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possibilities of agriculture。 Socialists and Anarchists in the main are
products of industrial life； and few among them have any practical
knowledge on the subject of food production。 But Kropotkin is an
exception。 His two books； ‘‘The Conquest of Bread'' and ‘‘Fields；
Factories and Workshops；'' are very full of detailed information； and； even
making great allowances for an optimistic bias； I do not think it can be
denied that they demonstrate possibilities in which few of us would
otherwise have believed。
Malthus contended； in effect； that population always tends to increase
up to the limit of subsistence； that the production of food becomes more
expensive as its amount is increased； and that therefore； apart from short
exceptional periods when new discoveries produce temporary alleviations；
the bulk of mankind must always be at the lowest level consistent with
survival and reproduction。 As applied to the civilized races of the world；
this doctrine is becoming untrue through the rapid decline in the birth…rate；
but； apart from this decline； there are many other reasons why the doctrine
cannot be accepted； at any rate as regards the near future。 The century
which elapsed after Malthus wrote； saw a very great increase in the
standard of comfort throughout the wage…earning classes； and； owing to
the enormous increase in the productivity of labor； a far greater rise in the
standard of comfort could have been effected if a more just system of
distribution had been introduced。 In former times； when one man's labor
produced not very much more than was needed for one man's subsistence；
it was impossible either greatly to reduce the normal hours of labor； or
greatly to increase the proportion of the population who enjoyed more
than the bare necessaries of life。 But this state of affairs has been
overcome by modern methods of production。 At the present moment； not
only do many people enjoy a comfortable income derived from rent or
interest； but about half the population of most of the civilized countries in
the world is engaged； not in the production of commodities； but in fighting
or in manufacturing munitions of war。 In a time of peace the whole of this
half might be kept in idleness without making the other half poorer than
they would have been if the war had continued； and if； instead of being
idle； they were productively employed； the whole of what they would
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produce would be a divisible surplus over and above present wages。 The
present productivity of labor in Great Britain would suffice to produce an
income of about 1 pound per day for each family； even without any of
those improvements in methods which are obviously immediately
possible。
But； it will be said； as population increases； the price of food must
ultimately increase also as the sources of supply in Canada； the Argentine；
Australia and elsewhere are more and more used up。 There must come a
time； so pessimists will urge； when food becomes so dear that the ordinary
wage…earner will have little surplus for expenditure upon other things。 It
may be admitted that this would be true in some very distant future if the
population were to continue to increase without limit。 If the whole surface
of the world were as densely populated as London is now； it would； no
doubt； require almost the whole labor of the population to produce the
necessary food from the few spaces remaining for agriculture。 But there is
no reason to suppose that the population will continue to increase
indefinitely； and in any case the prospect is so remote that it may be
ignored in all practical considerations。
Returning from these dim speculations to the facts set forth by
Kropotkin； we find it proved in his writings that； by methods of intensive
cultivation； which are already in actual operation； the amount of food
produced on a given area can be increased far beyond anything that most
uninformed persons suppose possible。 Speaking of the market…gardeners
in Great Britain； in the neighborhood of Paris； and in other places； he
says：
They have created a totally new agriculture。 They smile when we
boast about the rotation system having permitted us to take from the field
one crop every year； or four crops each three years； because their ambition
is to have six and nine crops from the very same plot of land during the
twelve months。 They do not understand our talk about good and bad soils；
because they make the soil themselves； and make it in such quantities as to
be compelled yearly to sell some of it； otherwise it would raise up the
level of their gardens by half an inch every year。 They aim at cropping； not
five or six tons of grass on the acre； as we do； but from 50 to 100 tons of
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various vegetables on the same space； not 5 pound sworth of hay； but 100
pounds worth of vegetables； of the plainest description； cabbage and
carrots。＇38＇
＇38＇ Kropotkin； ‘‘Fields； Factories and Workshops；'' p。 74。
As regards cattle； he mentions that Mr。 Champion at Whitby grows
on each acre the food of two or three head of cattle； whereas under
ordinary high farming it takes two or three acres to keep each head of
cattle in Great Britain。 Even more astonishing are the achievements of the
Culture Maraicheres round Paris。 It is impossible to summarize these
achievements； but we may note the general conclusion：
There are now practical Maraichers who venture to maintain that if
all the food； animal and vegetable； necessary for the 3；500；000 inhabitants
of the Departments of Seine and Seine…et…Oise had to be grown on their
own territory （3250 square miles）； it could be grown without resorting to
any other methods of culture than those already in usemethods already
tested on a large scale and proved successful。＇39＇
＇39＇ Ib。 p。 81。
It must be remembered that these two departments include the whole
population of Paris。
Kropotkin proceeds to point out methods by which the same result
could be achieved without long hours of labor。 Indeed； he contends that
the great bulk of agricultural work could be carried on by people whose
main occupations are sedentary； and with only such a number of hours as
would serve to keep them in health and produce a pleasant diversification。
He protests against the theory of exces… sive division of labor。 What he
wants is INTEGRATION； ‘‘a society where each individual is a producer
of both manual and intellectual work； where each able… bodied human
being is a worker； and where each worker works both in the field and in
the industrial workshop。''＇40＇
＇40＇ Kropotkin； ‘‘Field； Factories； and Workshops；'' p。 6。
These views as to production have no essential connection with
Kropotkin's advocacy of Anarchism。 They would be equally possible
under State Socialism； and under certain circumstances they might even be
carried out in a capitalistic regime。 They are important for our present
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purpose； not from any argument which they afford in favor of one
economic system as against another； but from the fact that they remove the
veto upon our hopes which might otherwise result from a doubt as to the
productive capacity of labor。 I have dwelt upon agriculture rather than
industry； since it is in regard to agriculture that the difficulties are chiefly
supposed to arise。 Broadly speaking； i