on the Coming Civilization. 379 



only as producers or dealers. When you look at these pro- 

 ducers or dealers as consumers — which they also are — it is 

 decidedly for their advantage ; while on the other hand, it is 

 wholly for the advantage of everybody else, and so for the 

 vast majority. It is not then so bad as a superficial glance 

 makes it out. 



Then again, competition cannot be escaped until the 

 whole world becomes one vast co-operative society. Co- 

 operative establishments would compete with each other; 

 and though they were as wide as a nation, the nations would 

 still compete. 



It is also a fact worth study that, so far, all attempts in 

 this direction have shown such weakness, and have so gen- 

 erally failed, as to suggest some inherent defects in the 

 method. And these defects are not far to find. In the 

 first place, it requires a very large capital to-day to carry 

 on any large business ; and the general run of wage-workers 

 cannot furnish this capital. In the next place the chances 

 of failure are great, and most workmen cannot afford to 

 take these chances. For, under the wage system, the laborer 

 is at least practically sure of his living, whether the capi- 

 talist makes money or loses it. Under the other system 

 he is sure of nothing. And again, in the third place, is 

 .another defect which alone is fatal. It requires a special, 

 a rare ability and training, to manage a large business with 

 success. This is apparent in the fact that about ninety-five 

 per cent, of those who attempt to manage any business, 

 whether large or small, fail in the attempt. There are in 

 the country, at any one time, about as many business 

 geniuses as there are military geniuses. What would be 

 the chances of success in war, if generals were to be chosen 

 by popular vote in the army, and to be subject to removal 

 whenever the army was not satisfied ? So, in the manage- 

 ment of great industrial concerns, the leader is found by a 

 process of natural selection, and not by popular vote. The 

 chances of being struck by lightning are many more than 

 would be the chances of the fittest man's being chosen by 

 a body of co-operative workmen as the one to manage their 

 affairs for them. Poor judgment, personal bias, envies, 

 jealousies, impatience of delay, — these qualities of average 

 human nature must be outgrown before this method can 

 meet with any large success. So, at the entrance of this 



