Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

equality; the less pleasant kinds of work must be performed by the members in rotation, or those who perform it must be compensated by the shortness of the period of labour, or by being allowed advantages in some other way.

IX.

Man is so constituted as to derive health and enjoyment from moderate labour; and we fully believe that even the fortunate few-the pampered aristocracy—would be much healthier and happier in an association than under the present system, devoured as they are with ennui, and filled with envy, discontent, and anxiety for the future welfare of their families. A thousand means of amusement will be afforded in the associations which are wanting under the present system. It has been said, by persons utterly ignorant of the matter, that there would be disputes at the table, all desiring the best joints and the best viands of every description. Such persons can never have seen a large party at a public table. No such disputes arise at the tables of the great hotels and boarding-houses of the United States.

As to clothing; each person will be supplied with materials of a certain value, selecting whatever kind he may please, so that there will be no monotony of dress. The health of the people under this system will be greatly improved: no diseases will be engendered by confinement, foul air, unwholesome labour, intoxication, or sexual intercourse. Early marriages will be prevented, and the human race will become greatly improved in strength and beauty, and will go on improving from age to age. Ample means of counteracting the evil effects of the climate, when too hot or too cold, will be invented; dwelling-houses will be properly warmed or cooled, as may be required: and moreover the climate itself may be changed by the gigantic exertions of associated industry, as forests will be reclaimed, marshes drained, and plains planted with trees. The means of locomotion will be vastly improved. Railroads, on an immense scale, will be formed, with corresponding engines and carriages. Migrations of entire associations from north to south in winter, and from south to north in summer, will be common, as well as holiday visits at all times of the year by those members who choose to work overtime for the sake of such holidays. Every association will receive such visitors with hospitality, and dismiss them with kindness.

As to commerce with distant foreign countries, there can be but little, if any, necessity for it. If there be any such commerce, it can be conducted by the members of the various associations who prefer an adventurous life; and of this class a sufficient number could easily be found, especially among the younger and unmarried members.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE MISSION OF DEMOCRACY-(concluded.)

I. Detailed Exposition of the State of Society to be introduced by the Co-operative System-Extension of Family Affection from the Family to the AssociationCo-operation the State of Society, which the feelings of Man, as a noble and refined being, points to-Insufficiency of the mere inculcation of the Principles of Justice and Morality.

II. Relative Position of the Association and the individual Member-The latter insured by the former-Benefits of a Co-operative State of Society describedEconomy of Co-operation.

III. Polished and Graceful Manners of persons living in a state of Community— Removal of Ignorance and Prejudice-Want of Social Pleasure under the present system-Great Opportunity for its Enjoyment in Associations.

IV. Objection that this System of Society is novel-Restraints in Association compared with the want of true Liberty under the present System.

V. Objection that there would be Quarrels, Contentions, and Party Feeling-Far greater prevalence of these under the present System-Objections that there would be Dulness, Uniformity of Character, and Monotony.

VI. Labour: Moderate Labour a Blessing-Evils of Excessive Labour-Real objects of Human Life-Exemption of Children from Labour.

VII. Amusements in the Community-Leisure and Opportunity for Amusements— Necessity for Recreation-Want of the same under the present System of Society.

VIII. An eloquent and impassioned Description of the state of Society to be enjoyed in Social Communities at some future period.

IX. How the Final Social Revolution will be effected-How prevented under the old French Republic-Why the Example has not yet been set by the New World-Democracy the only road to a true Social System-Necessity of a state of Preparation for that System.

X. Objection to Social Equality, that Men of Genius ought not to be placed on the same footing as other persons-Neglect of Men of Genius under the present System-Love of Approbation; its Sufficiency as a Stimulus in AssociationsAbstract Justice of treating all the Members on a footing of perfect equality. XI. Remarks on the Ordinary Defence of the present System of Society-The undeniable Evils of that System-Opposition of the Wealthy Classes and their Dupes to any other System-Character of the Protestant Established Church -Probability that the Catholic Church will first receive the Truth-Probability that France will be the first European State to adopt a new System of Society.

XII. Table representing the Course of Democracy in the Fulfilment of its Great Mission.

I.

A more detailed exposition of the state of society to be introduced by the co-operative system-the system of kindness and mutual assistance —is due to the vast importance of the subject. The followin geloquent

description of that system is extracted from various French and English works of celebrity :

Family affection ought to extend itself from private to public life— from the family to the world. Man should see a brother in every human being, and rejoice in every opportunity of doing him good. Man was evidently intended to be brought to this lovely state by nature, and by a just and good Providence. Man was never intended to live by the misery or ruin of his neighbour, but by his prosperity and happiness. In support of this proposition, the authority of scripture is appealed to— Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God. But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him! My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and truth." St. John.

66

The general principle from which all our social duties are derived is the golden rule of doing unto others as you would they should do unto you, the truth of which precept reason demonstrates to every man, for all men are born equal: the same nature is inherent in all; they enjoy the same faculties, want mutual assistance; they are all formed by the same Deity, and they are destined to the same end; are all born with the same reason, have a right to the same education; they pass through the same periods of life, and cease to exist in the same manner. It is therefore necessary that they should be united in one common bond of fraternal charity, as if members of the same family; that they should mutually assist each other in their necessities, and that they should live happily together.

But all co-operation as it has yet existed has had a mercenary base. Our physical, political, mercenary necessity has united us; but where have we seen the moral cement, sympathy, hold us together, when these necessities have been weakened or have failed? In savage life, men have congregated into tribes for the perpetration of mutual bloodshed; in civilised life, they have convened into classes for the conservation of peculiar interests. The moral influence of co-operation has hitherto been seen only in conspiracies of masses of men; we have never yet seen co-operation acting from a principle of moral sympathy, which would induce universal justice; for none with that sentiment would deny to another the right he desired for himself, or do another a wrong which he deprecated for himself. It is only under this principle of sympathy, the effluence of love and justice, that co-operation can act universally.

The more we embody ourselves and our happiness with the interests of others, the more in reality we consult our own happiness. Who would think it worth his while to prepare a meal, where that meal is to be taken by himself only? Emulation, mutual inducement, love of art, ambition, enthusiasm, are all sacrificed, and these are the passions

which brought into being constitute the pleasure of most of the acts of life. Thus, when the barriers which selfishness has put between man and man are broken down, and the current of fellowship and benevolence is suffered to flow generously abroad, and circulate around, then shall we be in the capacity for the greatest and best enjoyments.

Competition is the consequence of the uncontrolled self-love of man ; it is the natural growth of a savage state of society, and, where left unchecked, must keep that society still savage-still the nursery of ill-will and crime. Co-operation, on the other hand, is that which man's better feelings, his affection, and his reason, naturally point to; he knows that to join his efforts to other men's in obtaining their common necessaries and comforts, is the most profitable and economical. He knows that to act kindly and justly to his fellow men is the only method of gaining friends, who will act kindly and justly towards himself; whereas, by supporting himself by his own isolated endeavours, he must live a life of toil, he must be insufficiently supplied-his life will be dreary and full o solitude-for if his own means should fail he has nowhere to look for support. Co-operation is that state which the feelings of man as a noble and refined being points to; it is the only state in which he sees it possible to realise his ideas of order and harmony in the world. He sees everywhere competition engendering disease, vulgarity, and vice; distorting nature and misapplying art; whereas, by uniting our faculties, and going to work hand in hand, this world would soon become one panorama of grandeur-one paradise of beauty.

Men have commonly endeavoured to incite each other to good actions merely by inculcating the principles of justice and morality. Surrounding circumstances, all the motives to good and to bad practices, have never been taken into the account; and as, under the present constitution of society, the majority of circumstances are unfavourable to the practice of the principles inculcated, these principles are necessarily inefficacious, and all but useless. Before men can control action, they must control the incentives to action; for principles are valuable only in proportion as they can be acted upon, and they apply to the wants and exigencies of mankind. Experience proves the truth of this assertion, however mortifying it may be to human vanity; for neither morality nor religion, of themselves, are capable of impelling men on all occasions to do as they would be done by. Almost every circumstance by which men are now surrounded hourly incites them to break through the observance of that great law, however a principle of justice, or a benevolent disposition, may spur them on to its fulfilment; and therefore, unless these circumstances be controlled and directed, so as to conduce to the end desired, principle will be oftener heard of from the mouths than perceived in the actions of men.

II.

In a co-operative society, every man is surrounded by a host of helpers and friends. All the abilities and labour of those friends are pledged to him, to protect him against the common evils of life, and insure to him its comforts and enjoyments. While he presents the society with the labour, skill, and knowledge of one single individual, the society presents him with those of hundreds. He gives little, he receives much. In himself he is subject to all the uncertainties, the ups and downs of life, to anxiety and care, to laborious days and sleepless nights; but in a community he has insured himself against all these things; he cannot be ruined, unless the society be so too, and the ruin of a society of labourers is impossible, because, as it has been proved that every labourer can produce twenty times as much as he consumes, a society of one hundred labourers would produce as much as two thousand could consume, which is amply sufficient to provide against all the chances and accidents of life.

The benefits of a co-operative state of society are described by a popular writer as follows:

It is the only method whereby mankind as a mass can obey the precepts of Christianity, or live as Christians, loving and doing good to each other; and it is the only method in which the mission of Christ can be fulfilled in transmitting peace and good-will to men. If the soul of man partakes of the divinity and eternity of its Maker-if its proper emanations are benevolence and virtue, then a more happy mode of life, such as co-operation holds out, is the fittest sphere for its action; for under our competitive state, the great mass of mankind have hardly leisure to think of, much more to practise virtue.

Co-operation would save the waste of unproductive consumption, all the co-operators being productive labourers, and there being no idle capitalists.

It would save the waste of labour and skill now unemployed through mere ignorance or want of market, or now uselessly or perniciously directed.

It would save the waste now consumed under the name of profits of wholesale and retail dealers, every co-operator being himself a jointproprietor and capitalist,― production and consumption being shared equally by all.

It would save, by means of physical arrangements, and the communication of knowledge, the waste of life, of health, and enjoyment, now caused by poverty, ignorance, and neglect.

It would save the incalculable waste of happiness now arising from the contentions, animosities, and cruelties engendered by the institutions of insecurity, and in some degree inseparable from the most chastened

« ZurückWeiter »