CHAPTER III

THE ACTION OF POSITIVISM UPON THE WORKING CLASSES 140

Positivism will not for the present recommend itself to the governing classes, so much as to the People--The working man who accepts his position is favourably situated for the reception of comprehensive principles and generous sympathies--This the Convention felt; but they encouraged the People to seek political supremacy, for which they are not fit--It is only in exceptional cases that the People can be really ‘sovereign’--The truth involved in the expression is that the well-being of the people should be the one great object of government--The People’s function is to assist the spiritual power in modifying the action of government--Their combined efforts result in the formation of Public Opinion--Public opinion involves, (1) principles of social conduct, (2) their acceptance by society at large, (3) an organ through which to enunciate them--Working men’s clubs--All three conditions of Public Opinion exist, but have not yet been combined--Spontaneous tendencies of the people in a right direction. Their Communism--Its new title of Socialism--Property is in its nature social, and needs control--But Positivism rejects the Communist solution of the Problem. Property is to be controlled by moral not legal agencies--Individualization of functions as necessary as co-operation--Industry requires its captains as well as War--Communism is deficient in the historical spirit--In fact, as a system it is worthless, though prompted by noble feelings--Property is a public trust, not to be interfered with legally--Inheritance favourable to its right employment--Intellect needs moral control as much as wealth--Action of organized public opinion upon Capitalists. Strikes--Public Opinion must be based upon a sound system of Education--Education has two stages; from birth to puberty, from puberty to adolescence. The first, consisting of physical and esthetic training, to be given at home--The second part consists of public lectures on the Sciences, from Mathematics to Sociology--Travels of Apprentices--Concentration of study--Governmental assistance not required, except for certain special institutions, and this only as a provisional measure--We are not ripe for this system at present; and Government must not attempt to hasten its introduction--Intellectual attitude of the people. Emancipation from theological belief--From metaphysical doctrines--Their mistaken preference of literary and rhetorical talent to real intellectual power--Moral attitude of the people. The workman should regard himself as a public functionary--Ambition of power and wealth must be abandoned--The working classes are the best guarantee for Liberty and Order--It is from them that we shall obtain the dictatorial power which is provisionally required.

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