proposed roads to freedom(通往自由之路)-第35章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
most men depends upon two things： their work； and their human relations。
131
… Page 132…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
In the world that we have been picturing； work will be free； not excessive；
full of the interest that belongs to a collective enterprise in which there is
rapid progress； with something of the delight of creation even for the
humblest unit。 And in human relations the gain will be just as great as in
work。 The only human relations that have value are those that are rooted in
mutual freedom； where there is no domination and no slavery； no tie
except affection； no economic or conventional necessity to preserve the
external show when the inner life is dead。 One of the most horrible things
about commercialism is the way in which it poisons the relations of men
and women。 The evils of prostitution are generally recognized； but； great
as they are； the effect of economic conditions on marriage seems to me
even worse。 There is not infrequently； in marriage； a suggestion of
purchase； of acquiring a woman on condition of keeping her in a certain
standard of material comfort。 Often and often； a marriage hardly differs
from prostitution except by being harder to escape from。 The whole basis
of these evils is economic。 Economic causes make marriage a matter of
bargain and contract； in which affection is quite secondary； and its absence
constitutes no recognized reason for liberation。 Marriage should be a free；
spontaneous meeting of mutual instinct； filled with happiness not unmixed
with a feeling akin to awe： it should involve that degree of respect of each
for the other that makes even the most trifling interference with liberty an
utter impossibility； and a common life enforced by one against the will of
the other an unthinkable thing of deep horror。 It is not so that marriage is
conceived by lawyers who make settlements； or by priests who give the
name of ‘‘sacrament'' to an institution which pretends to find something
sanctifiable in the brutal lusts or drunken cruelties of a legal husband。 It is
not in a spirit of freedom that marriage is conceived by most men and
women at present： the law makes it an opportunity for indulgence of the
desire to interfere； where each submits to some loss of his or her own
liberty； for the pleasure of curtailing the liberty of the other。 And the
atmosphere of private property makes it more difficult than it otherwise
would be for any better ideal to take root。
It is not so that human relations will be conceived when the evil
heritage of economic slavery has ceased to mold our instincts。 Husbands
132
… Page 133…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
and wives； parents and children； will be only held together by affection：
where that has died； it will be recognized that nothing worth preserving is
left。 Because affection will be free； men and women will not find in
private life an outlet and stimulus to the love of domineering； but all that is
creative in their love will have the freer scope。 Reverence for whatever
makes the soul in those who are loved will be less rare than it is now：
nowadays； many men love their wives in the way in which they love
mutton； as something to devour and destroy。 But in the love that goes with
reverence there is a joy of quite another order than any to be found by
mastery； a joy which satisfies the spirit and not only the instincts； and
satisfaction of instinct and spirit at once is necessary to a happy life； or
indeed to any existence that is to bring out the best impulses of which a
man or woman is capable。
In the world which we should wish to see； there will be more joy of
life than in the drab tragedy of modern every…day existence。 After early
youth； as things are； most men are bowed down by forethought； no longer
capable of light…hearted gaiety； but only of a kind of solemn jollification
by the clock at the appropriate hours。 The advice to ‘‘become as little
children'' would be good for many people in many respects； but it goes
with another precept； ‘‘take no thought for the morrow；'' which is hard to
obey in a competitive world。 There is often in men of science； even when
they are quite old； something of the simplicity of a child： their absorption
in abstract thought has held them aloof from the world； and respect for
their work has led the world to keep them alive in spite of their innocence。
Such men have succeeded in living as all men ought to be able to live； but
as things are； the economic struggle makes their way of life impossible for
the great majority。
What are we to say； lastly； of the effect of our projected world upon
physical evil？ Will there be less illness than there is at present？ Will the
produce of a given amount of labor be greater？ Or will population press
upon the limits of subsistence； as Malthus taught in order to refute
Godwin's optimism？
I think the answer to all these questions turns； in the end； upon the
degree of intellectual vigor to be expected in a community which has done
133
… Page 134…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
away with the spur of economic competition。 Will men in such a world
become lazy and apathetic？ Will they cease to think？ Will those who do
think find themselves confronted with an even more impenetrable wall of
unreflecting conservatism than that which confronts them at present？
These are important questions； for it is ultimately to science that mankind
must look for their success in combating physical evils。
If the other conditions that we have postulated can be realized； it
seems almost certain that there must be less illness than there is at present。
Population will no longer be congested in slums； children will have far
more of fresh air and open country； the hours of work will be only such as
are wholesome； not excessive and exhausting as they are at present。
As for the progress of science； that depends very largely upon the
degree of intellectual liberty existing in the new society。 If all science is
organized and supervised by the State； it will rapidly become stereotyped
and dead。 Fundamental advances will not be made； because； until they
have been made； they will seem too doubtful to warrant the expenditure of
public money upon them。 Authority will be in the hands of the old；
especially of men who have achieved scientific eminence； such men will
be hostile to those among the young who do not flatter them by agreeing
with their theories。 Under a bureaucratic State Socialism it is to be feared
that science would soon cease to be progressive and acquired a medieval
respect for authority。
But under a freer system； which would enable all kinds of groups to
employ as many men of science as they chose； and would allow the
‘‘vagabond's wage'' to those who desired to pursue some study so new as
to be wholly unrecognized； there is every reason to think that science
would flourish as it has never done hitherto。＇61＇ And； if that were the case；
I do not believe that any other obstacle would exist to the physical
possibility of our system。
＇61＇ See the discussion of this question in the preceding chapter。
The question of the number of hours of work necessary to produce
general material comfort is partly technical； partly one of organization。 We
may assume that there would no longer be unproductive labor spent on
armaments； national defense； advertisements； costly luxuries for the very
134
… Page 135…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
rich； or any of the other futilities incidental to our competitive system。 If
each industrial guild secured for a term of years the advantages； or part of
the advantages； of any new invention or methods which it introduced； it is
pretty certain that every encouragement would be given to technical
progress。 The life of a discoverer or inventor is in itself agreeable： those
who adopt it； as things are now； are seldom much actuated by economic
motives； but rather by the interest of the work together with the hope of
honor； and these motives would operate more widely than they do now；
since fewer people would be prevented from obeying them by economic
necessities。 And there is no doubt that intellect would work more keenly
and creatively in a world where instinct was less thwarted； where the joy
of life was greater； and where consequently there would be more vitality in
men than there is at present。
There remains the population question； which； ever since the time of
Malthus； has been the last refuge of those to whom the possibility of a
better world is disagreeable。 But this question is now a very different one
from what it was a hundred years ago。 The decline of the birth…rate in all
civilized countries； which is pretty certain to continue； whatever economic
system is adopted； suggests that； especially when the probable effects of
the war are taken into account； the population of Western Europe is not
likely to increase very much beyond its present level； and that of America
is likely only to increase through immigration。 Negroes may continue to
increase in the tropics； but are not likely to be a serious menace to the
white inhabitants of temperate regions。 There remains； of course； the
Yellow Peril； but by the time that begins to be serious it is quite likely that
the birth…rate will also have begun to decline among the races of Asia If
not； there are other means of dealing with this question； and in any case
the whole matter is too conjectural to be set up seriously as a bar to our
hopes。 I conclude t
