Functional socialism

THE REVIVAL OF GUILD SOCIALISM 149

upon the National Guild Congress, which was to be the national economic authority. So far as 1 know, this was the first suggestion made for an economic authority, functioning independently. The idea is now being promulgated from several quarters. I find myself at that time writing this:

As the Guilds gradually shape themselves into their natural economic forms and groupings, it is certain that many vexed controversies will call for patient and statesmanlike discussion and settlement. The reorganization of industrial society may be planned with Roman precision of thought and a Greek sense of symmetry, but, unless the spirit that directs it is informed with a cultured appreciation of the many and various problems that call for solution, we shall find ourselves in possession of a charter and constitution as perfect as a Central American Republic and with as rotten an administration. ‘The organization of the Guilds is a task for trained craftsmen and industrial thinkers, and not for contented wage slaves. It presupposes an intelligent.determination to be quit of the wage system and an understanding that Guild organization is the strong successor to the large industry, now clearly destined to disintegration and decay.

So far as was possible, the potential difficulties and dissension were frankly faced. Thus the weaker Guilds may get the worse of their bargains with the stronger; each Guild may put is own price on it’s own labour; the Agricultural Guild, numerically the strongest, will undoubtedly press for equality of pay with the industrial Guilds; the Transport