Functional socialism

50 FUNCTIONAL SOCIALISM

tual and higher endowments of the mind”. The picture, however, is incomplete unless we realize the practical effects upon life of the spiritual State economically supported by a functional organization. Again, unblushingly, I quote myself:—

The reactions of the spiritual State upon the life of the community are of immense speculative interest. Assuming the release of the political activities from economic entanglements, that, subject to public policy, State affairs can be arranged on a basis of pure reason, is not the way opened to new conceptions of communal and private life? Shall we not then discover new canons and principles in our relations to each other? Can we not predict with confidence that the habit of reason will induce refinements of thought and conduct? It is, of course, unthinkable that any nation, the British least of all, can maintain a State organization, set free to judge great issues on their merits, without vitally affecting the economic life of the Guilds. The man who in his capacity of citizen is trained to decide on the intrinsic right or wrong of a public question is the same man who, as a Guildsman, must, according to his function, decide industrial policy with its inevitable economic effects. Even though he decide these dual problems on different assumptions, he retains but one habit of mind. The one brain reaches a political or an industrial decision: reaches each decision in a different atmosphere and in different association: is one man with one brain functioning in politics or in the Guilds. He is not two, but one. Why, then, it may be asked, these fine distinctions between the political and economic activities, why all this elaboration of the spiritual State?