Harmony vs. discord; the theory of human progress and the solution of the present problem

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Harmony vs. Discord.

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Preface

This work is the outgrowth of a long-felt desire to do something towards dispelling the confusion of thought regarding political and social relations, which it is clear arises from the failure to grasp first principles. The original intention was only to place the theories enunciated by Henry George in "Progress and Poverty," in a condensed form. But in the course of a careful study of his theory of interest, which I had been unable to harmonize with first perceptions and logical deductions, I discovered its erroneous character. This led to a more independent investigation and closer study of his theories. I saw that the law of interest as he expressed it, not only does not agree with natural perceptions, but is erroneous, an incongruity in his philosophy and the molehill magnified to the size of a mountain that hides its real greatness and eflSciency from many. And to his failure to perceive the true law of interest, is largely due his faulty conception of the reason for the unstable equilibrium of supply and demand, and the cause of commercial depressions.

But perceiving the indifference with which people have from disappointment come to view proposed reforms and the general belief that social advance or retrogression is entirely within the power of man to control, I was impressed with the possible hopelessness of any effort to better the condition of man. This led to a deeper study, and to the discovery that human progress has been one continual advance, and that the forces that compel advancement increase with advancement. I saw that what man had gained during his

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existence upon this earth was knowledge and power — the ground work for a future social state — and that conditions were not growing worse, from a reformer's standpoint, but better. I realized that, though social advance depended more on individual effort as we advanced, the dependency of individual happiness on individual effort increased much faster. I, then, decided to clear away the doubts and fears regarding social advance, before entering upon the main purpose of the work.

The first part of this book, which might be considered as preparatory to the second, makes clear that social advance has been continuous; that harmony reigns in the efforts and relations of men, no less than in all the material universe; that all real advantages gained have never been lost, and that the growth and decline of what we call civilizations, are only the alternating play of the balancing forces of social life. Then, following the growth of the present civilization, we see how the pressure evolved compelled us to make one advance after another; and how the advances in knowledge and power, which are capable of great elevation, arc counterbalanced by forces that threaten the dissolution of society and deprive us of the greater part of their advantages. We see that these evil forces, ever growing, are what compels us to advance; that suffering is only the penalty of cither wrongeffort or no effort at all.

Then taking up the economic problem and reducing it to the simplest form in which it presents itself to our minds, thai of the lack of equilibrium between supply and demand. The cause of this condition is clearly explained. It points unerringly to the remedy — the taxation of land values. Then, examining the nature of the value of land, we sec its effectiveness. Turning to a consideration of the laws of distribution, we see that the single tax will effectually abolish interest as a division of wealth and make two divisions of the aggregate product, namely, rent and wages; the first being absorbed by taxation of land valm s, going to meet the expenses of government, supplying social necessities and common

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PREFACE. O

needs-; the latter going to each in the proportion that each contributes, through the operation of the law of supply and demand.

Taking up the question of public utilities, we see that this is a question which, though it now offers almost insnr mmKt table difficulties and on solution, after the j.',»*eat eco fforuic problem is settled, its solution will follow as a aalur«i sequence. The final chapter shows the true welfare of the individual, and its complete harmony with the welfare of society.

This work, though principally intended to clear away the incongruities of error that becloud a great truth, is nevertheless a clear and complete, though brief, exposition of that truth. It contains the germ of a philosophy which I have dared hope, with the aid and encouragement this effort might bring, to do something towards developing. I present it to the thoughtful consideration of my fellow-man, confident that as a result of several months' intense effort, it contains thought, though perhaps poorly expressed, for which the world hungers.

Chapter I. Why We Do Not See The Harmony Of Social

RELATIONS.

Discord is harmony unrecognized.— Pope.

Harmony is a condition of order and agreement in the relation of things in forming a whole or in the accomplishment of an end. It expresses the idea of orderly arrangement, of concerted action, of the perfect adaption of parts to a whole or to an end.

Discord expresses the opposite idea; of conflict in action, of the want of any system in arrangement, of disconcert, and it presupposes no end or object. What may seem discordant when we do not understand the object of the arrangement or its system or movement, when we come to understand the design, or the object of the arrangement, we recognize the harmony and adaption of parts or movements.

During severe storms when the elements are most violent, when the rain is driven in sheets and the wind seems in a fury, if there is anything at any time in a. discordant state, it is then and there. Yet we are taught that it is but a movement of the elements, a change in their combinations and relative positions in obedience to a law; that the earth as it moves through space occupies various positions in regard to other bodies, which causes variations in the arrangement of her elements, particularly noticeable in her atmosphere. Thus, what has seemed to former generations and to many even now in the fury of the elements, as is often said, the utmost confusion, is, when we come to view it in its broader relations, only an orderly movement of the elements in obedience to an external force.

The result of all observations and discoveries is the confirmation of the belief in the orderly and harmonious arrangement and movement of the universe and the various parts

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into which, for classification and analyzation, we mentally divide it. What, when first observed, very often seemed a striking exception to this uniform order, when viewed in its

more extended relations, has invariably been found to belongto the harmonious arrangement of things. The knowledge of the relations of the material universe has become so perfected by the successive delving of man for ages, though all is not understood, it is universally agreed that the movements and relations of matter are uniform and orderly, and all is and moves in harmony, and discord is only in seeming because of our failure to comprehend more extended relations. And can we not safely infer from this, that in the world of mind there is, also, an order, an harmonious movement, and that discord, the seeming want of order, arises from our failure to comprehend more extended relations, or the purpose or intent?

To many. I believe the vast majority today, it seems that there is no order in their relations and movements; it seems that they are tossed hither and thither, as if by an angry sea. This would infer no object in human existence as a whole, or various and conflicting objects. It might infer an object to individual existence, but not the orderly and harmonious relation between individuals which, from what we know of the relations of things of lower order, we may safely infer exists. But more than this, before mankind had had any knowledge of the harmonious relations of the material universe, of which his physical being is a part, and perhaps from the origin of man, the co-operative and harmonious relations of mankind have in some degree been recognized. Though this has often been forgotten or ignored, the effects of these lapses have always been to compel the re-recognition of the fact.

That there is a like order and arrangement in the relations of mankind as is recognized in the world of matter, seems not to have been thought of, or at least, to my knowledge, no one has ever yet attempted to trace out the order of such relations. Yet, since in all the material world we arc cognizant of harmony and order, can we believe that in man, in which the material is linked with the spiritual, harmony, order and agreement of relations, ends?

Would this not be a destruction of all the harmony that underlies it? Order and harmony cannot end in disorder and discoid, nor disorder and discord result in order and harmony, any more than a continuation of right angles can ever produce a triangle. Is it not. as in the material world, what

V at first seems an exception to the universal order, when viewed in its more extensive relations is seen to harmonize perfectly? Is it not that in the relations of mankind (social relations) we do not see the harmony and agreement because we do not comprehend the object of social life?

Tn Astronomy, before the acceptance of the Copernican theory, when speculation as to the movements of the heavenly bodies was very unsatisfactory, this failure of explanation was due to the failure to comprehend that the earth was round and in rapid motion. It was at that time incomprehensible that the earth, instead of being the hub of the universe, as it were, about which all other bodies moved in attendance, was a mere attendant and insignificant in size.

So it is today in social relations. In the various social adjustments we recognize no order or continuous movement, because we fail to comprehend any other object in social life than the satisfaction of human desire. Like the astronomers of old who believed that the earth was the center of all things, we have supposed that because desire is the impelling force in all human effort and its satisfaction the end, the only object of social life is the greatest satisfaction of desire or the satisfaction of desire with the least effort. Though we have recognized the growth of desire with the ability to satisfy it, we have, in a large measure, failed to note that this growth is due to conditions that are beyond the control of man. Though the satisfaction* of desire is the object of all human effort, it is not the object of human existence, but merely a means by which that object is to be attained; therefore it could not be the object of social adjustments.

From the failure to perceive this have arisen the many speculations regarding previous social adjustments and what are called civilizations, which resulted in the conclusion that human progress may advance and then recede, and in much confusion in that branch of social science — Political Economy, which it is the purpose Of this work to, in some degree, dispel.

Chapter II. The Object Of Social Life

If there has been in social life only discord, a turbulent: state and no order or arrangement, then there is no ground for hope for a future social state in which order will reign; for disorder cannot produce order, nor discord harmony. But if, on the contrary, the various social adjustments can be shown to have been conducive to some end or object, in that will be conclusive proof of an order to an end. And, though there may have been conflict, it was but the rearrangement of the social units, the necessary pressure of a change in direction or velocity to satisfy new requirements.

If the various social adjustments have been for the accomplishment of an object or conducive to an end, there must be tangible evidence of such. Is there not something to which all ages have contributed and which, alone through all the vicissitudes of social life, has not been destroyed?

That there is must be patent to *all at a glance. It is the great body or stock of knowledge and the power that comes of it, the origin of which antedates all history, either written or traditional.

The acquiring of knowledge, in the nature of things, must have begun very early in the period of man's existence and progressed far before, even, the earliest traditions. There are so many things, so common to us and which seem so natural to know, that we of this day are apt to forget that they had to be discovered. How to produce fire or invent a way of communicating thought were, no doubt, as difficult as how to utilize steam, or many other discoveries that seem so greal beeaus< their use is less common.

Thar this body of knowledge was continually augmented and was never lost is plain if we consider of what it really consists, Primarily, it consists of just such knowledge as savages possess, such as enabled (hem, to increase their comfort, convenience and welfare. This, from the nature of man's desires and inclinations, could be lost only with the extinction of the race. Nor was it at any time lessened. It may at times have been available to less numbers than at some previous time, which would lessen its advantages, but there is no evidence that any real knowledge, i. e., discoveries of nature's secrets, was ever lost after having been once grasped. On the contrary, since knowledge is power — power to increase satisfactions — and power is what man has always sought, first to command nature, and second, if the opportunity offers, command his fellow-man; the peoples or tribes with the greatest amount of knowledge were always the most powerful, and, therefore, could not have been overwhelmed and their knowledge destroyed with them. The preservation of knowledge is only a logical deduction from 1 the law of the survival of the fittest. '

The decline and fall of the Roman civilization, as it is called, the latest and, perhaps on that account, the best known of extinct civilizations, is spoken of as being accompanied by the decline of knowledge. Yet, it was not knowledge that was lost with the breaking up of this civilization. It was merely the advantages in its application in production, which comes from an extensive co-operation of men in the effort to satisfy their desires. The great monuments of the architectural skill of past civilizations are not so much an evidence of a high degree of knowledge as of a wide co-operation and a great concentration of effort.

The Roman civilization was not destroyed by the invading barbarians. They merely destroyed the physical evidence of it. It had already disintegrated because the advantages of an extensive co-operation, instead of being utilized in advancement, thereby increasing their power, were squandered in building monuments to vulgar pride and vanity. The co-operation of the people of the Roman empire became less and less, until of that proud civilization there was nothing left but the merest form 1 ; and that fell an easy prey to the invaders who, though having not the physical evidence of so much knowledge, were no doubt as far advanced in the knowledge of nature.

There can be no doubt that there was much knowledge of the doings of men lost with the different civilizations to which they belonged. But this was an advantage rather than a disadvantage, merely the destruction of the rubbish that the useful might not be lost in it. In the gathering of any valuable thing there is necessarily much dross gathered with it. which must be separated. This is most strikingly true of knowledge. And the real knowledge, that which is alwavs useful and valuable, is and in all times has been the knowledge of nature — nature's laws which in recent times have been classified and systemized, constituting the sciences of today, the basis of our present greatness.

Chapter III. The Order Of The Accumulation Of Knowl- Edge

That social adjustments have been conducive to the acquisition of a perfect knowledge of nature must be clear to any who will trouble themselves to make a systematic investigation. To begin, there are two distinct divisions of the process or method by which our fund of knowledge was and is being acquired; first, the original discoveries; and second, the combining, classifying and systeinizing of these discoveries, in order to utilize, or more fully utilize them.

The utilization of original discoveries naturally followed their discovery; but beyond the most rudimentary classification and systematization, which is necessary to any extended use, the one was well rounded out before the other was well begun. The discovery of the truths that underlie the present knowledge of nature embraced in the sciences, required a social state of extensive co-operation. It required a state in which communication was comparatively close, yet extending over a vast area. History abounds with records of the various and fruitless speculations of men regarding the movements of the heavenly bodies that produce the phenomena of day and night; but until the discovery and demonstration of the fact the earth was round and in rapid motion, the deductions were indefinite, inconclusive and fruitless, l'.ui the discovery of this truth, which was the climax of all the discoveries that preceded it and, alone, made possible all the succeeding discoveries, required an extensive knowledge of the earth's surface. This required a considerable advance in the arts and in skill in the application of the rude knowledge possessed; because an extensive knowledge of the earth's surface could be acquired only through communication between men. extending over vast areas; and this could be sustained only by the wide co-operation made possible by the advance in methods of production and transportation of products.

It would be impossible for man to conceive of the spherical form of the earth, of its rotary movement and its rapid flight through space, were each to make independent investigations or were the investigations confined to any locality. In truth we cannot see how this discovery could have been made in any other than the way it was. When society had grown to such a stage that the vastness of what was known of the earth came to be realized, it led to speculation as to what was beyond the seemingly greater vastness that bounded man's horizon. And man continually improving his ways of exploration, the ultimate demonstration of the truth of the theory deduced from observations covering a wide area, of the form of the earth, was only a natural sequence.

This discovery marked an era in the acquisition of knowh edge. Up to that time, leaving out such knowledge as prophecies, revelations and history, which cannot be considered in this -treatise, it consisted of extensions of such knowledge as savages possess. No classification or systemization was possible, for the reason that no fundamental principles were grasped. That the sciences were not born before then is not any more strange than that a son is not born before his father. To be sure, there was what was called Astrology, which was supposed to be very important and, under the name of Astronomy, was first advanced to something like perfection, and as a result of the demonstration of this new theory. Tint besides this it gave a direction and certitude to thought that was impossible before. It quickened perceptions and made observations more acute, which resulted in such discoveries of natural forces as made possible the combination, classification and systemization of knowledge that constitute the sciences of today.

Rut the classification and systemization of knowledge and its consequent application did not immediately succeed the discovery of this truth. Before that time observations were, at best, superficial. This discovery drew aside the curtain for deeper and closer observations; this being the order in which we perceive things — that which is closest is the last observed. Man turned from observing the earth in its relations to the universe, to observing the relations of the matter and forces of the earth. This was only the beginning of those deeper observations that involve the power of reason-

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ing. It still continues without intermission; and the classification, systemizing and consequent application of these discoveries began only during the present century.

That there was of necessity an order in the acquisition of knowledge, admits of no doubt. That order was from a knowledge of things remote, to a knowledge of things near to us; from a knowledge that is of little advantage directly, to that which is of great advantage; from that which does not increase man's power and command of nature, to that which does. This is the order in which things are presented to man, and is the only order in which it was possible to acquire a thorough knowledge of nature. It is the same order in which we acquire our rudimentary education.

The motives of the pursuit of knowledge, also, underwent a gradual change. At first it was pursued to satisfy that inherent and unquenchable desire to know, with which some are endowed, but as the advantages of the application of knowledge began to be realized, it was pursued for the power That was gained by its use. Thus knowledge has become more diffused with its growth; each succeeding branch of knowledge, as it was developed, was of greater use. to man.

The knowledge of nature is, by the constitution of things, divided into three distinct branches or divisions: 1, the relations and movements of the heavenly bodies; 2, the relations of the elements of which the earth is composed, which is subdivided into many branches, and the forces of the earth; 3, the relations of man in association — social relations.

This is the order in which they were acquired, and inversely, the order of their advantage to mankind. A knowledge of the first branch resulted in no immediate advantage to man, and was pursued to satisfy a feeling of something akin to idle curosity. The second resulted in a. great increase in man's power to satisfy desire; yet it leaves desire as unsatisfied, if not more so, than ever; and it was pursued largely for its power to satisfy desire, Tt was pursued from motives of self interests and with but little regard for general interests. The third and last of these tranches has only reached the stage of classifying and systemizing of the phenomena observed; therefore its application is for the future.

There can he no doubt that the results of the application, this last branch of knowledge will be to realize the full expectation of the results of the second. Tt would give to our fund of knowledge the definiteness ami certitude that conies from completeness. Tt would make knowledge seem the unmixed good that it really is. And as the force that impelled

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man to acquire and utilize the second branch ^greater and more certain than that which nnpelled him t^ th b fl » , wp nnv safelv infer, and observations will confirm tne miei Jnoe that the force which will compel man to acquire and utmze the tmrd and most important branch will be irresisti-

ble ' in the succeeding chapters we shall see how well was man adapted to his environment to acquire tins knowledge.

Chapter IV. How Inequalities Are Evolved

Man is by nature a social creature. That he always chooses association in preference to *«^ »^ w £^ Tmt during his existence there has been no time when ne foiild'li "Separately and independently of Ins fel ow^mam Not onlv have there always been mutual advantages m tne a^ocialU ? or co-operation ol effort in ^Jn-eased power o «a+i«fvino- desire but the conditions presented by external natu ^nrnde it a condition of existence. There have always existed with man, if not before him, living creatures better po uinne^bv nature with physical strength and ability to pro- XXmsirefwith subsistence, with J ^^"g hnndPd could not cope. So we see that, thougn aaapieu by nature for social life, man was placed under conditions that provided no alternative-except destruction.

When man lived bv taking what nature spontaneously Droduced as'n fish tng,' hunting and gathering fruits, nuts, etc th^Vwas little need of association except for protection-there cTld have been no differences in condition except those resulting from superior natural powers, which do not depend u on associated effort. But when man ceased to defend upon tlfe spontaneous offerings of nature and began the^nXation and growing of crops and animals for food dothing and shelter, and shaping tools for increasing ; the ^ase and efficiency of his effort, nature increased the differences betwwn men in regard to the power of satisfying desire, by Prelen^ <* different desirability, such t as pro-

rctiveness of soil, healthful ness of climate, etc. The most

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favorable opportunities offered by nature would most naturally be taken possession of by those possessing superior natural powers. Thus augmenting the natural difference in power of satisfying desire.

And here arises another cause of inequality, one which depends entirely on the association of effort. By associated effort or co-operation, as it is properly called, I mean not merelj- an uniting of physical force in the performance of a difficult task, but the co-operation resulting - from the specialization of industry, the division of labor and the exchange of products, thereby not only utilizing to the fullest the various adaptions of nature in soil, climate and so forth, but bringing out and developing the various inclinations and powers in different individuals. As exchange grows in volume and extent, locations which are most accessible from all points or locations that participate in such exchanges, offer great advantages over locations less accessible. And of the less accessible locations there are, of course, differences. But these centers of their respective localities, bound together by various exchanges, are, in a certain sense, tributary to the larger centers, because through them is offered the easiest way of carrying on the various exchanges.

These advantageous locations or exchange centers are primarily due to their accessibility from many points by means of waterways, etc., but as other ways of transporting products came into use. such as higways and railroads, the advantages of these locations were greatly augmented, because the tendency of all improvements in ways and means of transportation is to bring all mankind into closer relations, not to create new centers, but to increase the advantages of the old ones.

The exclusive possession of these centers through which exchange (lows, carries with it the extreme power of life or death to co-operation; since without the use of these centers exchange would be impossible. But added to these sources of inequality, when the necessity of government arose, it was naturally vested in those who possessed, in the largest degree, those other advantages, who are ever prone !<> use this authority without restraint to increase those other advantages.

And thus it is. that nature endowing man with differences in natural powers with which to satisfy his desires, has increased tin' inequalities resulting therefrom by offering unequal opportunities from which desire might be satisfied; and when in the course of the natural growth in numbers of man,

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exchange grew up another source of inequality arose which increased with the increase of exchange.

It is from this latter source that spring the inequalities that are, at this day, a menace to social life, but from it also springs social life itself. Were there no exchange, there could be no social relations and no social life; there would be but little communication between man and man, and there could be no advance in the means to provide comfort and safety.

But the various social adjustments are unintelligible unless we consider the variations in human nature. There is ever present the possibility of it sinking to such a low stage as to leave but little more distinguishable difference between man and the higher animals than the physical form; and the capability of it rising to such a height, of acquiring such qualities and powers, as to seem more different from the uncivilized man than he from the higher animals. We must consider that inherent quality of the human mind, the inclination to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before. And as mankind is, as it were, ever traveling an untrodden path, penetrating an unknown future, there is always present the natural willingness to follow whoever will boldly advance. The future seems so dark and dangerous, though driven by an irresistible force, we are ever hesitating. If difficulties arise, we would look to others for their solution.

But in regard to the characteristics of human nature, we may divide mankind into two classes: those who would lead, and those who would follow. Each arises from opposite views of the relative powers of man. The first springs from the consciousness of comparatively superior powers, which fires the inherent feeling of supremacy in the scale of material existence, blunts the sense of dependency on nature and swells to inordinate proportions the estimation of self. The second, springing from the consciousness of comparatively inferior powers, impresses keenly the feeling of weakness and dependency on nature of mankind, which largely overshadows the inherent sense of superiority in the scale of material existence and begets a spirit that would glady depend upon others for guidance.

But wherever there is this spirit of dependency there is, and by all accounts always hafc been, existing with it, the spirit that would utilize this dependency for its own aggrandizement. The powerful have always usurped the rights of the weak as the resistance to these encroachments became weaker or the desire that prompted them became stronger.