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struggle for existence as sharp as any that ever went on under the
regime of war。 If Istar is to reign on the one hand； she will demand
her human sacrifices on the other。
Let us look at home。 For seventy years peace and industry have had
their way among us with less interruption and under more favourable
conditions than in any other country on the face of the earth。 The
wealth of Croesus was nothing to ＇210＇ that which we have accumulated；
and our prosperity has filled the world with envy。 But Nemesis did not
forget Croesus： has she forgotten us？
I think not。 There are now 36；000；000 of people in our islands； and
every year considerably more than 300；000 are added to our numbers。*
That is to say； about every hundred seconds； or so； a new claimant to
a share in the common stock or maintenance presents him or herself
among us。 At the present time； the produce of the soil does not
suffice to feed half its population。 The other moiety has to be
supplied with food which must be bought from the people of
food…producing countries。 That is to say； we have to offer them the
things which they want in exchange for the things we want。 And the
things they want and which we can produce better than they can are
mainly manufacturesindustrial products。
* These numbers are only approximately accurate。 In 1881； our
population amounted to 35；241；482； exceeding the number in 1871
by 3；396；103。 The average annual increase in the decennial。
18711881 is therefore 339；610。 The number of minutes in a
calendar year is 525；600。
The insolent reproach of the first Napoleon had a very solid
foundation。 We not only are； but； under penalty of starvation； we are
bound to be； a nation of shopkeepers。 But other nations also lie under
the same necessity of keeping shop； and some of them deal in the same
goods as ourselves。 Our customers naturally seek to get the most and
＇211＇ the best in exchange for their produce。 If our goods are
inferior to those of our competitors； there is no ground； compatible
with the sanity of the buyers； which can be alleged； why they should
not prefer the latter。 And； if that result should ever take place on a
large and general scale； five or six millions of us would soon have
nothing to eat。 We know what the cotton famine was； and we can
therefore form some notion of what a dearth of customers would be。
Judged by an ethical standard； nothing can be less satisfactory than
the position in which we find ourselves。 In a real； though incomplete；
degree we have attained the condition of peace which is the main
object of social organization； and； for argument's sake； it may be
assumed that we desire nothing but that which is in itself innocent
and praiseworthynamely； the enjoyment of the fruits of honest
industry。 And lo！ in spite of ourselves； we are in reality engaged in
an internecine struggle for existence with our presumably no less
peaceful and well…meaning neighbours。 We seek peace and we do not
ensue it。 The moral nature in us asks for no more than is compatible
with the general good； the non…moral nature proclaims and acts upon
that fine old Scottish family motto； 〃Thou shalt starve ere I want。〃
Let us be under no illusions； then。 So long as unlimited multiplication
goes on； no social organization which has ever been devised； or is
likely to ＇212＇ be devised； no fiddle…faddling with the distribution
of wealth； will deliver society from the tendency to be destroyed by
the reproduction within itself； in its intensest form； of that
struggle for existence the limitation of which is the object of
society。 And however shocking to the moral sense this eternal
competition of man against man and of nation against nation may be；
however revolting may be the accumulation of misery at the negative
pole of society； in contrast with that of monstrous wealth at the
positive pole；* this state of things must abide； and grow continually
worse； so long as Istar holds her way unchecked。 It is the true riddle
of the Sphinx； and every nation which does not solve it will sooner or
later be devoured by the monster itself has generated。
The practical and pressing question for us； just now； seems to me to be
how to gain time。 〃Time brings counsel；〃 as the Teutonic proverb has
it； and wiser folk among our posterity may see their way out of that
which at present looks like an impasse。
It would be folly to entertain any ill…feeling towards those neighbours
and rivals who； like ourselves； are slaves of Istar； but； if somebody
is to be starved； the modern world has no Oracle of Delphi to which
the nations can appeal for an ＇213＇ indication of the victim。 It is
open to us to try our fortune； and； if we avoid impending fate； there
will be a certain ground for believing that we are the right people to
escape。 Securus judicat orbis。
* ＇It is hard to say whether the increase of the unemployed
poor； or that of the unemployed rich； is the greater social
evil。 1894＇
To this end； it is well to look into the necessary condition of our
salvation by works。 They are two； one plain to all the world and
hardly needing insistence； the other seemingly not so plain； since too
often it has been theoretically and practically left out of sight。 The
obvious condition is that our produce shall be better than that of
others。 There is only one reason why our goods should be preferred to
those of our rivalsour customers must find them better at the price。
That means that we must use more knowledge； skill； and industry in
producing them； without a proportionate increase in the cost of
production； and； as the price of labour constitutes a large element in
that cost； the rate of wages must be restricted within certain limits。
It is perfectly true that cheap production and cheap labour are by no
means synonymous； but it is also true that wages cannot increase
beyond a certain proportion without destroying cheapness。 Cheapness；
then； with； as part and parcel of cheapness； a moderate price of
labour； is essential to our success as competitors in the markets of
the world。
The second condition is really quite as plainly indispensable as the
first； if one thinks seriously ＇214＇ about the matter。 It is social
stability。 Society is stable； when the wants of its members obtain as
much satisfaction as； life being what it is； common sense and
experience show may be reasonably expected。 Mankind； in general； care
very little for forms of government or ideal considerations of any
sort； and nothing really stirs the great multitude to break with
custom and incur the manifest perils of revolt except the belief that
misery in this world； or damnation in the next； or both； are
threatened by the continuance of the state of things in which they
have been brought up。 But when they do attain that conviction； society
becomes as unstable as a package of dynamite； and a very small matter
will produce the explosion which sends it back to the chaos of
savagery。
It needs no argument to prove that when the price of labour sinks below
a certain point； the worker infallibly falls into that condition which
the French emphatically call la miserea word for which I do not
think there is any exact English equivalent。 It is a condition in
which the food； warmth； and clothing which are necessary for the mere
maintenance of the functions of the body in their normal state cannot
be obtained； in which men； women； and children are forced to crowd
into dens wherein decency is abolished and the most ordinary
conditions of healthful existence are impossible of attainment； in
which the ＇215＇ pleasures within reach are reduced to bestiality and
drunkenness； in which the pains accumulate at compound interest； in
the shape of starvation； disease； stunted development； and moral
degradation； in which the prospect of even steady and honest industry
is a life of unsuccessful battling with hunger； rounded by a pauper's
grave。
That a certain proportion of the members of every great aggregation of
mankind should constantly tend to establish and populate such a Slough
of Despond as this is inevitable； so long as some people are by nature
idle and vicious； while others are disabled by sickness or accident；
or thrown upon the world by the death of their bread…winners。 So long
as that proportion is restricted within tolerable limits； it can be
dealt with； and； so far as it arises only from such causes； its
existence may and must be patiently borne。 But； when the organization
of society； instead of mitigating this tendency； tends to continue and
intensify it； when a given social order plainly makes for evil and not
for good； men naturally enough begin to think it high time to try a
fresh experiment。 The animal man； finding that the ethical man has
landed him in such a slough； resumes his ancient sovereignty； and
preaches anarchy； which is； substantially； a proposal to reduce the
social cosmos to chaos； and begin the brute struggle for existence
once again。
Any one who is acquainted with the state of ＇216＇ the population of
all great industrial centres； whether in this or other countries； is
aware that； amidst a large and increasing body of that population； la
mis