Britain for the British. Robert Blatchford

CAN BRITAIN FEED HERSELF 110 XIII. THE SUCCESSFUL MAN 119 XIV. TEMPERANCE AND THRIFT 127 XV. THE SURPLUS LABOUR MISTAKE 135 XVI. IS SOCIALISM POSSIBLE, AND WILL IT PAY? 141 XVII. THE NEED FOR A LABOUR PARTY 148 XVIII. WHY THE OLD PARTIES WILL NOT DO 156 XIX. TO-DAY'S WORK 166 WHAT TO READ 174

THE TITLE OF THIS BOOK

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      The motto of this book is expressed in its title: Britain for the British.

      At present Britain does not belong to the British: it belongs to a few of the British, who employ the bulk of the population as servants or as workers.

      It is because Britain does not belong to the British that a few are very rich and the many are very poor.

      It is because Britain does not belong to the British that we find amongst the owning class a state of useless luxury and pernicious idleness, and amongst the working classes a state of drudging toil, of wearing poverty and anxious care.

      This state of affairs is contrary to Christianity, is contrary to justice, and contrary to reason. It is bad for the rich, it is bad for the poor; it is against the best interests of the British nation and the human race.

      The remedy for this evil state of things—the only remedy yet suggested—is Socialism. And Socialism is broadly expressed in the title and motto of this book: Britain for the British.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK

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      The purpose of this book is to convert the reader to Socialism: to convince him that the present system—political, industrial, and social—is bad; to explain to him why it is bad, and to prove to him that Socialism is the only true remedy.

FOR WHOM THIS BOOK IS INTENDED

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      This book is intended for any person who does not understand, or has, so far, refused to accept the principles of Socialism.

      But it is especially addressed, as my previous book, Merrie England, was addressed, to John Smith, a typical British working man, not yet converted to Socialism.

      I hope this book will be read by every opponent of Socialism; and I hope it will be read by all those good folks who, though not yet Socialists, are anxious to help their fellow-creatures, to do some good in their own day and generation, and to leave the world a little better than they found it.

      I hope that all lovers of justice and of truth will read this book, and that many of them will be thereby led to a fuller study of Socialism.

      To the Tory and the Radical; to the Roman Catholic, the Anglican, and the Nonconformist; to the workman and the employer; to the scholar and the peer; to the labourer's wife, the housemaid, and the duchess; to the advocates of Temperance and of Co-operation; to the Trade Unionist and the non-Unionist; to the potman, the bishop, and the brewer; to the artist and the merchant; to the poet and the navvy; to the Idealist and the Materialist; to the poor clerk, the rich financier, the great scientist, and the little child, I commend the following beautiful prayer from the Litany of the Church of England:—

      That it may please thee to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred, and are deceived.

      That it may please thee to strengthen such as do stand; and to comfort and help the weak-hearted; and to raise up them that fall; and finally to beat down Satan under our feet.

      That it may please thee to succour, help, and comfort all that are in danger, necessity, and tribulation.

      That it may please thee to preserve all that travel by land or by water, all women labouring of child, all sick persons, and young children; and to shew thy pity upon all prisoners and captives.

      That it may please thee to defend, and provide for, the fatherless children, and widows, and all that are desolate and oppressed.

      That it may please thee to have mercy upon all men.

      That it may please thee to forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts.

      That it may please thee to give and preserve to our use the kindly fruits of the earth, so as in due time we may enjoy them.

      We beseech thee to hear us, good Lord.

      I have italicised the word "all" in that prayer to emphasise the fact that mercy, succour, comfort, and pardon are here asked for all, and not for a few.

      I now ask the reader of this book, with those words of broad charity and sweet kindliness still fresh in mind, to remember the unmerited miseries, the ill-requited labour, the gnawing penury, and the loveless and unhonoured lives to which an evil system dooms millions of British men and women. I ask the reader to discover for himself how much pity we bestow upon our "prisoners and captives," how much provision we make for the "fatherless children and widows," what nature and amount of "succour, help, and comfort" we vouchsafe to "all who are in danger, necessity, and tribulation." I ask him to consider, with regard to those "kindly fruits of the earth," who produces, and who enjoys them; and I beg him next to proceed in a judicial spirit, by means of candour and right reason, to examine fairly and weigh justly the means proposed by Socialists for abolishing poverty and oppression, and for conferring prosperity, knowledge, and freedom upon all men.

      Britain for the British: that is our motto. We ask for a fair and open trial. We solicit an impartial hearing of the case for Socialism. Listen patiently to our statements; consider our arguments; accord to us a fair field and no favour; and may the truth prevail.

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