ABSTRACT
Sometimes this attitude has involved the Society in a great deal of self-denial. In its early years it built up a network of local Fabian Societies over Great Britain. But in 1893, when the I L P was founded, it seemed best in the interests of Socialism to consolidate the available forces in the constituencies under its banner; and the parent Fabian Society readily acquiesced in the absorption of most of the local Fabian Societies into the I L P. During the years after 1906, when there was a great ferment of labour unrest and Socialist thought in Great Britain, a second crop of local Fabian Societies grew up, but again the parent Society readily let most of them merge themselves into the re-organised Labour Party of 1918, when local Labour Parties with individual members were first set up throughout the country. During the last few years there has been a third crop, larger than either of the others, of local Fabian Societies and Socialist Propaganda Committees under Fabian auspices, to fill the void left by the secession and practical disappearance of the I L P. There is always need, side by side with the Labour Party, and in close connection with it, for a body which can devote itself primarily to thinking about the longrun problems of Socialist policy, rather than about immediate election issues and electoral problems; and this need exists, not only centrally, but also up and down the country, wherever there are groups of Socialists who can help both themselves and the Labour Movement by keeping their ideas and knowledge continually up to date, and by fitting themselves to play the part of Socialist educators and propagandists in the places where they live and work., At one time these functions were performed largely by the I L P . to-day, the Fabian Society is the only body which is setting out to perform them. Its success is attested by the rapid growth of local
Fabian Societies in recent years, and by the close contacts which these Societies have established with the wider Labour Movement in their areas. This third crop of local Fabian activity is developing splendidly just now; and I hope and believe it will continue to grow. Yet if, at any time, it appeared to be in the interests of the Labour Movement as a whole for any particular local Society to merge itself in some other body, the parent Fabian Society would be no more disposed to stand in the way than it has shown itself in the past It has no desire to create local Societies for its own aggrandisement it values them for what they do, not for the Fabian Society, but for the Socialist cause.
