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a struggle so great that even the French Revolution is insignificant
beside it； for this later struggle； for the first time in the
history of struggles； is not confined to any particular portion of
the globe； but involves the whole of it。
Starting on the assumption that society is at present in a state of
flux； Mr。 Ghent sees it rapidly crystallizing into a status which
can best be described as something in the nature of a benevolent
feudalism。 He laughs to scorn any immediate realization of the
Marxian dream； while Tolstoyan utopias and Kropotkinian communistic
unions of shop and farm are too wild to merit consideration。 The
coming status which Mr。 Ghent depicts is a class domination by the
capitalists。 Labor will take its definite place as a dependent
class； living in a condition of machine servitude fairly analogous
to the land servitude of the Middle Ages。 That is to say； labor
will be bound to the machine； though less harshly； in fashion
somewhat similar to that in which the earlier serf was bound to the
soil。 As he says； 〃Bondage to the land was the basis of villeinage
in the old regime； bondage to the job will be the basis of
villeinage in the new。〃
At the top of the new society will tower the magnate； the new feudal
baron； at the bottom will be found the wastrels and the
inefficients。 The new society he grades as follows：
〃I。 The barons； graded on the basis of possessions。
〃II。 The court agents and retainers。 （This class will include the
editors of 'respectable' and 'safe' newspapers； the pastors of
'conservative' and 'wealthy' churches； the professors and teachers
in endowed colleges and schools； lawyers generally； and most judges
and politicians）。
〃III。 The workers in pure and applied science； artists； and
physicians。
〃IV。 The entrepreneurs； the managers of the great industries；
transformed into a salaried class。
〃V。 The foremen and superintendents。 This class has heretofore
been recruited largely from the skilled workers； but with the growth
of technical education in schools and colleges； and the development
of fixed caste； it is likely to become entirely differentiated。
〃VI。 The villeins of the cities and towns； more or less regularly
employed； who do skilled work and are partially protected by
organization。
〃VII。 The villeins of the cities and towns who do unskilled work
and are unprotected by organization。 They will comprise the
laborers； domestics； and clerks。
〃VIII。 The villeins of the manorial estates； of the great farms；
the mines； and the forests。
〃IX。 The small…unit farmers （land…owning）； the petty tradesmen； and
manufacturers。
〃X。 The subtenants of the manorial estates and great farms
（corresponding to the class of 'free tenants' in the old Feudalism）。
〃XI。 The cotters。
〃XII。 The tramps； the occasionally employed； the unemployedthe
wastrels of the city and country。〃
〃The new Feudalism； like most autocracies； will foster not only the
arts； but also certain kinds of learningparticularly the kinds
which are unlikely to disturb the minds of the multitude。 A future
Marsh； or Cope； or Le Comte will be liberally patronized and left
free to discover what he will； and so； too； an Edison or a Marconi。
Only they must not meddle with anything relating to social science。〃
It must be confessed that Mr。 Ghent's arguments are cunningly
contrived and arrayed。 They must be read to be appreciated。 As an
example of his style； which at the same time generalizes a portion
of his argument； the following may well be given：
〃The new Feudalism will be but an orderly outgrowth of present
tendencies and conditions。 All societies evolve naturally out of
their predecessors。 In sociology； as in biology； there is no cell
without a parent cell。 The society of each generation develops a
multitude of spontaneous and acquired variations； and out of these；
by a blending process of natural and conscious selection； the
succeeding society is evolved。 The new order will differ in no
important respects from the present； except in the completer
development of its more salient features。 The visitor from another
planet who had known the old and should see the new would note but
few changes。 Alter et Idemanother yet the samehe would say。
From magnate to baron； from workman to villein； from publicist to
court agent and retainer； will be changes of state and function so
slight as to elude all but the keenest eyes。〃
And in conclusion； to show how benevolent and beautiful this new
feudalism of ours will be； Mr。 Ghent says： 〃Peace and stability it
will maintain at all hazards； and the mass； remembering the chaos；
the turmoil； the insecurity of the past； will bless its reign。 。 。 。
Efficiencythe faculty of getting thingsis at last rewarded as it
should be； for the efficient have inherited the earth and its
fulness。 The lowly； whose happiness is greater and whose welfare is
more thoroughly conserved when governed than when governing； as a
twentieth…century philosopher said of them； are settled and happy in
the state which reason and experience teach is their God…appointed
lot。 They are comfortable too； and if the patriarchal ideal of a
vine and fig tree for each is not yet attained； at least each has
his rented patch in the country or his rented cell in a city
building。 Bread and the circus are freely given to the deserving；
and as for the undeserving； they are merely reaping the rewards of
their contumacy and pride。 Order reigns； each has his justly
appointed share； and the state rests； in security； 'lapt in
universal law。'〃
Mr。 Brooks； on the other hand； sees rising and dissolving and rising
again in the social flux the ominous forms of a new society which is
the direct antithesis of a benevolent feudalism。 He trembles at the
rash intrepidity of the capitalists who fight the labor unions； for
by such rashness he greatly fears that labor will be driven to
express its aims and strength in political terms； which terms will
inevitably be socialistic terms。
To keep down the rising tide of socialism； he preaches greater
meekness and benevolence to the capitalists。 No longer may they
claim the right to run their own business； to beat down the
laborer's standard of living for the sake of increased profits； to
dictate terms of employment to individual workers； to wax
righteously indignant when organized labor takes a hand in their
business。 No longer may the capitalist say 〃my〃 business； or even
think 〃my〃 business； he must say 〃our〃 business； and think 〃our〃
business as well； accepting labor as a partner whose voice must be
heard。 And if the capitalists do not become more meek and
benevolent in their dealings with labor； labor will be antagonized
and will proceed to wreak terrible political vengeance； and the
present social flux will harden into a status of socialism。
Mr。 Brooks dreams of a society at which M