第37章

Particularly，experienceseemstosaythatitisnotfeasibletointroducethetrade-unionspiritorthetrade-unionrulesintoanycommunityuntilthemachineindustryhashadtimeextensivelytostandardizetheschemeofworkandoflifefortheworkingclassesonmechanicallines。Workmendonottaketofull-blowntrade-unionidealsabruptlyontheintroductionofthosemodernbusinessmethodswhichmaketrade-unionactionadvisablefortheworkingclass。Acertainintervalelapsesbetweenthetimewhenbusinessconditionsfirstmaketrade-unionactionfeasible，asabusinessproposition，andthetimewhenthebodyofworkmenarereadytoactinthespiritoftrade-unionismandalongthelineswhichtheunionanimuspresentlyacceptsasnormalformeninthemechanicallyorganizedindustries。Anintervalofdisciplineinthewaysofthemechanicallystandardizedindustry，moreorlessprotractedandsevere，seemsnecessarytobringsuchaproportionoftheworkmenintolineaswillgiveaconsensusofsentimentandopinionfavorabletotrade-unionaction。 Thepervadingcharacteristicofthetrade-unionanimusisthedenialofthereceivednatural-rightsdogmaswhereverthemechanicalstandardizationofmodernindustrytraversestheworkingofthesereceivednaturalrights。RecentcourtdecisionsinAmerica，aswellasdecisionsinanalogouscasesinEnglandatthatearlierperiodwhentheBritishdevelopmentwasataboutthesamestageofmaturityasthecurrentAmericansituation，testifyunequivocallythatthecommonrunoftrade-unionactionisatvariancewiththenatural-rightsfoundationofthecommonlaw。 Trade-unionismdeniesindividualfreedomofcontracttotheworkman，aswellasfreediscretiontotheemployertocarryonhisbusinessasmaysuithisownends。Manypiousphraseshavebeeninventedtodisguisethisiconoclastictrendoftrade-unionaimsandendeavors；butthecourts，standingonasecureandfamiliarnatural-rightsfooting，havecommonlymadeshortworkoftheshiftysophisticationswhichtrade-unionadvocateshaveofferedfortheirconsideration。Theyhavestruckattherootofthematterindeclaringtrade-unionregulationsinimicaltothenaturalrightsofworkmanandemployeralike，inthattheyhamperindividuallibertyandactinrestraintoftrade。Theregulations，therefore，violatethatsystemoflawandorderwhichrestsonnaturalrights，althoughtheymaybeenforcedbythatdefactolawandorderwhichisembodiedinthemechanicalstandardizationoftheindustrialprocesses。 Trade-unionismisanoutgrowthofrelativelylateindustrialconditionsandhascomeongraduallyasanadaptationofoldmethodsandworkingarrangementscarriedoverfromthedaysofhandicraftandpettytrade。Itisamovementtoadapt，construe，recast，earlierworkingarrangementswithaslittlelesiontoreceivedpreconceptionsasthenewexigenciesandthehabitsofthoughtbredbythemwillpermit。Itis，onitsface，anendeavorofcompromisebetweenreceivednotionsofwhat“naturally“oughttobeinmattersofindustrialbusiness，ontheonehand，andwhatthenewexigenciesofindustrydemandandwhatthenewanimusoftheworkmanwilltolerate，ontheotherhand。 Trade-unionismisthereforetobetakenasasomewhatmitigatedexpressionofwhatthemechanicalstandardizationofindustryinculcates。Hithertothemovementhasshownafairlyuninterruptedgrowth，notonlyinthenumbersofitsmembership，butintherangeandscopeofitsaimsaswell；andhithertoithasreachednohalting-placeinitstentative，shifty，buteverwideningcrusadeoficonoclasmagainstthereceivedbodyofnaturalrights。Thelatest，maturestexpressionsoftrade-unionismare，onthewhole，themostextreme，insofarastheyaredirectedagainstthenaturalrightsofpropertyandpecuniarycontract。 Thenatureofthecompromiseofferedbytrade-unionismisshownbyascheduleofitsdemands:collectivebargainingforwagesandemployment；arbitrationofdifferencesbetweenownersandworkmen；standardratesofwages；normalworkingday，withpenalizedregulationofhoursformen，women，andchildren； penalizedregulationofsanitaryandsafetyappliances；mutualinsuranceofworkmen，tocoveraccident，disability，andunemployment。Inallofthistheaimofunionismseldomgoesthelengthofovertlydisputingthemeritsofanygivenarticleofnatural-rightsdogma。Itonlyendeavorstocutintothesearticles，inpointoffact，atpointswherethedogmaspatentlytraversetheconditionsoflifeimposedontheworkmenbythemodernindustrialsystemorwheretheytraversetheconsensusofsentimentthatiscomingtoprevailamongtheseworkmen。 Whenunionismtakesanattitudeofoverthostilitytothenatural-rightsinstitutionsofpropertyandfreecontract，itceasestobeunionismsimplyandpassesoverintosomethingelse，whichmaybecalledsocialismforwantofabetterterm。Suchanextremeiconoclasticposition，whichwouldovertlyassertthemechanicalstandardizationofindustryasagainstthecommon-lawstandardizationofbusiness，seemstobethelogicaloutcometowhichthetrade-unionanimustends，andtowhichsomeapproachhaslatterlybeenmadebymorethanonetrade-unionistbody，butwhichis，onthewhole，yetinthefuture，if，indeed，itistobereachedatall。Onthewhole，thelaterexpressionsgofartherinthisdirectionthantheearlier；andtheanimusoftheleaders，aswellasofthemorewide-awakebodyofunionistworkmen，appearstogofartherthantheirofficialutterances。 Adetailoftrade-unionhistorymaybecitedinillustrationoftheirattitudetowardthenatural-rightsprinciplesthatunderliemodernbusinessrelations。Asiswellknown，trade-unionshavesomewhatconsistentlyavoidedpecuniaryresponsibilityfortheactionsoftheirmembersorofficials。 Theyavoidincorporation。Practicallyanemployerhashadnorecourseincasehesuffersfromafailureonthepartofhisunionworkmentoliveuptothetermsofanagreementmadewiththeunion。InEnglishpracticethisexemptionfrompecuniaryresponsibilityhasacquiredmuchoftheforceoflaw，andindeedwassupposedtohavegainedthecountenanceofstatutoryenactment，until，withinthepastfewmonths，theso-calledTaffValedecisionoftheHouseofLordsreversedtheviewswhichhadcometoprevailonthishead。Thisdecision，bythemostconservativetribunaloftheBritishnation，istoorecenttopermititsconsequencesfortrade-unionismtobeappreciated。Butitseemsfairtoexpectthatthequestionwhichthedecisionbringshometotheunionswillbe，Howisthiscourt-madepecuniaryresponsibilitytobeevaded？not，Howisittobelivedupto？Patently，(15*)thedecisionisunexceptionableundercommonlawrules；but，alsopatently，(16*)itbroadlytraversestrade-unionpracticeandiswhollyalientotheattitudeofthetrade-unionists。(17*) Theanimusshownbythetrade-unionistsinthisshirkingofpecuniaryresponsibilityischaracteristicoftheirattitudetowardcommonlawrules。Theunionsandtheirmethodsofworkareessentiallyextra-legal。Itisonlyreluctantly，asdefendantsifatall，thatunionsareaccustomedtoappearincourt。Whentheymakeamoveforstatutoryenactment，asfortheenforcementofanormaldayorofsanitaryandsafeguardingregulations，itisprevailinglytocriminallawthattheyturn。 Toallthisitmight，ofcourse，besaidthattheworkmenwhomakeupthetrade-unionelementtakethecourseindicatedsimplybecausetheirselfishinteresturgesthemtothiscourse；thattheircommonnecessitiesandcommonweaknessconstrainsthemtostandtogetherandtoactcollectivelyindealingwiththeiremployers；whilethefactthattheirdemandshavenostandingincourtconstrainsthemtoseektheirendsbyextra-legalmeansofcoercion。Butthisobjectionislittleelsethananotherwayofsayingthattheexigenciesforcedupontheworkmenbythemechanicallystandardizedindustrialsystemareextra-legalexigencies-exigencieswhichdonotruninbusinesstermsandthereforearenotamenabletothenatural-rightsprinciplesofpropertyandcontractthatunderliebusinessrelations；thattheycanthereforenotbemetoncommonlawground；andthattheythereforecompeltheworkmentoseethemfromanotherpointofviewandseektodisposeofthembyanappealtootherprinciplesthanthoseaffordedbythecommonlawstandpoint。Thatistosay，inotherwords，theseexigencieswhichcompelthetrade-unioniststotakethoughtoftheircaseinothertermsthanthoseaffordedbyexistinglegalinstitutionsarethemeanswherebythedisciplineofthemachineindustryisenforcedandmadeeffectiveforrecastingthehabitsofthoughtoftheworkmen。Theharshdisciplineoftheseexigenciesoflivelihooddriveshomethenewpointofviewandholdstheworkmenconsistentlytoit。Butthatisnotallthatthemechanicalstandardizationofindustrydoesinthecase；italsofurnishesthenewtermsinwhichtherevisedschemeofeconomiclifetakesform。Therevisionoftheschemeaimedatbytrade-unionactionruns，notintermsofnaturalliberty，individualpropertyrights，individualdiscretion，butintermsofstandardizedlivelihoodandmechanicalnecessity，- itisformulated，notintermsofbusinessexpediency，butintermsofindustrial，technologicalstandardunitsandstandardrelations。 Theabovepresentationofthecaseoftrade-unionismisofcoursesomewhatschematic，assuchameagre，incidentaldiscussionnecessarilymustbe。Ittakesaccountonlyofthosefeaturesoftrade-unionismwhichcharacteristicallymarkitofffromthatbusinessschemeofthingswithwhichitComesinconflict。Thereare，ofcourse，manysurvivals，pecuniaryandothers，inthecurrentbodyoftrade-uniondemands，andmuchofthetrade-unionargumentiscarriedoninbusinessterms。Thecruditiesandiniquitiesofthetrade-unioncampaignaresufficientlymanyandnotorioustorequirenorehearsalhere。 Thesecruditiesandiniquitiescommonlybulklargeintheeyesofcriticswhopassanopinionontrade-unionismfromthenatural-rightspointofview；and，indeed，theymaydeserveallthedisparagingattentionthatisgiventhem。Trade-unionismdoesnotfitintothenatural-rightsschemeofrightandhonestliving；buttherein，ingreatpart，liesitsculturalsignificance。Itisoftheessenceofthecasethatthenewaims，ideals，andexpedientsdonotfitintothereceivedinstitutionalstructure；andthattheclasseswhomoveintrade-unionsare，howevercrudelyandblindly，endeavoring，underthecompulsionofthemachineprocess，toconstructaninstitutionalschemeonthelinesimposedbythenewexigenciesgivenbythemachineprocess。 Thepointprimarilyhadinviewinenteringonthischaracterizationoftrade-unionismwasthatunderthedisciplineofthemechanicallystandardizedindustrycertainnaturalrights，particularly，thoseofpropertyandfreecontract，areinadegreefallingintoabeyanceamongthoseclasseswhoaremostimmediatelysubjectedtothisdiscipline。Itmaybeaddedthatotherclassesalso，toanuncertainextent，sympathizewiththetrade-unionistsandareaffectedwithasimilar(mildandequivocal)distrustoftheprinciplesofnaturalliberty。Whendistrustofbusinessprinciplesrisestosuchapitchastobecomeintolerantofallpecuniaryinstitutions，andleadstoademandfortheabrogationofpropertyrightsratherthanalimitationofthem，itisspokenofas“socialism“or“anarchism。“Thissocialisticdisaffectioniswidespreadamongtheadvancedindustrialpeoples。Nootherculturalphenomenonissothreateningtothereceivedeconomicandpoliticalstructure； noneissounprecedentedorsoperplexingforpracticalmenofaffairstodealwith。Theimmediatepointofdangerinthesocialisticdisaffectionisagrowingdisloyaltytothenatural-rightsinstitutionofproperty，butthisisbackedbyasimilarfailureofregardforotherarticlesoftheinstitutionalfurniturehandeddownfromthepast。Theclassesaffectedwithsocialisticvagariesprotestagainsttheexistingeconomicorganization，buttheyarenotnecessarilyaversetoasomewhatrigorouseconomicorganizationonnewlinesoftheirownchoosing。TheydemandanOrganizationonindustrialascontrastedwithbusinesslines。Theirsenseofeconomicsolidaritydoesnotseemtobedefective，indeeditseemstomanyoftheircriticstobeunnecessarilypronounced；butitrunsonlinesofindustrialcoherenceandmechanicalconstraint，notonlinesgivenbypecuniaryconjuncturesandconventionalprinciplesofeconomicrightandwrong。 Thereislittleagreementamongsocialistsastoaprogrammeforthefuture。Theirconstructiveproposalsareill-definedandinconsistentandalmostentirelynegative。Thenegativecharacterofthesocialisticpropagandahasbeenmadeapointofdisparagementbyitscritics，perhapsjustly。Buttheirpredilectionforshiftyiconoclasm，aswellasthevaguenessandinconsistencyoftheirconstructiveproposals，areinthepresentconnectiontobetakenasevidencethattheattitudeofthesocialistscannotbeexpressedinpositivetermsgivenbytheinstitutionsatpresentinforce。Itmayalsobeevidenceoftheuntenabilityofthesocialisticideals；butthemeritsofthesocialistcontentionsdonotconcernthepresentinquiry。Thequestionhereisastothenatureandcausesofthesocialistdisaffection；itdoesnotconcerntheprofounderandmoredelicatepoint，astothevalidityofthesocialistcontentions。 Currentsocialismisananimusofdissentfromreceivedtraditions。Thedegreeandthedirectionofthisdissentvariesgreatly，butitis，withinthesocialistschemeofthought，agreedthattheinstitutionalformsofthepastareunfitfortheworkofthefuture。(18*)