French and German Socialism in Modern TimesEly, Richard T. (Richard Theodore)
History
French and German Socialism in Modern Times
Ely, Richard T. (Richard Theodore)
Socialism -- France; Socialism -- Germany
The Englishman, like the American, is eminently practical. He must
find some concrete form in which to embody his ideas. If he cannot
now obtain all he desires, he will take what he can get and wait for
an opportune moment to gain possession of what remains. He does not
cease to think, plan, and even dream, but he spends more time in
action than in talk. Thus have the Christian socialists of England,
without changing their views, contented themselves for the present with
distributive co-operation. They have, however, done far more than to
establish co-operative associations. They called attention to the duties
and responsibilities of wealth as well as its rights. They induced
men to stop and consider whether it might not, after all, be possible
to do something to ameliorate the condition of the unfortunate and to
improve the poor and degraded. The results have been seen in generous,
philanthropic, and, to a large extent, successful endeavors to elevate
those low down to a higher plane of life and thought. Legislation has
followed, limiting the length of a day’s work, restricting the employment
of young children, regulating the labor of women, protecting operatives
in factories, and otherwise benefiting the laboring classes. This has
counteracted the effects of discontent and dangerous agitation so far as
to prevent the violent attempts at revolution, once feared. The humane
and enlightened views, which to-day obtain to such an extent in England,
are due, far more than is generally supposed, to the warm-hearted zeal of
those noble Englishmen who were called Christian socialists.
In Germany, there are two branches of the Christian Socialists, the
Protestants and the Roman Catholics.
The Protestant Christian Socialists are not numerous, nor are they
sufficiently important to justify much more than the mention of their
existence. Their two leaders are Dr. Todt, a pastor, and Dr. Stöcker,
court-chaplain, who is known on account of his leadership in the
Anti-Semitic agitation in Germany. His part in this latter movement
shows how little nobility there is in his nature. I attended one meeting
of the Christian Socialists in Berlin. Instead of proposals to ameliorate
the condition of laborers, I heard little save abuse of the Jews. When
any member of the audience was invited to reply, a bright-appearing young
man of twenty or thereabouts came forward and began to talk in a sensible
sort of way concerning the position of the Hebrews, but his arguments
were soon drowned by the hooting of the rabble. Court-pastor Stöcker
bowed him off the stage with mock ceremoniousness. I thought the young
man showed to far better advantage than the leader of those whom he was
addressing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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