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which will deal with marketing and the general interests of the industry as
a whole。 ‘‘The State would own the means of production as trustee for the
community； the Guilds would manage them； also as trustees for the
community； and would pay to the State a single tax or rent。 Any Guild that
chose to set its own interests above those of the community would be
violating its trust； and would have to bow to the judgment of a tribunal
equally representing the whole body of producers and the whole body of
consumers。 This Joint Committee would be the ultimate sovereign body；
the ultimate appeal court of industry。 It would fix not only Guild taxation；
but also standard prices； and both taxation and prices would be
periodically readjusted by it。'' Each Guild will be entirely free to apportion
what it receives among its members as it chooses； its members being all
those who work in the industry which it covers。 ‘‘The distribution of this
collective Guild income among the members seems to be a matter for each
Guild to decide for itself。 Whether the Guilds would； sooner or later； adopt
the principle of equal payment for every member； is open to discussion。''
Guild Socialism accepts from Syndicalism the view that liberty is not to be
secured by making the State the employer： ‘‘The State and the
Municipality as employers have turned out not to differ essentially from
the private capitalist。'' Guild Socialists regard the State as consisting of the
community in their capacity as consumers； while the Guilds will represent
them in their capacity as producers； thus Parliament and the Guild
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Congress will be two co…equal powers representing consumers and
producers respectively。 Above both will be the joint Committee of
Parliament and the Guild Congress for deciding matters involving the
interests of consumers and producers alike。 The view of the Guild
Socialists is that State Socialism takes account of men only as consumers；
while Syndicalism takes account of them only as producers。 ‘‘The
problem；'' say the Guild Socialists； ‘‘is to reconcile the two points of view。
That is what advocates of National Guilds set out to do。 The Syndicalist
has claimed everything for the industrial organizations of producers； the
Collectivist everything for the territorial or political organizations of
consumers。 Both are open to the same criticism； you cannot reconcile two
points of view merely by denying one of them。''＇36＇ But although Guild
Socialism represents an attempt at readjustment between two equally
legitimate points of view； its impulse and force are derived from what it
has taken over from Syndicalism。 Like Syndicalism； it desires not
primarily to make work better paid； but to secure this result along with
others by making it in itself more interesting and more democratic in
organization。
＇36＇ The above quotations are all from the first pamphlet of the
National Guilds League； ‘‘National Guilds； an Appeal to Trade Unionists。''
Capitalism has made of work a purely commercial activity； a soulless
and a joyless thing。 But substitute the national service of the Guilds for the
profiteering of the few； substitute responsible labor for a saleable
commodity； substitute self…government and decentralization for the
bureaucracy and demoralizing hugeness of the modern State and the
modern joint stock company； and then it may be just once more to speak
of a ‘‘joy in labor；'' and once more to hope that men may be proud of
quality and not only of quantity in their work。 There is a cant of the
Middle Ages； and a cant of ‘‘joy in labor；'' but it were better； perhaps； to
risk that cant than to reconcile ourselves forever to the philosophy of
Capitalism and of Collectivism； which declares that work is a necessary
evil never to be made pleasant； and that the workers' only hope is a leisure
which shall be longer； richer； and well adorned with municipal
amenities。＇37＇
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＇37＇ ‘‘The Guild Idea；'' No。 2 of the Pamphlets of the National Guilds
League； p。 17。
Whatever may be thought of the practicability of Syndicalism； there is
no doubt that the ideas which it has put into the world have done a great
deal to revive the labor movement and to recall it to certain things of
fundamental importance which it had been in danger of forgetting。
Syndicalists consider man as producer rather than consumer。 They are
more concerned to procure freedom in work than to increase material
well…being。 They have revived the quest for liberty； which was growing
somewhat dimmed under the regime of Parliamentary Socialism； and they
have reminded men that what our modern society needs is not a little
tinkering here and there； nor the kind of minor readjustments to which the
existing holders of power may readily consent； but a fundamental
reconstruction； a sweeping away of all the sources of oppression； a
liberation of men's constructive energies； and a wholly new way of
conceiving and regulating production and economic relations。 This merit
is so great that； in view of it； all minor defects become insignificant； and
this merit Syndicalism will continue to possess even if； as a definite
movement； it should be found to have passed away with the war。
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PART II
PROBLEMS OF THE FUTURE
CHAPTER IV
WORK AND PAY
THE man who seeks to create a better order of society has two
resistances to contend with： one that of Nature； the other that of his fellow…
men。 Broadly speaking； it is science that deals with the resistance of
Nature； while politics and social organization are the methods of
overcoming the resistance of men。
The ultimate fact in economics is that Nature only yields commodities
as the result of labor。 The necessity of SOME labor for the satisfaction of
our wants is not imposed by political systems or by the exploitation of the
working classes； it is due to physical laws； which the reformer； like
everyone else； must admit and study。 Before any optimistic economic
project can be accepted as feasible； we must examine whether the physical
conditions of production impose an unalterable veto； or whether they are
capable of being sufficiently modified by science and organization。 Two
connected doctrines must be considered in examining this question： First；
Malthus' doctrine of population； and second； the vaguer； but very
prevalent； view that any surplus above the bare necessaries of life can only
be produced if most men work long hours at monotonous or painful tasks；
leaving little leisure for a civilized existence or rational enjoyment。 I do
not believe that either of these obstacles to optimism will survive a close
scrutiny。 The possibility of technical improvement in the methods of
production is； I believe； so great that； at any rate for centuries to come；
there will be no inevitable barrier to progress in the general well…being by
the simultaneous increase of commodities and diminution of hours of
labor。
This subject has been specially studied by Kropotkin； who； whatever
may be thought of his general theories of politics； is remarkably
instructive； concrete and convincing in all that he says about the
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