第 42 节
作者:一意孤行      更新:2021-10-16 18:41      字数:9322
  has usurped。 By these two methods; the intensity of the interference with
  liberty     involved     in  government        can   be   gradually      diminished。      Some
  interference;       and    even    some     danger      of   unwarranted       and    despotic
  interference; is of the essence of government; and must remain so long as
  government   remains。  But   until   men   are   less prone   to   violence   than   they
  are now; a certain degree of governmental force seems the lesser of two
  evils。 We may hope; however; that if once the danger of war is at an end;
  men's   violent   impulses   will   gradually  grow   less;   the   more   so   as;   in   that
  case;   it   will   be   possible   to   diminish   enormously   the   individual   power
  which now makes rulers autocratic and ready for almost any act of tyranny
  in   order   to   crush   opposition。   The   development   of   a   world   where   even
  governmental        force    has   become     unnecessary       (except    against    lunatics)
  must   be   gradual。   But   as   a   gradual   process   it   is   perfectly   possible;   and
  when      it  has   been   completed       we   may     hope    to  see   the   principles    of
  Anarchism embodied in the management of communal affairs。
  How will the economic and political system that we have outlined bear
  on the evils of character? I believe the effect will be quite extraordinarily
  beneficent。
  The process of leading men's thought and imagination away from the
  use of   force   will   be greatly  accelerated   by  the   abolition of   the   capitalist
  system; provided it is not succeeded by a form of State Socialism in which
  officials have enormous power。 At present; the capitalist has more control
  over   the   lives   of   others   than   any   man   ought   to   have;   his   friends   have
  authority   in    the   State;   his   economic   power   is   the   pattern   for   political
  power。   In   a   world   where   all   men   and   women   enjoy   economic   freedom;
  there will not be the same habit of command; nor; consequently; the same
  love of despotism; a gentler type of character than that now prevalent will
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  gradually   grow      up。  Men     are  formed    by   their  circumstances;      not  born
  ready… made。 The bad effect of the present economic system on character;
  and the immensely better effect to be expected from communal ownership;
  are among the strongest reasons for advocating the change。
  In the world as we have been imagining fit; economic fear and most
  economic hope will be alike removed out of life。 No one will be haunted
  by the dread of poverty or driven into ruthlessness by the hope of wealth。
  There will not be the distinction of social classes which now plays such an
  immense part in life。 The unsuccessful professional man   will not live   in
  terror lest his children should sink in the scale; the aspiring employe will
  not be looking forward to the day when he can become a sweater in his
  turn。 Ambitious young men will have to dream other daydreams than that
  of business success and wealth wrung out of the ruin of competitors and
  the degradation of labor。 In such a world; most of the nightmares that lurk
  in the background of men's minds will no longer exist; on the other hand;
  ambition and the desire to excel will have to take nobler forms than those
  that are encouraged by a commercial society。 All those activities that really
  confer benefits upon mankind will be open; not only to the fortunate few;
  but to all who have sufficient ambition and native aptitude。 Science; labor…
  saving     inventions;   technical   progress   of   all   kinds;   may   be   confidently
  expected to flourish far more than at present; since they will be the road to
  honor; and honor will have to   replace money among those of the   young
  who   desire   to   achieve   success。 Whether   art   will   flourish   in   a   Socialistic
  community depends upon the form of Social… ism adopted; if the State; or
  any   public   authority;   (no   matter   what);   insists   upon   controlling   art;   and
  only   licensing     those   whom   it   regards    as  proficient;   the  result   will  be
  disaster。 But if there is real freedom; allowing every man who so desires to
  take   up   an   artist's   career   at   the   cost   of   some   sacrifice   of   comfort;   it   is
  likely    that   the   atmosphere      of  hope;    and    the   absence    of   economic
  compulsion; will lead to a much smaller waste of talent than is involved in
  our present system; and to a much less degree of crushing of impulse in
  the mills of the struggle for life。
  When elementary needs have been satisfied; the serious happiness of
  most men depends upon two things: their work; and their human relations。
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  In the world that we have been picturing; work will be free; not excessive;
  full of the interest that belongs to a collective enterprise in which there is
  rapid   progress;   with   something   of   the   delight   of   creation   even   for   the
  humblest unit。 And in human relations the gain will be just as great as in
  work。 The only human relations that have value are those that are rooted in
  mutual   freedom;        where   there   is   no   domination   and   no   slavery;   no   tie
  except   affection;   no   economic   or   conventional   necessity   to   preserve   the
  external show when the inner life is dead。 One of the most horrible things
  about commercialism is the way in which it poisons the relations of men
  and women。 The evils of prostitution are generally recognized; but; great
  as   they  are;   the   effect   of   economic   conditions   on   marriage   seems   to   me
  even     worse。     There    is  not   infrequently;      in  marriage;     a   suggestion     of
  purchase; of acquiring a woman on condition of keeping her in a certain
  standard   of   material   comfort。   Often   and   often;   a   marriage   hardly   differs
  from prostitution except by being harder to escape from。 The whole basis
  of   these   evils   is   economic。   Economic   causes   make   marriage   a   matter   of
  bargain and contract; in which affection is quite secondary; and its absence
  constitutes no recognized reason for liberation。 Marriage should be a free;
  spontaneous meeting of mutual instinct; filled with happiness not unmixed
  with a feeling akin to awe: it should involve that degree of respect of each
  for the other that makes even the most trifling interference with liberty an
  utter impossibility; and a common life enforced by one against the will of
  the other an unthinkable thing of deep horror。 It is not so that marriage is
  conceived by lawyers who make settlements; or by priests who give   the
  name of   ‘‘sacrament'' to   an institution   which pretends   to find   something
  sanctifiable in the brutal lusts or drunken cruelties of a legal husband。 It is
  not   in   a   spirit   of   freedom   that   marriage   is   conceived   by   most   men   and
  women at present: the law makes it an opportunity for indulgence of the
  desire   to   interfere;   where   each   submits   to   some   loss   of   his   or   her   own
  liberty;   for   the   pleasure   of   curtailing   the   liberty   of   the   other。   And   the
  atmosphere of   private   property  makes   it   more   difficult   than   it   otherwise
  would be for any better ideal to take root。
  It   is   not   so   that   human   relations   will   be   conceived     when   the   evil
  heritage of economic slavery has ceased to mold our instincts。 Husbands
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  and wives; parents and children; will be only held together by affection:
  where that has died; it will be recognized that nothing worth preserving is
  left。   Because   affection   will   be   free;   men   and   women   will   not   find   in
  private life an outlet and stimulus to the love of domineering; but all that is
  creative   in   their   love   will   have   the   freer   scope。   Reverence   for   whatever
  makes   the   soul   in   those   who   are   loved   will   be   less   rare   than   it   is   now:
  nowadays;   many   men   love   their   wives   in   the   way   in   which   they   love
  mutton; as something to devour and destroy。 But in the love that goes with
  reverence   there   is   a   joy   of   quite   another   order   than   any   to   be   found   by
  mastery;   a   joy   which   satisfies   the   spirit   and   not   only   the   instincts;   and
  satisfaction of instinct and   spirit   at