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‘Even now men think less of money than they do of the respect； esteem or honour they are able to procure with it。 Many men spend the greater part of their lives striving to accumulate money； and when they have succeeded； they proceed to spend it to obtain the respect of their fellow…men。 Some of them spend thousands of pounds for the honour of being able to write 〃MP〃 after their names。 Others buy titles。 Others pay huge sums to gain admission to exclusive circles of society。 Others give the money away in charity； or found libraries or universities。 The reason they do these things is that they desire to be applauded and honoured by their fellow…men。
‘This desire is strongest in the most capable men … the men of genius。 Therefore； under Socialism the principal incentive to great work will be the same as now … Honour and Praise。 But； under the present system； Honour and Praise can be bought with money； and it does not matter much how the money was obtained。
‘Under Socialism it will be different。 The Cross of Honour and the Laurel Crown will not be bought and sold for filthy lucre。 They will be the supreme rewards of Virtue and of Talent。'
‘Anyone else like to be flattened Out？' inquired Philpot。
‘What would you do with them what spends all their money in drink？' asked Slyme。
‘I might reasonably ask you； 〃What's done with them or what you propose to do with them now？〃 There are many men and women whose lives are so full of toil and sorrow and the misery caused by abject poverty； who are so shut out from all that makes life worth living； that the time they spend in the public house is the only ray of sunshine in their cheerless lives。 Their mental and material poverty is so great that they are deprived of and incapable of understanding the intellectual and social pleasures of civilization。。。 Under Socialism there will be no such class as this。 Everyone will be educated； and social life and rational pleasure will be within the reach of all。 Therefore we do not believe that there will be such a class。 Any individuals who abandoned themselves to such a course would be avoided by their fellows； but if they became very degraded； we should still remember that they were our brother men and women； and we should regard them as suffering from a disease inherited from their uncivilized forefathers and try to cure them by placing them under some restraint： in an institute for instance。'
‘Another good way to deal with 'em；' said Harlow； ‘would be to allow them double pay； so as they could drink themselves to death。 We could do without the likes of them。'
‘Call the next case；' said Philpot。
‘This 'ere abundance that you're always talking about；' said Crass； you can't be sure that it would be possible to produce all that。 You're only assoomin' that it could be done。'
Barrington pointed to the still visible outlines of the ‘Hoblong' that Owen had drawn on the wall to illustrate a previous lecture。
‘Even under the present silly system of restricted production； with the majority of the population engaged in useless； unproductive； unnecessary work； and large numbers never doing any work at all； there is enough produced to go all round after a fashion。 More than enough； for in consequence of what they call 〃Over…Production〃； the markets are periodically glutted with commodities of all kinds； and then for a time the factories are closed and production ceases。 And yet we can all manage to exist … after a fashion。 This proves that if productive industry were organized on the lines advocated by Socialists there could be produced such a prodigious quantity of everything； that everyone could live in plenty and comfort。 The problem of how to produce sufficient for all to enjoy abundance is already solved： the problem that then remains is … How to get rid of those whose greed and callous indifference to the sufferings of others； prevents it being done。'
‘Yes！ and you'll never be able to get rid of 'em； mate；' cried Crass； triumphantly … and the man with the copper wire stitches in his boot said that it couldn't be done。
‘Well； we mean to have a good try； anyhow；' said Barrington。
Crass and most of the others tried hard to think of something to say in defence of the existing state of affairs； or against the proposals put forward by the lecturer； but finding nothing； they maintained a sullen and gloomy silence。 The man with the copper wire stitches in his boot in particular appeared to be very much upset； perhaps he was afraid that if the things advocated by the speaker ever came to pass he would not have any boots at all。 To assume that he had some such thought as this； is the only rational way to account for his hostility； for in his case no change could have been for the worse unless it reduced him to almost absolute nakedness and starvation。
To judge by their unwillingness to consider any proposals to alter the present system； one might have supposed that they were afraid of losing something； instead of having nothing to lose … except their poverty。
It was not till the chairman had made several urgent appeals for more questions that Crass brightened up： a glad smile slowly spread over and illuminated his greasy visage： he had at last thought of a most serious and insurmountable obstacle to the establishment of the Co…operative Commonwealth。
‘What；' he demanded； in a loud voice； ‘what are you goin' to do； in this 'ere Socialist Republic of yours； with them wot WON'T WORK'！〃
As Crass flung this bombshell into the Socialist camp； the miserable； ragged…trousered crew around him could scarce forbear a cheer； but the more intelligent part of the audience only laughed。
‘We don't believe that there will be any such people as that；' said Barrington。
‘There's plenty of 'em about now； anyway；' sneered Crass。
‘You can't change 'uman nature； you know；' cried the man behind the moat； and the one who had the copper wire stitches in his boot laughed scornfully。
‘Yes； I know there are plenty such now；' rejoined Barrington。 ‘It's only what is to be expected； considering that practically all workers live in poverty； and are regarded with contempt。 The conditions under which most of the work is done at present are so unpleasant and degrading that everyone refuses to do any unless they are compelled； none of us here； for instance； would continue to work for Rushton if it were not for the fact that we have either to do so or starve； and when we do work we only just earn enough to keep body and soul together。 Under the present system everybody who can possibly manage to do so avoids doing any work； the only difference being that some people do their loafing better than others。 The aristocracy are too lazy to work； but they seem to get on all right； they have their tenants to work for them。 Rushton is too lazy to work； so he has arranged that we and Nimrod shall work instead； and he fares much better than any of us who do work。 Then there is another kind of loafers who go about begging and occasionally starving rather than submit to such abominable conditions as are offered to them。 These last are generally not much worse off than we are and they are often better off。 At present； people have everything to gain and but little to lose by refusing to work。 Under Socialism it would be just the reverse； the conditions of labour would be so pleasant； the hours of obligatory work so few； and the reward so great； that it is absurd to imagine that any one would be so foolish as to incur the contempt of his fellows and make himself a social outcast by refusing to do the small share of work demanded of him by the community of which he was a member。
‘As for what we should do to such individuals if there did happen to be some； I can assure you that we would not treat them as you treat them now。 We would not dress them up in silk and satin and broadcloth and fine linen： we would not embellish them； as you do； with jewels of gold and jewels of silver and with precious stones； neither should we allow them to fare sumptuously every day。 Our method of dealing with them would be quite different from yours。 In the Co…operative Commonwealth there will be no place for loafers； whether they call themselves aristocrats or tramps； those who are too lazy to work shall have no share in the things that are produced by the labour of others。 Those who do nothing shall have nothing。 If any man will not work； neither shall he eat。 Under the present system a man who is really too lazy to work may stop you in the street and tell you that he cannot get employment。 For all you know； he may be telling the truth； and if you have any feeling and are able； you will help him。 But in the Socialist State no one would have such an excuse； because everyone that was willing would be welcome to come and help in the work of producing wealth and happiness for all； and afterwards he would also be welcome to his full share of the results。'
‘Any more complaints？' inquired the chairman； breaking the gloomy silence that followed。
‘I don't want anyone to think that I am blaming any of these present…day loafers；' Barrington added。 ‘The wealthy ones cannot be expected voluntarily to come and work under existing conditions and if they we