In writing this book my intention was to present, in the form of an
interesting story, a faithful picture of working-class life – more
especially of those engaged in the Building trades – in a small town
in the south of England.
I wished to describe the relations existing between the workmen and
their employers, the attitude and feelings of these two classes
towards each other; their circumstances when at work and when out of
employment; their pleasures, their intellectual outlook, their
religious and political opinions and ideals.
The action of the story covers a period of only a little over twelve
months, but in order that the picture might be complete it was
necessary to describe how the workers are circumstanced at all periods
of their lives, from the cradle to the grave. Therefore the
characters include women and children, a young boy – the apprentice -
some improvers, journeymen in the prime of life, and worn-out old men.
I designed to show the conditions relating from poverty and
unemployment: to expose the futility of the measures taken to deal
with them and to indicate what I believe to be the only real remedy,
namely – Socialism. I intended to explain what Socialists understand
by the word `poverty’: to define the Socialist theory of the causes of
poverty, and to explain how Socialists propose to abolish poverty.
It may be objected that, considering the number of books dealing with
these subjects already existing, such a work as this was uncalled for.
The answer is that not only are the majority of people opposed to
Socialism, but a very brief conversation with an average
anti-socialist is sufficient to show that he does not know what
Socialism means. The same is true of all the anti-socialist writers
and the `great statesmen’ who make anti-socialist speeches: unless we
believe that they are deliberate liars and imposters, who to serve
their own interests labour to mislead other people, we must conclude
that they do not understand Socialism. There is no other possible
explanation of the extraordinary things they write and say. The thing
they cry out against is not Socialism but a phantom of their own
imagining.
Another answer is that `The Philanthropists’ is not a treatise or
essay, but a novel. My main object was to write a readable story full
of human interest and based on the happenings of everyday life, the
subject of Socialism being treated incidentally.
This was the task I set myself. To what extent I have succeeded is
for others to say; but whatever their verdict, the work possesses at
least one merit – that of being true. I have invented nothing. There
are no scenes or incidents in the story that I have not either
witnessed myself or had conclusive evidence of. As far as I dared I
let the characters express themselves in their own sort of language
and consequently some passages may be considered objectionable. At
the same time I believe that – because it is true – the book is not
without its humorous side.
The scenes and characters are typical of every town in the South of
England and they will be readily recognized by those concerned. If
the book is published I think it will appeal to a very large number of
readers. Because it is true it will probably be denounced as a libel
on the working classes and their employers, and upon the
religious-professing section of the community. But I believe it will
be acknowledged as true by most of those who are compelled to spend
their lives amid the surroundings it describes, and it will be evident
that no attack is made upon sincere religion.
