proposed roads to freedom(通往自由之路)-第41节
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adequate to any possible demand； to be given away freely to all who ask
for them； in any amounts they may require。 The question whether this plan
should be adopted is； to my mind； a purely technical one： would it be； in
fact； possible to adopt it without much waste and consequent diversion of
labor to the production of necessaries when it might be more usefully
employed otherwise？ I have not the means of answering this question； but
I think it exceedingly probable that； sooner or later； with the continued
improvement in the methods of production； this Anarchist plan will
become feasible； and when it does； it certainly ought to be adopted。
Women in domestic work； whether married or unmarried； will receive
pay as they would if they were in industry。 This will secure the complete
economic independence of wives； which is difficult to achieve in any other
way； since mothers of young children ought not to be expected to work
outside the home。
The expense of children will not fall； as at present； on the parents。
They will receive； like adults； their share of necessaries； and their
education will be free。＇60＇ There is no longer to be the present competition
for scholarships among the abler children： they will not be imbued with
the competitive spirit from infancy； or forced to use their brains to an
unnatural degree with consequent listlessness and lack of health in later
life。 Education will be far more diversified than at present； greater care
will be taken to adapt it to the needs of different types of young people。
There will be more attempt to encourage initiative young pupils； and less
desire to fill their minds with a set of beliefs and mental habits regarded as
desirable by the State； chiefly because they help to preserve the status quo。
For the great majority of children it will probably be found desirable to
have much more outdoor education in the country。 And for older boys and
girls whose interests are not intellectual or artistic； technical education；
undertaken in a liberal spirit； is far more useful in promoting mental
activity than book…learning which they regard （however falsely） as wholly
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useless except for purposes of examination。 The really useful educa… tion
is that which follows the direction of the child's own instinctive interests；
supplying knowledge for which it is seeking； not dry； detailed information
wholly out of relation to its spontaneous desires。
＇60＇ Some may fear that the result would be an undue increase of
population； but such fears I believe to be groundless。 See above； （Chapter
IV； on ‘‘Work and Pay。'' Also； Chapter vi of ‘‘Principles of Social
Reconstruction'' （George Allen and Unwin； Ltd。）。
Government and law will still exist in our community； but both will
be reduced to a minimum。 There will still be acts which will be forbidden…
…for example； murder。 But very nearly the whole of that part of the
criminal law which deals with property will have become obsolete； and
many of the motives which now produce murders will be no longer
operative。 Those who nevertheless still do commit crimes will not be
blamed or regarded as wicked； they will be regarded as unfortunate； and
kept in some kind of mental hospital until it is thought that they are no
longer a danger。 By education and freedom and the abolition of private
capital the number of crimes can be made exceedingly small。 By the
method of individual curative treatment it will generally be possible to
secure that a man's first offense shall also be his last； except in the case of
lunatics and the feeble…minded； for whom of course a more prolonged but
not less kindly detention may be necessary。
Government may be regarded as consisting of two parts： the one； the
decisions of the community or its recognized organs； the other； the
enforcing of those decisions upon all who resist them。 The first part is not
objected to by Anarchists。 The second part； in an ordinary civilized State；
may remain entirely in the background： those who have resisted a new law
while it was being debated will； as a rule； submit to it when it is passed；
because resistance is generally useless in a settled and orderly community。
But the possibility of governmental force remains； and indeed is the very
reason for the submission which makes force unnecessary。 If； as
Anarchists desire； there were no use of force by government； the majority
could still band themselves together and use force against the minority。
The only difference would be that their army or their police force would
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be ad hoc； instead of being permanent and professional。 The result of this
would be that everyone would have to learn how to fight； for fear a well…
drilled minority should seize power and establish an old…fashioned
oligarchic State。 Thus the aim of the Anarchists seems hardly likely to be
achieved by the methods which they advocate。
The reign of violence in human affairs； whether within a country or in
its external relations； can only be prevented； if we have not been mistaken；
by an authority able to declare all use of force except by itself illegal； and
strong enough to be obviously capable of making all other use of force
futile； except when it could secure the support of public opinion as a
defense of freedom or a resistance to injustice。 Such an authority exists
within a country： it is the State。 But in international affairs it remains to be
created。 The difficulties are stupendous； but they must be overcome if the
world is to be saved from periodical wars； each more destructive than any
of its predecessors。 Whether； after this war； a League of Nations will be
formed； and will be capable of performing this task； it is as yet impossible
to foretell。 However that may be； some method of preventing wars will
have to be established before our Utopia becomes possible。 When once
men BELIEVE that the world is safe from war； the whole difficulty will be
solved： there will then no longer be any serious resistance to the
disbanding of national armies and navies； and the substitution for them of
a small international force for protection against uncivilized races。 And
when that stage has been reached； peace will be virtually secure。
The practice of government by majorities； which Anarchists criticise；
is in fact open to most of the objections which they urge against it。 Still
more objectionable is the power of the executive in matters vitally
affecting the happiness of all； such as peace and war。 But neither can be
dispensed with suddenly。 There are； however； two methods of diminishing
the harm done by them： （1） Government by majorities can be made less
oppressive by devolution； by placing the decision of questions primarily
affecting only a section of the community in the hands of that section；
rather than of a Central Chamber。 In this way； men are no longer forced to
submit to decisions made in a hurry by people mostly ignorant of the
matter in hand and not personally interested。 Autonomy for internal affairs
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should be given； not only to areas； but to all groups； such as industries or
Churches； which have important common interests not shared by the rest
of the community。 （2） The great powers vested in the executive of a
modern State are chiefly due to the frequent need of rapid decisions；
especially as regards foreign affairs。 If the danger of war were practically
eliminated； more cumbrous but less autocratic methods would be possible；
and the Legislature might recover many of the powers which the executive
has usurped。 By these two methods； the intensity of the interference with
liberty
