of the workers, so that Parliament, however unwillingly, can no longer ignore their demands as a class, and all existing parties are bidding for their favour and votes. In fact, what has happened to the Socialist agitation is that which happens in all movements beginning with insignificant minorities. If it has lost somewhat for the present in intention, it has gained enormously in extension, and only awaits increased education and the force of inevitable economic events for it to become general as an opinion; the result of which will be a corporate action, destined to carry the evolution of modern life into the next great stage—the realisation of a new society with new politics, ethics, and economics, in short, the transformation of Civilisation into Socialism.
Footnotes
- The improvement in our political position since the end of the eighteenth century is sufficiently shown by such examples as those of John Frost, Winterbotham, William Cobbett, and others, who were fined heavily and imprisoned for the simple expression of opinions that carried with them not the least intention of incitement to revolt.Back