wou<d a<ways pre;er cinemas and picture post cards e=en to property and <iberty. 5ut there is nothing conc<usi=e in the ;act that peop<e pre;er to go without property and <iberty+ with a cinema+ to going without property and <iberty without a cinema. Some peop<e may <ike the town so much that they wou<d rather be sweated in the town than ;ree in the country. 5ut nothing is pro=ed by the mere ;act that they wou<d rather be sweated in the town than sweated in the country. & be<ie=e+ there;ore+ that i; we created e=en a considerab<e patch o; peasantry+ the patch wou<d grow. .eop<e wou<d ;a<< back on it as they retired ;rom the dec<ining trades. (t present the patch is not growing+ because there is no patch to grow? peop<e do not e=en be<ie=e in its existence+ and can hard<y be<ie=e in its extension. So ;ar+ & mere<y propose to suggest that many peasants wou<d now be ready to work a<one on the <and+ though it wou<d be a sacri;ice? that many sBuires wou<d be ready to <et them ha=e the <and+ though it wou<d be a sacri;ice? that the State Dand ;or that matter any other patriotic corporationE cou<d be ca<<ed upon to he<p either or both in these actions+ that it might not be an into<erab<e or impossib<e sacri;ice. &n a<< this & wou<d remind the reader that & am on<y dea<ing with immediate<y practicab<e action and not with an u<timate or comp<ete condition? but it seems to me that something o; this sort might be set about a<most at once. & sha<< next proceed to consider a misunderstanding about how a group o; peasants cou<d <i=e on the <and. 3333333333333333

&&& HE !E(% %&'E "# HE %(#* :e o;;er one among many proposa<s ;or undoing the e=i< o; capita<ism+ on the ground that ours is the on<y one that rea<<y is a proposa< ;or undoing it. he others are a<< proposa<s ;or o=erdoing it. he natura< thing to do with a wrong operation is to re=erse it. he natura< action+ when property has ;a<<en into ;ewer hands+ is to restore it to more numerous hands. &; twenty men are ;ishing in a ri=er in such a crowd that their ;ishing4<ines a<< get entang<ed into one+ the norma< operation is to disentang<e them+ and sort them out so that each ;isherman has his own ;ishing4<ine. #o doubt a co<<ecti=ist phi<osopher standing on the bank might point out that the interwo=en <ines were now practica<<y a net? and might be trai<ed a<ong by a common e;;ort so as to drag the ri=er4bed. 5ut apart ;rom his scheme being doubt;u< in practice+ it insu<ts the inte<<ectua< instincts e=en in princip<e. &t is not putting things right to take a doubt;u< ad=antage o; their being wrong? and it does not e=en sound <ike a sane design to exaggerate an accident. Socia<ism is but the comp<etion o; the capita<ist concentration? yet that concentration was itse<; e;;ected b<ind<y <ike a b<under. #ow this natura<ness+ in the idea o; undoing what was i<< done wou<d appea<+ & think+ to many natura< peop<e who ;ee< the <ong4winded socio<ogica< schemes to be Buite unnatura<. 'or that reason & suggest in this section that many ordinary men+ <and<ords and <abourers+ ories and !adica<s+ wou<d probab<y he<p us in this task+ i; it were separated ;rom party po<itics and ;rom the pride and pedantry o; the inte<<ectua<s. 5ut there is another aspect in which the task is both more easy and more di;;icu<t. &t is more easy because it need not be crushed by comp<exities o; cosmopo<itan trade. &t is harder because it is a hard <i;e to <i=e apart ;rom them. ( *istributist ;or whose work Don a <itt<e paper de;aced+ a<as+ with my own initia<sE & ha=e a =ery <i=e<y gratitude+ once noted a truth o;ten neg<ected. He said that <i=ing on the <and was Buite a di;;erent thing ;rom <i=ing by carting things o;; it. He pro=ed+ ;ar more <ucid<y than & cou<d+ how practica< is the di;;erence in economics. 5ut & shou<d <ike to add here a word about a corresponding distinction in ethics. 'or the ;ormer+ it is ob=ious that most arguments about the ine=itab<e ;ai<ure o; a man growing turnips in Sussex are arguments about his ;ai<ing to se<< them+ not about his ;ai<ing to eat them. #ow as & ha=e a<ready exp<ained+ & do not propose to reduce a<< citiCens to one type+ and certain<y not to one turnip4eater. &n a greater or <ess degree+ as circumstances dictated+ there wou<d doubt<ess be peop<e se<<ing turnips to other peop<e? perhaps e=en the most ardent turnip4eater wou<d probab<y se<< some turnips to some peop<e. 5ut my meaning wi<< not be c<ear i; it be supposed that no more socia< simp<i;ication is needed than is imp<ied in se<<ing turnips out o; a ;ie<d instead o; top4hats out o; a shop. &t seems to me that a great many peop<e wou<d be on<y too g<ad to <i=e on the <and+ when they ;ind the on<y a<ternati=e is to star=e in the street. (nd it wou<d sure<y modi;y the modern enormity o; unemp<oyment+ i; any <arge number o; peop<e were rea<<y <i=ing on the <and+ not mere<y in the sense o; s<eeping on the <and but o; ;eeding on the <and. here wi<< be many who maintain that this wou<d mean a =ery du<< <i;e compared with the excitements o; dying in a workhouse in %i=erpoo<? >ust as there are many who insist that the a=erage woman is made to drudge in the home+ without asking whether the a=erage man exu<ts in ha=ing to drudge in the o;;ice. 5ut passing o=er the ;act that we may soon be ;aced with a prob<em at <east as prosaic as a ;amine+ & do not admit that such a <i;e is necessari<y or entire<y prosaic. !ustic popu<ations+ <arge<y se<;4 supporting+ seem to ha=e amused themse<=es with a great many mytho<ogies and dances and decorati=e arts? and & am not con=inced that the turnip4eater a<ways has a head <ike a turnip or that the top4hat a<ways co=ers the brain o; a phi<osopher. 5ut i; we <ook at the prob<em ;rom the point o; =iew o; the community as a who<e+ we sha<< note other and not uninteresting things. ( system based entire<y on the di=ision o; <abour is in one sense <itera<<y ha<;4witted. hat is+ each per;ormer o; ha<; o; an operation does rea<<y use on<y ha<; o; his wits. &t is not a Buestion in the

ordinary sense o; inte<<ect+ and certain<y not in the sense o; inte<<ectua<ism. 5ut it is a Buestion o; integrity+ in the strict sense o; the word. he peasant does <i=e+ not mere<y a simp<e <i;e+ but a comp<ete <i;e. &t may be =ery simp<e in its comp<eteness+ but the community is not comp<ete without that comp<eteness. he community is at present =ery de;ecti=e because there is not in the core o; it any such simp<e consciousness? any one man who represents the two parties to a contract. $n<ess there is+ there is nowhere a ;u<< understanding o; those terms: se<;4support+ se<;4 contro<+ se<;4go=ernment. He is the on<y unanimous mob and the on<y uni=ersa< man. He is the one ha<; o; the wor<d which does know how the other ha<; <i=es. ,any must ha=e Buoted the state<y tag ;rom 8irgi< which says+ @Happy were he who cou<d know the causes o; things+@ without remembering in what context it comes. ,any ha=e probab<y Buoted it because the others ha=e Buoted it. ,any+ i; <e;t in ignorance to guess whence it comes+ wou<d probab<y guess wrong. E=erybody knows that 8irgi<+ <ike Homer+ =entured to describe bo<d<y enough the most secret counci<s o; the gods. E=erybody knows that 8irgi<+ <ike *ante took his hero into artarus and the <abyrinth o; the <ast and <owest ;oundations o; the uni=erse. E=ery one knows that he dea<t with the ;a<< o; roy and the rise o; !ome+ with the <aws o; an empire ;itted to ru<e a<< the chi<dren o; men+ with the idea<s that shou<d stand <ike stars be;ore men committed to that aw;u< stewardship. )et it is in none o; these connections+ in none o; these passages+ that he makes the curious remark about human happiness consisting in a know<edge o; causes. He says it+ & ;ancy+ in a p<easant<y didactic poem about the ru<es ;or keeping bees. (nyhow+ it is part o; a series o; e<egant essays on country pursuits+ in one sense+ indeed+ tri=ia<+ but in another sense a<most technica<. &t is in the midst o; these Buiet and yet busy things that the great poet sudden<y breaks out into the great passage+ about the happy man whom neither kings nor mobs can cow? who+ ha=ing behe<d the root and reason o; a<< things+ can e=en hear under his ;eet+ unshaken+ the roar o; the ri=er o; he<<. (nd in saying this+ the poet certain<y pro=es once more the two great truths: that a poet is a prophet+ and that a prophet is a practica< man. Iust as his <onging ;or a de<i=erer o; the nations was an unconscious prophecy o; Christ+ so his criticism o; town and country is an unconscious prophecy o; the decay that has come on the wor<d through ;a<<ing away ;rom Christianity. ,uch may be said about the monstrosity o; modern cities? it is easy to see and perhaps a <itt<e too easy to say. & ha=e e=ery sympathy with some wi<d4haired prophet who shou<d <i;t up his =oice in the streets to proc<aim the 5urden o; 5rompton in the manner o; the 5urden o; 5aby<on. & wi<< support Dto the extent o; sixpence+ as Car<y<e saidE any o<d man with a beard who wi<< wa=e his arms and ca<< down ;ire ;rom hea=en upon 5ayswater. & Buite agree that <ions wi<< how< in the high p<aces o; .addington? and & am entire<y in ;a=our o; >acka<s and =u<tures rearing their young in the ruins o; the (<bert Ha<<. 5ut in these cases+ perhaps+ the prophet is <ess exp<icit than the poet. He does not te<< us exact<y what is wrong with the town? but mere<y <ea=es it to our own de<icate intuitions+ to in;er ;rom the sudden appearance o; wi<d unicorns tramp<ing down our gardens+ or a shower o; ;<aming serpents shooting o=er our heads through the sky <ike a ;<ight o; arrows+ or some such signi;icant detai<+ that there probab<y is something wrong. 5ut i; we wish in another mood to know inte<<ectua<<y what it is that is wrong with the city+ and why it seems to be dri=ing on to dooms Buite as unnatura< and much more ug<y+ we sha<< certain<y ;ind it in that pro;ound and piercing irre<e=ancy o; the %atin <ine. :hat is wrong with the man in the modern town is that he does not know the causes o; things? and that is why+ as the poet says+ he can be too much dominated by despots and demagogues. He does not know where things come ;rom? he is the type o; the cu<ti=ated Cockney who said he <iked mi<k out o; a c<ean shop and not a dirty cow. he more e<aborate is the town organiCation+

the more e<aborate e=en is the town education+ the <ess is he the happy man o; 8irgi< who knows the causes o; things. he town ci=i<iCation simp<y means the number o; shops through which the mi<k does pass ;rom the cow to the man? in other words+ it means the number o; opportunities o; wasting the mi<k+ o; watering the mi<k+ o; poisoning the mi<k+ and o; swind<ing the man. &; e=er he protests against being poisoned or swind<ed+ he wi<< certain<y be to<d that it is no good crying o=er spi<t mi<k? or+ in other words+ that it is reactionary sentimenta<ism to attempt to undo what is done or to restore what is perished. 5ut he does not protest =ery much+ because he cannot? and he cannot because he does not know enough about the causes o; things44 about the primary ;orms o; property and production+ or the points where man is nearest to his natura< origins. So ;ar the ;undamenta< ;act is c<ear enough? and by this time this side o; the truth is e=en ;air<y ;ami<iar. ( ;ew peop<e are sti<< ignorant enough to ta<k about the ignorant peasant. 5ut ob=ious<y in the essentia< sense it wou<d be ;ar truer to ta<k about the ignorant townsman. E=en where the townsman is eBua<<y we<< emp<oyed+ he is not in this sense eBua<<y we<< in;ormed. &ndeed+ we shou<d see this simp<e ;act c<ear<y enough+ i; it concerned a<most anything except the essentia<s o; our <i;e. &; a geo<ogist were tapping with a geo<ogica< hammer on the bricks o; a ha<;4bui<t house+ and te<<ing the brick<ayers what the c<ay was and where it came ;rom+ we might think him a nuisance? but we shou<d probab<y think him a <earned nuisance. :e might pre;er the workmanFs hammer to the geo<ogistFs hammer? but we shou<d admit that there were some things in the geo<ogistFs head that did not happen to be in the workmanFs head. )et the yoke<+ or young man ;rom the country+ rea<<y wou<d know something about the origin o; our break;asts+ as does the pro;essor about the origin o; our bricks. Shou<d we see a grotesBue medie=a< monster ca<<ed a pig hung topsy4tur=y ;rom a butcherFs hook+ <ike a huge bat ;rom a branch+ it wi<< be the young man ;rom the country who wi<< soothe our ;ears and sti<< our re;ined shrieks with some account o; the harm<ess habits o; this ;abu<ous anima<+ and by tracing the strange and secret connection between it and the rashers on the break;ast tab<e. &; a thunderbo<t or meteoric stone ;e<< in ;ront o; us in the street+ we might ha=e more sympathy with the po<iceman who wanted to remo=e it ;rom the thorough;are than with the pro;essor who wished to stand in the midd<e o; the thorough;are+ <ecturing on the constituent e<ements o; the comet or nebu<a o; which it was a ;<ying ;ragment. 5ut though the po<iceman might be >usti;ied in exc<aiming Din the origina< GreekE @:hat are the .<eiades to meA@ e=en he wou<d admit that more in;ormation about the soi< and strata o; the .<eiades can be obtained ;rom a pro;essor than ;rom a po<iceman. So i; some strange and swo<<en monstrosity ca<<ed a =egetab<e marrow surprises us <ike a thunderbo<t+ <et us not imagine that it is so strange to the man who grows marrows as it is to us+ mere<y because his ;ie<d and work seem to be as ;ar away as the .<eiades. %et us recogniCe that he is+ a;ter a<<+ a specia<ist on these mysterious marrows and prehistoric pigs? and treat him <ike a <earned man come ;rom a ;oreign uni=ersity. Eng<and is now such a <ong way o;; ;rom %ondon that its emissaries might at <east be recei=ed with the respect due to distinguished =isitors ;rom China or the Canniba< &s<ands. 5ut+ anyhow+ we need no <onger ta<k o; them as mere<y ignorant+ in ta<king o; the =ery thing o; which we are ignorant ourse<=es. "ne man may think the peasantFs know<edge irre<e=ant+ as another may think the pro;essorFs irre<e=ant? but in both cases it is know<edge? ;or it is know<edge o; the causes o; things. ,ost o; us rea<iCe in some sense that this is true? but many o; us ha=e not yet rea<iCed that the con=erse is a<so true. (nd it is that other truth+ when we ha=e understood it+ that <eads to the next necessary point about the ;u<< status o; the peasant. (nd the point is this: that the peasant a<so wi<< ha=e but a partia< experience i; he grows things in the country so<e<y in order to se<< them to the town. "; course+ it is on<y a >oke to represent either the ignorance o; town or country as being so grotesBue as & ha=e suggested ;or the sake o; examp<e. he townsman does not rea<<y think

that mi<k is rained ;rom the c<ouds or that rashers grow on trees+ e=en when he is a <itt<e =ague about =egetab<e marrows. He knows something about it? but not enough to make his ad=ice o; much =a<ue. he rustic does not rea<<y think that mi<k is used as whitewash or marrows as bo<sters+ e=en i; he ne=er actua<<y sees them used. 5ut i; he is a mere producer and not a consumer o; them+ his position does become as partia< as that o; any Cockney c<erk? near<y as narrow and e=en more ser=i<e. Gi=en the wonder;u< romance o; the =egetab<e marrow+ it is a bad thing that the peasant shou<d on<y know the beginning o; the story+ as it is a bad thing that the c<erk shou<d on<y know the end o; it. & insert here this genera< suggestion ;or a particu<ar reason. 5e;ore we come to the practica< expediency o; the peasant who consumes what he produces Dand the reason ;or thinking it+ as ,r. Hese<tine has urged+ much more practicab<e than the method by which he on<y se<<s what he producesE+ & think it we<< to point out that this course+ whi<e it is more expedient+ is not a mere surrender to expediency. &t seems to me a =ery good thing+ in theory as we<< as practice+ that there shou<d be a body o; citiCens primari<y concerned in producing and consuming and not in exchanging. &t seems to me a part o; our idea<+ and not mere<y a part o; our compromise+ that there shou<d be in the community a sort o; core not on<y o; simp<icity but o; comp<eteness. Exchange and =ariation can then be gi=en their reasonab<e p<ace? as they were in the o<d wor<d o; ;airs and markets. 5ut there wou<d be somewhere in the centre o; ci=i<iCation a type that was tru<y independent? in the sense o; producing and consuming within its own socia< circ<e. & do not say that such a comp<ete human <i;e stands ;or a comp<ete humanity. & do not say that the State needs on<y the man who needs nothing ;rom the State. 5ut & do say that this man who supp<ies his own needs is =ery much needed. & say it <arge<y because o; his absence ;rom modern ci=i<iCation+ that modern ci=i<iCation has <ost unity. &t is nobodyFs business to note the who<e o; a process+ to see where things come ;rom and where they go to. #obody ;o<<ows the who<e winding course o; the ri=er o; mi<k as it ;<ows ;rom the cow to the baby. #obody who is in at the death o; the pig is responsib<e ;or rea<iCing that the proo; o; the pig is in the eating. ,en throw marrows at other men <ike cannon ba<<s? but they do not return to them <ike boomerangs. :e need a socia< circ<e in which things constant<y return to those that threw them? and men who know the end and the beginning and the rounding o; our <itt<e <i;e. 3333333333333333 &8 S",E (S.EC S "' ,(CH&#E!) /. he :hee< o; 'ate 1. he !omance o; ,achinery 7. he Ho<iday o; the S<a=e 9. he 'ree ,an and the 'ord Car 3333333333333333 & HE :HEE% "' '( E he e=i< we are seeking to destroy c<ings about in corners especia<<y in the ;orm o; catch4phrases by which e=en the inte<<igent can easi<y be caught. "ne phrase+ which we may hear ;rom anybody at any moment+ is the phrase that such and such a modern institution has @come to stay.@ &t is these ha<;4metaphors that tend to make us a<< ha<;4witted. :hat is precise<y meant by the statement that the steam4engine or the wire<ess apparatus has come to stayA :hat is meant+ ;or that matter+ e=en by saying that the Ei;;e< ower has come to stayA o begin with+ we ob=ious<y do not mean what we mean when we use the words natura<<y? as in the expression+ @$nc<e Humphrey has come to stay.@ hat <ast sentence may be uttered in tones o; >oy+ or o;

resignation+ or e=en o; despair? but not o; despair in the sense that $nc<e Humphrey is rea<<y a monument that can ne=er be mo=ed. $nc<e Humphrey did come? and $nc<e Humphrey wi<< presumab<y at some time go? it is e=en possib<e Dhowe=er pain;u< it may be to imagine such domestic re<ationsE that in the <ast resort he shou<d be made to go. he ;act that the ;igure breaks down+ e=en apart ;rom the rea<ity it is supposed to represent+ i<<ustrates how <oose<y these catch4 words are used. 5ut when we say+ @ he Ei;;e< ower has come to stay+@ we are sti<< more inaccurate. 'or+ to begin with+ the Ei;;e< ower has not come at a<<. here was ne=er a moment when the Ei;;e< ower was seen striding towards .aris on its <ong iron <egs across the p<ains o; 'rance+ as the giant in the g<orious nightmare o; !abe<ais came to tower o=er .aris and carry away the be<<s o; #otre4*ame. he ;igure o; $nc<e Humphrey seen coming up the road may possib<y strike as much terror as any wa<king tower or towering giant? and the Buestion that may <eap into e=ery mind may be the Buestion o; whether he has come to stay. 5ut whether or no he has come to stay he has certain<y come. He has wi<<ed? he has prope<<ed or precipitated his body in a certain direction? he has agitated his own <egs? it is e=en possib<e D;or we a<< know what $nc<e Humphrey is <ikeE that he has insisted on carrying his own portmanteau+ to show the <aCy young dogs what he can sti<< do at se=enty4three. #ow suppose that what had rea<<y happened was something <ike this? something <ike a weird story o; Hawthorne or .oe. Suppose we ourse<=es had actua<<y manu;actured $nc<e Humphrey? had put him together+ piece by piece+ <ike a mechanica< do<<. Suppose we had so ardent<y ;e<t at the moment the need o; an unc<e in our home <i;e that we had constructed him out o; domestic materia<s+ <ike a Guy ;or the ;i;th o; #o=ember. aking+ it may be+ a turnip ;rom the kitchen4garden to represent his ba<d and =enerab<e head? permitting the water4butt+ as it were+ to suggest the <ines o; his ;igure? stu;;ing a pair o; trousers and attaching a pair o; boots+ we cou<d produce a comp<ete and con=incing unc<e o; whom any ;ami<y might be proud. $nder those conditions+ it might be grace;u< enough to say+ in the mere<y socia< sense and as a sort o; po<ite ;iction+ @$nc<e Humphrey has come to stay.@ 5ut sure<y it wou<d be =ery extraordinary i; we a;terwards ;ound the dummy re<ati=e was nothing but a nuisance+ or that his materia<s were needed ;or other purposes44sure<y it wou<d be =ery extraordinary i; we were then ;orbidden to take him to pieces again? i; e=ery e;;ort in that direction were met with the reso<ute answer+ @#o+ no? $nc<e Humphrey has come to stay.@ Sure<y we shou<d be tempted to retort that $nc<e Humphrey ne=er came at a<<. Suppose a<< the turnips were wanted ;or the se<;4support o; the peasant home. Suppose the water4butts were wanted? <et us hope ;or the purpose o; ho<ding beer. Suppose the ma<e members o; the ;ami<y re;used any <onger to <end their trousers to an entire<y imaginary re<ati=e. Sure<y we shou<d then see through the po<ite ;iction that <ed us to ta<k as i; the unc<e had @come+@ had come with an intention+ had remained with a purpose+ and a<< the rest. he thing we made did not come+ and certain<y did not come to do anything+ either to stay or to depart. #ow no doubt most peop<e e=en in the <ogica< city o; .aris wou<d say that the Ei;;e< ower has come to stay. (nd no doubt most peop<e in the same city rather more than a hundred years be;ore wou<d ha=e said that the 5asti<<e had come to stay. 5ut it did not stay? it <e;t the neighbourhood Buite abrupt<y. &n p<ain words+ the 5asti<<e was something that man had made and+ there;ore+ man cou<d unmake. he Ei;;e< ower is something that man has made and man cou<d unmake? though perhaps we may think it practica<<y probab<e that some time wi<< e<apse be;ore man wi<< ha=e the good taste or good sense or e=en the common sanity to unmake it. 5ut this one <itt<e phrase about the thing @coming@ is a<one enough to indicate something pro;ound<y wrong about the =ery working o; menFs minds on the sub>ect. "b=ious<y a man ought to be saying+ @& ha=e made an e<ectric battery. Sha<< & smash it+ or sha<< & make anotherA@ &nstead o; that+ he seems to be bewitched by a sort o; magic and stand staring at the thing as i; it were a

se=en4headed dragon? and he can on<y say+ @ he e<ectric battery has come. Has it come to stayA@ 5e;ore we begin any ta<k o; the practica< prob<em o; machinery+ it is necessary to <ea=e o;; thinking <ike machines. &t is necessary to begin at the beginning and consider the end. #ow we do not necessari<y wish to destroy e=ery sort o; machinery. 5ut we do desire to destroy a certain sort o; menta<ity. (nd that is precise<y the sort o; menta<ity that begins by te<<ing us that nobody can destroy machinery. hose who begin by saying that we cannot abo<ish the machine+ that we must use the machine+ are themse<=es re;using to use the mind. he aim o; human po<ity is human happiness. 'or those ho<ding certain be<ie;s it is conditioned by the hope o; a <arger happiness+ which it must not imperi<. 5ut happiness+ the making g<ad o; the heart o; man+ is the secu<ar test and the on<y rea<istic test. So ;ar ;rom this test+ by the ta<isman o; the heart+ being mere<y sentimenta<+ it is the on<y test that is in the <east practica<. here is no <aw o; <ogic or nature or anything e<se ;orcing us to pre;er anything e<se. here is no ob<igation on us to be richer+ or busier+ or more e;;icient+ or more producti=e+ or more progressi=e+ or in any way wor<d<ier or wea<thier+ i; it does not make us happier. ,ankind has as much right to scrap its machinery and <i=e on the <and+ i; it rea<<y <ikes it better+ as any man has to se<< his o<d bicyc<e and go ;or a wa<k+ i; he <ikes that better. &t is ob=ious that the wa<k wi<< be s<ower? but he has no duty to be ;ast. (nd i; it can be shown that machinery has come into the wor<d as a curse+ there is no reason whate=er ;or our respecting it because it is a mar=e<<ous and practica< and producti=e curse. here is no reason why we shou<d not <ea=e a<< its powers unused+ i; we ha=e rea<<y come to the conc<usion that the powers do us harm. he mere ;act that we sha<< be missing a number o; interesting things wou<d app<y eBua<<y to any number o; impossib<e things. ,achinery may be a magni;icent sight+ but not so magni;icent as a Great 'ire o; %ondon? yet we resist that =ision and a=ert our eyes ;rom a<< that potentia< sp<endour. ,achinery may not yet be at its best? and perhaps <ions and tigers wi<< ne=er be at their best+ wi<< ne=er make their most grace;u< <eaps or show a<< their natura< sp<endours+ unti< we erect an amphitheatre and gi=e them a ;ew <i=e peop<e to eat. )et that sight a<so is one which we ;orbid ourse<=es+ with whate=er austere se<;4 denia<. :e gi=e up so many g<orious possibi<ities+ in our stern and strenuous and se<;4sacri;icing pre;erence ;or ha=ing a to<erab<e time. Happiness+ in a sense+ is a hard taskmaster. &t te<<s us not to get entang<ed with many things that are much more super;icia<<y attracti=e than machinery. 5ut+ anyhow+ it is necessary to c<ear our minds at the start o; any mere =ague association or assumption to the e;;ect that we must go by the Buickest train or cannot he<p using the most producti=e instrument. Granted ,r. .entyFs thesis o; the e=i< o; machinery+ as something <ike the e=i< o; b<ack magic+ and there is nothing in the <east unpractica< about ,r. .entyFs proposa< that it shou<d simp<y stop. ( process o; in=ention wou<d cease that might ha=e gone ;urther. 5ut its re<ati=e imper;ection wou<d be nothing compared with the rudimentary state in which we ha=e <e;t such scienti;ic instruments as the rack and the thumbscrew. hose rude imp<ements o; torture are c<umsy compared with the ;inished products that modern know<edge o; physio<ogy and mechanics might ha=e gi=en us. ,any a ta<ented torturer is <e;t in obscurity by the mora< pre>udices o; modern society. #ay+ his budding promise is now nipped e=en in chi<dhood+ when he attempts to de=e<op his natura< genius on the ;<ies or the tai< o; the dog. "ur own strong sentimenta< bias against torture represses his nob<e rage and ;reeCes the genia< current o; his sou<. 5ut we reconci<e ourse<=es to this? though it be undoubted<y the <oss o; a who<e science ;or which many ingenious persons might ha=e sought out many in=entions. &; we rea<<y conc<ude that machinery is hosti<e to happiness+ then it is no more ine=itab<e that a<< p<oughing shou<d be done by machinery than it is ine=itab<e that a shop shou<d do a roaring trade on %udgate Hi<< by se<<ing the instruments o; Chinese tortures.

%et it be c<ear<y understood that & note this on<y to make the primary prob<em c<ear? & am not now saying+ nor perhaps shou<d & e=er say+ that machinery has been pro=ed to be practica<<y poisonous in this degree. & am on<y stating+ in answer to a hundred con;used assumptions+ the on<y u<timate aim and test. &; we can make men happier+ it does not matter i; we make them poorer+ it does not matter i; we make them <ess producti=e+ it does not matter i; we make them <ess progressi=e+ in the sense o; mere<y changing their <i;e without increasing their <iking ;or it. :e o; this schoo< o; thought may or may not get what we want? but it is at <east necessary that we shou<d know what we are trying to get. (nd those who are ca<<ed practica< men ne=er know what they are trying to get. &; machinery does pre=ent happiness+ then it is as ;uti<e to te<< a man trying to make men happy that he is neg<ecting the ta<ents o; (rkwright+ as to te<< a man trying to make men humane that he is neg<ecting the tastes o; #ero. #ow it is exact<y those who ha=e the c<arity to imagine the instant annihi<ation o; machines who wi<< probab<y ha=e too much common sense to annihi<ate them instant<y. o go mad and smash machinery is a more or <ess hea<thy and human ma<ady+ as it was in the %uddites. 5ut it was rea<<y owing to the ignorance o; the %uddites+ in a =ery di;;erent sense ;rom that spoken o; scorn;u<<y by the stupendous ignorance o; the &ndustria< Economists. &t was b<ind re=o<t as against some ancient and aw;u< dragon+ by men too ignorant to know how arti;icia< and e=en temporary was that particu<ar instrument+ or where was the seat o; the rea< tyrants who wie<ded it. he rea< answer to the mechanica< prob<em ;or the present is o; a di;;erent sort? and & wi<< proceed to suggest it+ ha=ing once made c<ear the on<y methods o; >udgment by which it can be >udged. (nd ha=ing begun at the right end+ which is the u<timate spiritua< standard by which a man or a machine is to be =a<ued+ & wi<< now begin at the other end? & might say at the wrong end? but it wi<< be more respect;u< to our practica< ;riends to ca<< it the business end. &; & am asked what & shou<d immediate<y do with a machine+ & ha=e no doubt about the sort o; practica< programme that cou<d be a pre<iminary to a possib<e spiritua< re=o<ution o; a much wider sort. &n so ;ar as the machine cannot be shared+ & wou<d ha=e the ownership o; it shared? that is+ the direction o; it shared and the pro;its o; it shared. 5ut when & say @shared@ & mean it in the modern mercanti<e sense o; the word @shares.@ hat is+ & mean something di=ided and not mere<y something poo<ed. "ur business ;riends bust<e ;orward to te<< us that a<< this is impossib<e? comp<ete<y unconscious+ apparent<y+ that a<< this part o; the business exists a<ready. )ou cannot distribute a steam4engine+ in the sense o; gi=ing one whee< to each shareho<der to take home with him+ c<asped in his arms. 5ut you not on<y can+ but you a<ready do distribute the ownership and pro;it o; the steam4engine? and you distribute it in the ;orm o; pri=ate property. "n<y you do not distribute it enough+ or to the right peop<e+ or to the peop<e who rea<<y reBuire it or cou<d rea<<y do work ;or it. #ow there are many schemes ha=ing this norma< and genera< character? a<most any one o; which & shou<d pre;er to the concentration presented by capita<ism or promised by communism. ,y own pre;erence+ on the who<e+ wou<d be that any such necessary machine shou<d be owned by a sma<< <oca< gui<d+ on princip<es o; pro;it4sharing+ or rather pro;it4di=iding: but o; rea< pro;it4sharing and rea< pro;it4di=iding+ not to be con;ounded with capita<ist patronage. ouching the <ast point+ it may be we<< to say in passing that what & say about the prob<em o; pro;it4sharing is in that respect para<<e< to what & say a<so about the prob<em o; emigration. he rea< di;;icu<ty o; starting it in the right way is that it has so o;ten been started in the wrong way? and especia<<y in the wrong spirit. here is a certain amount o; pre>udice against pro;it4sharing+ >ust as there is a certain amount o; pre>udice against emigration+ in the industria< democracy o; to4 day. &t is due in both cases to the type and especia<<y the tone o; the proposa<s. & entire<y sympathiCe with the rade $nionist who dis<ikes a certain sort o; condescending capita<ist

concession? and the spirit which gi=es e=ery man a p<ace in the sun which turns out to be a p<ace in .ort Sun<ight. Simi<ar<y+ & Buite sympathiCe with ,r. Kirkwood when he resented being <ectured about emigration by Sir (<;red ,ond+ to the extent o; saying+ @ he Scots wi<< <ea=e Scot<and when the German Iews <ea=e Eng<and.@ 5ut & think it wou<d be possib<e to ha=e a more genuine<y ega<itarian emigration+ with a positi=e po<icy o; se<;4go=ernment ;or the poor+ to which ,r. Kirkwood might be kind? and & think that pro;it4sharing that began at the popu<ar end+ estab<ishing ;irst the property o; a gui<d and not mere<y the caprice o; an emp<oyer+ wou<d not contradict any true princip<e o; rades $nions. 'or the moment+ howe=er+ & am on<y saying that something cou<d be done with what <ies nearest to us? Buite apart ;rom our genera< idea< about the position o; machinery in an idea< socia< state. & understand what is meant by saying that the idea< in both cases depends upon the wrong idea<s. 5ut & do not understand what our critics mean by saying that it is impossib<e to di=ide the shares and pro;its in a machine among de;inite indi=idua<s. (ny hea<thy man in any historica< period wou<d ha=e thought it a pro>ect ;ar more practicab<e than a ,i<k rust. 3333333333333333 && HE !",(#CE "' ,(CH&#E!) & ha=e repeated<y asked the reader to remember that my genera< =iew o; our potentia< ;uture di=ides itse<; into two parts. 'irst+ there is the po<icy o; re=ersing+ or e=en mere<y o; resisting+ the modern tendency to monopo<y or the concentration o; capita<. %et it be noted that this is a po<icy because it is a direction+ i; pursued in any degree. &n one sense+ indeed+ he who is not with us is against us? because i; that tendency is not resisted+ it wi<< pre=ai<. 5ut in another sense anyone who resists it at a<< is with us? e=en i; he wou<d not go so ;ar in the re=ersa< as we shou<d. &n trying to re=erse the concentration at a<<+ he is he<ping us to do what nobody has done yet. He wi<< be setting himse<; against the trend o; his age+ or at <east o; recent ages. (nd a man can work in our direction+ instead o; the existing and contrary direction+ e=en with the existing and perhaps contrary machinery. E=en whi<e we remain industria<+ we can work towards industria< distribution and away ;rom industria< monopo<y. E=en whi<e we <i=e in town houses+ we can own town houses. E=en whi<e we are a nation o; shopkeepers+ we can try to own our shops. E=en whi<e we are the workshop o; the wor<d+ we can try to own our too<s. E=en i; our town is co=ered with ad=ertisements+ it can be co=ered with di;;erent ad=ertisements. &; the mark o; our who<e society is the trade4mark+ it need not be the same trade4mark. &n short+ there is a per;ect<y tenab<e and practicab<e po<icy o; resisting mercanti<e monopo<y e=en in a mercanti<e state. (nd we say that a great many peop<e ought to support us in that+ who might not agree with our u<timate idea< o; a state that shou<d not be mercanti<e44 or rather a state that shou<d not be entire<y mercanti<e. :e cannot ca<< on Eng<and as a nation o; peasants+ as 'rance or Serbia is a nation o; peasants. 5ut we can ca<< on Eng<and that has been a nation o; shopkeepers to resist being turned into one big )ankee store. hat is why in beginning here the discussion o; machinery & pointed out+ ;irst+ that in the u<timate sense we are ;ree to destroy machinery? and second+ that in the immediate sense it is possib<e to di=ide the ownership o; machinery. (nd & shou<d say myse<; that e=en in a hea<thy state there wou<d be some ownership o; machinery to di=ide. 5ut when we come to consider that <arger test+ we must say something about the de;inition o; machinery+ and e=en the idea< o; machinery. #ow & ha=e a great dea< o; sympathy with what & may ca<< the sentimenta< argument ;or machinery. "; a<< the critics who ha=e rebuked us+ the man & <ike best is the engineer who says: @5ut & do <ike machinery44>ust as you <ike mytho<ogy. :hy shou<d & ha=e my toys taken away any more than youA@ (nd o; the =arious positions that & ha=e to meet+ & wi<< begin with his. #ow on a pre=ious

page & said & agreed with ,r. .enty that it wou<d be a human right to abandon machinery a<together. & wi<< add here that & do not agree with ,r. .enty in thinking machinery <ike magic44 a mere ma<ignant power or origin o; e=i<s. &t seems to me Buite as materia<istic to be damned by a machine as sa=ed by a machine. &t seems to me Buite as ido<atrous to b<aspheme it as to worship it. 5ut e=en supposing that somebody+ without worshipping it+ is yet en>oying it imaginati=e<y and in some sense mystica<<y+ the case as we state it sti<< stands. #obody wou<d be more rea<<y unsuitab<e to the machine age than a man who rea<<y admired machines. he modern system presupposes peop<e who wi<< take mechanism mechanica<<y? not peop<e who wi<< take it mystica<<y. (n amusing story might be written about a poet who was rea<<y appreciati=e o; the ;airy4ta<es o; science+ and who ;ound himse<; more o; an obstac<e in the scienti;ic ci=i<iCation than i; he had de<ayed it by te<<ing the ;airy4ta<es o; in;ancy. Suppose whene=er he went to the te<ephone Dbowing three times as he approached the shrine o; the disembodied orac<e and murmuring some appropriate ;orm o; words such as =ox et praeterea nihi<E+ he were to act as i; he rea<<y =a<ued the signi;icance o; the instrument. Suppose he were to ;a<< into a tremb<ing ecstasy on hearing ;rom a distant exchange the =oice o; an unknown young woman in a remote town+ were to <inger upon the =ery rea< wonder o; that momentary meeting in mid4air with a human spirit whom he wou<d ne=er see on earth+ were to specu<ate on her <i;e and persona<ity+ so rea< and yet so remote ;rom his own+ were to pause to ask a ;ew persona< Buestions about her+ >ust su;;icient to accentuate her human strangeness+ were to ask whether she a<so had not some sense o; this weird psychica< tete4a4tete+ created and disso<=ed in an instant+ whether she a<so thought o; those unthinkab<e <eagues o; =a<<ey and ;orest that <ay between the mo=ing mouth and the <istening ear44suppose+ in short+ he were to say a<< this to the <ady at the Exchange who was >ust about to put him on to MMM $pper ooting. He wou<d be rea<<y and tru<y expressing the sentiment+ @:onder;u< thing+ the te<ephoneG@? and+ un<ike the thousands who say it+ he wou<d actua<<y mean it. He wou<d be rea<<y and tru<y >usti;ying the great scienti;ic disco=eries and doing honour to the great scienti;ic in=entors. He wou<d indeed be the worthy son o; a scienti;ic age. (nd yet & ;ear that in a scienti;ic age he wou<d possib<y be misunderstood+ and e=en su;;er ;rom <ack o; sympathy. & ;ear that he wou<d+ in ;act+ be in practice an opponent o; a<< that he desired to upho<d. He wou<d be a worse enemy o; machinery than any %uddite smashing machines. He wou<d obstruct the acti=ities o; the te<ephone exchange+ by praising the beauties o; the te<ephone+ more than i; he had sat down+ <ike a more norma< and traditiona< poet+ to te<< a<< those bust<ing business peop<e about the beauties o; a wayside ;<ower. &t wou<d o; course be the same with any ad=enture o; the same <uck<ess admiration. &; a phi<osopher+ when taken ;or the ;irst time ;or a ride in a motor4car+ were to ;a<< into such an enthusiasm ;or the mar=e< that he insisted on understanding the who<e o; the mechanism on the spot+ it is probab<e that he wou<d ha=e got to his destination rather Buicker i; he had wa<ked. &; he were+ in his simp<e Cea<+ to insist on the machine being taken to pieces in the road+ that he might re>oice in the inmost secrets o; its structure+ he might e=en <ose his popu<arity with the garage taxi4dri=er or chau;;eur. #ow we ha=e a<< known chi<dren+ ;or instance+ who did rea<<y in this ;ashion want to see whee<s go round. 5ut though their attitude may bring them nearest to the kingdom o; hea=en+ it does not necessari<y bring them nearer to the end o; the >ourney. hey are admiring motors? but they are not motoring44that is+ they are not necessari<y mo=ing. hey are not ser=ing that purpose which motoring was meant to ser=e. #ow as a matter o; ;act this contradiction has ended in a congestion? and a sort o; stagnant state o; the spirit in which there is rather <ess rea< appreciation o; the mar=e<s o; manFs in=ention than i; the poet con;ined himse<; to making a penny whist<e Don which to pipe in the woods o; (rcadyE or the chi<d con;ined himse<; to making a toy bow or a catapu<t. he chi<d rea<<y is happy with a beauti;u< happiness e=ery time he

<ets ;<y an arrow. &t is by no means certain that the business man is happy with a beauti;u< happiness e=ery time he sends o;; a te<egram. he =ery name o; a te<egram is a poem+ e=en more magica< than the arrow? ;or it means a dart+ and a dart that writes. hink what the chi<d wou<d ;ee< i; he cou<d shoot a penci<4arrow that drew a picture at the other end o; the =a<<ey or the <ong street. )et the business man but se<dom dances and c<aps his hands ;or >oy+ at the thought o; this+ whene=er he sends a te<egram. #ow this has a considerab<e re<e=ancy to the rea< criticism o; the modern mechanica< ci=i<iCation. &ts supporters are a<ways te<<ing us o; its mar=e<<ous in=entions and pro=ing that they are mar=e<<ous impro=ements. 5ut it is high<y doubt;u< whether they rea<<y ;ee< them as impro=ements. 'or instance+ & ha=e heard it said a hundred times that g<ass is an exce<<ent i<<ustration o; the way in which something becomes a con=enience ;or e=erybody. @%ook at g<ass in windows+@ they say? @that has been turned into a mere necessity? yet that a<so was once a <uxury.@ (nd & a<ways ;ee< disposed to answer+ @)es+ and it wou<d be better ;or peop<e <ike you i; it were sti<< a <uxury? i; that wou<d induce you to <ook at it+ and not on<y to <ook through it. *o you e=er consider how magica< a thing is that in=isib<e ;i<m standing between you and the birds and the windA *o you e=er think o; it as water hung in the air or a ;<attened diamond too c<ear to be e=en =a<uedA *o you e=er ;ee< a window as a sudden opening in a wa<<A (nd i; you do not+ what is the good o; g<ass to youA@ his may be a <itt<e exaggerated+ in the heat o; the moment+ but it is rea<<y true that in these things in=ention outstrips imagination. Humanity has not got the good out o; its own in=entions? and by making more and more in=entions+ it is on<y <ea=ing its own power o; happiness ;urther and ;urther behind. & remarked in an ear<ier part o; this particu<ar meditation that machinery was not necessari<y e=i<+ and that there were some who =a<ued it in the right spirit+ but that most o; those who had to do with it ne=er had a chance o; =a<uing it at a<<. ( poet might en>oy a c<ock as a chi<d en>oys a musica<4box. 5ut the actua< c<erk who <ooks at the actua< c<ock+ to see that he is >ust in time to catch the train ;or the city+ is no more en>oying machinery than he is en>oying music. here may be something to be said ;or mechanica< toys? but modern society is a mechanism and not a toy. he chi<d indeed is a good test in these matters? and i<<ustrates both the ;act that there is an interest in machinery and the ;act that machinery itse<; genera<<y pre=ents us ;rom being interested. &t is a<most a pro=erb that e=ery <itt<e boy wants to be an engine4dri=er. 5ut machinery has not mu<tip<ied the number o; engine4dri=ers+ so as to a<<ow a<< <itt<e boys to dri=e engines. &t has not gi=en each <itt<e boy a rea< engine+ as his ;ami<y might gi=e him a toy engine. he e;;ect o; rai<ways on a popu<ation cannot be to produce a popu<ation o; engine4dri=ers. &t can on<y produce a popu<ation o; passengers? and o; passengers a <itt<e too <ike packages. &n other words+ its on<y e;;ect on the =isionary or potentia< engine4dri=er is to put him inside the train+ where he cannot see the engine+ instead o; outside the train where he can. (nd though he grows up to the greatest and most g<orious success in <i;e+ and swind<es the widow and orphan ti<< he can tra=e< in a ;irst4 c<ass carriage specia<<y reser=ed+ with a permanent pass to the &nternationa< Congress o; Cosmopo<itan :or<d .eace ;or :ire4.u<<ers+ he wi<< ne=er perhaps en>oy a rai<way train again+ he wi<< ne=er e=en see a rai<way train again+ as he saw it when he stood as a ragged urchin and wa=ed wi<d<y ;rom a grassy bank at the passage o; the Scotch Express. :e may trans;er the parab<e ;rom engine4dri=ers to engineers. &t may be that the dri=er o; the Scotch Express hur<s himse<; ;orward in a ;ury o; speed because his heart is in the High<ands+ his heart is not here? that he spurns the 5order behind him with a gesture and hai<s the Grampians be;ore him with a cheer. (nd whether or no it is true that the engine4dri=erFs heart is in the High<ands+ it is sometimes true that the <itt<e boyFs heart is in the engine. 5ut it is by no means

true that passengers as a who<e+ tra=e<<ing behind engines as a who<e+ en>oy the speed in a positi=e sense+ though they may appro=e o; it in a negati=e sense. & mean that they wish to tra=e< swi;t<y+ not because swi;t tra=e<<ing is en>oyab<e+ but because it is not en>oyab<e. hey want it rushed through? not because being behind the rai<way4engine is a rapture+ but because being in the rai<way4carriage is a bore. &n the same way+ i; we consider the >oy o; engineers+ we must remember that there is on<y one >oy;u< engineer to a thousand bored =ictims o; engineering. he discussion that raged between ,r. .enty and others at one time threatened to reso<=e itse<; into a ;eud between engineers and architects. 5ut when the engineer asks us to ;orget a<< the monotony and materia<ism o; a mechanica< age because his own science has some o; the inspiration o; an art+ the architect may we<< be ready with a rep<y. 'or this is =ery much as i; architects were ne=er engaged in anything but the bui<ding o; prisons and <unatic asy<ums. &t is as i; they to<d us proud<y with what passionate and poetica< enthusiasm they had themse<=es reared towers high enough ;or the hanging o; Haman or dug dungeons impenetrab<e enough ;or the star=ing o; $go<ino. #ow & ha=e a<ready exp<ained that & do not propose anything in what some ca<< the practica< way+ but shou<d rather be ca<<ed the immediate way+ beyond the better distribution o; the ownership o; such machines as are rea<<y ;ound to be necessary. 5ut when we come to the <arger Buestion o; machinery in a ;undamenta<<y di;;erent sort o; society+ go=erned by our phi<osophy and re<igion+ there is a great dea< more to be said. he best and shortest way o; saying it is that instead o; the machine being a giant to which the man is a pygmy+ we must at <east re=erse the proportions unti< man is a giant to whom the machine is a toy. Granted that idea+ and we ha=e no reason to deny that it might be a <egitimate and en<i=ening toy. &n that sense it wou<d not matter i; e=ery chi<d were an engine4dri=er or Dbetter sti<<E e=ery engine4dri=er a chi<d. 5ut those who were a<ways taunting us with unpractica<ity wi<< at <east admit that this is not practica<. & ha=e thus tried to put myse<; ;air<y in the position o; the enthusiast+ as we shou<d a<ways do in >udging o; enthusiasms. (nd & think it wi<< be agreed that e=en a;ter the experiment a rea< di;;erence between the engineering enthusiasm and o<der enthusiasms remains as a ;act o; common sense. (dmitting that the man who designs a steam4engine is as origina< as the man who designs a statue+ there is an immediate and immense di;;erence in the e;;ects o; what they design. he origina< statue is a >oy to the scu<ptor? but it is a<so in some degree Dwhen it is not too origina<E a >oy to the peop<e who see the statue. "r at any rate it is meant to be a >oy to other peop<e seeing it+ or there wou<d be no point in <etting it be seen. 5ut though the engine may be a great >oy to the engineer and o; great use to the other peop<e+ it is not+ and it is not meant to be+ in the same sense a great >oy to the other peop<e. #or is this because o; a de;iciency in education+ as some o; the artists might a<<ege in the case o; art. &t is in=o<=ed in the =ery nature o; machinery? which+ when once it is estab<ished+ consists o; repetitions and not o; =ariations and surprises. ( man can see something in the <imbs o; a statue which he ne=er saw be;ore? they may seem to toss or sweep as they ne=er did be;ore? but he wou<d not on<y be astonished but a<armed i; the whee<s o; the steam4engine began to beha=e as they ne=er did be;ore. :e may take it+ there;ore+ as an essentia< and not an accidenta< character o; machinery that it is an inspiration ;or the in=entor but mere<y a monotony ;or the consumer. his being so+ it seems to me that in an idea< state engineering wou<d be the exception+ >ust as the de<ight in engines is the exception. (s it is+ engineering and engines are the ru<e? and are e=en a grinding and oppressi=e ru<e. he <i;e<essness which the machine imposes on the masses is an in;inite<y bigger and more ob=ious ;act than the indi=idua< interest o; the man who makes machines. Ha=ing reached this point in the argument+ we may we<< compare it with what may be

ca<<ed the practica< aspect o; the prob<em o; machinery. #ow it seems to me ob=ious that machinery+ as it exists to4day+ has gone a<most as much beyond its practica< sphere as it has beyond its imaginati=e sphere. he who<e o; industria< society is ;ounded on the notion that the Buickest and cheapest thing is to carry coa<s to #ewcast<e? e=en i; it be on<y with the ob>ect o; a;terwards carrying them ;rom #ewcast<e. &t is ;ounded on the idea that rapid and regu<ar transit and transport+ perpetua< interchange o; goods+ and incessant communication between remote p<aces+ is o; a<< things the most economica< and direct. 5ut it is not true that the Buickest and cheapest thing+ ;or a man who has >ust pu<<ed an app<e ;rom an app<e tree+ is to send it in a consignment o; app<es on a train that goes <ike a thunderbo<t to a market at the other end o; Eng<and. he Buickest and cheapest thing ;or a man who has pu<<ed a ;ruit ;rom a tree is to put it in his mouth. He is the supreme economist who wastes no money on rai<way >ourneys. He is the abso<ute type o; e;;iciency who is ;ar too e;;icient to go in ;or organiCation. (nd though he is+ o; course+ an extreme and idea< case o; simp<i;ication+ the case ;or simp<i;ication does stand as so<id as an app<e tree. &n so ;ar as men can produce their own goods on the spot+ they are sa=ing the community a =ast expenditure which is o;ten Buite out o; proportion to the return. &n so ;ar as we can estab<ish a considerab<e proportion o; simp<e and se<;4supporting peop<e+ we are re<ie=ing the pressure o; what is o;ten a waste;u< as we<< as a harassing process. (nd taking this as a genera< out<ine o; the re;orm+ it does appear true that a simp<er <i;e in <arge areas o; the community might <ea=e machinery more or <ess as an exceptiona< thing? as it may we<< be to the exceptiona< man who rea<<y puts his sou< into it. here are di;;icu<ties in this =iew? but ;or the moment & may we<< take as an i<<ustration the para<<e< o; the particu<ar sort o; modern engineering which moderns are =ery ;ond o; denouncing. hey o;ten ;orget that most o; their praise o; scienti;ic instruments app<ies most =i=id<y to scienti;ic weapons. &; we are to ha=e so much pity ;or the unhappy genius who has >ust in=ented a new ga<=anometer+ what about the poor genius who has >ust in=ented a new gunA &; there is a rea< imaginati=e inspiration in the making o; a steam4engine+ is there not imaginati=e interest in the making o; a submarineA )et many modern admirers o; science wou<d be =ery anxious to abo<ish these machines a<together? e=en in the =ery act o; te<<ing us that we cannot abo<ish machines at a<<. (s & be<ie=e in the right o; nationa< se<;4de;ence+ & wou<d not abo<ish them a<together. 5ut & think they may gi=e us a hint o; how exceptiona< things may be treated exceptiona<<y. 'or the moment & wi<< <ea=e the progressi=e to <augh at my absurd notion o; a <imitation o; machines+ and go o;; to a meeting to demand the <imitation o; armaments. 3333333333333333 &&& HE H"%&*() "' HE S%(8E & ha=e sometimes suggested that industria<ism o; the (merican type+ with its machinery and mechanica< hust<e+ wi<< some day be preser=ed on a tru<y (merican mode<? & mean in the manner o; the !ed &ndian !eser=ation. (s we <ea=e a patch o; ;orest ;or sa=ages to hunt and ;ish in+ so a higher ci=i<iCation might <ea=e a patch o; ;actories ;or those who are sti<< at such a stage o; inte<<ectua< in;ancy as rea<<y to want to see the whee<s go round. (nd as the !ed &ndians cou<d sti<<+ & suppose+ te<< their Buaint o<d <egends o; a red god who smoked a pipe or a red hero who sto<e the sun and moon+ so the simp<e ;o<k in the industria< enc<osure cou<d go on ta<king o; their own "ut<ine o; History and discussing the e=o<ution o; ethics+ whi<e a<< around them a more mature ci=i<iCation was dea<ing with rea< history and serious phi<osophy. & hesitate to repeat this ;ancy here? ;or+ a;ter a<<+ machinery is their re<igion+ or at any rate superstition+ and they do not <ike it to be treated with <e=ity. 5ut & do think there is something to be said ;or the notion o; which this ;ancy might stand as a sort o; symbo<? ;or the idea that a wiser society wou<d e=entua<<y treat

machines as it treats weapons+ as something specia< and dangerous and perhaps more direct<y under a centra< contro<. 5ut howe=er this may be+ & do think the wi<dest ;ancy o; a manu;acturer kept at bay <ike a painted barbarian is much more sane than a serious scienti;ic a<ternati=e now o;ten put be;ore us. & mean what its ;riends ca<< the %eisure State+ in which e=erything is to be done by machinery. &t is on<y right to say a word about this suggestion in comparison with our own. &n practice we a<ready know what is meant by a ho<iday in a wor<d o; machinery and mass production. &t means that a man+ when he has done turning a hand<e+ has a choice o; certain p<easures o;;ered to him. He can+ i; he <ikes+ read a newspaper and disco=er with interest how the Crown .rince o; 'ontarabia <anded ;rom the magni;icent yacht (t<antis amid a cheering crowd? how certain great (merican mi<<ionaires are making great ;inancia< conso<idations? how the ,odern Gir< is a de<ight;u< creature+ in spite o; Dor because o;E ha=ing shing<ed hair or short skirts? and how the true re<igion+ ;or which we a<< <ook to the Churches+ consists o; sympathy and socia< progress and marrying+ di=orcing+ or burying e=erybody without re;erence to the precise meaning o; the ceremony. "n the other hand+ i; he pre;ers some other amusement+ he may go to the Cinema+ where he wi<< see a =ery =i=id and animated scene o; the crowds cheering the Crown .rince o; 'ontarabia a;ter the arri=a< o; the yacht (t<antis? where he wi<< see an (merican ;i<m ;eaturing the ;eatures o; (merican mi<<ionaires+ with a<< those reso<ute contortions o; =isage which accompany their making o; great ;inancia< conso<idations? where there wi<< not be <acking a charming and =i=acious heroine+ recogniCab<e as a ,odern Gir< by her short hair and short skirts? and possib<y a kind and good c<ergyman Di; anyE who exp<ains in dumb show+ with the aid o; a ;ew printed sentences+ that true re<igion is socia< sympathy and progress and marrying and burying peop<e at random. 5ut supposing the manFs tastes to be detached ;rom the drama and ;rom the kindred arts+ he may pre;er the reading o; ;iction? and he wi<< ha=e no di;;icu<ty in ;inding a popu<ar no=e< about the doubts and di;;icu<ties o; a good and kind c<ergyman s<ow<y disco=ering that true re<igion consists o; progress and socia< sympathy+ with the assistance o; a ,odern Gir< whose shing<ed hair and short skirts proc<aim her indi;;erence to a<< ;ine distinctions about who shou<d be buried and who di=orced? nor+ probab<y+ wi<< the story ;ai< to contain an (merican mi<<ionaire making =ast ;inancia< conso<idations+ and certain<y a yacht and possib<y a Crown .rince. 5ut there are yet other tastes that are catered ;or under the conditions o; modern pub<icity and p<easure4 seeking. here is the great institution o; wire<ess or broadcasting? and the ho<iday4maker+ turning away ;rom ;iction+ >ourna<ism+ and ;i<m drama+ may pre;er to @<isten4in@ to a programme that wi<< contain the =ery <atest news o; great ;inancia< conso<idations made by (merican mi<<ionaires? which wi<< most probab<y contain <itt<e <ectures on how the ,odern Gir< can crop her hair or abbre=iate her skirts? in which he can hear the =ery accents o; some great popu<ar preacher proc<aiming to the wor<d that re=e<ation o; true re<igion which consists o; sympathy and socia< progress rather than o; dogma and creed? and in which he wi<< certain<y hear the =ery thunder o; cheering which we<comes His !oya< Highness the Crown .rince o; 'ontarabia when he <ands ;rom the magni;icent yacht (t<antis. here is thus indeed a =ery e<aborate and we<<4ordered choice p<aced be;ore him+ in the matter o; the means o; entertainment. 5ut e=en the rich =ariety o; method and approach un;o<ded be;ore us in this a<ternati=e seems to some to co=er a certain secret and subt<e e<ement o; monotony. E=en here the p<easure4seeker may ha=e that weird psycho<ogica< sensation o; ha=ing known the same thing be;ore. here seems to be something recurrent about the type o; topic? suggesti=e o; something rigid about the type o; mind. #ow & think it =ery doubt;u< whether it is rea<<y a superior mind. &; the p<easure4 seeker himse<; were rea<<y a p<easure4maker ;or himse<;+ i; he were ;orced to amuse himse<; instead o; being amused+ i; he were+ in short+ ob<iged to sit down in an o<d ta=ern and ta<k44 & am

rea<<y =ery doubt;u< about whether he wou<d con;ine his con=ersation entire<y to the Crown .rince o; 'ontarabia+ the shing<ing o; hair+ the greatness o; certain rich )ankees+ and so on? and then begin the same round o; sub>ects a<< o=er again. His interests might be more <oca<+ but they wou<d be more <i=e<y? his experience o; men more persona< but more mixed? his <ikes and dis<ikes more capricious but not Buite so easi<y satis;ied. o take a para<<e<+ modern chi<dren are made to p<ay pub<ic4schoo< games+ and wi<< doubt<ess soon be made to <isten to the praise o; the mi<<ionaires on the wire<ess and in the newspaper. 5ut chi<dren <e;t to themse<=es a<most in=ariab<y in=ent games o; their own+ dramas o; their own+ o;ten who<e imaginary kingdoms and commonwea<ths o; their own. &n other words+ they produce? unti< the competition o; monopo<y ki<<s their production. he boy p<aying at robbers is not <iberated but stunted by <earning about (merican crooks+ a<< o; one pattern <ess picturesBue than his own. He is psycho<ogica<<y undercut+ underso<d+ dumped upon+ ;roCen out+ ;<ooded+ swamped+ and ruined? but not emancipated. &n=entions ha=e destroyed in=ention. he big modern machines are <ike big guns dominating and terroriCing a who<e stretch o; country+ within the range o; which nothing can raise its head. here is ;ar more in=enti=eness to the sBuare yard o; mankind than can e=er appear under that monopo<ist terror. he minds o; men are not so much a<ike as the motor4cars o; men+ or the morning papers o; men+ or the mechanica< manu;acture o; the coats and hats o; men. &n other words+ we are not getting the best out o; men. :e are certain<y not getting the most indi=idua< or the most interesting Bua<ities out o; men. (nd it is doubt;u< whether we e=er sha<<+ unti< we shut o;; this dea;ening din o; megaphones that drowns their =oices+ this death<y g<are o; <ime<ight which ki<<s the co<ours o; their comp<exions+ this p<angent ye<< o; p<atitudes which stuns and stops their minds. (<< this sort o; thing is ki<<ing thoughts as they grow+ as a great white death4ray might ki<< p<ants as they grow. :hen+ there;ore+ peop<e te<< me that making a great part o; Eng<and rustic and se<;4supporting wou<d mean making it rude and sense<ess+ & do not agree with them? and & do not think they understand the a<ternati=e or the prob<em. #obody wants a<< men to be rustics e=en in norma< times? it is =ery tenab<e that some o; the most inte<<igent wou<d turn to the towns e=en in norma< times. 5ut & say the towns themse<=es are the ;oes o; inte<<igence+ in these times? & say the rustics themse<=es wou<d ha=e more =ariety and =i=acity than is rea<<y encouraged by these towns. & say it is on<y by shutting o;; this unnatura< noise and <ight that menFs minds can begin again to mo=e and to grow. Iust as we spread pa=ing4stones o=er di;;erent soi<s without re;erence to the di;;erent crops that might grow there+ so we spread programmes o; p<atitudinous p<utocracy o=er sou<s that God made =arious+ and simp<er societies ha=e made ;ree. &; by machinery sa=ing <abour+ and there;ore producing <eisure+ be meant the machinery that now achie=es what is ca<<ed mass production+ & cannot see any =ita< =a<ue in the <eisure? because there is in that <eisure nothing o; <iberty. he man may on<y work ;or an hour with his machine4 made too<s+ but he can on<y run away and p<ay ;or twenty4three hours with machine4made toys. E=erything he hand<es has to come ;rom a huge machine that he cannot hand<e. E=erything must come ;rom something to which+ in the current capita<ist phrase+ he can on<y <end @a hand.@ #ow as this wou<d app<y to inte<<ectua< and artistic toys as we<< as to mere<y materia< toys+ it seems to me that the machine wou<d dominate him ;or a much <onger time than his hand had to turn the hand<e. &t is practica<<y admitted that much ;ewer men are needed to work the machine. he answer o; the mechanica< co<<ecti=ists is that though the machine might gi=e work to the ;ew+ it cou<d gi=e ;ood to the many. 5ut it cou<d on<y gi=e ;ood to the many by an operation that had to be presided o=er by the ;ew. "r e=en i; we suppose that some work+ subdi=ided into sma<< sections+ were gi=en to the many+ that system o; rotation wou<d ha=e to be ru<ed by a responsib<e ;ew? and some ;ixed authority wou<d be needed to distribute the work as much as to distribute the ;ood. &n other words+ the o;;icia<s wou<d =ery decided<y be permanent o;;icia<s. &n a sense a<< the rest o; us

might be intermittent or occasiona< o;;icia<s. 5ut the genera< character o; the system wou<d remain? and whate=er e<se it is <ike+ nothing can make it <ike a popu<ation pottering about in its own se=era< ;ie<ds or practising sma<< creati=e cra;ts in its own <itt<e workshops. he man who has he<ped to produce a machine4made artic<e may indeed <ea=e o;; working+ in the sense o; <ea=ing o;; turning one particu<ar whee<. He may ha=e an opportunity to do as he <ikes+ in so ;ar as he <ikes using what the system <ikes producing. He may ha=e a power o; choice44in the sense that he may choose between one thing it produces and another thing it produces. He may choose to pass his <eisure hours in sitting in a machine4made chair or <ying on a machine4made bed or resting in a machine4made hammock or swinging on a machine4made trapeCe. 5ut he wi<< not be in the same position as a man who car=es his own hobby4horse out o; his own wood or his own hobby out o; his own wi<<. 'or that introduces another princip<e or purpose? which there is no warrant ;or supposing wi<< coexist with the princip<e or purpose o; using a<< the wood so as to sa=e <abour or simp<i;ying a<< the wi<<s so as to sa=e <eisure. &; our idea< is to produce things as rapid<y and easi<y as possib<e+ we must ha=e a de;inite number o; things that we desire to produce. &; we desire to produce them as ;ree<y and =arious<y as possib<e+ we must not at the same time try to produce them as Buick<y as possib<e. & think it most probab<e that the resu<t o; sa=ing <abour by machinery wou<d be then what it is now+ on<y more so: the <imitation o; the type o; thing produced? standardiCation. #ow it may be that some o; the supporters o; the %eisure State ha=e in mind some system o; distributed machinery+ which sha<< rea<<y make each man the master o; his machine? and in that case & agree that the prob<em becomes di;;erent and that a great part o; the prob<em is reso<=ed. here wou<d sti<< remain the Buestion o; whether a man with a ;ree sou< wou<d want to use a machine upon about three4Buarters o; the things ;or which machines are now used. &n other words+ there wou<d remain the who<e prob<em o; the cra;tsman in the sense o; the creator. 5ut & shou<d agree that i; the sma<< man ;ound his sma<< mechanica< p<ant he<p;u< to the preser=ation o; his sma<< property+ its c<aim wou<d be =ery considerab<e. 5ut it is necessary to make it c<ear+ that i; the ho<idays pro=ided ;or the mechanic are pro=ided as mechanica<<y as at present+ and with the mere<y mechanica< a<ternati=e o;;ered at present+ & think that e=en the s<a=ery o; his <abour wou<d be <ight compared to the grinding s<a=ery o; his <eisure. 3333333333333333 &8 HE '!EE ,(# (#* HE '"!* C(! & am not a ;anatic? and & think that machines may be o; considerab<e use in destroying machinery. & shou<d generous<y accord them a considerab<e =a<ue in the work o; exterminating a<< that they represent. 5ut to put the truth in those terms is to ta<k in terms o; the remote conc<usion o; our s<ow and reasonab<e re=o<ution. &n the immediate situation the same truth may be stated in a more moderate way. owards a<< typica< things o; our time we shou<d ha=e a rationa< charity. ,achinery is not wrong? it is on<y absurd. .erhaps we shou<d say it is mere<y chi<dish+ and can e=en be taken in the right spirit by a chi<d. &;+ there;ore+ we ;ind that some machine enab<es us to escape ;rom an in;erno o; machinery+ we cannot be committing a sin though we may be cutting a si<<y ;igure+ <ike a dragoon re>oining his regiment on an o<d bicyc<e. :hat is essentia< is to rea<iCe that there is something ridicu<ous about the present position+ something wi<der than any $topia. 'or instance+ & sha<< ha=e occasion here to note the proposa< o; centra<iCed e<ectricity+ and we cou<d >usti;y the use o; it so <ong as we see the >oke o; it. 5ut+ in ;act+ we do not e=en see the >oke o; the waterworks and the water company. &t is a<most too broad<y comic that an essentia< o; <i;e <ike water shou<d be pumped to us ;rom nobody knows where+ by nobody knows whom+ sometimes near<y a hundred mi<es away. &t is e=ery bit as ;unny as i; air were pumped to us ;rom

mi<es away+ and we a<< wa<ked about <ike di=ers at the bottom o; the sea. he on<y reasonab<e person is the peasant who owns his own we<<. 5ut we ha=e a <ong way to go be;ore we begin to think about being reasonab<e. here are at present some examp<es o; centra<iCation o; which the e;;ects may work ;or decentra<iCation. (n ob=ious case is that recent<y discussed in connection with a common p<ant o; e<ectricity. & think it is broad<y true that i; e<ectricity cou<d be cheapened+ the chances o; a =ery <arge number o; sma<< independent shops+ especia<<y workshops+ wou<d be great<y impro=ed. (t the same time+ there is no doubt at a<< that such dependence ;or essentia< power on a centra< p<ant is a rea< dependence+ and is there;ore a de;ect in any comp<ete scheme o; independence. "n this point & imagine that many *istributists might di;;er considerab<y? but+ speaking ;or myse<;+ & am inc<ined to ;o<<ow the more moderate and pro=isiona< po<icy that & ha=e suggested more than once in this p<ace. & think the ;irst necessity is to make sure o; any sma<< properties obtaining any success in any decisi=e or determining degree. (bo=e a<<+ & think it is =ita< to create the experience o; sma<< property+ the psycho<ogy o; sma<< property+ the sort o; man who is a sma<< proprietor. :hen once men o; that sort exist+ they wi<< decide+ in a manner =ery di;;erent ;rom any modern mob+ how ;ar the centra< power4house is to dominate their own pri=ate house+ or whether it need dominate at a<<. hey wi<< perhaps disco=er the way o; breaking up and indi=idua<iCing that power. hey wi<< sacri;ice+ i; there is any need to sacri;ice+ e=en the he<p o; science to the hunger ;or possession. So that & am disposed at the moment to accept any he<p that science and machinery can gi=e in creating sma<< property+ without in the <east bowing down to such superstitions where they on<y destroy it. 5ut we must keep in mind the peasant idea< as the moti=e and the goa<? and most o; those who o;;er us mechanica< he<p seem to be b<ank<y ignorant o; what we regard it as he<ping. ( we<<4known name wi<< i<<ustrate both the thing being done and the man being ignorant o; what he is doing. he other day & ;ound myse<; in a 'ord car+ <ike that in which & remember riding o=er .a<estine+ and in which+ D& supposeE ,r. 'ord wou<d en>oy riding o=er .a<estinians. (nyhow+ it reminded me o; ,r. 'ord+ and that reminded me o; ,r. .enty and his =iews upon eBua<ity and mechanica< ci=i<iCation. he 'ord car Di; & may =enture on one o; those new ideas urged upon us in newspapersE is a typica< product o; the age. he best thing about it is the thing ;or which it is despised? that it is sma<<. he worst thing about it is the thing ;or which it is praised? that it is standardiCed. &ts sma<<ness is+ o; course+ the sub>ect o; end<ess (merican >okes+ about a man catching a 'ord <ike a ;<y or possib<y a ;<ea. 5ut nobody seems to notice how this popu<ariCation o; motoring Dhowe=er wrong in moti=e or in methodE rea<<y is a comp<ete contradiction to the ;ata<istic ta<k about ine=itab<e combination and concentration. he rai<way is ;ading be;ore our eyes44birds nesting+ as it were+ in the rai<way signa<s+ and wo<=es how<ing+ so to speak+ in the waiting4room. (nd the rai<way rea<<y was a communa< and concentrated mode o; tra=e< <ike that in a $topia o; the Socia<ists. he ;ree and so<itary tra=e<<er is returning be;ore our =ery eyes? not a<ways Dit is trueE eBuipped with scrip or sca<<op+ but ha=ing reco=ered to some extent the ;reedom o; the KingFs highway in the manner o; ,erry Eng<and. #or is this the on<y ancient thing such tra=e< has re=i=ed. :hi<e ,ugby Iunction neg<ected its re;reshment4rooms+ Hugby4in4the4Ho<e has re=i=ed its inns. o that <imited extent the 'ord motor is a<ready a re=ersion to the ;ree man. &; he has not three acres and a cow+ he has the =ery inadeBuate substitute o; three hundred mi<es and a car. & do not mean that this de=e<opment satis;ies my theories. 5ut & do say that it destroys other peop<eFs theories? a<< the theories about the co<<ecti=e thing as a thing o; the ;uture and the indi=idua< thing as a thing o; the past. E=en in their own specia< and stinking way o; science and machinery+ the ;acts are =ery <arge<y going against their theories.

)et & ha=e ne=er seen ,r. 'ord and his <itt<e car rea<<y and inte<<igent<y praised ;or this. & ha=e o;ten+ o; course+ seen him praised ;or a<< the con=eniences o; what is ca<<ed standardiCation. he argument seems to be more or <ess to this e;;ect. :hen your car breaks down with a <oud crash in the midd<e o; Sa<isbury .<ain+ though it is not =ery <ike<y that any ;ragments o; other ruined motor cars wi<< be <ying about amid the ruins o; Stonehenge+ yet i; they are+ it is a great ad=antage to think that they wi<< probab<y be o; the same pattern+ and you can take them to mend your own car. he same princip<e app<ies to persons motoring in ibet+ and exu<ting in the re;<ection that i; another motorist ;rom the $nited States did happen to come a<ong+ it wou<d be possib<e to exchange whee<s or ;ootbrakes in token o; amity. & may not ha=e got the detai<s o; the argument Buite correct? but the genera< point o; it is that i; anything goes wrong with parts o; a machine+ they can be rep<aced with identica< machinery. (nd anyhow the argument cou<d be carried much ;urther? and used to exp<ain a great many other things. & am not sure that it is not the c<ue to many mysteries o; the age. & begin to understand+ ;or instance+ why magaCine stories are a<< exact<y a<ike? it is ordered so that when you ha=e <e;t one magaCine in a rai<way carriage in the midd<e o; a story ca<<ed @.ansy Eyes+@ you may go on with exact<y the same story in another magaCine under the tit<e o; @*ande<ion %ocks.@ &t exp<ains why a<< <eading artic<es on he 'uture o; the Churches are exact<y the same? so that we may begin reading the artic<e in the *ai<y Chronic<e and ;inish it in the *ai<y Express. &t exp<ains why a<< the pub<ic utterances urging us to pre;er new things to o<d ne=er by any chance say anything new? they mean that we shou<d go to a new paper4sta<< and read it in a new newspaper. his is why a<< (merican caricatures repeat themse<=es <ike a mathematica< pattern? it means that when we ha=e torn o;; a part o; the picture to wrap up sandwiches+ we can tear o;; a bit o; another picture and it wi<< a<ways ;it in. (nd this is a<so why (merican mi<<ionaires a<< <ook exact<y a<ike? so that when the bright+ reso<ute expression o; one o; them has <ed us to do serious damage to his ;ace with a hea=y b<ow o; the ;ist+ it is a<ways possib<e to mend it with noses and >aw4bones taken ;rom other mi<<ionaires+ who are exact<y simi<ar<y constituted. Such are the ad=antages o; standardiCation? but+ as may be suspected+ & think the ad=antages are exaggerated? and & agree with ,r. .enty in doubting whether a<< this repetition rea<<y corresponds to human nature. 5ut a =ery interesting Buestion was raised by ,r. 'ordFs remarks on the di;;erence between men and men? and his suggestion that most men pre;erred mechanica< action or were on<y ;itted ;or it. (bout a<< those arguments a;;ecting human eBua<ity+ & myse<; a<ways ha=e one ;ee<ing+ which ;inds expression in a <itt<e test o; my own. & sha<< begin to take serious<y those c<assi;ications o; superiority and in;eriority+ when & ;ind a man c<assi;ying himse<; as in;erior. &t wi<< be noted that ,r. 'ord does not say that he is on<y ;itted to mind machines? he con;esses ;rank<y that he is too ;ine and ;ree and ;astidious a being ;or such tasks. & sha<< be<ie=e the doctrine when & hear somebody say: @& ha=e on<y got the wits to turn a whee<.@ hat wou<d be rea<+ that wou<d be rea<istic+ that wou<d be scienti;ic. hat wou<d be independent testimony that cou<d not easi<y be disputed. &t is exact<y the same+ o; course+ with a<< the other superiorities and denia<s o; human eBua<ity that are so specia<<y characteristic o; a scienti;ic age. &t is so with the men who ta<k about superior and in;erior races? & ne=er heard a man say: @(nthropo<ogy shows that & be<ong to an in;erior race.@ &; he did+ he might be ta<king <ike an anthropo<ogist? as it is+ he is ta<king <ike a man+ and not un;reBuent<y <ike a ;oo<. & ha=e <ong hoped that & might some day hear a man exp<aining on scienti;ic princip<es his own un;itness ;or any important post or pri=i<ege+ say: @ he wor<d shou<d be<ong to the ;ree and ;ighting races+ and not to persons o; that ser=i<e disposition that you wi<< notice in myse<;? the inte<<igent wi<< know how to ;orm opinions+ but the weakness o; inte<<ect ;rom which & so ob=ious<y su;;er renders my opinions mani;est<y absurd on the ;ace o; them: there are indeed state<y and god<ike races44but <ook at meG "bser=e my shape<ess and ;ourth4rate ;eaturesG GaCe+ i; you can bear it+ on my commonp<ace and repu<si=e

;aceG@ &; & heard a man making a scienti;ic demonstration in that sty<e+ & might admit that he was rea<<y scienti;ic. 5ut as it in=ariab<y happens+ by a curious coincidence+ that the superior race is his own race+ the superior type is his own type+ and the superior pre;erence ;or work the sort o; work he happens to pre;er44& ha=e come to the conc<usion that there is a simp<er exp<anation. #ow ,r. 'ord is a good man+ so ;ar as it is consistent with being a good mi<<ionaire. 5ut he himse<; wi<< =ery we<< i<<ustrate where the ;a<<acy o; his argument <ies. &t is probab<y Buite true that+ in the making o; motors+ there are a hundred men who can work a motor and on<y one man who can design a motor. 5ut o; the hundred men who cou<d work a motor+ it is =ery probab<e that one cou<d design a garden+ another design a charade+ another design a practica< >oke or a derisi=e picture o; ,r. 'ord. & do not mean+ o; course+ in anything & say here+ to deny di;;erences o; inte<<igence+ or to suggest that eBua<ity Da thing who<<y re<igiousE depends on any such impossib<e denia<. 5ut & do mean that men are nearer to a <e=e< than anybody wi<< disco=er by setting them a<< to make one particu<ar kind o; run4about c<ock. #ow ,r. 'ord himse<; is a man o; de;iant <imitations. He is so indi;;erent to history+ ;or examp<e+ that he ca<m<y admitted in the witness4box that he had ne=er heard o; 5enedict (rno<d. (n (merican who has ne=er heard o; 5enedict (rno<d is <ike a Christian who has ne=er heard o; Iudas &scariot. He is rare. & be<ie=e that ,r. 'ord indicated in a genera< way that he thought 5enedict (rno<d was the same as (rno<d 5ennett. #ot on<y is this not the case+ but it is an error to suppose that there is no importance in such an error. &; he were to ;ind himse<;+ in the heat o; some contro=ersy+ accusing ,r. (rno<d 5ennett o; ha=ing betrayed the (merican .resident and ra=aged the South with an (nti4(merican army+ ,r. 5ennett might bring an action. &; ,r. 'ord were to suppose that the <ady who recent<y wrote re=e<ations in the *ai<y Express was o<d enough to be the widow o; 5enedict (rno<d+ the <ady might bring an action. #ow it is not impossib<e that among the workmen whom ,r. 'ord percei=es Dprobab<y Buite tru<yE to be on<y suited to the mechanica< part o; the construction o; mechanica< things+ there might be a man who was ;ond o; reading a<< the history he cou<d <ay his hands on? and who had ad=anced step by step+ by pain;u< e;;orts o; se<;4education+ unti< the di;;erence between 5enedict (rno<d and (rno<d 5ennett was Buite c<ear in his mind. &; his emp<oyer did not care about the di;;erence+ o; course+ he wou<d not consu<t him about the di;;erence+ and the man wou<d remain to a<< appearance a mere cog in the machine? there wou<d be no reason ;or ;inding out that he was a rather cogitating cog. (nybody who knows anything o; modern business knows that there are any number o; such men who remain in subordinate and obscure positions because their pri=ate tastes and ta<ents ha=e no re<ation to the =ery stupid business in which they are engaged. &; ,r. 'ord extends his business o=er the So<ar System+ and gi=es cars to the ,artians and the ,an in the ,oon+ he wi<< not be an inch nearer to the mind o; the man who is working his machine ;or him+ and thinking about something more sensib<e. #ow a<< human things are imper;ect? but the condition in which such hobbies and secondary ta<ents do to some extent come out is the condition o; sma<< independence. he peasant a<most a<ways runs two or three sideshows and <i=es on a =ariety o; cra;ts and expedients. he =i<<age shopkeeper wi<< sha=e tra=e<<ers and stu;; wease<s and grow cabbages and do ha<; a doCen such things+ keeping a sort o; ba<ance in his <i;e <ike the ba<ance o; sanity in the sou<. he method is not per;ect? but it is more inte<<igent than turning him into a machine in order to ;ind out whether he has a sou< abo=e machinery. $pon this point o; immediate compromise with machinery+ there;ore+ & am inc<ined to conc<ude that it is Buite right to use the existing machines in so ;ar as they do create a psycho<ogy that can despise machines? but not i; they create a psycho<ogy that respects them. he 'ord car is an exce<<ent i<<ustration o; the Buestion? e=en better than the other i<<ustration & ha=e gi=en o; an e<ectrica< supp<y ;or sma<< workshops. &; possessing a 'ord car means re>oicing in a 'ord car+ it is me<ancho<y enough? it does not bring us much ;arther than ooting or re>oicing in a ooting

tramcar. 5ut i; possessing a 'ord car means re>oicing in a ;ie<d o; corn or c<o=er+ in a ;resh <andscape and a ;ree atmosphere+ it may be the beginning o; many things44and e=en the end o; many things. &t may be+ ;or instance+ the end o; the car and the beginning o; the cottage. hus we might a<most say that the ;ina< triumph o; ,r. 'ord is not when the man gets into the car+ but when he enthusiastica<<y ;a<<s out o; the car. &t is when he ;inds somewhere+ in remote and rura< corners that he cou<d not norma<<y ha=e reached+ that per;ect poise and combination o; hedge and tree and meadow in the presence o; which any modern machine seems sudden<y to <ook an absurdity? yes+ e=en an antiBuated absurdity. .robab<y that happy man+ ha=ing ;ound the p<ace o; his true home+ wi<< proceed >oy;u<<y to break up the car with a <arge hammer+ putting its iron ;ragments ;or the ;irst time to some rea< use+ as kitchen utensi<s or garden too<s. hat is using a scienti;ic instrument in the proper way? ;or it is using it as an instrument. he man has used modern machinery to escape ;rom modern society? and the reason and rectitude o; such a course commends itse<; instant<y to the mind. &t is not so with the weaker brethren who are not content to trust ,r. 'ordFs car+ but a<so trust ,r. 'ordFs creed. &; accepting the car means accepting the phi<osophy & ha=e >ust criticiCed+ the notion that some men are born to make cars+ or rather sma<< bits o; cars+ then it wi<< be ;ar more worthy o; a phi<osopher to say ;rank<y that men ne=er needed to ha=e cars at a<<. &t is on<y because the man had been sent into exi<e in a rai<way4train that he has to be brought back home in a motor4car. &t is on<y because a<< machinery has been used to put things wrong that some machinery may now right<y be used to put things right. 5ut & conc<ude upon the who<e that it may so be used? and my reason is that which & considered on a pre=ious page under the heading o; @ he Chance o; !eco=ery.@ & pointed out that our idea< is so sane and simp<e+ so much in accord with the ancient and genera< instincts o; men+ that when once it is gi=en a chance anywhere it wi<< impro=e that chance by its own inner =ita<ity because there is some reaction towards hea<th whene=er disease is remo=ed. he man who has used his car to ;ind his ;arm wi<< be more interested in the ;arm than in the car? certain<y more interested than in the shop where he once bought the car. #or wi<< ,r. 'ord a<ways woo him back to that shop+ e=en by te<<ing him tender<y that he is not ;itted to be a <ord o; <and+ a rider o; horses+ or a ru<er o; catt<e? since his de;icient inte<<ect and degraded anthropo<ogica< type ;it him on<y ;or mean and mechanica< operations. &; anyone wi<< try saying this Dtender<y+ o; courseE to any considerab<e number o; <arge ;armers+ who ha=e <i=ed ;or some time on their own ;arms with their own ;ami<ies+ he wi<< disco=er the de;ects o; the approach. 3333333333333333 8 ( #" E "# E,&G!( &"# /. he #eed o; a #ew Spirit 1. he !e<igion o; Sma<< .roperty 3333333333333333 & HE #EE* "' ( #E: S.&!& 5e;ore c<osing these notes+ with some words on the co<onia< aspect o; democratic distribution+ it wi<< be we<< to make some acknow<edgment o; the recent suggestion o; so distinguished a man as ,r. Iohn Ga<sworthy. ,r. Ga<sworthy is a man ;or whom & ha=e the =ery warmest regard? ;or a human being who rea<<y tries to be ;air is something =ery <ike a monster and mirac<e in the <ong history o; this merry race o; ours. Sometimes+ indeed+ & get a <itt<e exasperated at being so persistent<y excused. & can imagine ;ew things more annoying+ to a ;ree4born and proper<y constituted Christian+ than the thought that i; he did choose to wait ;or ,r. Ga<sworthy behind a wa<<+ knock him down with a brick+ >ump on him with hea=y boots+ and so on+ ,r. Ga<sworthy

wou<d sti<< ;aint<y gasp that it was on<y the ;au<t o; the System? that the System made bricks and the System hea=ed bricks and the System went about wearing hea=y boots+ and so on. (s a human being+ & shou<d ;ee< a <onging ;or a <itt<e human >ustice+ a;ter a<< that inhuman mercy. 5ut these ;ee<ings do not inter;ere with the other ;ee<ings & ha=e+ o; something <ike enthusiasm+ ;or something that can on<y be ca<<ed beauti;u< in the ;air4mindedness o; a study <ike @ he :hite ,onkey.@ &t is when this attitude o; detachment is app<ied not to the >udgment o; indi=idua<s but o; men in bu<k+ that the detachment begins to sa=our o; something unnatura<. (nd in ,r. Ga<sworthyFs <ast po<itica< pronouncement the detachment amounts to despair. (t any rate+ it amounts to despair about this earth+ this Eng<and+ about which & am certain<y not going to despair yet. 5ut & think it might be we<< i; & took this opportunity o; stating what &+ ;or one+ at <east ;ee< about the di;;erent c<aims here in=o<=ed. &t may be debated whether it is a good or a bad thing ;or Eng<and that Eng<and has an Empire. &t may be debated+ at <east as a matter o; true de;inition+ whether Eng<and has an Empire at a<<. 5ut upon one point a<< Eng<ishmen ought to stand ;irm+ as a matter o; history+ o; phi<osophy+ and o; <ogic. (nd that is that it has been+ and is+ a Buestion o; our owning an Empire and not o; an Empire owning us. here is sense in being separated ;rom (mericans on the princip<es o; George :ashington+ and sense in being attached to (mericans on the princip<es o; George the hird. 5ut there is no sense in being out4=oted and swamped by (mericans in the name o; the (ng<o4Saxon race. he Co<onies were by origin Eng<ish. hey owe us that much? i; it be on<y the tri=ia< circumstance+ so <itt<e =a<ued by modern thought+ that without their maker they cou<d ne=er ha=e existed at a<<. &; they choose to remain Eng<ish+ we thank them =ery sincere<y ;or the comp<iment. &; they choose not to remain Eng<ish+ but to turn into something e<se+ we think they are within their rights. 5ut anyhow Eng<and sha<< remain Eng<ish. hey sha<< not ;irst turn themse<=es into something e<se+ and then turn us into themse<=es. &t may ha=e been wrong to be an Empire+ but it does not rob us o; our right to be a nation. 5ut there is another sense in which those o; our schoo< wou<d use the motto o; @Eng<and 'irst.@ &t is in the sense that our ;irst step shou<d be to disco=er how ;ar the best ethica< and economic system can be ;itted into Eng<and+ be;ore we treat it as an export and cart it away to the ends o; the earth. he scienti;ic or commercia< character+ who is sure he has ;ound an exp<osi=e that wi<< b<ow up the so<ar system or a bu<<et that wi<< ki<< the man in the moon+ a<ways makes a great parade o; saying that he o;;ers it ;irst to his own country+ and on<y a;terwards to a ;oreign country. .ersona<<y+ & cannot concei=e how a man can bring himse<; in any case to o;;er such a thing to a ;oreign country. 5ut then & am not a great scienti;ic and commercia< genius. (nyhow+ such as our <itt<e notion o; norma< ownership is+ we certain<y do not propose to o;;er it to any ;oreign country+ or e=en to any co<ony+ be;ore we o;;er it to our own country. (nd we do think it high<y urgent and practica< to ;ind out ;irst how much o; it can rea<<y be carried out in our own country. #obody supposes that the who<e Eng<ish popu<ation cou<d <i=e on the Eng<ish <and. 5ut e=erybody ought to rea<iCe that immeasurab<y more peop<e cou<d <i=e on it than do <i=e on it? and that i; such a po<icy did estab<ish such a peasantry+ there wou<d be a recogniCab<e narrowing o; the margin o; men <e;t o=er ;or the town and the co<onies. 5ut we wou<d suggest that these ought rea<<y to be <e;t o=er+ and dea<t with as seems most desirab<e+ a;ter the main experiment has been made where it matters most. (nd what most o; us wou<d comp<ain o; in the emigrationists o; the ordinary sort is that they seem to think ;irst o; the co<ony and then o; what must be <e;t behind in the country? instead o; thinking ;irst o; the country and then o; what must o=er;<ow into the co<ony.

.eop<e ta<k about an optimist being in a hurry? but it seems to me that a pessimist <ike ,r. Ga<sworthy is =ery much in a hurry. He has not tried the ob=ious re;orm on Eng<and+ and+ ;inding it ;ai<+ gone into exi<e to try it e<sewhere. He is trying the ob=ious re;orm e=erywhere except where it is most ob=ious. (nd in this & think he has a subconscious a;;inity to peop<e much <ess reasonab<e and respectab<e than himse<;. he pessimists ha=e a curious way o; urging us to counse<s o; despair as the on<y so<ution o; a prob<em they ha=e not troub<ed to so<=e. hey dec<are so<emn<y that some unnatura< thing wou<d become necessary i; certain conditions existed? and then somehow assume ;rom that that they exist. hey ne=er think o; attempting to pro=e that they exist+ be;ore they pro=e what ;o<<ows ;rom their existence. his is exact<y the sort o; p<unging and premature pessimism+ ;or instance+ that peop<e exhibit about 5irth Contro<. heir desire is towards destruction? their hope is ;or despair? they eager<y anticipate the darkest and most doubt;u< predictions. hey run with eager ;eet be;ore and beyond the <ingering and incon=enient<y s<ow statistics? <ike as the hart pants ;or the water4brooks they thirst to drink o; Styx and %ethe be;ore their hour? e=en the ;acts they show ;a<< ;ar short o; the ;aith that they see shining beyond them? ;or ;aith is the substance o; things hoped ;or+ the e=idence o; things not seen. &; & do not compare the critic in Buestion with the doctors o; this disma< per=ersion+ sti<< <ess do & compare him with those whose moti=es are mere<y se<;4protecti=e and p<utocratic. 5ut it must a<so be said that many rush to the expedient o; emigration+ >ust as many rush to the expedient o; 5irth Contro<+ ;or the per;ect<y simp<e reason that it is the easiest way in which the capita<ists can escape ;rom their own b<under o; capita<ism. hey <ured men into the town with the promise o; greater p<easures? they ruined them there and <e;t them with on<y one p<easure? they ;ound the increase it produced at ;irst con=enient ;or <abour and then incon=enient ;or supp<y? and now they are ready to round o;; their experiment in a high<y appropriate manner+ by te<<ing them that they must ha=e no ;ami<ies+ or that their ;ami<ies must go to the modern eBui=a<ent o; 5otany 5ay. &t is not in that spirit that we en=isage an e<ement o; co<oniCation? and so <ong as it is treated in that spirit we re;use to consider it. & put ;irst the statement that rea< co<onia< sett<ement must be not on<y stab<e but sacred. & say the new home must be not on<y a home but a shrine. (nd that is why & say it must be ;irst estab<ished in Eng<and+ in the home o; our ;athers and the shrine o; our saints+ to be a <ight and an ensign to our chi<dren. & ha=e exp<ained that & cannot content myse<; with <ea=ing my own nationa<ity out o; my own norma< idea<? or <ea=ing Eng<and as the mere too<4house or coa<4ce<<ar o; other countries <ike Canada or (ustra<ia44 or+ ;or that matter+ (rgentina. & shou<d <ike Eng<and a<so to ha=e a much more rura< type o; redistribution? nor do & think it impossib<e. 5ut when this is a<<owed ;or+ nobody in his ;i=e wits wou<d dream o; denying that there is a rea< scope and e=en necessity ;or emigration and co<onia< sett<ement. "n<y+ when we come to that+ & ha=e to draw a <ine rather sharp<y and exp<ain something e<se+ which is by no means inconsistent with my <o=e o; Eng<and+ but & ;ear is not so <ike<y to make me <o=ed by Eng<ishmen. & do not be<ie=e+ as the newspapers and nationa< histories a<ways te<< me to be<ie=e+ that we ha=e @the secret@ o; this sort o; success;u< co<oniCation and need nothing e<se to achie=e this sort o; democratic socia< construction. & ask ;or nothing better than that a man shou<d be Eng<ish in Eng<and. 5ut & think he wi<< ha=e to be something more than Eng<ish Dor at any rate something more than @5ritish@E i; he is to create a so<id socia< eBua<ity outside Eng<and. 'or something is needed ;or that so<id socia< creation which our co<onia< tradition has not gi=en. ,y reasons ;or ho<ding this high<y unpopu<ar opinion & wi<< attempt to suggest? but the ;act that they are rather di;;icu<t to suggest is itse<; an e=idence o; their un;ami<iarity and o; that narrowness which is neither nationa< nor internationa<+ but on<y imperia<. & shou<d =ery much <ike to be present at a con=ersation between ,r. Sak<at=a<a and *ean &nge. &

ha=e a great dea< o; respect ;or the rea< sincerity o; the *ean o; St. .au<Fs+ but his subconscious pre>udices are o; a strange sort. & cannot he<p ha=ing a ;ee<ing that he might ha=e a certain sympathy with a Socia<ist so <ong as he was not a Christian Socia<ist. & do not indeed pretend to any respect ;or the ordinary sort o; broad4mindedness which is ready to embrace a 5uddhist but draws the <ine at a 5o<she=ist. & think its signi;icance is =ery simp<e. &t means we<coming a<ien re<igions when they make us ;ee< com;ortab<e+ and persecuting them when they make us ;ee< uncom;ortab<e. 5ut the particu<ar reason & ha=e at the moment ;or entertaining this association o; ideas is one that concerns a <arger matter. &t concerns+ indeed+ what is common<y ca<<ed the 5ritish Empire+ which we were once taught to re=erence <arge<y because it was <arge. (nd one o; my comp<aints against that common and rather =u<gar sort o; imperia<ism is that it did not rea<<y secure e=en the ad=antages o; <argeness. (s & ha=e said+ & am a nationa<ist? Eng4<and is good enough ;or me. & wou<d de;end Eng<and against the who<e European continent. :ith e=en greater >oy wou<d & de;end Eng<and against the who<e 5ritish Empire. :ith a romantic rapture wou<d & de;end Eng<and against ,r. !amsay ,ac*ona<d when he had become King o; Scot<and? <ighting again the watch ;ires o; #ewark and Car<is<e and sounding the o<d tocsins o; the 5order. :ith eBua< energy wou<d & de;end Eng<and against ,r. im Hea<y as King o; &re<and+ i; e=er the gross and growing prosperity o; that he<p<ess and decaying Ce<tic stock became positi=e<y o;;ensi=e. :ith the greatest ecstasy o; a<< wou<d & de;end Eng<and against ,r. %<oyd George as King o; :a<es. &t wi<< be seen+ there;ore+ that there is nothing broad4minded about my patriotism? most modern nationa<ity is not narrow enough ;or me. 5ut putting aside my own <oca< a;;ections+ and <ooking at the matter in what is ca<<ed a <arger way+ & note once more that our &mperia<ism does not get any o; the good that cou<d be got out o; being <arge. (nd & was reminded o; *ean &nge+ because he suggested some time ago that the &rish and the 'rench Canadians were increasing in numbers+ not because they he<d the Catho<ic =iew o; the ;ami<y+ but because they were a backward and apparent<y a<most barbaric stock which natura<<y D& suppose he meantE increased with the b<ind <uxuriance o; a >ung<e. & ha=e a<ready remarked on the amusing trick o; ha=ing it both ways which is i<<ustrated in this remark. So <ong as sa=ages are dying out+ we say they are dying out because they are sa=ages. :hen they are incon=enient<y increasing+ we say they are increasing because they are sa=ages. (nd ;rom this it is but a simp<e <ogica< step to say that the countrymen o; Sir :i<;red %aurier or Senator )eats are sa=ages because they are increasing. 5ut what strikes me most about the situation is this: that this spirit wi<< a<ways miss what is rea<<y to be <earnt by co=ering any <arge and =aried area. &; 'rench Canada is rea<<y a part o; the 5ritish Empire+ it wou<d seem that the Empire might at <east ha=e ser=ed as a sort o; interpreter between the 5ritish and the 'rench. he &mperia< statesman+ i; he had rea<<y been a statesman+ ought to ha=e been ab<e to say+ @&t is a<ways di;;icu<t to understand another nation or another re<igion? but & am more ;ortunate<y p<aced than most peop<e. & know a <itt<e more than can be known by se<;4contained and iso<ated states <ike Sweden or Spain. & ha=e more sympathy with the Catho<ic ;aith or the 'rench b<ood because & ha=e 'rench Catho<ics in my own Empire.@ #ow it seems to me that the &mperia< statesman ne=er has said this? ne=er has e=en been ab<e to say it? ne=er has e=en tried or pretended to be ab<e to say it. He has been ;ar narrower than a nationa<ist <ike myse<;+ engaged in desperate<y de;ending ";;aFs *yke against a horde o; :e<sh po<iticians. & doubt i; there was e=er a po<itician who knew a word more o; the 'rench <anguage+ <et a<one a word more o; the %atin ,ass+ because he had to go=ern a who<e popu<ation that drew its traditions ;rom !ome and Gau<. & wi<< suggest in a moment how this enormous internationa< narrowness a;;ects the Buestion o; a peasantry and the extension o; the natura< ownership o; <and. 5ut ;or the moment it is important to make the point c<ear about the nature o; that narrowness. (nd that is why some <ight might be thrown on it in that tender+ that intimate+ that heart4to4heart ta<k between ,r. Sak<at=a<a and the *ean o; St. .au<Fs. ,r. Sak<at=a<a

is a sort o; parody or extreme and extra=agant exhibition o; the point? that we rea<<y know nothing at a<< about the mora< and phi<osophica< e<ements that make up the Empire. &t is Buite ob=ious+ o; course+ that he does not represent 5attersea. 5ut ha=e we any way o; knowing to what extent he represents &ndiaA &t seems to me not impossib<e that the more impersona< and inde;inite doctrines o; (sia do ;orm a soi< ;or 5o<she=ism. ,ost o; the eastern phi<osophy di;;ers ;rom the western theo<ogy in re;using to draw the <ine anywhere? and it wou<d be a high<y probab<e per=ersion o; that instinct to re;use to draw the <ine between meum and tuum. & do not think the &ndian gent<eman is any >udge o; whether we in the :est want to ha=e a hedge round our ;ie<ds or a wa<< round our gardens. (nd as & happen to ho<d that the =ery highest human thought and art consists a<most entire<y in drawing the <ine somewhere+ though not in drawing it anywhere+ & am comp<ete<y con;ident that in this the western tendency is right and the eastern tendency is wrong. 5ut+ in any case+ it seems to me that a rather sharp <esson to us is indicated in these two para<<e< cases o; the &ndian who grows into a 5o<she=ist in our dominions without our being ab<e to in;<uence his growth+ and the 'rench Canadian who remains a peasant in our dominions without our getting any sort o; ad=antage out o; his stabi<ity. & do not pro;ess to know =ery much about the 'rench Canadians? but & know enough to know that most o; the peop<e who ta<k at <arge about the Empire know e=en <ess than & do. (nd the point about them is that they genera<<y do not e=en try to know any more. he =ery =ague picture that they a<ways ca<< up+ o; co<onists doing wonders in a<< the corners o; the wor<d+ ne=er does+ in ;act+ inc<ude the sort o; thing that 'rench Canadians can do+ or might possib<y show other peop<e how to do. here is about a<< this ;ashionab<e ;ancy o; co<oniCation a =ery dangerous sort o; hypocrisy. .eop<e tried to use the "=er4seas *ominion as E<dorado whi<e sti<< using it as 5otany 5ay. hey sent away peop<e that they wanted to get rid o;+ and then added insu<t to in>ury by representing that the ends o; the earth wou<d be de<ighted to ha=e them. (nd they ca<<ed up a sort o; ;ancy portrait o; a person whose =irtues and e=en =ices were entire<y suitab<e ;or ;ounding an Empire+ though apparent<y Buite unsuitab<e ;or ;ounding a ;ami<y. he =ery <anguage they used was mis<eading. hey ta<ked o; such peop<e as sett<ers? but the =ery <ast thing they e=er expected them to do was to sett<e. hey expected o; them a sort o; indistinct indi=idua<istic breaking o; new ground+ ;or which the wor<d is <ess and <ess rea<<y concerned to4day. hey sent an incon=enient nephew to hunt wi<d bisons in the streets o; oronto? >ust as they had sent any number o; irrepressib<e &rish exi<es to war with wi<d !edskins in the streets o; #ew )ork. hey incessant<y repeated that what the wor<d wants is pioneers+ and had ne=er e=en heard that what the wor<d wants is peasants. here was a certain amount o; sincere and natura< sentiment about the wandering exi<e inheriting our traditions. here was rea<<y no pretence that he was engaged in ;ounding his own traditions. (<< the ideas that go with a secure socia< standing were absent ;rom the =ery discussion? no one thought o; the continuity+ the customs+ the re<igion+ or the ;o<k<ore o; the ;uture co<onist. (bo=e a<<+ nobody e=er concei=ed him as ha=ing any strong sense o; pri=ate property. here was in the =ague idea o; his gaining something ;or the Empire a<ways+ i; anything+ the idea o; his gaining what be<onged to somebody e<se. & am not now discussing how wrong it was or whether it cou<d in some cases be right? & am pointing out that nobody e=er entertained the notion o; the other sort o; right? the specia< right o; e=ery man to his own. & doubt whether a word cou<d be Buoted emphasiCing it e=en ;rom the hea<thiest ad=enture story or the >o<<iest Iingo song. & Buite appreciate a<< there is in such songs or stories that is rea<<y hea<thy or >o<<y. & am on<y pointing out that we ha=e bad<y neg<ected something? and are now su;;ering ;rom the neg<ect. (nd the worst aspect o; the neg<ect was that we <earnt nothing whate=er ;rom the peop<es that were actua<<y inside the Empire which we wished to g<ori;y: nothing whate=er ;rom the &rish? nothing whate=er ;rom the 'rench Canadian? nothing whate=er e=en ;rom the poor Hindoos. :e ha=e now reached a crisis in which we particu<ar<y reBuire these neg<ected ta<ents?

and we do not e=en know how to set about <earning them. (nd the exp<anation o; this b<under+ as o; most b<unders+ is in the weakness which is ca<<ed pride: in other words+ it is in the tone taken by peop<e <ike the *ean o; St. .au<Fs. #ow there wi<< be needed a <arge e<ement o; emigration in the so<ution o; re4creating a peasantry in the modern wor<d. & sha<< ha=e more to say about the e<ements o; the idea in the next section. 5ut & be<ie=e that any scheme o; the sort wi<< ha=e to be based on a tota<<y di;;erent and indeed diametrica<<y opposite spirit and princip<e to that which is common<y app<ied to emigration in Eng<and to4day. & think we need a new sort o; inspiration+ a new sort o; appea<+ a new sort o; ordinary <anguage e=en+ be;ore that so<ution wi<< e=en he<p to so<=e anything. :hat we need is the idea< o; .roperty+ not mere<y o; .rogress44 especia<<y progress o=er other peop<eFs property. $topia needs more ;rontiers+ not <ess. (nd it is because we were weak in the ethics o; property on the edges o; Empire that our own society wi<< not de;end property as men de;end a right. he 5o<she=ist is the seBue< and punishment o; the 5uccaneer. 3333333333333333 && HE !E%&G&"# "' S,(%% .!".E! ) :e hear a great dea< nowadays about the disad=antages o; decorum+ especia<<y ;rom those who are a<ways te<<ing us that women in the <ast generation were he<p<ess and impotent+ and then proceed to pro=e it by describing the tremendous and towering tyranny o; ,rs. Grundy. !ather in the same way+ they insist that 8ictorian women were especia<<y so;t and submissi=e. (nd it is rather un;ortunate ;or them that+ e=en in order to say so+ they ha=e to introduce the name o; 6ueen 8ictoria. 5ut it is more especia<<y in connection with the indecorous in art and <iterature that the Buestion arises+ and it is now the ;ashion to argue as i; there were no psycho<ogica< basis ;or reticence at a<<. hat is where the argument shou<d end? but ;ortunate<y these thinkers do not know how to get to the end o; an argument. & ha=e heard it argued that there is no more harm in describing the =io<ation o; one Commandment than o; another? but this is ob=ious<y a ;a<<acy. here is at <east a case in psycho<ogy ;or saying that certain images mo=e the imagination to the weakening o; the character. here is no case ;or saying that the mere contemp<ation o; a kit o; burg<arFs too<s wou<d in;<ame us a<< with a desire to break into houses. here is no possibi<ity o; pretending that the mere sight o; means to murder our maiden aunt with a poker does rea<<y make the i<< deed done. 5ut what strikes me as most curious about the contro=ersy is this: that whi<e our ;iction and >ourna<ism is <arge<y breaking down the prohibitions ;or which there rea<<y was a <ogica< case+ in the consideration o; human nature+ they sti<< =ery <arge<y ;ee< the pressure o; prohibitions ;or which there was ne=er any case at a<<. (nd the most curious thing about the criticism we hear directed against the 8ictorian (ge is that it is ne=er directed against the most arbitrary con=entions o; that age. "ne o; these+ which & remember =ery =i=id<y in my youth+ was the con=ention that there is something embarrassing or un;air about a man mentioning his re<igion. here was something o; the same ;ee<ing about his mentioning his money. #ow these things cannot possib<y be de;ended by the same psycho<ogica< argument as the other. #obody is mo=ed to madness by the mere sight o; a church spire+ or ;inds uncontro<<ab<e emotions possess him at the thought o; an archdeaconFs hat. )et there is sti<< enough o; that rea<<y irrationa< 8ictorian con=ention <ingering in our <i;e and <iterature to make it necessary to o;;er a de;ence+ i; not an apo<ogy+ whene=er an argument depends upon this ;undamenta< ;act in <i;e. #ow when & remark that we want a type o; co<oniCation rather represented by the 'rench Canadians+ there are probab<y sti<< a number o; s<y critics who wou<d point the ;inger o; detection at me and cry+ as i; they had caught me in something =ery naughty+ @)ou be<ie=e in the 'rench

Canadians because they are Catho<ics@? which is in one sense not on<y true+ but =ery near<y the who<e truth. 5ut in another sense it is not true at a<<? i; it means that & exercise no independent >udgment in percei=ing that this is rea<<y what we do want. #ow when this di;;icu<ty and misunderstanding arises+ there is on<y one practica< way o; meeting it in the present state o; pub<ic in;ormation+ or <ack o; in;ormation. &t is to ca<< what is genera<<y described as an impartia< witness? though it is Buite probab<e that he is ;ar <ess impartia< than & am. :hat is rea<<y important about him is that+ i; he were partia<+ he wou<d be partia< on the other side. he dear o<d *ai<y #ews+ o; the days o; my youth+ on which & wrote happi<y ;or many years and had so many good and admirab<e ;riends+ cannot be accused as yet as being an organ o; the Iesuits. &t was+ and is+ as e=ery one knows+ the organ o; the #oncon;ormists. *r. C<i;;ord brandished his teapot there when he was se<<ing it in order to demonstrate+ by one symbo<ica< act+ that he had <ong been a teetota<<er and was now a .assi=e !esister. :e may be pardoned ;or smi<ing at this aspect o; the matter? but there are many other aspects which are rea< and worthy o; a<< possib<e respect. he tradition o; the o<d .uritan idea< does rea<<y descend to this paper? and mu<titudes o; honest and hard4thinking !adica<s read it in my youth and read it sti<<. & there;ore think that the ;o<<owing remarks which appeared recent<y in the *ai<y #ews+ in an artic<e by ,r. Hugh ,artin+ writing ;rom oronto+ are rather remarkab<e. He begins by saying that the (ng<o4Saxon has got too proud to bend his back? but the curious thing is that he goes on to suggest+ a<most in so many words+ that the backs o; the 'rench Canadians are actua<<y strengthened+ not on<y by being bent o=er rustic spades+ but e=en by being bent be;ore superstitious a<tars. & am =ery anxious not to do my impartia< witness an un;air damage in the matter? so & may be excused i; & Buote his own words at some <itt<e <ength. (;ter saying that the (ng<o4Saxons are drawn away to the $nited States+ or at any rate to the industria< cities+ he remarks that the 'rench are o; course =ery numerous in 6uebec and e<sewhere+ but that it is not here that the notab<e de=e<opment is taking p<ace+ and that ,ontrea<+ being a <arge city+ is showing signs o; the s<ackening to be seen in other <arge cities. @#ow <ook at the other picture. he race that is going ahead is the 'rench race. . . . &n 6uebec+ where there are near<y 1+NNN+NNN Canadians o; 'rench origin in a popu<ation o; 1+7LN+NNN+ that might ha=e been expected. 5ut as a matter o; ;act it is not in 6uebec that the 'rench are making good most conspicuous<y . . . nor in #o=a Scotia and #ew 5runswick is the comparati=e success o; the 'rench stock most marked. hey are doing sp<endid<y on the <and and raising prodigious ;ami<ies. ( ;ami<y o; twe<=e is Buite common+ and & cou<d name se=era< cases where there ha=e been twenty+ who a<< <i=ed. he day may come when they wi<< eBua< or outnumber the Scotch+ but that is some way ahead. &; you want to see what 'rench stock can sti<< achie=e+ you shou<d go to the northern part o; this pro=ince o; "ntario. &t is doing pioneer work. &t is bending its back as men did in the o<d days. &t is mu<tip<ying and staying on the soi<. &t is content to be happy without being rich. @ hough & am not a re<igious man myse<;+ & must con;ess & think re<igion has a good dea< to do with it. hese 'rench Canadians are more Catho<ic than the .ope. )ou might ca<< a good many o; them desperate<y ignorant and desperate<y superstitious. hey seem to me to be a century behind the times and a century nearer happiness.@ hese seem to me+ & repeat+ to be rather remarkab<e words? remarkab<e i; they appeared anywhere+ arresting and astonishing when they appear in the traditiona< paper o; the ,anchester !adica<s and the nineteenth4century #oncon;ormists. he words are sp<endid<y straight;orward and una;;ected in their <iterary ;orm? they ha=e a c<ear ring o; sincerity and experience+ and they

are a<< the more con=incing because they are written by somebody who does not share my own desperate ignorance and desperate superstition. 5ut he proceeds to suggest a reason+ and incidenta<<y to make his own independence in the matter Buite c<ear. @(part ;rom the ;act that their women bear an incredib<e number o; chi<dren+ you ha=e this other conseBuence o; their submission to the priest+ that a socia< organism is created+ which is o; inca<cu<ab<e =a<ue in the backwoods. he church+ the schoo<+ the cure+ ho<d each <itt<e group together as a unit. *o not think ;or a moment that & be<ie=e a genera< spread o; Catho<icism wou<d turn us back into a pioneer peop<e. "ne might >ust as reasonab<y recommend a return to ear<y Scottish .rotestantism. & mere<y record the ;act that the simp<icity o; these peop<e is pro=ing their sa<=ation and is one o; the most hope;u< things in Canada to4day.@ "; course+ there are a good many things o; an incidenta< kind that a person with my =iews might comment on in that passage. & might go o;; at a ga<<op on the high<y interesting comparison with ear<y Scottish .rotestantism. 8ery ear<y Scottish .rotestantism+ <ike =ery ear<y Eng<ish .rotestantism+ consisted chie;<y o; <oot. 5ut i; we take it as re;erring to the per;ect<y pure and sincere enthusiasm o; many Co=enanters or ear<y Ca<=inists+ we come upon the contrast that is the point o; the who<e matter. Ear<y .uritanism was pure .uritanism? but the purer it is the more ear<y it seems. :e cannot imagine it as a good thing and a<so a modern thing. &t might ha=e been one o; the most honest things in Scot<and then. 5ut nobody wou<d be ;ound ca<<ing it one o; the most hope;u< things in Canada to4day. &; Iohn Knox appeared to4morrow in the pu<pit o; St. Gi<es+ he wou<d be a stickit minister. He wou<d be regarded as a ra=ing sa=age because o; his ignorance o; German metaphysics. hat comparison does not meet the extraordinary case o; the thing that is o<der than Knox and yet a<so newer than Knox. "r again+ & might point out that the common connotation o; @submission to the priest@ is mis<eading+ e=en i; it is true. &t is <ike ta<king o; the Charge o; the %ight 5rigade as the submission to %ord !ag<an. &t is sti<< more <ike ta<king about the storming o; Ierusa<em as the submission to the Count o; 5oui<<on. &n one sense it is Buite true? in another it is =ery untrue. 5ut & ha=e not the sma<<est desire here to disturb the impartia<ity o; my witness. & ha=e not the sma<<est intention o; using any o; the tortures o; the &nBuisition to make him admit anything that he did not wish to admit. he admission as it stands seems to me =ery remarkab<e? not so much because it is a tribute to 'renchmen as co<onists as because it is a tribute to co<onists as pious and de=out peop<e. 5ut what concerns me most o; a<< in the genera< discussion o; my own theme is the insistence on stabi<ity. hey are staying on the soi<? they are a socia< organism? they are he<d together as a unit. hat is the new note which & think is needed in a<< ta<k o; co<oniCation+ be;ore it can again be any part o; the hope o; the wor<d. ( recent description o; the Happy 'actory+ as it exists in (merica or wi<< exist in $topia+ rose ;rom height to height o; idea<ity unti< it ended with a sort o; hush+ as o; the u<timate opening o; the hea=ens+ and these words about the workman+ @He turns out ;or his homeward >ourney <ike a member o; the Stock Exchange.@ (ny attempt to imagine humanity in its ;ina< per;ection a<ways has about it something ;aint<y unrea<+ as being too good ;or this wor<d? but the =isionary <ight that breaks ;rom the c<oud+ in that <ast phrase+ accentuates c<ear<y the contrast which is to be drawn between such a condition and that o; the <abour o; common men. (dam <e;t Eden as a gardener? but he wi<< set out ;or his homeward >ourney <ike a member o; the Stock Exchange. St. Ioseph was a carpenter? but he wi<< be raised again as a stockbroker. Giotto was a shepherd? ;or he was not yet worthy to be a stockbroker. Shakespeare was an actor? but he dreamed day and night o; being a stockbroker. 5urns was a p<oughman? but i; he sang at the p<ough+ how much more appropriate<y he wou<d ha=e sung in the Stock Exchange. &t is assumed in this kind o; argument that a<< humanity has conscious<y or unconscious<y hoped ;or this consummation? and that i; men

were not brokers+ it was because they were not ab<e to broke. 5ut this remarkab<e passage in Sir Ernest 5ennFs exposition has another app<ication besides the ob=ious one. ( stockbroker in one sense rea<<y is a =ery poetica< ;igure. &n one sense he is as poetica< as Shakespeare+ and his idea< poet+ since he does gi=e to airy nothing a <oca< habitation and a name. He does dea< to a great extent in what economists Din their poetica< wayE describe as imaginaries. :hen he exchanges two thousand .atagonian .umpkins ;or one thousand shares in (<askan :ha<e 5<ubber+ he does not demand the sensua< satis;action o; eating the pumpkin or need to beho<d the wha<e with the gross eye o; ;<esh. &t is Buite possib<e that there are no pumpkins? and i; there is somewhere such a thing as a wha<e+ it is =ery un<ike<y to obtrude itse<; upon the con=ersation in the Stock Exchange. #ow what is the matter with the ;inancia< wor<d is that it is a great dea< too ;u<< o; imagination+ in the sense o; ;iction. (nd when we react against it+ we natura<<y in the ;irst p<ace react into rea<ism. :hen the stockbroker homeward p<ods his weary way and <ea=es the wor<d to darkness and Sir Ernest 5enn+ we are disposed to insist that it is indeed he who has the darkness and we who ha=e the day<ight. He has not on<y the darkness but the dreams+ and a<< the unrea< <e=iathans and unearth<y pumpkins pass be;ore him <ike a mere scro<< o; symbo<s in the dreams o; the "<d estament. 5ut when the sma<< proprietor grows pumpkins+ they rea<<y are pumpkins+ and sometimes Buite a <arge pumpkin ;or Buite a sma<< proprietor. &; he shou<d e=er ha=e occasion to grow wha<es Dwhich seems improbab<eE they wou<d either be rea< wha<es or they wou<d be o; no use to him. :e natura<<y grow a <itt<e impatient+ under these conditions+ when peop<e who ca<< themse<=es practica< sco;; at the sma<< proprietor as i; he were a minor poet. #e=erthe<ess+ there is another side to the case+ and there is a sense in which the sma<< proprietor had better be a minor poet+ or at <east a mystic. #ay+ there is e=en a sort o; Bueer paradoxica< sense in which the stockbroker is a man o; business. &t is to that other side o; sma<< property+ as exemp<i;ied in the 'rench Canadians+ and an artic<e on them in the *ai<y #ews+ that & de=oted my <ast remarks. he rea<<y practica< point in that high<y interesting statement is+ that in this case+ being progressi=e is actua<<y identi;ied with being what is ca<<ed static. &n this case+ by a strange paradox+ a pioneer is rea<<y d sett<er. &n this case+ by a sti<< stranger paradox+ a sett<er is a person who rea<<y sett<es. &t wi<< be noted that the success o; the experiment is actua<<y ;ounded on a certain power o; striking root? which we might a<most ca<< rapid tradition+ as others ta<k o; rapid transit. (nd indeed the ground under the pioneerFs ;eet can on<y be made so<id by being made sacred. &t is on<y re<igion that can thus rapid<y gi=e a sort o; accumu<ated power o; cu<ture and <egend to something that is crude or incomp<ete. &t sounds <ike a >oke to say that baptiCing a baby makes the baby =enerab<e? it suggests the o<d >oke o; the baby with spectac<es who died an en;eeb<ed o<d dotard at ;i=e. )et it is pro;ound<y true that something is added that is not on<y something to be =enerated+ but something part<y to be =enerated ;or its antiBuity44that is+ ;or the un;athomab<e depth o; its humanity. &n a sense a new wor<d can be baptiCed as a new baby is baptiCed+ and become a part o; an ancient order not mere<y on the map but in the mind. &nstead o; crude peop<e mere<y extending their crudity+ and ca<<ing that co<oniCation+ it wou<d be possib<e ;or peop<e to cu<ti=ate the soi< as they cu<ti=ate the sou<. 5ut ;or this it is necessary to ha=e a respect ;or the soi< as we<< as ;or the sou<? and e=en a re=erence ;or it+ as ha=ing some associations with ho<y things. 5ut ;or that purpose we need some sense o; carrying ho<y things with us and taking them home with us? not mere<y the ;ee<ing that ho<iness may exist as a hope. &n the most exa<ted phrase+ we need a rea< presence. &n the most popu<ar phrase+ we need something that is a<ways on the spot. hat is+ we want something that is a<ways on the spot+ and not on<y beyond the horiCon. he pioneer instinct is beginning to ;ai<+ as a we<<4known tra=e<<er recent<y comp<ained+ but & doubt whether he cou<d te<< us the reason. &t is e=en possib<e that he wi<< not understand it+ in one

radiant burst o; >oy;u< comprehension+ i; & te<< him that & am a<< in ;a=our o; a wi<d4goose chase+ so <ong as he rea<<y be<ie=es that the wi<d goose is the bird o; paradise? but that it is necessary to hunt it with the hounds o; hea=en. &; it be bare<y possib<e that this does not seem Buite c<ear to him+ & wi<< exp<ain that the tra=e<<er must possess something as we<< as pursue something+ or he wi<< not e=en know what to pursue. &t is not enough a<ways to ;o<<ow the g<eam: it is necessary sometimes to rest in the g<ow? to ;ee< something sacred in the g<ow o; the camp ;ire as we<< as the g<eam o; the po<ar star. (nd that same mysterious and to some di=ided =oice+ which a<one te<<s that we ha=e here no abiding city+ is the on<y =oice which within the <imits o; this wor<d can bui<d up cities that abide. (s & said at the beginning o; this section+ it is ;uti<e to pretend that such a ;aith is not a ;undamenta< o; the true change. 5ut its practica< re<ation to the reconstruction o; property is that+ un<ess we understand this spirit+ we cannot now re<ie=e congestion with co<oniCation. .eop<e wi<< pre;er the mere nomadism o; the town to the mere nomadism o; the wi<derness. hey wi<< not to<erate emigration i; it mere<y means being mo=ed on by the po<iticians as they ha=e been mo=ed on by the po<icemen. hey wi<< pre;er bread and circuses to <ocusts and wi<d honey+ so <ong as the ;orerunner does not know ;or what God he prepares the way. 5ut e=en i; we put aside ;or the moment the strict<y spiritua< idea<s in=o<=ed in the change+ we must admit that there are secu<ar idea<s in=o<=ed which must be positi=e and not mere<y comparati=e+ <ike the idea< o; progress. :e are sometimes taunted with setting against a<< other $topias what is in truth the most impossib<e $topia? with describing a ,erry .easant who cannot exist except on the stage+ with depending on a China Shepherdess who ne=er was seen except on the mante<piece. &; we are indeed presenting impossib<e portraits o; an idea< humanity+ we are not a<one in that. #ot on<y the Socia<ists but a<so the Capita<ists parade be;ore us their imaginary and idea< ;igures+ and the Capita<ists i; possib<e more than the Socia<ists. 'or once that we read o; the <ast Earth<y .aradise o; ,r. :e<<s+ where men and women mo=e grace;u<<y in simp<e garments and keep their tempers in a way in which we in this wor<d sometimes ;ind di;;icu<t De=en when we are the authors o; $topian no=e<sE+ ;or once that we see the idea< ;igure o; that =ision+ we see ten times a day the idea< ;igure o; the commercia< ad=ertisers. :e are to<d to @5e %ike his ,an+@ or to imitate an aggressi=e person pointing his ;inger at us in a =ery rude manner ;or one who regards himse<; as a pattern to the young. )et it is entire<y an idea< portrait? it is =ery un<ike<y Dwe are g<ad to sayE that any o; us wi<< de=e<op a chin or a ;inger o; that obtrusi=e type. 5ut we do not b<ame either the Capita<ists or the Socia<ists ;or setting up a type or ta<ismanic ;igure to ;ix the imagination. :e do not wonder at their presenting the per;ect person ;or our admiration? we on<y wonder at the person they admire. (nd it is Buite true that+ in our mo=ement as much as any other+ there must be a certain amount o; this romantic picture4making. ,en ha=e ne=er done anything in the wor<d without it? but ours is much more o; a rea<ity as we<< as a romance than the dreams o; the other romantics. here cannot be a nation o; mi<<ionaires+ and there has ne=er yet been a nation o; $topian comrades? but there ha=e been any number o; nations o; to<erab<y contented peasants. &n this connection+ howe=er+ the point is that i; we do not direct<y demand the re<igion o; sma<< property+ we must at <east demand the poetry o; sma<< property. &t is a thing about which it is de;inite<y and e=en urgent<y practica< to be poetica<. (nd it is those who b<ame us ;or being poetica< who do not rea<<y see the practica< prob<em. 'or the practica< prob<em is the goa<. he pioneer notion has weakened <ike the progressi=e notion+ and ;or the same reason. .eop<e cou<d go on ta<king about progress so <ong as they were not mere<y thinking about progress. .rogressi=es rea<<y had in their minds some notion o; a purpose in progress? and e=en the most practica< pioneer had some =ague and shadowy idea o;

what he wanted. he .rogressi=es trusted the tendency o; their time+ because they did be<ie=e+ or at <east had be<ie=ed+ in a body o; democratic doctrines which they supposed to be in process o; estab<ishment. (nd the pioneers and empire4bui<ders were ;i<<ed with hope and courage because+ to do them >ustice+ most o; them did at <east in some dim way be<ie=e that the ;<ag they carried stood ;or <aw and <iberty+ and a higher ci=i<iCation. hey were there;ore in search o; something and not mere<y in search o; searching. hey subconscious<y concei=ed an end o; tra=e< and not end<ess tra=e<<ing? they were not on<y breaking through a >ung<e but bui<ding a city. hey knew more or <ess the sty<e o; architecture in which it wou<d be bui<t+ and they honest<y be<ie=ed it was the best sty<e o; architecture in the wor<d. he spirit o; ad=enture has ;ai<ed because it has been <e;t to ad=enturers. (d=enture ;or ad=entureFs sake became <ike art ;or artFs sake. hose who had <ost a<< sense o; aim <ost a<< sense o; art and e=en o; accident. he time has come in e=ery department+ but especia<<y in our department+ to make once again =i=id and so<id the aim o; po<itica< progress or co<onia< ad=enture. E=en i; we picture the goa< o; the pi<grimage as a sort o; peasant paradise+ it wi<< be ;ar more practica< than setting out on a pi<grimage which has no goa<. 5ut it is yet more practica< to insist that we do not want to insist on<y on what are ca<<ed the Bua<ities o; a pioneer? that we do not want to describe mere<y the =irtues that achie=e ad=entures. :e want men to think+ not mere<y o; a p<ace which they wou<d be interested to ;ind+ but o; a p<ace where they wou<d be contented to stay. hose who wish mere<y to arouse again the socia< hopes o; the nineteenth century must o;;er not an end<ess hope+ but the hope o; an end. hose who wish to continue the bui<ding o; the o<d co<onia< idea must <ea=e o;; te<<ing us that the Church o; Empire is ;ounded entire<y on the ro<<ing stone. 'or it is a sin against the reason to te<< men that to tra=e< hope;u<<y is better than to arri=e? and when once they be<ie=e it+ they tra=e< hope;u<<y no <onger. 3333333333333333 8& ( S$,,(!) 3333333333333333 ( S$,,(!) & once debated with a <earned man who had a curious ;ancy ;or arranging the correspondence in mathematica< patterns? ;irst a thousand words each and then a hundred words each44and then a<tering them a<< to another pattern. & accepted as & wou<d a<ways accept a cha<<enge+ especia<<y an apparent appea< ;or ;airness+ but & was tempted to te<< him how utter<y unworkab<e this mechanica< method is ;or a <i=ing thing <ike argument. "b=ious<y a man might need a thousand words to rep<y to ten words. Suppose & began the phi<osophic dia<ogue by saying+ @)ou strang<e babies.@ He wou<d natura<<y rep<y+ @#onsense44& ne=er strang<ed any babies.@ (nd e=en in that ob=ious e>acu<ation he has a<ready used twice as many words as & ha=e. &t is impossib<e to ha=e rea< debate without digression. E=ery de;inition wi<< <ook <ike a digression. Suppose somebody puts to me some >ourna<istic statement+ say+ @Spanish Iesuits denounced in .ar<iament.@ & cannot dea< with it without exp<aining to the >ourna<ist where & di;;er ;rom him about the atmosphere and imp<ication o; each term in turn. & cannot answer Buick<y i; & am >ust disco=ering s<ow<y that the man su;;ers ;rom a series o; extraordinary de<usions: as D/E that .ar<iament is a popu<ar representati=e assemb<y? D1E that Spain is an e;;ete and decadent country? or D7E that a Spanish Iesuit is a sort o; so;t4;ooted court chap<ain? whereas it was a Spanish Iesuit who anticipated the who<e democratic theory o; our day+ and actua<<y hur<ed it as a de;iance against the di=ine right o; kings. Each o; these exp<anations wou<d ha=e to be a digression+ and each wou<d be necessary. #ow in this book & am we<< aware that there are many digressions that may not at ;irst sight seem

to be necessary. 'or & ha=e had to construct it out o; what was origina<<y a sort o; contro=ersia< causerie? and it has pro=ed impossib<e to cut down the causerie and on<y <ea=e the contro=ersy. ,oreo=er+ no man can contro=ert with many ;oes without going into many sub>ects+ as e=ery one knows who has been heck<ed. (nd on this occasion & was+ & am happy to say+ being heck<ed by many ;oes who were a<so ;riends. & was discharging the doub<e ;unction o; writing essays and o; ta<king o=er the tea4tab<e+ or pre;erab<y o=er the ta=ern tab<e. o turn this sort o; mixture o; a gossip and a gospe< into anything <ike a grammar o; *istributism has been Buite impossib<e. 5ut & ;ancy that+ e=en considered as a string o; essays+ it appears more inconseBuent than it rea<<y is? and many may read the essays without Buite seeing the string. & ha=e decided+ there;ore+ to add this <ast essay mere<y in order to sum up the intention o; the who<e? e=en i; the summary be on<y a recapitu<ation. & ha=e had a reason ;or many o; my digressions+ which may not appear unti< the who<e is seen in some sort o; perspecti=e? and where the digression has no such >usti;ication+ but was due to a desire to answer a ;riend or Dwhat is e=en worseE a disposition towards id<e and unseem<y mirth+ & can on<y apo<ogiCe sincere<y to the scienti;ic reader and promise to do my best to make this ;ina< summary as du<< as possib<e. &; we proceed as at present in a proper order<y ;ashion+ the =ery idea o; property wi<< =anish. &t is not re=o<utionary =io<ence that wi<< destroy it. &t is rather the desperate and reck<ess habit o; not ha=ing a re=o<ution. he wor<d wi<< be occupied+ or rather is a<ready occupied+ by two powers which are now one power. & speak+ o; course+ o; that part o; the wor<d that is co=ered by our system+ and that part o; the history o; the wor<d which wi<< <ast =ery much <onger than our time. Sooner or <ater+ no doubt+ men wou<d redisco=er so natura< a p<easure as property. 5ut it might be disco=ered a;ter ages+ <ike those ages ;i<<ed with pagan s<a=ery. &t might be disco=ered a;ter a <ong dec<ine o; our who<e ci=i<iCation. 5arbarians might redisco=er it and imagine it was a new thing. (nyhow+ the prospect is a progress towards the comp<ete combination o; two combinations. hey are both powers that be<ie=e on<y in combination? and ha=e ne=er understood or e=en heard that there is any dignity in di=ision. hey ha=e ne=er had the imagination to understand the idea o; Genesis and the great myths: that Creation itse<; was di=ision. he beginning o; the wor<d was the di=ision o; hea=en and earth? the beginning o; humanity was the di=ision o; man and woman. 5ut these ;<at and p<atitudinous minds can ne=er see the di;;erence between the creati=e c<ea=age o; (dam and E=e and the destructi=e c<ea=age o; Cain and (be<. (nyhow+ these powers or minds are now both in the same mood? and it is a mood o; dis<iking a<< di=ision+ and there;ore a<< distribution. hey be<ie=e in unity+ in unanimity+ in harmony. "ne o; these powers is State Socia<ism and the other is 5ig 5usiness. hey are a<ready one spirit? they wi<< soon be one body. 'or+ disbe<ie=ing in di=ision+ they cannot remain di=ided? be<ie=ing on<y in combination+ they wi<< themse<=es combine. (t present one o; them ca<<s it So<idarity and the other ca<<s it Conso<idation. &t wou<d seem that we ha=e on<y to wait whi<e both monsters are taught to say Conso<idarity. 5ut+ whate=er it is ca<<ed+ there wi<< be no doubt about the character o; the wor<d which they wi<< ha=e made between them. &t is becoming more and more ;ixed and ;ami<iar. &t wi<< be a wor<d o; organiCation+ or syndication+ o; standardiCation. .eop<e wi<< be ab<e to get hats+ houses+ ho<idays+ and patent medicines o; a recogniCed and uni=ersa< pattern? they wi<< be ;ed+ c<othed+ educated+ and examined by a wide and e<aborate system? but i; you were to ask them at any gi=en moment whether the agency which housed or hatted them was sti<< mere<y mercanti<e or had become municipa<+ they probab<y wou<d not know+ and they possib<y wou<d not care. ,any be<ie=e that humanity wi<< be happy in this new peace? that c<asses can be reconci<ed and sou<s set at rest. & do not think things wi<< be Buite so bad as that. 5ut & admit that there are many

things which may make possib<e such a catastrophe o; contentment. ,en in <arge numbers ha=e submitted to s<a=ery? men submit natura<<y to go=ernment+ and perhaps e=en especia<<y to despotic go=ernment. 5ut & take it as ob=ious to any inte<<igent person that this go=ernment wi<< be something more than despotic. &t is the =ery essence o; the rust that it has the power+ not on<y to extinguish mi<itary ri=a<ry or mob rebe<<ion as has the State+ but a<so the power to crush any new custom or costume or cra;t or pri=ate enterprise that it does not choose to <ike. ,i<itarism can on<y pre=ent peop<e ;rom ;ighting? but monopo<y can pre=ent them ;rom buying or se<<ing anything except the artic<e Dgenera<<y the in;erior artic<eE ha=ing the trade mark o; the monopo<y. &; anything can be in;erred ;rom history and human nature+ it is abso<ute<y certain that the despotism wi<< grow more and more despotic+ and that the artic<e wi<< grow more and more in;erior. here is no concei=ab<e argument ;rom psycho<ogy+ by which it can be pretended that peop<e preser=ing such a power+ generation a;ter generation+ wou<d not abuse it more and more+ or neg<ect e=erything e<se more and more. :e know what ;ar <ess rigid ru<e has become+ e=en when ;ounded by spirited and inte<<igent ru<ers. :e can dark<y guess the e;;ect o; <arger powers in the hands o; <esser men. (nd i; the name o; Caesar came at <ast to stand ;or a<< that we ca<< 5yCantine+ exact<y what degree o; du<<ness are we to anticipate when the name o; Harrod sha<< sound e=en du<<er than it doesA &; China passed into a pro=erb at <ast ;or sti;;ness and monotony a;ter being nourished ;or centuries by Con;ucius+ what wi<< be the condition o; the brains that ha=e been nourished ;or centuries by Ca<<isthenesA & <ea=e out there the particu<ar case o; my own country+ where we are threatened not with a <ong dec<ine+ but rather with an unp<easant<y rapid co<<apse. 5ut taking monopo<ist capita<ism in a country where it is sti<< in the =u<gar sense success;u<+ as in the $nited States+ we on<y see more c<ear<y+ and on a more co<ossa< sca<e+ the <ong and descending perspecti=es that point down to 5yCantium or .ekin. &t is per;ect<y ob=ious that the who<e business is a machine ;or manu;acturing tenth4rate things+ and keeping peop<e ignorant o; ;irst4rate things. ,ost ci=i<iCed systems ha=e dec<ined ;rom a height? but this starts on a <ow <e=e< and in a ;<at p<ace? and what it wou<d be <ike when it had rea<<y crushed a<< its critics and ri=a<s and made its monopo<y watertight ;or two hundred years+ the most morbid imagination wi<< ;ind it hard to imagine. 5ut whate=er the <ast stage o; the story+ no sane man any <onger doubts that we are seeing the ;irst stages o; it. here is no <onger any di;;erence in tone and type between co<<ecti=ist and ordinary commercia< order? commerce has its o;;icia<ism and communism has its organiCation. .ri=ate things are a<ready pub<ic in the worst sense o; the word? that is+ they are impersona< and dehumaniCed. .ub<ic things are a<ready pri=ate in the worst sense o; the word? that is+ they are mysterious and secreti=e and <arge<y corrupt. he new sort o; 5usiness Go=ernment wi<< combine e=erything that is bad in a<< the p<ans ;or a better wor<d. here wi<< be no eccentricity? no humour? no nob<e disdain o; the wor<d. here wi<< be nothing but a <oathsome thing ca<<ed Socia< Ser=ice? which means s<a=ery without <oya<ty. his Ser=ice wi<< be one o; the idea<s. & ;orgot to mention that there wi<< be idea<s. (<< the wea<thiest men in the mo=ement ha=e made it Buite c<ear that they are in possession o; a number o; these <itt<e com;orts. .eop<e a<ways ha=e idea<s when they can no <onger ha=e ideas. he phi<anthropists in Buestion wi<< probab<y be surprised to <earn that some o; us regard this prospect =ery much as we shou<d regard the theory that we are to be e=o<=ed back into apes. :e there;ore consider whether it is e=en yet concei=ab<e to restore that <ong4;orgotten thing ca<<ed Se<;4Go=ernment: that is+ the power o; the citiCen in some degree to direct his own <i;e and construct his own en=ironment? to eat what he <ikes+ to wear what he chooses+ and to ha=e Dwhat the rust must o; necessity deny himE a range o; choice. &n these notes upon the notion+ & ha=e been concerned to ask whether it is possib<e to escape ;rom this enormous e=i< o; simp<i;ication or centra<iCation+ and what & ha=e said is best summed up under two heads or in two para<<e<

statements. hey may seem to some to contradict each other+ but they rea<<y con;irm each other. 'irst+ & say that this is a thing that cou<d be done by peop<e. &t is not a thing that can be done to peop<e. hat is where it di;;ers ;rom near<y a<< Socia<ist schemes as it does ;rom p<utocratic phi<anthropy. & do not say that &+ regarding this prospect with hatred and contempt+ can sa=e them ;rom it. & say that they can sa=e me ;rom it+ and themse<=es ;rom it+ i; they a<so regard it with hatred and contempt. 5ut it must be done in the spirit o; a re<igion+ o; a re=o<ution+ and D& wi<< addE o; a renunciation. hey must want to do it as they want to dri=e in=aders out o; a country or to stop the spread o; a p<ague. (nd in this respect our critics ha=e a curious way o; arguing in a circ<e. hey ask why we troub<e to denounce what we cannot destroy? and o;;er an idea< we cannot attain. hey say we are mere<y throwing away dirty water be;ore we can get c<ean? or rather that we are mere<y ana<ysing the anima<cu<ae in the dirty water+ whi<e we do not e=en =enture to throw it away. :hy do we make men discontented with conditions with which they must be contentA :hy re=i<e an into<erab<e s<a=ery that must be to<eratedA 5ut when we in turn ask why our idea< is impossib<e or why the e=i< is indestructib<e+ they answer in e;;ect+ @5ecause you cannot persuade peop<e to want it destroyed.@ .ossib<y? but+ on their own showing+ they cannot b<ame us because we try. hey cannot say that peop<e do not hate p<utocracy enough to ki<< it? and then b<ame us ;or asking them to <ook at it enough to hate it. &; they wi<< not attack it unti< they hate it+ then we are doing the most practica< thing we can do+ in showing it to be hate;u<. ( mora< mo=ement must begin somewhere? but & do most positi=e<y postu<ate that there must be a mora< mo=ement. his is not a ;inancia< ;<utter or a po<ice regu<ation or a pri=ate bi<< or a detai< o; book4keeping. &t is a mighty e;;ort o; the wi<< o; man+ <ike the throwing o;; o; any other great e=i<+ or it is nothing. & say that i; men wi<< ;ight ;or this they may win? & ha=e nowhere suggested that there is any way o; winning without ;ighting. $nder this heading & ha=e considered in their p<ace+ ;or instance+ the possibi<ity o; an organiCed boycott o; big shops. $ndoubted<y it wou<d be some sacri;ice to boycott big shops? it wou<d be some troub<e to seek out sma<< shops. 5ut it wou<d be about a hundredth part o; the sacri;ice and troub<e that has o;ten been shown by masses o; men making some patriotic or re<igious protest44 when they rea<<y wanted to protest. $nder the same genera< ru<e+ & ha=e remarked that a rea< <i;e on the <and+ men not on<y dwe<<ing on the <and but <i=ing o;; it+ wou<d be an ad=enture in=o<=ing both stubbornness and abnegation. 5ut it wou<d not be ha<; so ascetic as the sort o; ad=enture which it is a commonp<ace to attribute to co<onists and empire4bui<ders? it is nothing to what has been norma<<y shown by mi<<ions o; so<diers and monks. "n<y it is true that monks ha=e a ;aith+ that so<diers ha=e a ;<ag+ and that e=en empire4bui<ders were presumab<y under the impression that they cou<d assist the Empire. 5ut it does not seem to me Buite inconcei=ab<e+ in the =arieties o; re<igious experience+ that men might take as much notice o; earth as monks do o; hea=en? that peop<e might rea<<y be<ie=e in the spades that create as we<< as in the swords that destroy? and that the Eng<ish who ha=e co<oniCed e=erywhere e<se might begin to co<oniCe Eng<and. Ha=ing thus admitted+ or rather insisted+ that this thing cannot be done un<ess peop<e do rea<<y think it worth doing+ & then proceeded to suggest that+ e=en in these di;;erent departments+ there are more peop<e who think it worth doing than is noticed by the peop<e who do not think it worth noticing. hus+ e=en in the crowds that throng the big shops+ you do in ;act hear a =ast amount o; grumb<ing at the big shops44 not so much because they are big as because they are bad. 5ut these rea< criticisms are disconnected+ whi<e the unrea< pu;;s and praises are connected+ <ike any other conspiracy. :hen the mi<<ionaire owning the stores is criticiCed+ it is by his customers. :hen he is handsome<y comp<imented+ it is by himse<;. 5ut when he is cursed+ it is in the inner chamber? when he is praised Dby himse<;E it is proc<aimed ;rom the house4tops. hat is what is

meant by pub<icity44a =oice <oud enough to drown any remarks made by the pub<ic. &n the case o; the <and+ as in the case o; the shops+ & went on to point out that there is+ i; not a mora< agitation+ at <east the materia<s o; a mora< agitation. Iust as a discontent with the shops <ingers e=en among those who are shopping+ so a desire ;or the <and <ingers e=en in those who are hard<y a<<owed to wa<k on the ground. & ga=e the instance o; the s<um popu<ation o; %imehouse+ who were ;orcib<y <i;ted into high ;<ats+ bitter<y <amenting the <oss o; the ;unny <itt<e ;armyards they had constructed ;or themse<=es in the corners o; their s<um. &t seems absurd to say o; a country that none o; its peop<e cou<d be countrymen+ when e=en its cockneys try to be countrymen. & a<so noted that+ in the case o; the country+ there is now a genera< discontent+ in <and<ords as we<< as tenants. E=erything seems to point to a simp<er <i;e o; one man one ;ie<d+ ;ree as ;ar as possib<e o; the comp<ications o; rent and <abour+ especia<<y when the rent is so o;ten unpaid or unpro;itab<e+ and the <abourers are so o;ten on strike or on the do<e. Here again there may o;ten be a mi<<ion indi=idua<s ;ee<ing <ike this? but the mi<<ion has not become a mob? ;or a mob is a mora< thing. 5ut & wi<< ne=er be so unpatriotic as to suggest that the Eng<ish cou<d ne=er conduct an agrarian war in Eng<and as the &rish did in &re<and. Genera<<y+ there;ore+ under this ;irst princip<e+ the thing wou<d most certain<y ha=e to be preached rather <ike a Crusade? but it is Buite untrue and unhistorica< to say+ as a ru<e+ that when once the Crusade is preached+ there are no Crusaders. (nd my second genera< princip<e+ which may seem contradictory but is con;irmatory+ is this. & think the thing wou<d ha=e to be done step by step and with patience and partia< concessions. & think this+ not because & ha=e any ;aith whate=er in the si<<y cu<t o; s<owness that is sometimes ca<<ed e=o<ution+ but because o; the pecu<iar circumstances o; the case. 'irst+ mobs may <oot and burn and rob the rich man+ =ery much to his spiritua< edi;ication and bene;it. hey may not unnatura<<y do it+ a<most absentminded<y+ when they are thinking o; something e<se+ such as a dis<ike o; Iews or Huguenots. 5ut it wou<d ne=er do ;or us to gi=e =ery =io<ent shocks to the sentiment o; property+ e=en where it is =ery i<<4p<aced or i<<4proportioned? ;or that happens to be the =ery sentiment we are trying to re=i=e. (s a matter o; psycho<ogy+ it wou<d be ;oo<ish to insu<t e=en an un;eminine ;eminist in order to awaken a de<icate chi=a<ry towards ;ema<es. &t wou<d be unwise to use a sacred image as a c<ub with which to thump an &conoc<ast and teach him not to touch the ho<y images. :here the o<d4;ashioned ;ee<ing o; property is sti<< honest+ & think it shou<d be dea<t with by degrees and with some consideration. :here the sense o; property does not exist at a<<+ as in mi<<ionaires+ it might we<< be regarded rather di;;erent<y? there it wou<d become a Buestion o; whether property procured in certain ways is property at a<<. (s ;or the case o; cornering and making monopo<ies in restraint o; trade+ that ;a<<s under the ;irst o; my two princip<es. &t is simp<y a Buestion o; whether we ha=e the mora< courage to punish what is certain<y immora<. here is no more doubt about these operations o; high ;inance than there is about piracy on the high seas. &t is mere<y a case o; a country being so disorder<y and i<<4 go=erned that it becomes in;ested with pirates. & ha=e+ there;ore+ in this book treated o; rusts and (nti4 rust %aw as a matter+ not mere<y ;or the popu<ar protest o; a boycott or a strike+ but ;or the direct action o; the State against crimina<s. 5ut when the crimina<s are stronger than the State+ any attempt to punish them wi<< be certain<y ca<<ed a rebe<<ion and may right<y be ca<<ed a Crusade. !ecurring to the second princip<e+ howe=er+ there is another and <ess abstract reason ;or recogniCing that the goa< must be reached by stages. & ha=e here had to consider se=era< things that may bring us a stage nearer to *istributism+ e=en i; they are in themse<=es not =ery satis;actory to ardent or austere *istributists. & took the examp<es o; a 'ord car+ which may be

made by mass production but is used ;or indi=idua< ad=enture? ;or+ a;ter a<<+ a pri=ate car is more pri=ate than a train or a tram. & a<so took the examp<e o; a genera< supp<y o; e<ectricity+ which might <ead to many <itt<e workshops ha=ing a chance ;or the ;irst time. & do not c<aim that a<< *istributists wou<d agree with me in my decision here? but on the who<e & am inc<ined to decide that we shou<d use these things to break up the hope<ess b<ock o; concentrated capita< and management+ e=en i; we urge their abandonment when they ha=e done their work. :e are concerned to produce a particu<ar sort o; men+ the sort o; men who wi<< not worship machines e=en i; they use machines. 5ut it is essentia< to insist at e=ery stage that we ho<d ourse<=es ;ree not on<y to cease worshipping machines+ but to cease using them. &t was in this connection that & criticiCed certain remarks o; ,r. 'ord and the who<e o; that idea o; standardiCation which he may be said to represent. 5ut e=erywhere & recogniCe a di;;erence between the methods we may use to produce a saner society and the things which that saner society might itse<; be sane enough to do. 'or instance+ a peop<e who had rea<<y ;ound out what ;un it is to make things wou<d ne=er want to make most o; them with a machine. Scu<ptors do not want to turn a statue out with a <athe or painters to print o;; a picture as a pattern+ and a cra;tsman who was rea<<y capab<e o; making pots or pans wou<d be no readier to condescend to what is ca<<ed manu;acturing them. &t is odd+ by the way+ that the =ery word @manu;acture@ means the opposite o; what it is supposed to mean. &t is itse<; a testimony to a better time when it did not mean the work o; a modern ;actory. &n the strict meaning o; words+ a scu<ptor does manu;acture a statue+ and a ;actory worker does not manu;acture a screw. 5ut+ anyhow+ a wor<d in which there were many independent men wou<d probab<y be a wor<d in which there were more indi=idua< cra;tsmen. :hen we ha=e created anything <ike such a wor<d+ we may trust it to ;ee< more than the modern wor<d does the danger o; machinery deadening creation+ and the =a<ue o; what it deadens. (nd & suggested that such a wor<d might =ery we<< make specia< pro=ision about machines+ as we a<< do about weapons? admitting them ;or particu<ar purposes+ but keeping watch on them in particu<ar ways. 5ut a<< that be<ongs to the <ater stage o; impro=ement+ when the commonwea<th o; ;ree men a<ready exists? & do not think it inconsistent with using any instruments that are innocent in themse<=es in order to he<p such citiCens to ;ind a ;ooting. & ha=e a<so noted that >ust as & do not think machinery an immora< instrument in itse<;+ so & do not think State action an immora< instrument in itse<;. he State might do a great dea< in the ;irst stages+ especia<<y by education in the new and necessary cra;ts and <abours+ by subsidy or tari;; to protect distributi=e experiments and by specia< <aws+ such as the taxation o; contracts. (<< these are co=ered by what & ca<< the second princip<e+ that we may use intermediate or imper;ect instruments? but it goes a<ong with the ;irst princip<e+ that we must be per;ect not on<y in our patience+ but in our passion and our enduring indignation. %ast<y+ there are the ordinary and ob=ious prob<ems <ike that o; popu<ation+ and in that connection & ;u<<y concede that the process may sooner or <ater in=o<=e an e<ement o; emigration. 5ut & think the emigration must be undertaken by those who understand the new Eng<and+ and not by those who want to escape ;rom it or ;rom the necessity o; it. ,en must rea<iCe the new meaning o; the o<d phrase+ @the sacredness o; pri=ate property.@ here must be a spirit that wi<< make the co<onist ;ee< at home and not abroad. (nd there+ & admit+ there is a di;;icu<ty? ;or & con;ess & know on<y one thing that wi<< thus gi=e to a new soi< the sanctity o; something a<ready o<d and ;u<< o; mystica< a;;ections. (nd that thing is a shrine44the rea< presence o; a sacramenta< re<igion. hus+ una=oidab<y+ & end on the note o; another contro=ersy44 a contro=ersy that & ha=e no idea o; pursuing here. 5ut & shou<d not be honest i; & did not mention it+ and whate=er be the case in that

connection it is impossib<e to deny that there is a doctrine behind the who<e o; our po<itica< position. &t is not necessari<y the doctrine o; the re<igious authority which & myse<; recei=e? but it cannot be denied that it must in a sense be re<igious. hat is to say+ it must at <east ha=e some re;erence to an u<timate =iew o; the uni=erse and especia<<y o; the nature o; man. hose who are thus ready to see property atrophied wou<d u<timate<y be ready to see arms and <egs amputated. hey rea<<y be<ie=e that these cou<d become extinct organs <ike the appendix. &n other words+ there is indeed a ;undamenta< di;;erence between my own =iew and that =ision o; man as a mere<y intermediate and changing thing44a %ink+ i; not a ,issing %ink. he creature+ it is c<aimed+ once went on ;our <egs and now goes on two <egs. he ob=ious in;erence wou<d be that the next stage o; e=o<ution wi<< be ;or a man to stand on one <eg. (nd this wi<< be o; =ery great =a<ue to the capita<ist or bureaucratic powers that are now to take charge o; him. &t wi<< mean+ ;or one thing+ that on<y ha<; the number o; boots need be supp<ied to the working c<asses. &t wi<< mean that a<< wages wi<< be o; a one4<egged sort. 5ut & wou<d testi;y at the end+ as at the beginning+ that & be<ie=e in ,an standing on two <egs and reBuiring two boots+ and that & desire them to be his own boots. )ou may ca<< it conser=ati=e to want this. )ou may ca<< it re=o<utionary to attempt to get it. 5ut i; that is conser=ati=e+ & am conser=ati=e? i; that is re=o<utionary+ & am re=o<utionary44but too democratic to be e=o<utionary+ anyhow. he thing behind 5o<she=ism and many other modern things is a new doubt. &t is not mere<y a doubt about God? it is rather specia<<y a doubt about ,an. he o<d mora<ity+ the Christian re<igion+ the Catho<ic Church+ di;;ered ;rom a<< this new menta<ity because it rea<<y be<ie=ed in the rights o; men. hat is+ it be<ie=ed that ordinary men were c<othed with powers and pri=i<eges and a kind o; authority. hus the ordinary man had a right to dea< with dead matter+ up to a gi=en point? that is the right o; property. hus the ordinary man had a right to ru<e the other anima<s within reason? that is the ob>ection to =egetarianism and many other things. he ordinary man had a right to >udge about his own hea<th+ and what risks he wou<d take with the ordinary things o; his en=ironment? that is the ob>ection to .rohibition and many other things. he ordinary man had a right to >udge o; his chi<drenFs hea<th+ and genera<<y to bring up chi<dren to the best o; his abi<ity? that is the ob>ection to many interpretations o; modern State education. #ow in these primary things in which the o<d re<igion trusted a man+ the new phi<osophy utter<y distrusts a man. &t insists that he must be a =ery rare sort o; man to ha=e any rights in these matters? and when he is the rare sort+ he has the right to ru<e others e=en more than himse<;. &t is this pro;ound scepticism about the common man that is the common point in the most contradictory e<ements o; modern thought. hat is why ,r. 5ernard Shaw wants to e=o<=e a new anima< that sha<< <i=e <onger and grow wiser than man. hat is why ,r. Sidney :ebb wants to herd the men that exist <ike sheep+ or anima<s much more ;oo<ish than man. hey are not rebe<<ing against an abnorma< tyranny? they are rebe<<ing against what they think is a norma< tyranny44 the tyranny o; the norma<. hey are not in re=o<t against the King. hey are in re=o<t against the CitiCen. he o<d re=o<utionist+ when he stood on the roo; D<ike the re=o<utionist in he *ynamiterE and <ooked o=er the city+ used to say to himse<;+ @ hink how the princes and nob<es re=e< in their pa<aces? think how the captains and cohorts ride the streets and tramp<e on the peop<e.@ 5ut the new re=o<utionist is not brooding on that. He is saying+ @ hink o; a<< those stupid men in =u<gar =i<<as or ignorant s<ums. hink how bad<y they teach their chi<dren? think how they do the wrong thing to the dog and o;;end the ;ee<ings o; the parrot.@ &n short+ these sages+ right<y or wrong<y+ cannot trust the norma< man to ru<e in the home+ and most certain<y do not want him to ru<e in the State. hey do not rea<<y want to gi=e him any po<itica< power. hey are wi<<ing to gi=e him a =ote+ because they ha=e <ong disco=ered that it need not gi=e him any power. hey are not wi<<ing to gi=e him a house+ or a wi;e+ or a chi<d+ or a dog+ or a cow+ or a piece o; <and+ because these things rea<<y do gi=e him power.

#ow we wish it to be understood that our po<icy is to gi=e him power by gi=ing him these things. :e wish to insist that this is the rea< mora< di=ision under<ying a<< our disputes+ and perhaps the on<y one rea<<y worth disputing. :e are ;ar ;rom denying+ especia<<y at this time+ that there is much to be said on the other side. :e a<one+ perhaps+ are <ike<y to insist in the ;u<< sense that the a=erage respectab<e citiCen ought to ha=e something to ru<e. :e a<one+ to the same extent and ;or the same reason+ ha=e the right to ca<< ourse<=es democratic. ( repub<ic used to be ca<<ed a nation o; kings+ and in our repub<ic the kings rea<<y ha=e kingdoms. (<< modern go=ernments+ .russian or !ussian+ a<< modern mo=ements+ Capita<ist or Socia<ist+ are taking away that kingdom ;rom the king. 5ecause they dis<ike the independence o; that kingdom+ they are against property. 5ecause they dis<ike the <oya<ty o; that kingdom+ they are against marriage. &t is there;ore with a somewhat sad amusement that & note the soaring =isions that accompany the sinking wages. & obser=e that the socia< prophets are sti<< o;;ering the home<ess something much higher and purer than a home+ and promising a supernorma< superiority to peop<e who are not a<<owed to be norma<. & am Buite content to dream o; the o<d drudgery o; democracy+ by which as much as possib<e o; a human <i;e shou<d be gi=en to e=ery human being? whi<e the bri<<iant author o; he 'irst ,en in the ,oon wi<< doubt<ess be soon deriding us in a romance ca<<ed he %ast ,en on the Earth. (nd indeed & do be<ie=e that when they <ose the pride o; persona< ownership they wi<< <ose something that be<ongs to their erect posture and to their ;ooting and poise upon the p<anet. ,eanwhi<e & sit amid dro=es o; o=erdri=en c<erks and underpaid workmen in a tube or a tram? & read o; the great conception o; ,en %ike Gods and & wonder when men wi<< be <ike men. 3 3 3 3 3 33333333333 HE E#*