itish Socialist
Administration would not only have to provide a sufficient cotton crop
in the United States, a sufficient wool crop in Australia, a
sufficient wheat crop in Canada, but it would also have to provide an
adequate demand for British cotton goods in India and China, for
British coal on the continent of Europe, &c. It would have to provide
sufficient sun in America to produce an adequate cotton crop and
sufficient rain in India to enable the natives to buy part of that
cotton crop in the shape of manufactured articles made in Lancashire.
Unless the Socialist Administration controls not only all foreign
tariffs but also Nature the world over, there might be unemployment in
a socialised Great Britain--and worse.

The doctrines of English Socialism may be summed up in a single
phrase. Every existing evil is due solely to the capitalistic system,
and every existing evil can be abolished only by Socialism.
Unemployment is no exception to the rule. Our Socialists have, for
reasons which will presently be given, concentrated much energy upon
convincing the working masses that unemployment is due solely to
private property in land and capital. The Social-Democratic Federation
has shown that "The existence of an unemployed class is an essential
characteristic of the capitalist system."[373] The Fabian Society in
congress assembled has registered the declaration: "That the existence
of a class of unemployed willing but unable to find work is a
necessary result of the present industrial system, in which every
improvement in machinery throws fresh masses of men out of work"
[would improved machinery not have the same effect in the Socialist
commonwealth?] "and the competition of capitalists for the market
produces recurring commercial crises; that, consequently, unemployment
can only be abolished with the complete abolition of the competitive
system, and can only be limited in proportion as order and regulation
are introduced into the present competitive confusion."[374] Yet the
same Fabian Society frankly admits in another pamphlet that "No plan
has yet been devised by which the fluctuations of work could be
entirely prevented, or safe and profitable employment found for those
rendered idle by no fault of their own. It is easy enough to demand
something should be done, and I entirely agree with agitating the
subject; but something more than agitation is required. It is of no
use urging remedies which can be demonstrabl