Section — Cathrein, Socialism
§ I. Socialistic Dreams
The ringleaders of the socialists promise their followers a golden age. Little work and much enjoyment—that is the gist of socialism. This is manifest particularly from Bebel’s published works, notably “Die Frau.”
If we are to believe this popular leader, labor in the socialist state, owing to its great variety and the modern and future perfection of mechanical inventions, will be mere amusement. Most kinds of labor will be performed, as it were, ‘in play.” Besides, labor, owing to the systematic regulations and the wise utilization of all means of production, will be so productive that between two and three hours’ work per day will suffice for the perfect satisfaction of all human wants. Egotism and the interest for the common weal will be in harmony; nay, these motives will exactly coincide with each other in the socialistic organization.1 There will be no more idlers. The moral atmosphere itself will incite every individual to “distinguish himself before all others.”2 An unheard-of “world of forces and possibilities,” which have been suppressed by the capitalistic system of production, will be made free.3 There will be no more political crimes or other violations of law.4 Barracks and other military institutions, court-houses, city-halls, prisons, will then be put to a better use. The nations will no longer look upon each other as enemies, but as “brothers.” The age of ‘everlasting peace” will come. The weapons of war will be stored up in the museums of antiquities. Then the nations will advance to ever higher culture and civilization.
1 Die Frau, p. 274.
2 Ibid., p. 288.
3 Ibid., p. 282.
4 Ibid., p. 317.
Most particularly by means of irrigation, draining of marshes and moors, and by superior means of communication, agriculture will change the entire land into huge gardens, and thus entice the people from the cities into the country. As in the cities, so also in the country, there will be museums, theatres, concert-halls, play-houses, hotels, reading-rooms, libraries, business offices, institutions of learning, parks, promenades, public baths, scientific laboratories, hospitals, etc.5
5 Ibid., p. 313.
In the socialist state all the faculties of man will be developed harmoniously. There will be “scholars and artists of every description in countless numbers.”6 Thousands of brilliant talents will be brought to their fullest development—musicians, actors, artists, philosophers, not professional, of course (for all must take part in the social production), but led on by inspiration, talent, and genius. “An age of arts and sciences will come such as the world has never seen before; and the artistic and scientific productions will be in proportion to the general progress.”7 Every one will also have occasion to indulge his taste for variety. He may make “a pleasure-trip,” visit foreign lands and continents; he may join scientific expeditions and colonization schemes of all kinds, which will then exist in great numbers, if he is disposed to render a corresponding service to society.8 In short, the human heart will lack nothing which it can long for. The golden age of Saturn will return, and all men will be happy.
6 Ibid., p. 284.
7 Ibid., p. 331.
8 Ibid., p. 335.
Like Bebel, so also Stern1 indulges his imagination to the fullest extent in describing the socialistic paradise of the future. Thus Bellamy’s day-dreams have been seriously dreamt before by waking German scientific socialists. But dreams are an easy species of production for fertile imaginations.
1 Thesen, pp. 25, 34.