. The National Civic Federation review . ion, or by law. Good manners and social usages whichprevent men from doing what they like are a mark ofcivilization. Associations like the church, the club andthe business union, lay down rules to which each mem-ber must conform. The government enacts many lawsthe wisdom of which is unquestioned, and obedience towhich is compulsory. In every case there is neces-sarily an infraction of liberty in the crude sense. Moreover, especially in industrial matters, the cry ofindividual liberty often becomes a mere shibboleth, in-voked by individuals against other
. The National Civic Federation review . ion, or by law. Good manners and social usages whichprevent men from doing what they like are a mark ofcivilization. Associations like the church, the club andthe business union, lay down rules to which each mem-ber must conform. The government enacts many lawsthe wisdom of which is unquestioned, and obedience towhich is compulsory. In every case there is neces-sarily an infraction of liberty in the crude sense. Moreover, especially in industrial matters, the cry ofindividual liberty often becomes a mere shibboleth, in-voked by individuals against others instead of them-selves. The railway magnate restricts his own libertyby pooling arrangements, but objects to interference bythe shipper. The manufacturer demands protectionagainst his foreign competitor, but objects to factorylaws. The cotton grower acclaims the rise of pricesbrought about by manipulation on the exchange, whilethe spinner decries the liberty of speculation. The em-ployer joins the selling bureau which restricts output. EDWIN R. A. SELIGMAN,Professor in Columbia University. or fixes prices, but objects to the tyranny of the laborunion. The labor union adopts provisions relating toapprenticeship, the open shop, and the boycott, but op-poses lockouts and trusts. The lawyer refuses to con-sort with the shyster, and the doctor with the quack,because they wish to maintain the standard of their pro-fessions ; but they sternly reprobate the effort of thetrade unionist to prevent the scab from similarly re-ducing the level of his occupation. Liberty, then, must be looked at from the social aswell as from the individual point of view. The indi-vidual has become what he is largely through associatedeffort. This, however, implies a certain subjection ofthe individual to the group. The liberty that is com-patible with social progress involves the readiness ofthe individual to work for a common end. If thisreadiness js not voluntary, it must be developed by per-suasion or
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