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PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
PROPOSED ROADS TO
FREEDOM
BY BERTRAND RUSSELL； F。R。S。
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PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
INTRODUCTION
THE attempt to conceive imaginatively a better ordering of human
society than the destructive and cruel chaos in which mankind has hitherto
existed is by no means modern： it is at least as old as Plato； whose
‘‘Republic'' set the model for the Utopias of subsequent philosophers。
Whoever contemplates the world in the light of an idealwhether what he
seeks be intellect； or art； or love； or simple happiness； or all togethermust
feel a great sorrow in the evils that men needlessly allow to continue； and…
…if he be a man of force and vital energyan urgent desire to lead men to
the realization of the good which inspires his creative vision。 It is this
desire which has been the primary force moving the pioneers of Socialism
and Anarchism； as it moved the inventors of ideal commonwealths in the
past。 In this there is nothing new。 What is new in Socialism and Anarchism；
is that close relation of the ideal to the present sufferings of men； which
has enabled powerful political movements to grow out of the hopes of
solitary thinkers。 It is this that makes Socialism and Anarchism important；
and it is this that makes them dangerous to those who batten； consciously
or unconsciously upon the evils of our present order of society。
The great majority of men and women； in ordinary times； pass through
life without ever contemplating or criticising； as a whole； either their own
conditions or those of the world at large。 They find themselves born into a
certain place in society； and they accept what each day brings forth；
without any effort of thought beyond what the immediate present requires。
Almost as instinctively as the beasts of the field； they seek the satisfaction
of the needs of the moment； without much forethought； and without
considering that by sufficient effort the whole conditions of their lives
could be changed。 A certain percentage； guided by personal ambition；
make the effort of thought and will which is necessary to place themselves
among the more fortunate members of the community； but very few
among these are seriously concerned to secure for all the advantages
which they seek for themselves。 It is only a few rare and exceptional men
who have that kind of love toward mankind at large that makes them
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PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
unable to endure patiently the general mass of evil and suffering；
regardless of any relation it may have to their own lives。 These few； driven
by sympathetic pain； will seek； first in thought and then in action； for some
way of escape； some new system of society by which life may become
richer； more full of joy and less full of preventable evils than it is at
present。 But in the past such men have； as a rule； failed to interest the very
victims of the injustices which they wished to remedy。 The more
unfortunate sections of the population have been ignorant； apathetic from
excess of toil and weariness； timorous through the imminent danger of
immediate punishment by the holders of power； and morally unreliable
owing to the loss of self…respect resulting from their degradation。 To create
among such classes any conscious； deliberate effort after general
amelioration might have seemed a hopeless task； and indeed in the past it
has generally proved so。 But the modern world； by the increase of
education and the rise in the standard of comfort among wage…earners； has
produced new conditions； more favorable than ever before to the demand
for radical reconstruction。 It is above all the Socialists； and in a lesser
degree the Anarchists （chiefly as the inspirers of Syndicalism）； who have
become the exponents of this demand。
What is perhaps most remarkable in regard to both Socialism and
Anarchism is the association of a widespread popular movement with
ideals for a better world。 The ideals have been elaborated； in the first
instance； by solitary writers of books； and yet powerful sections of the
wage…earning classes have accepted them as their guide in the practical
affairs of the world。 In regard to Socialism this is evident； but in regard to
Anarchism it is only true with some qualification。 Anarchism as such has
never been a widespread creed； it is only in the modified form of
Syndicalism that it has achieved popularity。 Unlike Socialism and
Anarchism； Syndicalism is primarily the outcome； not of an idea； but of an
organization： the fact of Trade Union organization came first； and the
ideas of Syndicalism are those which seemed appropriate to this
organization in the opinion of the more advanced French Trade Unions。
But the ideas are； in the main； derived from Anarchism； and the men who
gained acceptance for them were； for the most part； Anarchists。 Thus we
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PROPOSED ROADS TO FREEDOM
may regard Syndicalism as the Anarchism of the market…place as opposed
to the Anarchism of isolated individuals which had preserved a precarious
life throughout the previous decades。 Taking this view； we find in
Anarchist…Syndicalism the same combination of ideal and organization as
we find in Socialist political parties。 It is from this standpoint that our
study of these movements will be undertaken。
Socialism and Anarchism； in their modern form； spring respectively
from two protagonists； Marx and Bakunin； who fought a lifelong battle；
culminating in a split in the first International。 We shall begin our study
with these two menfirst their teaching； and then the organizations which
they founded or inspired。 This will lead us to the spread of Socialism in
more recent years； and thence to the Syndicalist revolt against Socialist
emphasis on the State and political action； and to certain movements
outside France which have some affinity with Syndicalism notably the I。
W。 W。 in America and Guild Socialism in England。 From this historical
survey we shall pass to the consideration of some of the more pressing
problems of the future； and shall try to decide in what respects the world
would be happier if the aims of Socialists or Syndicalists were achieved。
My own opinionwhich I may as well indicate at the outsetis that
pure Anarchism； though it should be the ultimate ideal； to which society
should continually approximate； is for the present impossible； and would
not survive more than a year or two at most if it were adopted。 On the
other hand； both Marxian Socialism and Syndicalism； in spite of many
drawbacks； seem to me calculated to give rise to a happier and better
world than that in which we live。 I do not； however； regard either of them
as the best practicable system。 Marxian Socialism； I fear； would give far
too much power to the State； while Syndicalism； which aims at abolishing
the State； would； I believe； find itself forced to reconstruct a central
authority in order to put an end to the rivalries of different groups of
producers。 The BEST practicable system； to my mind； is that of Guild
Socialism； which concedes what is valid both in the claims of the State
Socialists and in the Syndicalist fear of the State； by adopting a system of
federalism among trades for reasons similar to those which are
recommending federalism among nations。 The grounds for these
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