to the Monarchy, the Army, the
Banks, the National Currency, the Law, Education? what are their
practical aims as regards Parliamentary Representation, Foreign
Policy, Agriculture, Taxation, Old-age Pensions, Fiscal Policy? what
are their relations with the Parliamentary Parties, the Trade-Unions,
the Co-operators, etc? what is their attitude towards International
Communism and Anarchism? is English Socialism an Evolutionary or a
Revolutionary Movement?--these and many other questions are touched
but lightly or are not touched at all.

It is somewhat difficult to deal fully with the practical proposals of
the Socialists, because the Socialists are very averse from
formulating their aims and disclosing their plans. An English
Socialist wrote: "To dogmatise about the form which the Socialist
State shall take is to play the fool."[28] Another one stated: "It is
quite impossible, at this time, nor would it be desirable, if
possible, to lay down any hard and fast line as to the development of
the details of Socialist organisation. Broad principles are all that
can with any degree of confidence be spoken about. The details will
arrange themselves, as the time arrives when it becomes necessary to
settle them."[29] Gronlund, perhaps the most prominent American
Socialist, stated: "Socialists do not profess to be architects. They
have not planned the future in minute detail."[30] Herr Bebel, the
leader of the German Social-Democratic Party, said on February 3,
1893, in the Reichstag, replying to the Roman Catholics, "We do not
ask from you the details of the future life of which you speak so
incessantly. Why, then, do you ask us about the future society?"[31]
Although we are told that "Socialism claims the consideration of
mankind, because it comes forward and offers a complete scheme to
improve the conditions of human life,"[32] Socialists carefully
abstain as a rule from giving us the details of that scheme.

The Socialists of all countries have very excellent reasons for
keeping to themselves the details of their plans for the future.
Nevertheless, a careful search through their numerous writings will
enable us to obtain a fairly clear and comprehensive view of their
political and economic plans and intentions.

Great Britain does not as yet possess a great Socialist party but only
a number of Socialist groups and factions which are totally at
variance as regards their aims, policy, and tactics. "They differ as
to the bes