THE COMING OF SOCIALISM in 



/for so much, that each can say, without injury to his 



I neighbour, "The State is mine." 



This concurrent evolution of social and individual 

 rights, duties, and powers is inconceivable on the ordinary 

 view. But history teaches it. I am not sure that the 

 growth of civilisation teaches anything else of equal 

 importance. The civic States of Greece, first experiments 

 as they were in corporate freedom, both gave more freedom 

 to their citizens and performed more functions themselves 

 than the earlier despotisms. But if we contrast the Greek 

 with modern States and municipalities we shall find that 

 their service to their citizens was as much less varied and 

 effective as the recognition of their private rights was 

 more limited. Life was not so safe on the streets of 

 Athens as it is in London, nor were the conditions of 

 public health or the means of satisfying so many wants 

 so fully or securely provided. Athens did far less for its 

 citizens. On the other hand, it is not necessary to add 

 that it respected their rights much less. 



It is the inspiring spectacle of all men caring better for 

 each, and each caring more for all, that the evolution of 

 human society presents. That this is the conscious pur- 

 pose and set aim of either men or States in general may 

 be impossible to maintain. But the principles of life 

 operate when they are not observed : men reason without 

 knowing logic, and social motives operate when they are 

 not watched. Indeed, the human spirit is never com- 

 pletely conscious of itself, and the ends attained both by 

 men and States are often greater than their aims. Men 

 set forth to realise private ends, to seek their private wel- 

 fare, and they find that in doing so they have helped to 

 realise the social order. And the same truth holds of 



