The Larger Aspects of Socialism #266969

Socialism can be approached equally well from two opposite directions. It may be treated either as a social movement that aims to build up a new civilization, or as a new civilization that is gradually being embodied in a social movement. In my "Socialism As It Is" I followed the first method and discussed the economic and political features of Socialism exclusively; in the present volume I shall proceed in the reverse direction and deal exclusively with its larger aspects, its intellectual and spiritual side.<br><br>As the two books were conceived and written together, they are parts of a single whole; but they are built on entirely independent foundations. In dealing with the economic and political movement I followed the inductive method; taking the activities of the movement itself as my point of departure, I concluded with its generalizations. In discussing the cultural movement I have followed the deductive method. Taking as my point of departure the philosophy of modern science, which I show to be wholly Socialistic in its bearings, and wholly dependent upon Socialism for its practical applications, I have first shown what results are reached by approaching each of the subjects I have discussed from this new standpoint, and I have then pointed out how the Socialist movement is, as a matter of fact, moving along the same line.