202 FIELDS, FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS. 



of the school, but I hasten to say a few words more 

 as to the desirability of the kind of education briefly 

 sketched in the preceding pages. Certainly, I do not 

 cherish the illusion that a thorough reform in education, 

 or in any of the issues indicated in the preceding 

 chapters, will be made as long as the civilised nations 

 remain under the present narrowly egotistic system of 

 production and consumption. All we can expect, as long 

 as the present conditions last, is to have some micro- 

 scopical attempts at reforming here and there on a small 

 scale attempts which necessarily will prove to be far 

 below the expected results, because of the impossibility 

 of reforming on a small scale when so intimate a con- 

 nection exists between the manifold functions of a 

 civilised nation. But the energy of the constructive 

 genius of society depends chiefly upon the depths of its 

 conception as to what ought to be done, and how ; and 

 the necessity of recasting education is one of those 

 necessities which are most comprehensible to all, and 

 are most appropriate for inspiring society with those 

 ideals, without which stagnation or even decay are un- 

 avoidable. So let us suppose that a community a city, 

 or a territory which has, at least, a few millions of in- 

 habitants gives the above-sketched education to all its 

 children, without distinction of birth (and we are rich 

 enough to permit us the luxury of such an education), 

 without asking anything in return from the children but 

 what they will give when they have become producers 

 of wealth. Suppose such an education is given, and 

 analyse its probable consequences. 



I will not insist upon the increase of wealth which 

 would result from having a young army of educated 

 and well-trained producers ; nor shall I insist upon the 

 social benefits which would be derived from erasing the 

 present distinction between the brain workers and the 

 manual workers, and from thus reaching the concord- 

 ance of interest and harmony so much wanted in our 



