CHAPTER XVI IS SOCIALISM POSSIBLE, AND WILL IT PAY?
Non-Socialists assert with the utmost confidence that Socialism is impossible. Let us consider this statement in a practical way.
We are told that Socialism is impossible. That means that the people have not the ability to manage their own affairs, and must, perforce, give nearly all the wealth they produce to the superior persons who at present are kind enough to own, to govern, and to manage Britain for the British.
A bold statement! The people cannot manage their own business: it is impossible. They cannot farm the land, and build the factories, and weave the cloth, and feed and clothe and house themselves; they are not able to do it. They must have landlords and masters to do it for them.
But the joke is that these landlords and masters do not do it for the people. The people do it for the landlords and masters; and the latter gentlemen make the people pay them for allowing the people to work.
But the people can only produce wealth under supervision; they must have superior persons to direct them. So the non-Socialist declares.
Another bold assertion, which is not true. For nearly all those things which the non-Socialist tells us are impossible are being done. Nearly all those matters of management, of which the people are said to be incapable, are being accomplished by the people now.
For if the nation can build warships, why can they not build cargo ships? If they can make rifles, why not sewing machines or ploughs? If they can build forts, why not houses? If they can make policemen's boots and soldiers' coats, why not make ladies' hats and mechanics' trousers? If they can pickle beef for the navy, why should they not make jam for the household? If they can run a railway across the African desert, why should they not run one from London to York?
Look at the Co-operative Societies. They own and run cargo ships. They import and export goods. They make boots and foods. They build their own shops and factories. They buy and sell vast quantities of useful things.