English essays -- 20th century; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1901-1910
Moreover, even if a Labour party could be a Labour party and nothing
more, there would always be a tactical as well as a philosophic
reason for clearing our movement of all complicity with the ideas
of Liberalism. During the first half of the nineteenth century it
was always supposed that the working classes of this country were
generally, if not exclusively Radical. Possibly at that time they were,
but since their enfranchisement in 1867 they have proved themselves
overwhelmingly and unrepentantly Tory. The history of the decades
which have intervened since then has been the history of the gradual
capture by the Tories of all the great industrial districts where the
working-class vote is most powerful. Politicians of the ’forties spoke
of the “Conservative Working Man” as incredulously as men would speak
of a white negro. Yet events have proved not only that such a person
exists, but that he can by his vote control the politics of nearly
every great manufacturing town in England.
Now the Conservative working man has no fundamental objection to
Socialism. The word no doubt displeases him, partly because of its
foreign origin, partly from its vaguely revolutionary associations,
but on the practical application of Socialism he looks with very
decided favour. In fact it is not improbable that the conversion of
the labouring classes to Toryism was in part at least due to the fact
that during the sixties and seventies the Tories had for a leader Mr.
Disraeli, whose quick Hebraic imagination and insight made him perceive
the significance of the social problem, while the Liberals were led
by Mr. Gladstone, who regarded all social reform from the first with
supreme indifference which in his later days deepened into a hostility
so intense and deep-rooted that he was ready to shatter his party
and his own career over Home Rule, if by so doing he could stave off
economic questions. But to return to the Tory workman. I have said he
has no objection to applied Socialism. It would be a comparatively easy
matter to secure his support for a programme of advanced industrial
reform, were he not required to swallow first a number of Liberal
doctrines which have no relation to his class interests and to which
he really has a strong objection--anti-Imperialism, the reduction of
armaments, doctrinaire republicanism and Irish Home Rule. Once cut the
Labour party free from these things and the increase of its electoral
power will be enormous.
Before proceeding to a more detailed examination of the Liberal
attitude towards current problems and its relation to the genuinely
progressive attitude, let me sum up the conclusions already reached.
There is no philosophic ground for identifying Socialism with extreme
Liberalism or Radicalism. The philosophies of Liberalism and Socialism
are not merely different but directly antagonistic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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