Synopsis
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Excerpt from book:
PREFACE. " I presume you have felt, as have I, the sting of criticism and censure—of misrepresentation because discussing this topic of socialism at all." These are words written to me in a letter recently received, by a friend who is professor of political economy in a prominent Western university. They indicate at once a difficulty in the way of the economist. The topics he discusses are so vital, that any presentation of them is bound to be misconstrued in some quarter. Nevertheless, there seems to be only one course for an honest man, which is to say his word and patiently endure misunderstanding and even malicious abuse. But it may not be out of place for me to state the purpose of this monograph. The aim of the present paper is so clear that only unfortunate experience in the past leads me to explain it in the preface. When my " French and German Socialism " was published, one ill-natured critic complained because my opinions were not distinguished from the opinions I was endeavoring to expound. This criticism was echoed in other places. Now it had not occurred to me that it was necessary to thrust my opinions upon the reader of the history of French and German Socialism. In reading works covering like ground I had often been annoyed by childish criticism such as must occur to every boy, criticism thrust into the midst of the presentation of some theoretical system, so I resolved to abstain from anything of the kind and thought it sufficient to let the facts speak for themselves. The aim of this monograph is quite similar. It is primarily a presentation and not a refutation. It will be read chiefly by well-educated men, in comfortable circumstances, and of moral natures sufficiently elevated to understand that we ought not to lie, murder, and blow up cities with dyn...