FROM FREEDOM TO BONDAGE. 7 z 7 



Throughout Europe, and especially in our own country, this 

 system of compulsory co-operation gradually relaxed in rigor, 

 while the system of voluntary co-operation step by step replaced 

 it. As fast as war ceased to be the business of life, the social 

 structure produced by war and appropriate to it, slowly became 

 qualified by the social structure produced by industrial life and 

 appropriate to it. In proportion as a decreasing part of the com- 

 munity was devoted to offensive and defensive activities, an in- 

 creasing part became devoted to production and distribution. 

 Growing more numerous, more powerful, and taking refuge in 

 towns where it was less under the power of the militant class, 

 this industrial population carried on its life under the system 

 of voluntary co-operation. Though municipal governments and 

 guild-regulations, partially pervaded by ideas and usages derived 

 from the militant type of society, were in some degree coercive ; 

 yet production and distribution were in the main carried on under 

 agreement alike between buyers and sellers, and between mas- 

 ters and workmen. As fast as these social relations and forms of 

 activity became dominant in urban populations, they influenced 

 the whole community : compulsory co-operation lapsed more and 

 more, through money commutation for services, military and civil ; 

 while divisions of rank became less rigid and class-power dimin- 

 ished. Until at length, restraints exercised by incorporated trades 

 have fallen into desuetude, as well as the rule of rank over rank, 

 voluntary co-operation became the universal principle. Purchase 

 and sale became the law for all kinds of services as well as for all 

 kinds of commodities. 



The restlessness generated by pressure against the conditions 

 of existence, perpetually prompts the desire to try a new posi- 

 tion. Every one knows how long-continued rest in one attitude 

 becomes wearisome every one has found how even the best easy- 

 chair, at first rejoiced in, becomes after many hours intolerable ; 

 and change to a hard seat, previously occupied and rejected, 

 seems for a time to be a great relief. It is the same with incor- 

 porated humanity. Having by long struggles emancipated itself 

 from the hard discipline of the ancient regime, and having dis- 

 covered that the new regime into which it has grown, though 

 relatively easy, is not without stresses and pains, its impatience 

 with these prompts the wish to try another system ; which other 

 system is, in principle if not in appearance, the same as that 

 which during past generations was escaped from with much re- 

 joicing. 



For as fast as the regime of contract is discarded the regime 

 of status is of necessity adopted. As fast as voluntary co-opera- 

 tion is abandoned compulsory co-operation must be substituted. 

 Some kind of organization labor must have ; and if it is not that 



