ABSTRACT
Socialism comprises many strongly differing and sometimes strongly contradictory theories. The army of its disciples has scarcely anything in common, save an intense antipathy for the state of things, and vague aspirations towards a new ideal, which is destined to procure them better conditions, and to replace the old ideals. The hope of tyrannising in one's turn, when one has always been ignored, humiliated, thrust into the shade, must have created many disciples of Socialism. Their mental state may be compared to that of those Kaffirs whose rudimentary psychology was depicted in one of the journals. The psychology of the working classes differs too greatly in respect of their particular trades, provinces, and surroundings. The chapter considers, in the working classes two well-defined subdivisions, each with a different psychology—the labourers and the artisans. It also considers the psychology of the Parisian workmen, having more especially in view the class of artisans.
