ond the powers of legitimate speculation. The
endeavour to test industrial evolution by reference to the wider
movements of human life brings into prominence two great tendencies
whose operations, attested not dimly by modern history, are in close
accord with the general trend of the development of social and
individual life and the relations subsisting between the two.

As modern industrial societies develop they disclose certain material
wants which are common to all or most members, and are less subject to
fluctuations in quantity or quality of demand than others. These
routine wants, representing that part of consumption which is common,
can be supplied most economically by highly organised machinery and
highly concentrated methods of production. But so long as the
machinery for the satisfaction of the common wants remains outside the
common control, and is worked for the benefit of sections of the
community whose interests conflict, both with one another and with the
general interest, an immense amount of waste and danger arises from
the working of the machinery, and grave social maladies are
engendered. These maladies evoke in the best ordered and most
intelligent communities an increasing pressure of public control. This
public control is strengthened and extended in proportion as the
highly evolved structure of the industry enables its administrators to
exercise powers of monopoly either in relation to the treatment of its
employees, or in relation to the price or quality of the commodities
it supplies to the public. Such industries as develop these economic
powers of monopoly in the highest degree, and in relation to the
supply of prime necessaries or comforts of common life, pass gradually
into the condition of public industries organised for the public good.
It seems likely that all the important machine industries engaged in
satisfying common routine wants will gradually develop the monopolic
characteristics which accrue to large production, and will pass by
degrees through the different phases of public control until they
become merged in public industry.

This so-called socialistic movement in industry represents the growing
cohesiveness of modern societies. At all times there is a strong
natural tendency to supply common wants by common efforts. So long as
the common wants in their wider significance only extend to protection
of the person and of certain forms of personal property, state-work is
confine