GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

7&2 ETHICS AND POLITICS: THE MODERNS
Socialists would claim more extended functions for
the democratic State. Pointing out that the material
conditions of the great mass of the people in all European
countries are considerably worse than they need or should
be, they would maintain that the reason why they are
worse is the persistence of the economic system known as
Capitalism. This system, they hold, has shown itself
manifestly unable to make available for the people as a
whole the material benefits of applied science. In this view
the recent slump of 1931-3, with its celebrated paradox
of want in the midst of plenty, has confirmed them. In
pursuance of its "background" function of protecting the
individual from the effects, at once unintended and
unrestricted, of economic action, the State should, then,
Socialists maintain, take steps to end the capitalist economic
system, and to substitute an organization of the material
resources of the nation on lines similar to those which have
been followed in Soviet Russia. The discussion of this
highly controversial view would take me beyond the scope
of the present book. It is sufficient to point out here that
the recognition of the essential nature of political activity,
as concerned with the background rather than with the
foreground of the individual's life, is not intended to rule
out, and does not rule out, the introduction by the State
of such legislation as would be necessary to supersede
Capitalism and to introduce Socialism* On the contrary,
if it be true that under Capitalism the individual can
never be assured of economic security because of the
adverse effects upon the community as a whole of the
competitive activities which Capitalism recognises and
encourages, the adequate performance of the function
which I have postulated for the State would entail
such legislation.
Political Democracy not an Impediment to Economic
Change. It is sometimes said that political democracy,
which champions the individual and seeks to safeguard
his freedom and to protect his rights from encroachment