62 FROM COMTE TO BENJAMIN KIDD PARTI 



composed of the priests plus the women phis the 

 "proletariate." 



The clergy are to be intellectual and moral experts, 

 living on salaries small salaries. As we know 

 already, they are to be debarred from political power 

 and from business activity. The intellectual training 

 of youth is to be entrusted to them, and also medical 

 practice. They are above all things to beware of 

 specialism. It has been remarked that Comte is 

 almost as much opposed to specialist " pedantry " 

 as to metaphysics. The great champion of scientific 

 certainty is becoming more and more jealous of mere 

 knowledge. Utility is to be everywhere kept in view. 

 Priests are to " direct " consciences by counsel, not 

 by force. It will be remembered that they may 

 sometimes advise the dictators, and that, where 

 necessary, they are to oppose them. The tremendous 

 weapon of excommunication is in the priests' hands. 



Business is to be carried on by captains of industry, 

 directing proletaries. But capitalists who have had 

 the benefit of positivist training in youth, and who 

 walk all their days in the fear and love of the " spir- 

 itual power " are sure to regard their position mainly 

 as a social function, and to seek for no profits be- 

 yond a reasonable salary or "living wage." If nec- 

 essary, strikes and lock-outs may still be resorted to ; 

 but such an emergency can seldom or never arise, 

 under the fostering care of a wise priesthood. Every 

 man is to be regarded as doing social service by his 

 work. No mere " cash nexus " is to hold society to- 

 gether. As with one's professional attendant, so with 

 the tradesman or artizan whom one employs, one is 

 to feel that he has earned a debt of friendship. On 



