This briefly is the programme of problems and effort to which my idea of the Great State, as the goal of contemporary progress, leads me.
I append a diagram which shows compactly the gist of the preceding discussion; it gives the view of social development upon which I base all my political conceptions.
THE NORMAL SOCIAL LIFE | | produces an increasing surplus of energy and opportunity, more particularly under modern conditions of scientific organisation and power production; and this through the operation of rent and of usury generally tends to | ------------------------------------- | | (a) release and (b) expropriate | | an increasing proportion of the population to become: | | (a) A LEISURE CLASS and (b) A LABOUR CLASS under no urgent compulsion divorced from the land and living | | to work upon uncertain wages |3 |2 1| |1 |2 |3 | | ---------------------- ---------------------- | | | | |which may degenerate| |which may degenerate| | | | | |into | |into a sweated, | | | | | |a waster class | |overworked, | | | | | ---------------------- |violently resentful | | | | | \ |and destructive | | | | | \ |rebel class | | | | | \ ---------------------- | | | | \ / | | | | ---------------- | | | | |and produce a | | | | | |SOCIAL DEBACLE| | | | | ---------------- | | | | | | | -------------------- ------------------ | | |which may become | |which may become| | | |a Governing | |the controlled, | | | |Class (with waster| |regimented, | | | |elements) in | |and disciplined | | | |an unprogressive | |Labour Class of | | | |Bureaucratic | |an unprogressive| | | |SERVILE STATE |<-------------->|Bureaucratic | | | -------------------- |SERVILE STATE | | | ------------------ | | | ------------------------------ ------------------------- |which may become | |which may be | |the whole community | |rendered needless | |of the GREAT STATE | |by a general labour | |working under various | |conscription | |motives and inducements, | |together with a | |but not | |scientific organisation| |constantly, nor permanently,| |of production, | |nor unwillingly. | |and so reabsorbed | ------------------------------ |by re-endowment | |into the Leisure | |Class of the | |GREAT STATE | -------------------------