The Watchtower Society and John and Morton Edgar - A2Z.org

Socialism and the Bible."And I shall shake all nations, and the desire ofall nations shll come "-Haggai 11, 7.FEW years ago, Socialism was advocated only bjA theorists. It was merely an academi~ question,and practical men smiled at it. To-day it is aliving and actively-growing international force.What is the reason of this? Are there grounds ofcomplaint against the past and present modes of governmentand social order? The answer is undoubtedly inthe affirmative. There are many grounds of discontent,but they can be gathered together into three main linesThe first main line of argument is the argument fromjustice; the second, the argument from economy; and thethird, the argument from necessity. First, as regards theArgument from Justice: Socialists point out that thosewho possess honour and riches are not by any meansalways the most worthy. Very often they have lessability and honesty than many less fortunate in the strugglefor existence. This ought not to be. Every man should .start life alike in opportunity; society should not showfavouritism at the beginning nor in any period of life. Ifa man is to be rewarded in any way, it ought to be onaccount of his merits, and not from mere accident of birth,or because he has more backstairs influence than his neighbours.On the other hand, if a man is to be poor and oflow station in life, it ought to be as a penalty for wrongdoing,and not because he cannot get a living wage, or on ,Ecmomy: What wastage there is in theive system! Besides the enormous ex-