76 W. CDxVNINGHAM, D.D._, ARCHDEACON OF ELY_, ON 



Political Economy has seemed to remove the old blot, and to 

 present the truth about material wealth in forms in which it is 

 easily compatible with Christian teaching. Hence to many minds 

 there appears to be good hope that it might now be possible to 

 devise a gospel of material welfare which shall be in accordance 

 with Christianity. The example of the Free Trade era, and the 

 positive preaching of an economic doctrine which carried in its 

 wake the hopes of an universal peace between nations, gave a 

 sort of inspiration as to what might be attempted in regard to 

 the reorganisation of society within the realm. Though the 

 superficial observer may not remark upon it, a little reflection 

 shows that the fundamental principles of those Free Traders who 

 have abandoned laissez faire are the accepted axioms of socialism ; 

 and the consciousness that this was the case has rendered a 

 large section of the educated public ready to believe that 

 Economic Science was in favour of both one and the other. 

 Since social enthusiasm has been hailed as " the beginning of 

 economic science," it has appeared that science and religion 

 might unite together in advocating, not perhaps the extreme 

 views of anarchists, but the milder form of revolution, which 

 professes to be a Christian Socialism. It may be worth while 

 to consider in turn and very briefly whether this new doctrine 

 has a sound basis in science, and whether it is really compatible 

 with Christianity as a philosophy of life. 



IV. 



There are undoubtedly many features of the present industrial 

 system that must be regarded as wasteful ; if society were better 

 organised, energy that is now spent in pushing the goods of 

 particular firms might be diverted into other channels, and 

 much of the uncertainty in business, with the fluctuations in 

 trade, might be at ail events reduced ; though it may be doubted 

 whether any organisation could get rid of these variations alto- 

 gether. ]n so far as State socialism or municipal socialism can 

 supply a system of administration which meets these defects, 

 and enables the business of the country to be better carried on 

 with less waste, and equally effectively as regards the require- 

 ments of the public, it would approve itself. In so far as 

 sociahsm can get similar results by less wasteful methods it 

 would prove itself economical ; and hence all the economic 

 criticism of the existing system may be regarded as an invitation 

 to suggest and attempt an experiment that shall prove itself 

 better. That is a process that is going on every day, in the State 



