ABSTRACT

The aspirations of ideal democracy—including, of course, socialism, and whatever else may go by a special name—are those naturally springing from the playground or the local community; embracing equal opportunity, fair play, the loyal service of all in the common good, free discussion. Christianity, as a social system, is based upon the family, its ideals being traceable to the domestic circle of a Judaean carpenter. God is a kind father; men and women are brothers and sisters; people are all members one of another, doing as people would be done by and referring all things to the rule of love. In small groups the requirements of structure are so simple as to make little trouble, they become more and more difficult to meet without sacrificing human nature; so that the freedom and real unity of the system are likely to vary inversely with its extent.