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industry； since it is in regard to agriculture that the difficulties are chiefly
supposed to arise。 Broadly speaking； industrial production tends to be
cheaper when it is carried on on a large scale； and therefore there is no
reason in industry why an increase in the demand should lead to an
increased cost of supply。
Passing now from the purely technical and material side of the
problem of production； we come to the human factor； the motives leading
men to work； the possibilities of efficient organization of production； and
the connection of production with distribution。 Defenders of the existing
system maintain that efficient work would be impossible without the
economic stimulus； and that if the wage system were abolished men would
cease to do enough work to keep the community in tolerable comfort。
Through the alleged necessity of the economic motive； the problems of
production and distribution become intertwined。 The desire for a more just
distribution of the world's goods is the main inspiration of most Socialism
and Anarchism。 We must； therefore； consider whether the system of
distribution which they propose would be likely to lead to a diminished
production。
There is a fundamental difference between Socialism and Anarchism
as regards the question of distribution。 Socialism； at any rate in most of its
forms； would retain payment for work done or for willingness to work；
and； except in the case of persons incapacitated by age or infirmity； would
make willingness to work a condition of subsistence； or at any rate of
subsistence above a certain very low minimum。 Anarchism； on the other
hand； aims at granting to everyone； without any conditions whatever； just
as much of all ordinary commodities as he or she may care to consume；
while the rarer com… modities； of which the supply cannot easily be
indefinitely increased； would be rationed and divided equally among the
population。 Thus Anarchism would not impose any OBLIGATIONS of
work； though Anarchists believe that the necessary work could be made
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sufficiently agreeable for the vast majority of the population to undertake
it voluntarily。 Socialists； on the other hand； would exact work。 Some of
them would make the incomes of all workers equal； while others would
retain higher pay for the work which is considered more valuable。 All
these different systems are compatible with the common ownership of
land and capital； though they differ greatly as regards the kind of society
which they would produce。
Socialism with inequality of income would not differ greatly as
regards the economic stimulus to work from the society in which we live。
Such differences as it would entail would undoubtedly be to the good from
our present point of view。 Under the existing system many people enjoy
idleness and affluence through the mere accident of inheriting land or
capital。 Many others； through their activities in industry or finance； enjoy
an income which is certainly very far in excess of anything to which their
social utility entitles them。 On the other hand； it often happens that
inventors and discoverers； whose work has the very greatest social utility；
are robbed of their reward either by capitalists or by the failure of the
public to appreciate their work until too late。 The better paid work is only
open to those who have been able to afford an expensive training； and
these men are selected in the main not by merit but by luck。 The wage
earner is not paid for his willingness to work； but only for his utility to the
employer。 Consequently； he may be plunged into destitution by causes
over which he has no control。 Such destitution is a constant fear； and when
it occurs it produces undeserved suffering； and often deterioration in the
social value of the sufferer。 These are a few among the evils of our
existing system from the standpoint of production。 All these evils we
might expect to see remedied under any system of Socialism。
There are two questions which need to be considered when we are
discussing how far work requires the economic motive。 The first question
is： Must society give higher pay for the more skilled or socially more
valuable work； if such work is to be done in sufficient quantities？ The
second question is： Could work be made so attractive that enough of it
would be done even if idlers received just as much of the produce of work？
The first of these questions concerns the division between two schools of
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Socialists： the more moderate Socialists sometimes concede that even
under Socialism it would be well to retain unequal pay for different kinds
of work； while the more thoroughgoing Socialists advocate equal incomes
for all workers。 The second question； on the other hand； forms a division
between Socialists and Anarchists； the latter would not deprive a man of
commodities if he did not work； while the former in general would。
Our second question is so much more fundamental than our first that it
must be discussed at once； and in the course of this discussion what needs
to be said on our first question will find its place naturally。
Wages or Free Sharing？‘‘Abolition of the wages system'' is one of
the watchwords common to Anarchists and advanced Socialists。 But in its
most natural sense it is a watchword to which only the Anarchists have a
right。 In the Anarchist conception of society all the commoner
commodities will be available to everyone without stint； in the kind of
way in which water is available at present。＇41＇ Advo… cates of this system
point out that it applies already to many things which formerly had to be
paid for； e。g。； roads and bridges。 They point out that it might very easily be
extended to trams and local trains。 They proceed to argueas Kropotkin
does by means of his proofs that the soil might be made indefinitely more
productivethat all the commoner kinds of food could be given away to
all who demanded them； since it would be easy to produce them in
quantities adequate to any possible demand。 If this system were extended
to all the necessaries of life； everyone's bare livelihood would be secured；
quite regardless of the way in which he might choose to spend his time。 As
for commodities which cannot be produced in indefinite quantities； such
as luxuries and delicacies； they also； according to the Anarchists； are to be
distributed without payment； but on a system of rations； the amount
available being divided equally among the population。 No doubt； though
this is not said； something like a price will have to be put upon these
luxuries； so that a man may be free to choose how he will take his share：
one man will prefer good wine； another the finest Havana cigars； another
pictures or beautiful furniture。 Presumably； every man will be allowed to
take such luxuries as are his due in whatever form he prefers； the relative
prices being fixed so as to equalize the demand。 In such a world as this；
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the economic stimulus to production will have wholly disappeared； and if
work is to continue it must be from other motives。＇42＇
＇41＇ ‘‘Notwithstanding the egotistic turn given to the public mind by
the merchant…production of our century； the Communist tendency is
continually reasserting itself and trying to make its way into public life。
The penny bridge disappears before the public bridge； and the turnpike
road before the free road。 The same spirit pervades thousands of other
institutions。 Museums； free libraries； and free public schools； parks and
pleasure grounds；