CONTENTS :-Socialism Means Material and National Decay-Why Socialism is Popular-Socialism Means the Abolition of Family Life-Is Socialism Possible?-Socialist Cant About Equality-Sidelights on Socialism— Indi- vidualism versus Collectivism—Intellect, Not Labour, the Creator of Wealth-- Wealth Due to the Intelligence of the Few-How Genius has Increased the Wealth of the Working Classes-Private Property; or, Old-Fashioned Folly and New Philosophy-The Ethics of Contract-Municipal Socialism-The Need for Competition-The Land Nationalisation Folly-The Origin of State Socialism in Australia-Appendix No. I.: Some Opinions of Eminent Men- Appendix No. II.: The Workhouse the Most Perfect Example of Socialism. The Scotsman says: "Mr. Millar has done his work thoroughly and well." The Leicester Chronicle says: "The case against Socialism is ably stated in The Glasgow Herald says: "The writers handle facts with lucidity and cogency. The book is deserving the attention of those who have hitherto neglected the aims and the tendencies of organised Socialism in this country." The Speaker says: appears to be uppermost in the counsels of the Labour party." The North Star says: "It should be in the hands of every Unionist and every opponent of Socialism, for it contains arguments by very able writers, which show that under the Socialistic system the nation would inevitably decay, because there would come first a damping down of enthusiasm and effort, then stagnation and the enslavement of the people by officialdom, and their The Referee says: "A very admirable book.........The fallacies preached by parish pump politicians on the make are here thoroughly exposed, There has been nothing so damaging to the 'propaganda' since Mr. Charles Bradlaugh raked the ship of Socialism fore and aft, and silenced her biggest THE LIBERTY REVIEW JULY, 1908. LORD ROSEBERY ON NEW, TRUE-OR NEITHER. LORD ROSEBERY's speech at the annual meeting of the Society of Comparative Legislation on June 30th is a noteworthy protest against the craze for making laws which during recent years has marked the proceedings of our own and other Parliaments in various parts of the world. All these bodies, more especially our own, said his lordship, are working, full steam ahead, to produce the greatest possible number of Acts of Parliament in the year. In the year 1906, for example, the stupendous number of 2,000 laws or ordinances passed within the British Empire, of which number probably ninety-nine per cent. were curtailments or infringements of the liberty of the subject. He believed that that State was most fortunate which achieved its own development by the character and efforts of its citizens, as little as possible supported and guided by legislation. At any rate, sure he was that the progress of that State which was enabled to so develop itself would be more sure and more abundant than the State which rested on legislative measures for the achievement of its destinies. Now, all this is very important, coming as it does from such a source. But will Lord Rosebery give practical effect to his convictions by at once forming a new party in Parliament having for its aim the resistance of all this unnecessary, mischievous, and evil legislation? Lord Rosebery declares that to his knowledge there is no Parliament half so active as our own in this which he so strongly condemns. A Ministry now, he says, to whatever party may belong, reckons its Acts of Parliament at the end of a session as sportsmen reckon their bag. Quite so. The remedy is simple. That the country is opposed to all this foolish and meddling legislation has been demonstrated over and over again. Not for one in a hundred of the Bills that are brought forward in Parliament can it be claimed that it embodies a popular demand, or that it is the outcome of any widelyexpressed desire on the part of any considerable section of the electors. Speaking generally, all Bills are the invention of those who bring them in; and it would seem that nearly every member of the House of Commons is persuaded that his first, if not his only, duty is to devise it I 193485 |