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It is the science of Laissez-faire, Laissez-passer, which has sown the seeds of chaos and anarchy. In America, where the National System has obtained its greatest development, patriotism is aflame in the ranks of organised labour. What a contrast as compared with this country! It is clearly not the fault of the people, but of the working conditions, and the system, which surrounds their every-day existence.

CHAPTER VII

IRELAND AND THE NATIONAL SYSTEM

I

It is characteristic of the British race to be conservatively inclined towards those political institutions, and economic systems, which, for various reasons, have served it well, either in an individual or collective capacity. But history has demonstrated on more than one occasion that this same virtue has hindered the development of rational progressive movements; that it has been responsible for the failure to recognise in time the need for changes political and social. Most people are apt to forget that just as modern society has been constituted by human hands, the result of infinite effort, sacrifice and compromise, sometimes with creative genius and sometimes without, so if wise reforms are not introduced in time it can be be destroyed by human hands in one hour of passion; and no more striking example is to be found than that which Russia provides to-day.

There is a large section of our population

which honestly believes that it is no longer served by the present structure of society; and it must be admitted there are justifiable grounds for this contention. Fortunately the vast majority recognise it and are most willing to modify the existing order of things to meet all just claims. But whilst they aim at rendering services for the greatest good of society, the measures that are proposed to this end do not conform to a rational system of development. Modifications are proposed which at their best are mere palliatives and do not cure. The result is that all the devotion which is given to the task does not bear fruit, and the gulf which separates the classes and masses continues to widen instead of closing, for men are being driven into extremer movements.

Just and wise modifications of the existing order of things are necessary if society is to make a rational and progressive development. But in order that this great object may be successfully achieved, all prejudices, which, in most cases, are merely the inheritance of birth, must be honestly discarded in order to clear the way for a broad and sympathetic consideration of measures which may tend to remedy the evils that exist.

It is generally recognised that the main trouble lies in the economic sphere of activity; it is in this direction that we must seek for a solution of the perplexing problems which have arisen.

As we have stated on more than one occasion, of all the great sciences none have been so backward in development as the Economic; in no other is there to be found such a conflict of intellectual thought as to method and procedure which leads us to the conclusion that a science so divided must fall.1 The chief criticism that may be directed against our professorial economists in the school of Laissez-faire, Laissez-passer, is this, that they have developed the science of political economy, from the point of view that its main object is the production of material wealth, and that the soul of man is a mere incident in the general scheme of things. As Senator Reed has bluntly pointed out: "The great blunder of the Herr Professor of Political Economy has been that he treats human beings as if every man were so many foot-pounds—such and such a fraction of a horse power."

The fact is that our conception of the science of Government has always been based on a false idea. The welfare of the masses who labour has at all times been of secondary importance in legislation, never of primary importance, with the result that measures have been enacted in

1 The same may be said of all existing religious faiths. Until they confine themselves to pure religious teaching, abandon the desire for supremacy over mind and body, the inclination to mix politics with religion, no forward religious movement can take place,

Parliament which, while originally intended to be of benefit to the people as a whole, have had an entirely contrary effect in practice. The whole curse of our social legislation and methods of taxation is simply due to the prevailing theory of the school that a time would come in the history of the world when free trade would be accepted as the policy of all civilised nations. Even the great Frederick List fell into this error.

And whilst this fatal policy was being pursued, and we agree with Colwell that it could never be a philosophical truth, the people of Great Britain and Ireland had to allow their material prosperity to be sacrificed pending the arrival of the millennium. But the promised time of universal peace, prosperity and contentment has not yet come and never will come through free trade.

There is but one true economic science. There can be many false ones. And undoubtedly the sound one is that which can extend its application to all nationalities. But the startingpoint of the science must always be Nationality; after which its general application for the conduct and guidance of nations can be considered. This would then be known as the International System-a natural development of the National. The main consideration of any Government must always be to study the welfare and interests of its citizens of all classes. The stronger nations,

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