if you please, not as an exception, but as the
rule."[1221]

"Selfishness will become public spirit."[1222] "The desire to serve
the common life, to advance its welfare, will be the highest ambition
of the individual."[1223] "Just as the nightingale sings in the
evening shades, or the lark trills in the summer sky, so man in
natural surroundings" [does Socialism create "natural" surroundings or
unnatural ones?] "will seek to gratify his higher nature. Socialism
will create a condition of things favourable to the development of the
higher type of individuality."[1224] "This is the religious aspect of
labour. It is dignified, ennobling. That is the divine ideal, the
aspect concerning labour which God intended should be realised. Just
think of it! The ordinary working man as divinely taught and inspired
as the prophets and seers of old, and having the capacity to
understand the sublimest truths and the profoundest philosophy
concerning human life and the eternal destinies."[1225]

The statements given above, with their superlatives, their laboured
philosophy, their lyrics, hysterics, and prophecies, are singularly
unconvincing. The manner in which the simple question, "How do you
propose to fit actual human nature into your scheme?" is answered by
the Socialists, proves that they find that question unanswerable.
History teaches us that revolutions based on plunder, euphemistically
called confiscation, expropriation, or socialisation, have indeed
altered human nature, but they have altered it for the worse. All
revolutions have hitherto caused a fearful depravation of manners and
led to the most hideous crimes--and will a Socialistic revolution
prove an exception? Why should it be an exception? Are its teachings
such as make it seem likely that a Socialistic revolution will prove
an exception? An attempt to establish the Socialist Commonwealth would
undoubtedly lead, not to a revolution, but to a series of revolutions,
to Anarchism and to civil war. The tragedy of the great French
Revolution might be acted over again.

Now let us look into some practical questions which the Socialist
State of the future will have to settle. Let us, for instance,
inquire:

HOW WILL LABOUR BE REMUNERATED?

Many Socialists think that different workers should get different
wages: "The citizens shall be consciously public functionaries, and
their labours shall be rewarded according to results."[1226]
"Socialism does not propose that ev