grievances before the nation. In the Socialist State there would be
only one authority--the all-controlling and all-powerful State, or
rather an all-controlling and all-powerful bureaucracy. The nation
would be composed of two classes: permanent officials possessing
absolute power, and ordinary citizens possessing neither power nor
right; overseers and workers; slave-drivers and slaves; and the only
way of escaping the tyranny of the State--for absolute and unchecked
power has always led, and will always lead, to tyranny--would be by
committing suicide. As in Rome under the rule of Nero and Caligula,
suicide would be the only way to liberty.

A leading Socialist wrote with unconscious humour: "The Utopist needs
no knowledge of facts. Indeed such a knowledge is a hindrance. For him
the laws of social evolution do not exist. He is a law unto himself;
and his men are not the wayward, spasmodic, irregular organisms of
daily life, but automata obeying the strings he pulls. In a word, he
creates, he does not construct. He makes alike his materials and the
laws within which they work, adapting them all to an ideal end. In
describing a new Jerusalem the only limits to its perfection are the
limits of the writer's imagination.... Humanity will rise to heights
undreamed of now; and the most exquisite Utopias, as sung by the poet
and idealist, shall to our children seem but dim and broken lights
compared with their perfect day. All that we need are Courage,
Prudence, and Faith. Faith above all."[1268] Every reader of this book
will no doubt heartily agree with the latter remark. Socialists are
wise to appeal rather to blind faith than to plain common-sense.

The philosopher of British Socialism tells us: "Socialism is the great
modern protest against _un_reality, against the delusive shams which
now masquerade as verities."[1269] Another Socialist leader asserts:
"Socialism is a scientific scheme of national government entirely
wise, just, and practical."[1270] A third leader affirms: "Socialism
is neither more nor less than the science of Sociology."[1271] The
"Socialist Catechism" asks: "How may Socialists reply to the taunt
that their scheme is impracticable? By quoting the opinion of John
Stuart Mill that the difficulties of Socialism are greatly overrated;
and they should declare that, so far from being an impracticable
Utopian scheme, it is the necessary and inevitable result of the
historical evolution of society."[1272]