按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
community as the inhabitants of a certain area will continue to be decided
by Parliament； while all disputes between Parliament and the Guild
Congress will be decided by a body composed of representatives of both
in equal numbers。
Payment will not be made； as at present； only for work actually
required and performed； but for willingness to work。 This system is
already adopted in much of the better paid work： a man occupies a certain
position； and retains it even at times when there happens to be very little to
do。 The dread of unemployment and loss of livelihood will no longer
haunt men like a nightmare。 Whether all who are willing to work will be
paid equally； or whether exceptional skill will still command exceptional
pay； is a matter which may be left to each guild to decide for itself。 An
opera…singer who received no more pay than a scene…shifter might choose
to be a scene…shifter until the system was changed： if so； higher pay would
probably be found necessary。 But if it were freely voted by the Guild； it
could hardly constitute a grievance。
Whatever might be done toward making work agreeable； it is to be
presumed that some trades would always remain unpleasant。 Men could be
attracted into these by higher pay or shorter hours； instead of being driven
into them by destitution。 The community would then have a strong
economic motive for finding ways of diminishing the disagreeableness of
these exceptional trades。
There would still have to be money； or something analogous to it； in
any community such as we are imagining。 The Anarchist plan of a free
distribution of the total produce of work in equal shares does not get rid of
the need for some standard of exchange value； since one man will choose
to take his share in one form and another in another。 When the day comes
for distributing luxuries； old ladies will not want their quota of cigars； nor
young men their just proportion of lap…dog； this will make it necessary to
know how many cigars are the equivalent of one lap…dog。 Much the
simplest way is to pay an income； as at present； and allow relative values
to be adjusted according to demand。 But if actual coin were paid； a man
might hoard it and in time become a capitalist。 To prevent this； it would be
best to pay notes available only during a certain period； say one year from
126
… Page 127…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
the date of issue。 This would enable a man to save up for his annual
holiday； but not to save indefinitely。
There is a very great deal to be said for the Anarchist plan of allowing
necessaries； and all commodities that can easily be produced in quantities
adequate to any possible demand； to be given away freely to all who ask
for them； in any amounts they may require。 The question whether this plan
should be adopted is； to my mind； a purely technical one： would it be； in
fact； possible to adopt it without much waste and consequent diversion of
labor to the production of necessaries when it might be more usefully
employed otherwise？ I have not the means of answering this question； but
I think it exceedingly probable that； sooner or later； with the continued
improvement in the methods of production； this Anarchist plan will
become feasible； and when it does； it certainly ought to be adopted。
Women in domestic work； whether married or unmarried； will receive
pay as they would if they were in industry。 This will secure the complete
economic independence of wives； which is difficult to achieve in any other
way； since mothers of young children ought not to be expected to work
outside the home。
The expense of children will not fall； as at present； on the parents。
They will receive； like adults； their share of necessaries； and their
education will be free。＇60＇ There is no longer to be the present competition
for scholarships among the abler children： they will not be imbued with
the competitive spirit from infancy； or forced to use their brains to an
unnatural degree with consequent listlessness and lack of health in later
life。 Education will be far more diversified than at present； greater care
will be taken to adapt it to the needs of different types of young people。
There will be more attempt to encourage initiative young pupils； and less
desire to fill their minds with a set of beliefs and mental habits regarded as
desirable by the State； chiefly because they help to preserve the status quo。
For the great majority of children it will probably be found desirable to
have much more outdoor education in the country。 And for older boys and
girls whose interests are not intellectual or artistic； technical education；
undertaken in a liberal spirit； is far more useful in promoting mental
activity than book…learning which they regard （however falsely） as wholly
127
… Page 128…
PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
useless except for purposes of examination。 The really useful educa… tion
is that which follows the direction of the child's own instinctive interests；
supplying knowledge for which it is seeking； not dry； detailed information
wholly out of relation to its spontaneous desires。
＇60＇ Some may fear that the result would be an undue increase of
population； but such fears I believe to be groundless。 See above； （Chapter
IV； on ‘‘Work and Pay。'' Also； Chapter vi of ‘‘Principles of Social
Reconstruction'' （George Allen and Unwin； Ltd。）。
Government and law will still exist in our community； but both will
be reduced to a minimum。 There will still be acts which will be forbidden…
…for example； murder。 But very nearly the whole of that part of the
criminal law which deals with property will have become obsolete； and
many of the motives which now produce murders will be no longer
operative。 Those who nevertheless still do commit crimes will not be
blamed or regarded as wicked； they will be regarded as unfortunate； and
kept in some kind of mental hospital until it is thought that they are no
longer a danger。 By education and freedom and the abolition of private
capital the number of crimes can be