In Pursuit of Utopia #11: “Fabianism & Degeneration”
From https://schoolsucksproject.com/bonus-in-pursuit-of-utopia-11-fabianism-and-degeneration/:
The Fabian Society did seek to improve the living conditions of the poor—but not by the sort of charity that Thomas Malthus had decried. The Fabians wished to totally restructure society brick by brick, and they understood that many people—including the poor they aimed to serve—would have to suffer and die along the way. Originally, Fabians worked within the Liberal Party to implement social reforms. Specifically, they sought to impose universal health care and a minimum wage on England. They disliked the overly-masculine imperialism that had placed Britain above the rest of the world; they felt that the empire should be used as a tool to reform the world, and bring socialism to all the world’s dejected peoples. At home, they favored a Bismarckian welfare state. (The influence of Germanic thought on Anglo-American philosophy and politics is a recurring theme on School Sucks.)
By 1900, the Liberal Party had become suffused with Fabian ideas, and so the Society moved on on formed another party: the Labour Representation Committee. This later became the Labour Party in 1906, which is still in existence today. In 1895, the Fabians founded the London School of Economics. According to the Fabians’ own website: “A bequest of £20,000 left by Derby Fabian Henry Hutchinson to the Society for “propaganda and other purposes” was used by the Webbs, Graham Wallas and George Bernard Shaw to found a research institute to provide proof positive of the collectivist ideal.”
So they were certainly working hard, but what were they working for?
About This Series:
In the 21st century, we’re living in a mosaic of fractured and failed Utopian visions from the past; socialism, social justice, liberation movements, archaic revival, radical environmentalism, and even the “information” revolution are a just a few notable examples. Whether we trace the concept of utopia back to Thomas More 500 years ago or even all the way back to Plato, the ideal world has been pursued from the top down, frequently resulting in varying degrees of dystopia for people…not at the top.
About Your Instructor:
Danny McCarthy is a SSP listener, blogger and researcher, and the author of an upcoming book on the historical pursuit of utopia. His site is ageofutopia.info
We are joined again by historian Kevin Cole. His website is unityofthepolis.com
