ABSTRACT
Perfect Socialism is pure Democracy, and, so far as the spirit and ethical faith of Socialism is concerned, this is true. In this sense it fulfils Democracy, for it declares not only the equal human worth of all the individuals naturally forming a community, but also the natural co-relation of those individuals as members, each and all, of an organic society. The democratic interest is to have a co-operation of all democratic forces in attaining this more highly developed social existence. For Democracy also teaches that none can give to a man what he will not seek for himself. The problem of social justice is sufficiently difficult to-day, but seventy years ago it was bewildering. These co-operative developments in society around, outside, and above the Cooperative movement are leading to Collectivism. A special claim is therefore made for Co-operation that it is voluntary Socialism.
