The History of the Fabian Society

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Title: The History of the Fabian Society
Author: Edward R. Pease
Release Date: October 11, 2004 [EBook #13715]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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The History of the
Fabian Society
By
Edward R. Pease
Secretary for Twenty-five Years
With Twelve Illustrations
NEW YORK E.P. DUTTON & COMPANY PUBLISHERS

Preface
The History of the Fabian Society will perhaps chiefly interest the members, present and past, of the Society. But in so far as this book describes the growth of Socialist theory in England, and the influence of Socialism on the political thought of the last thirty years, I hope it will appeal to a wider circle.
I have described in my book the care with which the Fabian Tracts have been revised and edited by members of the Executive Committee. Two of my colleagues, Sidney Webb and Bernard Shaw, have been good enough to revise this volume in like manner, and I have to thank them for innumerable corrections in style, countless suggestions of better words and phrases, and a number of amplifications and additions, some of which I have accepted without specific acknowledgment, whilst others for one reason or another are to be found in notes; and I am particularly grateful to Bernard Shaw for two valuable memoranda on the history of Fabian Economics, and on Guild Socialism, which are printed as an appendix.
The MS. or proofs have also been read by Mrs. Sidney Webb, Mrs. Bernard Shaw, Sir Sydney Olivier, Graham Wallas, W. Stephen Sanders, and R.C.K. Ensor, to each of whom my cordial thanks are due for suggestions, additions, and corrections.
To Miss Bertha Newcombe I am obliged for permission to reproduce the interesting sketch which forms the frontispiece.
E.R.P. THE PENDICLE, LIMPSFIELD, SURREY,
_January_, 1916.

Contents

Chapter I
The Sources of Fabian Socialism
The ideas of the early eighties--The epoch of Evolution--Sources of Fabian ideas--Positivism--Henry George--John Stuart Mill--Robert Owen--Karl Marx--The Democratic Federation--"The Christian Socialist"--Thomas Davidson

Chapter II
The Foundations of the Society: 1883-4
Frank Podmore and Ghost-hunting--Thomas Davidson and his circle--The preliminary meetings--The Fellowship of the New Life--Formation of the Society--The career of the New Fellowship

Chapter III
The Early Days: 1884-6
The use of the word Socialism--Approval of the Democratic Federation--Tract No. I--The Fabian Motto--Bernard Shaw joins--His first Tract--The Industrial Remuneration Conference--Sidney Webb and Sydney Olivier become members--Mrs. Annie Besant--Shaw's second Tract--The Tory Gold controversy--"What Socialism Is"--The Fabian Conference of 1886--Sidney Webb's first contribution, "The Government Organisation of Unemployed Labour"

Chapter IV
The Formation of Fabian Policy: 1886-9
The factors of success; priority of date; the men who made it--The controversy over policy--The Fabian Parliamentary League--"Facts for Socialists"--The adoption of the Basis--The seven Essayists in command--Lord Haldane--The "Essays" as Lectures--How to train for Public Life--Fabians on the London School Board--"Facts for Londoners"--Municipal Socialism--"The Eight Hours Bill"

Chapter V
"Fabian Essays" and the Lancashire Campaign: 1890-3
"Fabian Essays" published--Astonishing success--A new presentation of Socialism--Reviewed after twenty-five years--Henry Hutchinson--The Lancashire Campaign--Mrs. Besant withdraws--"Fabian News"

Chapter VI
"To your tents, O Israel": 1894-1900
Progress of the Society--The Independent Labour Party--Local Fabian Societies--University Fabian Societies--London Groups and Samuel Butler--The first Fabian Conference--Tracts and Lectures--The 1892 Election Manifesto--The Newcastle Program--The Fair Wages Policy--The "Fortnightly" article--The Intercepted Letter of 1906

Chapter VII
"Fabianism and the Empire": 1900-1
The Library and Book Boxes--Parish Councils--The Workmen's Compensation Act--The Hutchinson Trust--The London School of Economics--Educational Lectures--Electoral Policy--The controversy over the South African War--The publication of "Fabianism and the Empire"

Chapter VIII
Education: 1902-5, and the Labour Party: 1900-15
Housing--"The Education muddle and the way out"--Supporting the Conservatives--The Education Acts of 1902 and 1903--Feeding School Children--The Labour Representation Committee formed--The Fabian Election Fund--Will Crooks elected in 1910--A Fabian Cabinet Minister--Resignation of Graham Wallas--The younger generation: H.W. Macrosty, J.F. Oakeshott, John W. Martin--Municipal Drink Trade--Tariff Reform--The Decline of the Birth-rate

Chapter IX
The Episode of Mr. Wells: 1906-8
His lecture on administrative areas--"Faults of the Fabian"--The Enquiry Committee--The Report, and the Reply--The real issue, Wells v. Shaw--The women intervene--The Basis altered--The new Executive--Mr. Wells withdraws--His work for Socialism--The writing of Fabian Tracts

Chapter X
The Policy of Expansion: 1907-12
Statistics of growth--The psychology of the Recruit--Famous Fabians--The Arts Group--The Nursery--The Women's Group--Provincial Fabian Societies--University Fabian Societies--London Groups revived--Annual Conferences--The Summer School--The story of "Socialist Unity"--The Local Government Information Bureau--The Joint Standing Committee--Intervention of the International Socialist Bureau

Chapter XI
The Minority Report, Syndicalism and Research: 1909-15
The emergence of Mrs. Sidney Webb--The Poor Law Commission--The Minority Report--Unemployment--The National Committee for the Prevention of Destitution--"Vote against the House of Lords"--Bernard Shaw retires--Death of Hubert Bland--Opposition to the National Insurance Bill--The Fabian Reform Committee--The "New Statesman"--The Research Department--"The Rural Problem"--"The Control of Industry"--Syndicalism--The