ABSTRACT
By the mid-century period the Victorian economy had undoubtedly begun to generate a measure of material prosperity but, for the Christian socialists this was as nothing when compared to the spiritual impoverishment which was sapping the moral foundations of Victorian society. In short competition and the market had corrupted Man's soul and buried his spiritual nature under the slurry of an egotistical materialism. In the words of F. D. Maurice competition represented 'a threat to the Divine Order'. Spiritual regeneration, a growing awareness of the Divine Order was the key to the transformation of economic conduct for with that would comes an increasing application of Christian principles to trade and industry. As one commentator has appositely phrased it, J. M. Ludlow's immediate aim was to create 'islands of Christian brotherhood within the competitive ocean of industrial capitalism. Yet E. V. Neale did make some attempt to confront the plight of producer associations in a capitalist environment.
