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d on without violence among individuals in their own society； they contemplate with contented equanimity such evils in their intense and wholesale forms； when inflicted by fire and sword on entire communities。 Not worthy of much respect then； as it seems to me； is this generous consideration of the inferior at home which is accompanied by unscrupulous sacrifice of the inferior abroad。 Still less respectable appears this extreme concern for those of our own blood which goes along with utter unconcern for those of other blood； when we observe its methods。 Did it prompt personal effort to relieve the suffering； it would rightly receive approving recognition。 Were the many who express this cheap pity like the few who patiently； week after week and year after year； devote large parts of their time to helping and encouraging； and occasionally amusing； those who； in some cases by ill…fortune and in other cases by incapacity or misconduct； are brought to lives of hardship； they would be worthy of unqualified admiration。 The more there are of men and women who help the poor to help themselves the more there are of those whose sympathy is exhibited directly and not by proxy； the more we may rejoice。 But the mense majority of the persons who wish to mitigate by law the miseries of the unsuccessful and the reckless； propose to do this in small measure at their own cost and mainly at the cost of others sometimes with their assent but mostly without。 More than this is true； for those who are to be forced to do so much for the distressed； often equally or more require something doing for them。 The deserving poor are among those who are burdened to pay the costs of caring for the undeserving poor。 As； under the old Poor Law； the diligent and provident labourer had to pay that the good…for…nothings might not suffer； until frequently under this extra burden he broke down and himself took refuge in the workhouse as； at present； it is admitted that the total rates levied in large towns for all public purposes； have now reached such a height that they 〃cannot be exceeded without inflicting great hardship on the small shopkeepers and artisans； who already find it difficult enough to keep themselves free from the pauper taint；〃（26*） so in all cases； the policy is one which intensifies the pains of those most deserving of pity； that the pains of those least deserving of pity may be mitigated。 In short； men who are so sympathetic that they cannot allow the struggle for existence to bring on the unworthy the sufferings consequent on their incapacity or misconduct； are so unsympathetic that they can； without hesitation； make the struggle for existence harder for the worthy； and inflict on them and their children artificial evils in addition to the natural evils they have to bear！
And here we are brought round to our original topic the sins of legislators。 Here there comes clearly before us the commonest of the transgressions which rulers commit a transgression so common； and so sanctified by custom； that no one imagines it to be a transgression。 Here we see that； as indicated at the outset； Government； begotten of aggression and by aggression； ever continues to betray its original nature by its aggressiveness； and that even what on its nearer face seems beneficence only； shows； on its remoter face； not a little maleficence kindness at the cost of cruelty。 For is it not cruel to increase the sufferings of the better that the sufferings of the worse may be decreased？ It is； indeed； marvellous how readily we let ourselves be deceived by words and phrases which suggest one aspect of the facts while leaving the opposite aspect unsuggested。 A good frustration of this； and one germane to the mediate question； is seen in the use of the words 〃protection〃 and 〃protectionist〃 by the antagonists of free trade； and in the tacit admission of its propriety by free…traders。 While the one party has habitually ignored； the other party has habitually failed to emphasize； the truth that this so…called protection always involves aggression； and that the name aggressionist ought to be substituted for the name protectionist。 For nothing can be more certain than that if； to maintain A's profit； B is forbidden to buy of C； or is fined to the extent of the duty if he buys of C； B is aggressed upon that A may be 〃protected。〃 Nay； 〃aggressionists〃 is a title doubly more applicable to the anti…free…traders than is the euphemistic title 〃protectionists；〃 since； that one producer may gain； ten consumers are fleeced。 Now just the like confusion of ideas； caused by looking at one face only of the transaction； may be traced throughout all the legislation which forcibly takes the property of this man for the purpose of giving gratis benefits to that man。 Habitually when one of the numerous measures thus characterized is discussed； the dominant thought is concerning the pitiable Jones who is to be protected against some evil； while no thought is given to the hard…working Brown who is aggressed upon； often much more to be pitied。 Money is exacted （either directly or through raised rent） from the huckster who only by extreme pinching can pay her way； from the mason thrown out of work by a strike； from the mechanic whose savings are melting away during an illness； from the widow who washes or sews from dawn to dark to feed her fatherless little ones； and all that the dissolute may be saved from hunger； that the children of less impoverished neighbours may have cheap lessons； and that various people； mostly better off； may read newspapers and novels for nothing！ The error of nomenclature is； in one respect； more misleading than that which allows aggressionists to be called protectionists； for； as just shown； protection of the vicious poor involves aggression on the virtuous poor。 Doubtless it is true that the greater part of the money exacted comes from those who are relatively well…off。 But this is no consolation to the ill…off from whom the rest is exacted。 Nay； if the comparison be made between the pressures borne by the two classes respectively； it becomes manifest that the case is even worse than at first appears； for while to the well…off the exaction means loss of luxuries； to the ill…off it means loss of necessaries。 And now see the Nemesis which is threatening to follow this chronic sin of legislators。 They and their class； in common with all owners of property； are in danger of suffering from a sweeping application of that general principle practically asserted by each of these confiscating Acts of Parliament。 For what is the tacit assumption on which such Acts proceed？ It is the assumption that no man has any claim to his property； not even to that which he has earned by the sweat of his brow； save by permission of the community； and that the community may cancel the claim to any extent it thinks fit。 No defence can be made for this appropriation of A's possessions for the benefit of B； save one which sets out with the postulate that society as a whole has an absolute right over the possessions of each member。 And now this doctrine； which has been tacitly assumed； is being openly proclaimed。 Mr George and his friends； Mr Hyndman and his supporters； are pushing the theory to its logical issue。 They have been instructed by examples； yearly increasing in number； that the individual has no rights but what the community may equitably override； and they are now saying 〃It shall go hard but we will better the instruction；〃 and over…ride individual rights altogether。
Legislative misdeeds of the classes above indicated are in large measure explained； and reprobation of them mitigated； when we look at the matter from afar off。 They have their root in the error that society is a manufacture； whereas it is a growth。 Neither the culture of past times nor the culture of the present time； has given to any considerable number of people a scientific conception of a society a conception of it as having a natural structure in which all its institutions； governmental； religious； industrial； commercial； etc。； etc。； are interdependently bound a structure which is in a sense organic。 Or if such a conception is nominally entertained； it is not entertained in such way as to be operative on conduct。 Contrariwise； incorporated humanity is very commonly thought of as though it were like so much dough which the cook can mould as she pleases into pie…crust； or puff； or tartlet。 The communist shows us unmistakably that he thinks of the body politic as admitting of being shaped thus or thus at will； and the tacit implication of many Acts of Parliament is that aggregated men； twisted into this or that arrangement； will remain as intended。 It may indeed be said that even irrespective of this erroneous conception of a society as a plastic mass instead of as an organized body； facts forced on his attention hour by hour should make every one sceptical as to the success of this or that proposed way of changing a people's actions。 Alike to the citizen and to the legislator； home experiences daily supply proofs that the conduct of human beings baulks calculation。 He has given up the thought of managing his wife and lets her manage him。 Children on whom he has tried now reprimand； now punish