The Evolution of the State. 105 



ing, thereby, the opportunity to exercise, to their full bent, 

 all the faculties with which he is endowed. Another is, 

 that the State should directly supply to the individiial that 

 which, by reason of congenital defect or unfavorable envi- 

 ronment, he may stand in need of. 



The disciples of the first theory would limit to the nar- 

 rowest extent the subjects of governmental control. They 

 would leave to individuals, or private combinations of such, 

 the prosecution and development of all enterprises which 

 do not involve the liberty of the person or the right of 

 property. It is enough, say they, that the State secures 

 the highway for its people to walk in ; let it not be encum- 

 bered by even the postal-wagons of the nation. It is the 

 old doctrine of laissez-faire, and is postulated upon the 

 aphorism that ''all a man wants is a fair chance." 



The paternal theory, on the other hand, insists that the 

 strength of all is pledged to the assistance of those who 

 need it ; that what may be well done and with much saving 

 of effort by the general community for all, is within the 

 true scope of governmental function ; that all the cardinal 

 necessities of existence, such as light, heat, education, com- 

 munication and transportation, not to say food, should be 

 undertaken to be furnished by government ; and some say, 

 further, that the entire industrial scheme should go forward 

 under the direct supervision of the State. Among the 

 latter, Mr. Edward Bellamy, in a most ingenious, enter- 

 taining and plausible manner, has set forth the sublime 

 satisfaction of "Looking Backward" from the twentieth 

 century, in such attractive guise that a society has already 

 been formed, in Boston, the natural birth-place of soci- 

 eties, to further the practical adoption of the views in gen- 

 eral outlined by him. 



Perhaps these two views may be briefly defined as 

 Anarchistic and Socialistic. Against the one it may be as- 

 serted, that it leaves without provision many hard conditions 

 of society ; and against the other, that it reduces to inane, 

 commonplace existence the multiform activities of life as 

 they now proceed. Both, doubtless, have in view the highest 

 happiness of mankind ; and whether Ave ask to what has 

 the State evolved, or what final form will the State assume 

 under the full control of the principles of evolution, these 

 two widely diverging views of the State-function suggest, 

 with force, the great perplexities of the question. 



