The English Republic

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. EBPUBLICAN MEASURES. Revolutionary Measures. Institutional Measures. Administrative and Judicial Reforms. Financial Reforms. Colonial Reform. International Reform. Organisation—Organisation of Labour on the Land. Organisation of Labour through Credit. Organisation of Justice. Bases of Taxation. Education. In the previous chapter we have seen what are the Principles which underlie the superstructure of Republicanism, but I am aware that this is not all. To embrace the creed, to be able thoroughly to explain its every article, to be filled with such zeal and to be so wisely active that our preaching draws the whole nation to our side—this is not enough. It is necessary that the party to be formed should understand not only the theory of Republicanism, but how to put Republican principles into practice. We must learn through what measures our faith may work, our hopes be consummated. We must aim not only at creating a power, but at endowing that power with intelligence. I would not be the creator of a political Frankenstein, a power, without educated will, a new form of anarchy, only miscalled Republican. Already it is said to us—Your theories are beautiful, but impracticable ; long years must pass, and much preparation, before even fragments of them can be realised. It is for us to demonstrate the practicability of Republicanism. The day will come also in which power shall be in our hands, when the men of our own party will ask, "How now to act?" To forestall this question I now endeavour to utter something like a Republican programme, a scheme of reform, such as I believe to be prac- 'ticable from the very day of the establishment of the people's majority. I put forth the programme, not dogmatically. The creed, indeed, which I have confessed I must ...