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human beings whose growth has not been dwarfed and stunted by
oppression。
A life lived in this spiritthe spirit that aims at creating rather than
possessinghas a certain fundamental happiness； of which it cannot be
wholly robbed by adverse circumstances。 This is the way of life
recommended in the Gospels； and by all the great teachers of the world。
Those who have found it are freed from the tyranny of fear； since what
they value most in their lives is not at the mercy of outside power。 If all
men could summon up the courage and the vision to live in this way in
spite of obstacles and discouragement； there would be no need for the
regeneration of the world to begin by political and economic reform： all
that is needed in the way of reform would come automatically； without
resistance； owing to the moral regeneration of individuals。 But the
teaching of Christ has been nominally accepted by the world for many
centuries； and yet those who follow it are still persecuted as they were
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before the time of Constantine。 Experience has proved that few are able to
see through the apparent evils of an outcast's life to the inner joy that
comes of faith and creative hope。 If the domination of fear is to be
overcome； it is not enough； as regards the mass of men； to preach courage
and indifference to misfortune： it is necessary to remove the causes of fear；
to make a good life no longer an unsuccessful one in a worldly sense； and
to diminish the harm that can be inflicted upon those who are not wary in
self… defense。
When we consider the evils in the lives we know of； we find that they
may be roughly divided into three classes。 There are； first； those due to
physical nature： among these are death； pain and the difficulty of making
the soil yield a subsistence。 These we will call ‘‘physical evils。'' Second；
we may put those that spring from defects in the character or aptitudes of
the sufferer： among these are ignorance； lack of will； and violent passions。
These we will call ‘‘evils of character。'' Third come those that depend
upon the power of one individual or group over another： these comprise
not only obvious tyranny； but all interference with free development；
whether by force or by excessive mental influence such as may occur in
education。 These we will call ‘‘evils of power。'' A social system may be
judged by its bearing upon these three kinds of evils。
The distinction between the three kinds cannot be sharply drawn。
Purely physical evil is a limit； which we can never be sure of having
reached： we cannot abolish death； but we can often postpone it by science；
and it may ultimately become possible to secure that the great majority
shall live till old age； we cannot wholly prevent pain； but we can diminish
it indefinitely by securing a healthy life for all； we cannot make the earth
yield its fruits in any abundance without labor； but we can diminish the
amount of the labor and improve its conditions until it ceases to be an evil。
Evils of character are often the result of physical evil in the shape of
illness； and still more often the result of evils of power； since tyranny
degrades both those who exercise it and （as a rule） those who suffer it。
Evils of power are intensified by evils of character in those who have
power； and by fear of the physical evil which is apt to be the lot of those
who have no power。 For all these reasons； the three sorts of evil are
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intertwined。 Nevertheless； speaking broadly； we may distinguish among
our misfortunes those which have their proximate cause in the material
world； those which are mainly due to defects in ourselves； and those which
spring from our being subject to the control of others。
The main methods of combating these evils are： for physical evils；
science； for evils of character； education （in the widest sense） and a free
outlet for all impulses that do not involve domination； for evils of power；
the reform of the political and economic organization of society in such a
way as to reduce to the lowest possible point the interference of one man
with the life of another。 We will begin with the third of these kinds of evil；
because it is evils of power specially that Socialism and Anarchism have
sought to remedy。 Their protest against Inequalities of wealth has rested
mainly upon their sense of the evils arising from the power conferred by
wealth。 This point has been well stated by Mr。 G。 D。 H。 Cole：
What； I want to ask； is the fundamental evil in our modern Society
which we should set out to abolish？
There are two possible answers to that question； and I am sure that
very many well…meaning people would make the wrong one。 They would
answer POVERTY； when they ought to answer SLAVERY。 Face to face
every day with the shameful contrasts of riches and destitution； high
dividends and low wages； and painfully conscious of the futility of trying
to adjust the balance by means of charity； private or public； they would
answer unhesitatingly that they stand for the ABOLITION OF POVERTY。
Well and good！ On that issue every Socialist is with them。 But their
answer to my question is none the less wrong。
Poverty is the symptom： slavery the disease。 The extremes of riches
and destitution follow inevitably upon the extremes of license and
bondage。 The many are not enslaved because they are poor； they are poor
because they are enslaved。 Yet Socialists have all too often fixed their eyes
upon the material misery of the poor without realizing that it rests upon
the spiritual degradation of the slave。＇59＇
＇59＇ ‘‘Self…Government in Industry；'' G。 Bell & Sons； 1917； pp。 110…
111。
I do not think any reasonable person can doubt that the evils of power
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in the present system are vastly greater than is necessary； nor that they
might be immeasurably diminished by a suitable form of Socialism。 A few
fortunate people； it is true； are now enabled to live freely on rent or
interest； and they could hardly have more liberty under another system。
But the great bulk； not only of the very poor； but； of all sections of wage…
earners and even of the professional classes； are the slaves of the need for
getting money。 Almost all are compelled to work so hard that they have
little leisure for enjoyment or for pursuits outside their regular occupation。
Those who are able to retire in later middle age are bored； because they
have not learned how to fill their time when they are at liberty； and such
interests as they once had apart from work have dried up。 Yet these are the
exceptionally fortunate： the majority have to work hard till old age； with
the fear