“We could wish that Mr Cole would confine himself more rigorously to plain and straightforward explanation. His excursions into satire and humor are unfortunate. The book includes a chapter upon Labour and education which is of real importance. Mr Cole’s discussion of the state in this volume is on the whole better than anything he has previously written on this subject; and a chapter on The organization of freedom, in which there is an exposition of the guild idea from the angle of personal liberty, is an exceedingly fresh and suggestive piece of work.”
+ − Nation 110:112 Ja 24 ’20 1100w
“Against theories he regards as outworn Mr Cole’s attack, through all his book, is spirited and resourceful. At times Mr Cole’s imaginative style seems less telling than the steady hammering with facts which such a writer as Sidney Webb uses. But there are times enough when Mr Cole drives his sword’s point through a dogma and out its farther side.” C. M.
+ − New Repub 22:102 Mr 17 ’20 480w
“There is no attempt in this book to equivocate or to win a decision by finesse. In following Mr Cole’s argument many queries cannot fail to occur to the reader, no matter how unprejudiced he may try to keep his mind. In the first place, has Mr Cole been absolutely fair in depicting present industrial conditions?”
+ − N Y Evening Post p3 F 14 ’20 1800w N Y Times 25:325 Je 20 ’20 1400w Spec 122:202 F 15 ’19 240w
“Adds nothing further to the philosophy of the national guildsmen, its object being merely to give a birdseye view of the social relationships to the outsider who wants to know the A B C’s, not of guild socialism but of the industrial problem as a whole. This purpose it fulfills admirably.” H. W. Laidler
+ Survey 41:644 F 1 ’19 480w
“By the test of fact Professor Cole is in places inadequate. But his book is spirited, and the drift of his argument is sound. It is, furthermore, entertaining—which alone would justify it. It is finally a key to the state of mind of many of that younger generation to whom it is principally addressed.” W: L. Chenery
+ − Survey 43:408 Ja 10 ’20 500w