Britain for the British.
by Robert Blatchford.
THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK
The motto of this book is expressed in its title: BRITAIN FOR THE BRITISH.
At present Britain does not belong to the British: it belongs to a few of the British, who employ the bulk of the population as servants or as workers.
It is because Britain does not belong to the British that a few are very rich and the many are very poor.
It is because Britain does not belong to the British that we find amongst the _owning_ class a state of useless luxury and pernicious idleness, and amongst the _working_ classes a state of drudging toil, of wearing poverty and anxious care.
This state of affairs is contrary to Christianity, is contrary to justice, and contrary to reason. It is bad for the rich, it is bad for the poor; it is against the best interests of the British nation and the human race.
The remedy for this evil state of things--the _only_ remedy yet suggested--is _Socialism_. And _Socialism_ is broadly expressed in the title and motto of this book: BRITAIN FOR THE BRITISH.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK
The purpose of this book is to convert the reader to _Socialism_: to convince him that the present system--political, industrial, and social--is bad; to explain to him why it is bad, and to prove to him that Socialism is the only true remedy.
FOR WHOM THIS BOOK IS INTENDED
This book is intended for any person who does not understand, or has, so far, refused to accept the principles of _Socialism_.
But it is especially addressed, as my previous book, _Merrie England_, was addressed, to JOHN SMITH, a typical British working man, not yet converted to _Socialism_.
I hope this book will be read by every opponent of _Socialism_; and I hope it will be read by all those good folks who, though not yet _Socialists_, are anxious to help their fellow-creatures, to do some good in their own day and generation, and to leave the world a little better than they found it.
I hope that all lovers of justice and of truth will read this book, and that many of them will be thereby led to a fuller study of _Socialism_.
To the Tory and the Radical; to the Roman Catholic, the Anglican, and the Nonconformist; to the workman and the employer; to the scholar and the peer; to the labourer's wife, the housemaid, and the duchess; to the advocates of Temperance and of Co-operation; to the Trade Unionist and the non-Unionist; to the potman, the bishop, and the brewer; to the artist and the merchant; to the poet and the navvy; to the Idealist and the Materialist; to the poor clerk, the rich financier, the great scientist, and the little child, I commend the following beautiful prayer from the Litany of the Church of England:--
That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth _all_ such as have erred, and are deceived.
That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up them that fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet.
That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort _all_ that are in danger, necessity, and tribulation.
That it may please thee to preserve _all_ that travel by land or by water, _all_ women labouring of child, _all_ sick persons, and young children; and to shew thy pity upon _all_ prisoners and captives.
That it may please thee to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and _all_ that are desolate and oppressed.
That it may please thee to have mercy upon _all_ men.
That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts.
That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them.
_We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord._
I have italicised the word "all" in that prayer to emphasise the fact that mercy, succour, comfort, and pardon are here asked for _all_, and not for a few.
I now ask the reader of this book, with those words of broad charity and sweet kindliness still fresh in mind, to remember the unmerited miseries, the ill-requited labour, the gnawing penury, and the loveless and unhonoured lives to which an evil system dooms millions of British men and women. I ask the reader to discover for himself how much pity we bestow upon our "prisoners and captives," how much provision we make for the "fatherless children and widows," what nature and amount of "succour, help, and comfort" we vouchsafe to "all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation." I ask him to consider, with regard to those "kindly fruits of the earth," who produces, and who enjoys them; and I beg him next to proceed in a judicial spirit, by means of candour and right reason, to examine fairly and weigh justly the means proposed by Socialists for abolishing poverty and oppression, and for conferring prosperity, knowledge, and freedom upon _all_ men.
BRITAIN FOR THE BRITISH: that is our motto. We ask for a fair and open trial. We solicit an impartial hearing of the case for _Socialism_.
Listen patiently to our statements; consider our arguments; accord to us a fair field and no favour; and may the truth prevail.
THE METHOD OF THIS BOOK
As to the method of this book, I shall begin by calling attention to some of the evils of the present industrial, social, and political system.
I shall next try to show the sources of those evils, the causes from which they arise.
I shall go on to explain what _Socialism_ is, and what _Socialism_ is not.
I shall answer the principal objections commonly urged against _Socialism_.
And I shall, in conclusion, point out the chief ways in which I think the reader of this book may help the cause of _Socialism_ if he believes that cause to be just and wise.
FOREWORDS
Years ago, before _Socialism_ had gained a footing in this country, some of us democrats used often to wonder how any working man could be a Tory.
To-day we Socialists are still more puzzled by the fact that the majority of our working men are not Socialists.
How is it that middle class and even wealthy people often accept _Socialism_ more readily than do the workers?
Perhaps it is because the men and women of the middle and upper classes are more in the habit of reading and thinking for themselves, whereas the workers take most of their opinions at second-hand from priests, parsons, journalists, employers, and members of Parliament, whose little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and whose interests lie in bolstering up class privilege by darkening counsel with a multitude of words.
I have been engaged for more than a dozen years in studying political economy and _Socialism_, and in trying, as a Socialist, pressman, and author, to explain _Socialism_ and to confute the arguments and answer the objections of non-Socialists, and I say, without any hesitation, that I have never yet come across a single argument against practical _Socialism_ that will hold water.
I do not believe that any person of fair intelligence and education, who will take the trouble to study _Socialism_ fairly and thoroughly, will be able to avoid the conclusion that _Socialism_ is just and wise.