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population were to continue to increase without limit。 If the whole surface
of the world were as densely populated as London is now； it would； no
doubt； require almost the whole labor of the population to produce the
necessary food from the few spaces remaining for agriculture。 But there is
no reason to suppose that the population will continue to increase
indefinitely； and in any case the prospect is so remote that it may be
ignored in all practical considerations。
Returning from these dim speculations to the facts set forth by
Kropotkin； we find it proved in his writings that； by methods of intensive
cultivation； which are already in actual operation； the amount of food
produced on a given area can be increased far beyond anything that most
uninformed persons suppose possible。 Speaking of the market…gardeners
in Great Britain； in the neighborhood of Paris； and in other places； he
says：
They have created a totally new agriculture。 They smile when we
boast about the rotation system having permitted us to take from the field
one crop every year； or four crops each three years； because their ambition
is to have six and nine crops from the very same plot of land during the
twelve months。 They do not understand our talk about good and bad soils；
because they make the soil themselves； and make it in such quantities as to
be compelled yearly to sell some of it； otherwise it would raise up the
level of their gardens by half an inch every year。 They aim at cropping； not
five or six tons of grass on the acre； as we do； but from 50 to 100 tons of
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various vegetables on the same space； not 5 pound sworth of hay； but 100
pounds worth of vegetables； of the plainest description； cabbage and
carrots。＇38＇
＇38＇ Kropotkin； ‘‘Fields； Factories and Workshops；'' p。 74。
As regards cattle； he mentions that Mr。 Champion at Whitby grows
on each acre the food of two or three head of cattle； whereas under
ordinary high farming it takes two or three acres to keep each head of
cattle in Great Britain。 Even more astonishing are the achievements of the
Culture Maraicheres round Paris。 It is impossible to summarize these
achievements； but we may note the general conclusion：
There are now practical Maraichers who venture to maintain that if
all the food； animal and vegetable； necessary for the 3；500；000 inhabitants
of the Departments of Seine and Seine…et…Oise had to be grown on their
own territory （3250 square miles）； it could be grown without resorting to
any other methods of culture than those already in usemethods already
tested on a large scale and proved successful。＇39＇
＇39＇ Ib。 p。 81。
It must be remembered that these two departments include the whole
population of Paris。
Kropotkin proceeds to point out methods by which the same result
could be achieved without long hours of labor。 Indeed； he contends that
the great bulk of agricultural work could be carried on by people whose
main occupations are sedentary； and with only such a number of hours as
would serve to keep them in health and produce a pleasant diversification。
He protests against the theory of exces… sive division of labor。 What he
wants is INTEGRATION； ‘‘a society where each individual is a producer
of both manual and intellectual work； where each able… bodied human
being is a worker； and where each worker works both in the field and in
the industrial workshop。''＇40＇
＇40＇ Kropotkin； ‘‘Field； Factories； and Workshops；'' p。 6。
These views as to production have no essential connection with
Kropotkin's advocacy of Anarchism。 They would be equally possible
under State Socialism； and under certain circumstances they might even be
carried out in a capitalistic regime。 They are important for our present
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purpose； not from any argument which they afford in favor of one
economic system as against another； but from the fact that they remove the
veto upon our hopes which might otherwise result from a doubt as to the
productive capacity of labor。 I have dwelt upon agriculture rather than
industry； since it is in regard to agriculture that the difficulties are chiefly
supposed to arise。 Broadly speaking； industrial production tends to be
cheaper when it is carried on on a large scale； and therefore there is no
reason in industry why an increase in the demand should lead to an
increased cost of supply。
Passing now from the purely technical and material side of the
problem of production； we come to the human factor； the motives leading
men to work； the possibilities of efficient organization of production； and
the connection of production with distribution。 Defenders of the existing
system maintain that efficient work would be impossible without the
economic stimulus； and that if the wage system were abolished men would
cease to do enough work to keep the community in tolerable comfort。
Through the alleged necessity of the economic motive； the problems of
production and distribution become intertwined。 The desire for a more just
distribution of the world's goods is the main inspiration of most Socialism
and Anarchism。 We must； therefore； consider whether the system of
distribution which they propose would be likely to lead to a diminished
production。
There is a fundamental difference between Socialism and Anarchism
as regards the question of distribution。 Socialism； at any rate in most of its
forms； would retain payment for work done or for willingness to work；
and； except in the case of persons incapacitated by age or infirmity； would
make willingness to work a condition of subsistence； or at any rate of
subsistence above a certain very low minimum。 Anarchism； on the other
hand； aims at granting to everyone； without any conditions whatever； just
as much of all ordinary commodities as he or she may care to consume；
while the rarer com… modities；