s of the Fabian Society

Appendix III

List of the names and the years of office of the ninety-six
members of the Executive Committee, 1884-1915

Appendix IV

Complete List of Fabian publications, 1884-1915, with
names of authors

Index

Illustrations

_Frontispiece, from a drawing by Miss Bertha Newcombe in 1895_

The Seven Essayists

Mrs. Annie Besant, _From a photograph_

Hubert Bland, _From a photograph_

William Clarke _From a photograph_

(Sir) Sydney Olivier, _From a photograph_

G. Bernard Shaw, _From a photograph_

Graham Wallas, _From a photograph_

Sidney Webb, _From a drawing_

* * * * *

Edward R. Pease, _From a photograph_

Frank Podmore, _From a photograph_

Mrs. Sidney Webb, _From a photograph_

H.G. Wells, _From a photograph_

The History of the Fabian Society

Chapter I

The Sources of Fabian Socialism

The ideas of the early eighties--The epoch of Evolution--Sources of
Fabian ideas--Positivism--Henry George--John Stuart Mill--Robert
Owen--Karl Marx--The Democratic Federation--"The Christian
Socialist"--Thomas Davidson.

"Britain as a whole never was more tranquil and happy," said the
"Spectator," then the organ of sedate Liberalism and enlightened
Progress, in the summer of 1882. "No class is at war with society or the
government: there is no disaffection anywhere, the Treasury is fairly
full, the accumulations of capital are vast"; and then the writer goes
on to compare Great Britain with Ireland, at that time under the iron
heel of coercion, with Parnell and hundreds of his followers in jail,
whilst outrages and murders, like those of Maamtrasma, were almost
everyday occurrences.

Some of the problems of the early eighties are with us yet. Ireland is
still a bone of contention between political parties: the Channel tunnel
is no nearer completion: and then as now, when other topics are
exhausted, the "Spectator" can fill up its columns with Thought
Transference and Psychical Research.

But other problems which then were vital, are now almost forgotten.
Electric lighting was a doubtful novelty: Mr. Bradlaugh's refusal to
take the oath excited a controversy which now seems incredible. Robert
Louis Stevenson can no longer be adequately described as an
"accomplished writer," and the introduction of female clerks into the
po