Politically, Socialism would destroy liberty. A pure democracy leads
straight to despotism. Nothing is more despotic than the bossism of
the Socialist parties of the world today, and if ever the nations of
the world go to Socialism, they will go to a regime of mob rule
directed by a Socialist oligarchy, and then the liberty of man will be
absolutely destroyed.
* * * * *
=Penrose, Stephen Beasley Linnard.= (President, Whitman College.)
I am not in favor of that very attractive theory, Socialism, first, on
psychological grounds. It rests upon an unscientific analysis of human
interests and motives. It overlooks or undervalues strong tendencies
of human nature. It may be called a theory for angels, not for men.
Second, on practical grounds; it cannot work well because it can
supply neither sufficient motive nor sufficient machinery to secure
efficiency, either in production or distribution.
I applaud the moral impulse which is found in many Socialists, but I
do not approve their solution for great economic problems.
* * * * *
=Kizer, Edwin Dicken.= (College President.)
I am in favor of that which means the correcting of the evils that
allow one man to prey upon another when that preying is personal or
enters into the effect of the preyer, in combination with conditions
to be remedied by economic changes. But the very radical differences
manifest among the Socialists themselves, i.e., those who accept Marx,
and those who deny him in his main statements; the revolutionist, who
insists upon a revolution, by blood, if necessary, and the
evolutionist, who looks for a more gradual development, would make me
hesitate to cast my lot with such a divided army.
Again I am not quite certain that I am willing to give first place to
the forces that the scientific Socialist places as fundamental in the
affairs of men. I must also confess to a lingering of the older theory
of individualism that constrains me to believe that at least a part
(those for example who by brain or circumstance are leaders) of
mankind, will be personally regenerated by a high spiritual motive
before the Socialist ideal is possible to think of even.
Also, radicalism never reaches in practice what it aims to perform. A
little less of the ultimate, with destructive acts that undermine
man's faith in his present creation, and a little more of the doing
the task before us is what is needed. If Socialism is inevitable, as
some think it is, we can neither help nor hinder: evolution of moral
and spiritual forces entirely rule the average man out of the contest.
* * * * *
=Brazier, Marion Howard.= (Journalist and Lecturer.)
I am opposed to Socialism because I do not favor anything likely to
develop anarchy. Socialistic agitation tends to promote unrest and
discord. If granted my divine right to vote, I might look into it more
closely and get another point of view.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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