The One Woman: A Story of Modern Utopia — John Shaqi
The One Woman: A Story of Modern UtopiaDixon, Thomas, Jr.
General
The One Woman: A Story of Modern Utopia
Dixon, Thomas, Jr.
Utopian fiction; Utopias -- Fiction
"This from Fourier: 'Monogamy and private property are the main
characteristics of Civilisation. They are the breastworks behind
which the army of the rich crouch and from which they sally to rob
the poor. The individual family is the unit of all faulty societies
divided by opposing interests.'
"And this choice bit from William Morris: 'Marriage under existing
conditions is absurd. The family, about which so much twaddle is
talked, is hateful. A new development of the family will take place,
as the basis not of a predetermined lifelong business arrangement
to be formally held to irrespective of conditions, but on mutual
inclination and affection, an association terminable at the will
of either party.'"
Overman fixed his eye on Gordon for a moment, laid his hand on his
arm and asked:
"Now, honestly, Frank, confess to me you never read one of those
sentences in your life?"
"No, I never did."
"I was sure of it. Listen again; this from Robert Owen: 'In the new
Moral World the irrational names of husband, wife, parent and child
will be heard no more. Children will undoubtedly be the property
of the whole community.'
"But perhaps the idea has been best expressed by Mr. Grant Allen.
Hear his clean-cut statement: 'No man, indeed, is truly civilised
till he can say in all sincerity to every woman of all the women
he loves, to every woman of all the women who love him: "Give me
what you can of your love and yourself; but never strive for my
sake to deny any love, to strangle any impulse that pants for breath
within you. Give me what you can, while you can, without grudging,
but the moment you feel you love me no more, don't do injustice to
your own prospective children by giving them a father whom you no
longer respect, or admire, or yearn for." When men and women can
both alike say this, the world will be civilised. Until they can
say it truly, the world will be as now, a jarring battle-field of
monopolist instincts.'
"Then this gem from another of the frousy-headed--Karl Pearson:
'In a Socialist form of government the sex relation would vary
according to the feelings and wants of individuals.'
"Observe in all these long-haired philosophers how closely the
idea of private property is linked with the family. That is why the
moment you attack private property in your pulpit your wife knows
instinctively that you are attacking the basis of her life and home.
Private property had its origin in the family. The family is the
source of all monopolistic instincts, and your reign of moonshine
brotherhood can never be brought to pass until you destroy monogamic
marriage."
"But my dream is of an ideal marriage and home life," cried the
preacher.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account