IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 603 



form. For in the absence of that voluntary cooperation 

 which contract implies, there is no possible alternative but 

 compulsory cooperation. Self-ownership entirely disap 

 pears and ownership by others universally replaces it. 



851. Thus, alike at home and abroad, throughout in 

 stitutions, activities, sentiments, and ideas, there is the same 

 tendency; and this tendency becomes daily more pro 

 nounced. In the minds of the masses seeking for more bene 

 fits by law, and in the minds of legislators trying to fulfil 

 the expectations they have raised, we everywhere see a pro 

 gressive merging of the life of the unit in the life of the 

 aggregate. To vary the poet s line &quot; The individual with 

 ers and the State is more and more. 7 



Naturally the member of parliament who submits to 

 coercion by his party, contemplates legal coercions of others 

 without repugnance. Politically considered, he is either one 

 of the herd owned by his leader, or else the humble servant 

 owned by the caucus who chose him; and having in so far 

 sacrificed his self -ownership, he does not greatly respect the 

 self -ownership of the ordinary citizen. If some influential 

 body of his constituents urges a new interference, the fact 

 that it will put upon the rest additional restraints, or appro 

 priate further portions of their earnings, serves but little to 

 deter him from giving the vote commanded. Indeed he 

 feels that he has no alternative if he wishes to be returned 

 at the next election. That he is adding another to the multi 

 tudinous strands of the network restraining men s move 

 ments, is a matter of indifference. He considers only what 

 he calls &quot; the merits of the case,&quot; and declines to ask what 

 will result from always looking at the immediate and ignor 

 ing the remote. Every day he takes some new step towards 

 the socialistic ideal, while refusing to think that he will ever 

 arrive at it; and every day, to preserve his place, he seeks 

 to outbid his political rival in taking such steps. As re 

 marked by an observant Frenchman, Dr. Rene Lavollee 



