602 INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONS. 



doubled and the aggregate of local debts had considerably 

 more than trebled greatly burdening the living and still 

 more burdening posterity. If it be said that in return for 

 augmented absorption of his earnings, the citizen receives 

 various gratis advantages, the reply is that the essential fact 

 remains : coercion is exercised in appropriating more of his 

 property. &quot; That much of your income you may spend as 

 you like, but this much we shall spend for you, either for 

 your benefit or for the benefit of somebody else. 77 The in 

 dividual to whom this is said by a Government representing 

 the aggregate of individuals, is in so far owned by this ag 

 gregate; and is annually being thus owned to a larger ex 

 tent. 



And now we may see how congruous with these develop 

 ments has been the development of socialistic ideas and 

 sentiments. As in France and Germany, with extensive 

 ownership of the individual by the State in military and 

 civil organizations, there has widely coexisted advocacy of 

 that ownership by the State to which socialism gives an 

 other shape; so here, with approximation to the continental 

 type in the one respect, there has gone a growing acceptance 

 of the continental conception in the other respect. Four 

 teen years ago socialism in England was represented by less 

 than a score middle-class &quot; Fabians,&quot; supported by a sprin 

 kling of men among the working classes; while of late 

 socialists have become so numerous that not long since they 

 temporarily captured the trade-unions, and still get their 

 views largely expressed in trade-union resolutions at con 

 gresses. As we see in the part taken by English delegates 

 to the recent Congress of Socialist workers, where ultimate 

 absorption of all kinds of fixed property was urged, or as 

 we see in the suggested strike against rents as an immediate 

 method of procedure, great numbers of men here, as abroad, 

 show an absolute disregard of all existing contracts, and, by 

 implication, a proposed abolition of contract for the future: 

 necessitating return to the old system of status under a new 



