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scolding of prosperous childless people in generalone never
addressed them in particularnothing was done towards arresting
those adverse processes。 Almost against my natural inclination； I
found myself forced to go into these things。 I came to the
conclusion that under modern conditions the isolated private family；
based on the existing marriage contract； was failing in its work。
It wasn't producing enough children； and children good enough and
well trained enough for the demands of the developing civilised
state。 Our civilisation was growing outwardly； and decaying in its
intimate substance； and unless it was presently to collapse； some
very extensive and courageous reorganisation was needed。 The old
haphazard system of pairing； qualified more and more by worldly
discretions； no longer secures a young population numerous enough or
good enough for the growing needs and possibilities of our Empire。
Statecraft sits weaving splendid garments； no doubt； but with a
puny； ugly； insufficient baby in the cradle。
No one so far has dared to take up this problem as a present
question for statecraft； but it comes unheralded； unadvocated； and
sits at every legislative board。 Every improvement is provisional
except the improvement of the race； and it became more and more
doubtful to me if we were improving the race at all！ Splendid and
beautiful and courageous people must come together and have
children； women with their fine senses and glorious devotion must be
freed from the net that compels them to be celibate； compels them to
be childless and useless； or to bear children ignobly to men whom
need and ignorance and the treacherous pressure of circumstances
have forced upon them。 We all know that； and so few dare even to
whisper it for fear that they should seem； in seeking to save the
family； to threaten its existence。 It is as if a party of pigmies
in a not too capacious room had been joined by a carnivorous giant
and decided to go on living happily by cutting him dead。 。 。 。
The problem the developing civilised state has to solve is how it
can get the best possible increase under the best possible
conditions。 I became more and more convinced that the independent
family unit of to…day； in which the man is master of the wife and
owner of the children； in which all are dependent upon him；
subordinated to his enterprises and liable to follow his fortunes up
or down； does not supply anything like the best conceivable
conditions。 We want to modernise the family footing altogether。 An
enormous premium both in pleasure and competitive efficiency is put
upon voluntary childlessness； and enormous inducements are held out
to women to subordinate instinctive and selective preferences to
social and material considerations。
The practical reaction of modern conditions upon the old tradition
of the family is this： that beneath the pretence that nothing is
changing； secretly and with all the unwholesomeness of secrecy
everything is changed。 Offspring fall away； the birth rate falls
and falls most among just the most efficient and active and best
adapted classes in the community。 The species is recruited from
among its failures and from among less civilised aliens。
Contemporary civilisations are in effect burning the best of their
possible babies in the furnaces that run the machinery。 In the
United States the native Anglo…American strain has scarcely
increased at all since 1830； and in most Western European countries
the same is probably true of the ablest and most energetic elements
in the community。 The women of these classes still remain legally
and practically dependent and protected； with the only natural
excuse for their dependence gone。 。 。 。
The modern world becomes an immense spectacle of unsatisfactory
groupings； here childless couples bored to death in the hopeless
effort to sustain an incessant honeymoon； here homes in which a
solitary child grows unsocially； here small two or three…child homes
that do no more than continue the culture of the parents at a great
social cost； here numbers of unhappy educated but childless married
women； here careless； decivilised fecund homes； here orphanages and
asylums for the heedlessly begotten。 It is just the disorderly
proliferation of Bromstead over again； in lives instead of in
houses。
What is the good； what is the common sense； of rectifying
boundaries； pushing research and discovery； building cities；
improving all the facilities of life； making great fleets； waging
wars； while this aimless decadence remains the quality of the
biological outlook？ 。 。 。
It is difficult now to trace how I changed from my early aversion
until I faced this mass of problems。 But so far back as 1910 I had
it clear in my mind that I would rather fail utterly than
participate in all the surrenders of mind and body that are implied
in Dayton's snarl of 〃Leave it alone； leave it all alone！〃 Marriage
and the begetting and care of children； is the very ground substance
in the life of the community。 In a world in which everything
changes； in which fresh methods； fresh adjustments and fresh ideas
perpetually renew the circumstances of life； it is preposterous that
we should not even examine into these matters； should rest content
to be ruled by the uncriticised traditions of a barbaric age。
Now； it seems to me that the solution of this problem is also the
solution of the woman's individual problem。 The two go together；
are right and left of one question。 The only conceivable way out
from our IMPASSE lies in the recognition of parentage； that is to
say of adequate mothering； as no longer a chance product of
individual passions but a service rendered to the State。 Women must
become less and less subordinated to individual men； since this
works out in a more or less complete limitation； waste； and
sterilisation of their essentially social function； they must become
more and more subordinated as individually independent citizens to
the collective purpose。 Or； to express the thing by a familiar
phrase； the highly organised； scientific state we desire must； if it
is to exist at all； base itself not upon the irresponsible man…ruled
family； but upon the matriarchal family； the citizen…ship and
freedom of women and the public endowment of motherhood。
After two generations of confused and experimental revolt it grows
clear to modern women that a conscious； deliberate motherhood and
mothering is their special function in the State； and that a
personal subordination to an individual man with an unlimited power
of control over this intimate and supreme duty is a degradation。 No
contemporary woman of education put to the test is willing to
recognise any claim a man can make upon her but the claim of her
freely…given devotion to him。 She wants the reality of her choice
and she means 〃family〃 while a man too often means only possession。
This alters the spirit of the family relationships fundamentally。
Their form remains just what it was when woman was esteemed a
pretty； desirable； and incidentally a child…producing； chattel。
Against these time…honoured ideas the new spirit of womanhood
struggles in shame； astonishment； bitterness； and tears。 。 。 。
I confess myself altogether feminist。 I have no doubts in the
matter。 I want this coddling and browbeating of women to cease。 I
want to see women come in； free and fearless； to a full
participation in the collective purpose of mankind。 Women； I am
convinced； are as fine as men； they can be as wise as men； they are
capable of far greater devotion than men。 I want to see them
citizens； with a marriage law framed primarily for them and for
their protection and the good of the race； and not for men's
satisfactions。 I want to see them bearing and rearing good children
in the