Public Opinion on Socialism (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893. Excerpt: ... PUBLIC OPINION ON SOCIALISM ESSAY NO. I Some Socialists believe that their ideal will be realised by a revolution overtaking and submerging the present order of society; others, equally confident, maintain that Socialism will only be achieved by a slow evolutionary process, operating through existing forms of representative government. Although thus divided into two distinct schools, there seems to be a fairly unanimous opinion amongst them as to the economic formula upon which the Commonwealth must be founded, viz.: The organisation of human society on the basis of the common ownership of the means of production; and exchange, for the equal benefit of all. This stereotyped definition, to give it a more explicit interpretation, means that the Co-operative Commonwealth, as some advocates style it, shall own all industrial capital in its various forms: the land, money, machinery and raw material. Furthermore, in order to utilise these instruments of production the State must, of necessity, have complete direction and control of the human skill 'The first prige in the open competition wa awarded to this, essay. and labour which, we are repeatedly told, are the sources of all wealth. The Commonwealth is also to be the sole medium for effecting the exchange and distribution of all commodities. Consequently there will be no form of commerce in which the individual will be able to engage for the purpose of wealth, production or exchange, except by the permission, and under the command and direction of, the representatives of the community. Instead of thousands of capitalists, employers, competing one against the other for the best services available in the labour market, and to secure the patronage of the mass of the people, the consumers, for whom they cater, t...