THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1906. THE NEW SOCIALISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13191, 31 May 1906, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1906. THE NEW SOCIALISM.

The age In which we live is so essentially an age of ' isms" of all sorts and sizes that the discovery of one or two new ones neither surprises nor excites society unduly. Under the circumstances the appearance of a new variety of Socialists in France might easily attract less attention than it deserves, especially when it bears the somewhat hackneyed epithet of Yellow," which has hitherto been bestowed -on the lowest type of journalism. It would appear possible, however, that this new party of so-called Yellow Socialists may deserve more attention than many that have started on their career with titles that were more attractive. The new "ism" has, of course, its apostle, to whom, it may be presumed, is due what is original in its tenets, and on whose moderation both in. theory and action its future must largely depend. M. ... Pierre Bieky, who is, it appears, the founder of the Yellow Socialist party, has just contested a seat in

the National Parliament of France, defeating a candidate who represented the party of what is known 'as' Revolutionary Socialism, which J as already v, good many representatives in the Assembly. The tact of iX B. : "ky's victory at the polls has probably' a, good deal to do with the sudden prominence which his special cult of Socialism seems to have i obtained in France, and Kay;', be , partly responsible for the attention 1 which it seems to have obtained elsei where. It is stated that the new deputy is organising an international congress, for the purpose, we may presume, of discussing the theories and consolidating supporters of the new Socialism; and it' is added, though this may very possibly be an exaggeration of the French newspapers, that the Governments of ' Russia, Germany, and Spain have signified their intention of being represented at the congress. The special features of M. Bieky's Socialism are said to be his proposal to eliminate what are called the destructive and negative elements from Socialism and to maintain the principle of individual property, which has hitherto been attacked, or at least denounced, by the pronounced Socialists of every recognised type. It must be admitted that such a Socialistic programme as this introduces a new feature into the political economics of European Socialism which is likely to appeal to a wide circle of disciples. It is even conceivable that the Governments of countries like those named might bail the advent of a new Socialism such as this as a movement worthy of encouragement. Both Germany and Spain have seen something of what may be called destructive Socialism during the last twenty years, and in both countries the spread of its doctrines has been regarded by the Governments and a majority of the people as a serious and increasing danger. Russia, it need hardly be said, is in a worse position still. Her propertied'classes, whether of the landed aristocracy or of the arisiocraoy'.'of' commerce and industry. are conscious that they hold their individual wealth on a more than uncertain' tenure, arid would" I 'haii ■ with pleasure any new social' faith ! which I pro wised i way out of the present difficulty .hat ma iomtbly se- J cured both life and'property. Other and mora happily circumstanced nations, too, are vitally interested In any new development of economic theory which holds Out a prospect of industrial peace and economic progress on lines that do not involve the overturn of social conditions, which the Socialism hitherto advocated appeared to demand. Socialism, it 'must be admitted, has hitherto earned for itself a bad name in the estimation of the most respectable classes of human society, and it has done this owing to the extrbmo views of its principal advocates. Nobody in his senses (unless he is a Tsar of Russia or an Emperor of China) probably disputes the fact that the interests of society at large are more important things than those of any individual or. any class of individuals forming only a small part of that society. This.:of course, is the original principle, oh which Socialism is based, and all its theories are no more than attempted deductions from, and applications of, this principle.. The true Socialist is the man who advocates the principles on which society, and the people who form it, can best live on terms of peace and prosperity. It is no part of that principle, and no necessary deduction from it, .that they must hold all property in common, so that the wise and the foolish, the clever and the stupid, the .diligent and the idle, shall all remain on one plane of existence. On the contrary, it may be argued that all experience has shown that the progress and prosperity of the people have in every country followed on the recognition of the differences that exist between man and man. Individuality is the leading characteristic of humanity, and individuality of possessions would seem to be the necessary consequence, if the most is to be made of this characteristic. If rightly reported,' the " Yellow Socialism " of M. Bieky recognises this truth, and proposes a new and more reasonable type of Socialism as the object to be aimed at by the would-be reformers of social conditions. Not equality of conditions, but equality of opportunity ; not the destruction of individual property in the vain hope of an equal sharing by. all in what must, after all, be produced mainly by the efforts of a few. would seem to be the scheme of the new French prophet in social economics. As yet, of course, we have not the particulars of his scheme, but we are told enough to guess at its principal 'features ; and as far as they are' disclosed they appear reasonable. Social justice, not sooial revolution, would seem to be the principle aimed at. Not to take from any of the deserving the reasonable reward of their efforts, but to give to all the deserving a reasonable share ; in the result of their united efforts, would seem to be the object of the new Socialism. To fix a proportion in which the capital amassed from the labour and skill of the past shall share in the profits immediately earned by the capital embarked in the labour and skill of the present, and in some way to enforce such a division of the profits of labour, is the scheme of M. Bieky, leaving to each class and to each individual the reasonable results of what he has contributed to, the common result. The new Socialism may : not prove to be easy of realisation, but at least its object is a more hopeful one than that of its predecessors. It does not, as they did, ignore human nature ; it does not set up an imaginary equality between the good worker and the bad, or seek to deprive the skilled and the diligent of all special reward for their efforts. In this age of change and experiment such a new departure as this is a hopeful sign ; and we may reasonably wish the Yellow Socialism and its prophet success.; Equal justice and absolute fair play in the distribution of the rewards of effort are' as unquestionably good for society, which they will elevate, as a revolutionary attempt to equalise all rewards would be evil. The effort to substitute society at large for the

——_— I.- —i^w—ma^_»_—■ individual can only have "the effect of degrading the individual, while a just system of rewarding the excellence of the worker by a larger share ," of the profit of the w k dene must tend to elevate the individual and so to advance civilisation.