546 PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT. 



condition of things does not exist at present in any 

 society. 



Everywhere we find smaller or larger developments 

 progressing slowly or rapidly, verging sometimes almost 

 upon revolution and anarchy, but in every case present- 

 ing problems which claim immediate attention. Even 

 where constitutional questions do not exist, or are at 

 least not pressing, we have the great labour question in 

 its many aspects, not to mention a variety of other 

 problems, commercial, legal, fiscal, educational, &c. 

 Confronted with this difficulty, the absence of any 

 generally acknowledged normal condition or standard, 

 it is not surprising that many social philosophers and 

 reformers have thought it necessary to construct for 

 themselves an ideal standard wherewith to measure or 

 whereon to remodel existing social conditions. 



In most cases such models of social organisation 



have not stood the test of criticism but have been 



speedily relegated to the region of romance and un- 



80. reality. There are, nevertheless, a few examples of 



efforts reasoning on such lines which have produced even in 



towards 



economic modcrn tiuics a marked impression. More as samples 

 than with any attempt towards completeness, I mention 

 two of them — they both belong to the sociological or 

 economic literature of Germany. The first came from 

 that German thinker who, in the beginning of the cen- 

 tury, had probably the greatest popular influence, and 

 who, of all the leading German philosophers, took the 

 greatest part in the national and political life of his 

 country. This was Fichte. 



It is indeed remarkable how Fichte combines through- 



reconstnic 

 tion. 



