THE COMING OF SOCIALISM 109 



The reason is that, in spite of displacement, the indi- 

 vidual has received from State and Civic organisation a 

 vast accession of strength. The organisation of modern 

 activities, of which the State is only the supreme instance, 

 has placed in the hands of private persons the means of 

 conceiving and carrying out enterprises that were beyond 

 the dreams of the richest of capitalists in the past. The 

 merchant in his office, the employer in his yard, can com- 

 mand far wider and more varied services, and make their 

 will felt to the ends of the earth. The imperial post, 

 the telegraphic system, the civic lighting and cleansing of 

 the streets what are they except most powerful instru- 

 ments of the individual will? The State and the city 

 have appropriated these undertakings and many more, but 

 it makes over their utilities to the citizen, liberates his will 

 for other purposes, and multiplies its power a thousand- 

 fold. More men can now say "Mine" of more things. 

 Citizens have been drawn into the activities of the State, 

 for their good has been identified with it in new ways ; 

 and enterprises which in previous times were outside the 

 range of their lives are now within it. We can say 

 " Ours " of parks, tramways, bridges, art-galleries, public 

 libraries and museums ; and if we are worthy of member- 

 ship in this organism of many functions, we would as 

 soon impair or destroy these common goods as squander 

 our "private" wealth. No doubt in all these cases we 

 must say " Thine " as well as <c Mine" for the utilities 

 are common. The negative aspect of property is becom- 

 ing more contracted, but that is no loss to anyone, not 

 even to the jealous and unsocialised unit, if he would only 

 believe it. 



Once it is clearly seen that 'the essence of property is 



