Tuesday 27 May 2014

LIBERALISM— NOT SOCIALISM.

The following is from the January ' Review of Reviews,' and shows how the thunder of the gods is stolen:—
" The ' English Review ' contains a paper by Mr. J. A. Hobson on ' The Extension of Liberalism,' in which he is careful to insist that what the new Liberalism demands is not Socialism, but simple, genuine Liberalism. Liberalism is an endeavor to improve the physical, moral, intellectual, or economic condition of individuals, so as to secure for them a larger measure of liberty in the disposal of their lives. "
This demand for freedom involves equal and free access to land, nationalisation of railways, the public ownership and operation of industrial power for sale on equal terms to all who want it, the transfer of money-lending business to State control, economic security and justice, and, above all, education, which is the opportunity of opportunities. Free land, free travel, free power, free credit, security, justice, and education — no man is free for the full purposes of civilised life to-day unless he has all these liberties.' "
“This article will be useful to Liberals who wish to avoid the taunt of Socialism.   And names, after all, have much influence in politics.”
 H'm! 'A rose by any other name would  smell as sweet,' and Socialism, even when called Liberal, is still Socialism. One would think the writer, J. A. Hobson, had had our Labor Party's platform before him, and had used it well.


The Worker 7 April 1910

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