evolution and ethics and other essays-第36章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


＇223＇　that　has　been　suggested；　I　think　that　the　school　boards　will
have　quite　as　much　on　their　hands　as　they　are　capable　of　doing　well。
The　influences　under　which　the　members　of　these　bodies　are　elected　do
not　tend　to　secure　fitness　for　dealing　with　scientific　or　technical
education；　and　it　is　the　less　necessary　to　burden　them　with　an
uncongenial　task　as　there　are　other　organizations；　not　only　much
better　fitted　to　do　the　work；　but　already　actually　doing　it。

In　the　matter　of　preliminary　scientific　education；　the　chief　of　these
is　the　Science　and　Art　Department；　which　has　done　more　during　the　last
quarter　of　a　century　for　the　teaching　of　elementary　science　among　the
masses　of　the　people　than　any　organization　which　exists　either　in　this
or　in　any　other　country。　It　has　become　veritably　a　people's
university；　so　far　as　physical　science　is　concerned。　At　the　foundation
of　our　old　universities　they　were　freely　open　to　the　poorest；　but　the
poorest　must　come　to　them。　In　the　last　quarter　of　a　century；　the
Science　and　Art　Department；　by　means　of　its　classes　spread　all　over
the　country　and　open　to　all；　has　conveyed　instruction　to　the　poorest。
The　University　Extension　movement　shows　that　our　older　learned
corporations　have　discovered　the　propriety　of　following　suit。

Technical　education；　in　the　strict　sense；　has　become　a　necessity　for
two　reasons。　The　old　apprenticeship　system　has　broken　down；　partly　by
＇224＇　reason　of　the　changed　conditions　of　industrial　life；　and　partly
because　trades　have　ceased　to　be　〃crafts；〃　the　traditional　secrets
whereof　the　master　handed　down　to　his　apprentices。　Invention　is
constantly　changing　the　face　of　our　industries；　so　that　〃use　and
wont；〃　〃rule　of　thumb；〃　and　the　like；　are　gradually　losing　their
importance；　while　that　knowledge　of　principles　which　alone　can　deal
successfully　with　changed　conditions　is　becoming　more　and　more
valuable。　Socially；　the　〃master〃　of　four　or　five　apprentices　is
disappearing　in　favour　of　the　〃employer〃　of　forty；　or　four　hundred；　or
four　thousand；　〃hands；〃　and　the　odds　and　ends　of　technical　knowledge；
formerly　picked　up　in　a　shop；　are　not；　and　cannot　be；　supplied　in　the
factory。　The　instruction　formerly　given　by　the　master　must　therefore
be　more　than　replaced　by　the　systematic　teaching　of　the　technical
school。

Institutions　of　this　kind　on　varying　scales　of　magnitude　and
completeness；　from　the　splendid　edifice　set　up　by　the　City　and　Guilds
Institute　to　the　smallest　local　technical　school；　to　say　nothing　of
classes；　such　as　those　in　technology　instituted　by　the　Society　of　Arts
（subsequently　taken　over　by　the　City　Guilds）；　have　been　established　in
various　parts　of　the　country；　and　the　movement　in　favour　of　their
increase　and　multiplication　is　rapidly　growing　in　breadth　and
intensity。　But　there　is　much　difference　of　opinion　as　to　the　best
＇225＇　way　in　which　the　technical　instruction；　so　generally　desired；
should　be　given。　Two　courses　appear　to　be　practicable：　the　one　is　the
establishment　of　special　technical　schools　with　a　systematic　and
lengthened　course　of　instruction　demanding　the　employment　of　the　whole
time　of　the　pupils。　The　other　is　the　setting　afoot　of　technical
classes；　especially　evening　classes；　comprising　a　short　series　of
lessons　on　some　special　topic；　which　may　be　attended　by　persons
already　earning　wages　in　some　branch　of　trade　or　commerce。

There　is　no　doubt　that　technical　schools；　on　the　plan　indicated　under
the　first　head；　are　extremely　costly；　and；　so　far　as　the　teaching　of
artisans　is　concerned；　it　is　very　commonly　objected　to　them　that；　as
the　learners　do　not　work　under　trade　conditions；　they　are　apt　to　fall
into　amateurish　habits；　which　prove　of　more　hindrance　than　service　in
the　actual　business　of　life。　　When　such　schools　are　attached　to
factories　under　the　direction　of　an　employer　who　desires　to　train　up　a
supply　of　intelligent　workmen；　of　course　this　objection　does　not
apply；　nor　can　the　usefulness　of　such　schools　for　the　training　of
future　employers　and　for　the　higher　grade　of　the　employed　be　doubtful；
but　they　are　clearly　out　of　the　reach　of　the　great　mass　of　the　people；
who　have　to　earn　their　bread　as　soon　as　possible。　We　must　therefore
look　to　the　classes；　and　especially　to　evening　classes；　as　the　great
instrument　for　the　technical　＇226＇　education　of　the　artisan。　The
utility　of　such　classes　has　now　been　placed　beyond　all　doubt；　the　only
question　which　remains　is　to　find　the　ways　and　means　of　extending
them。

We　are　here；　as　in　all　other　questions　of　social　organization；　met　by
two　diametrically　opposed　views。　On　the　one　hand；　the　methods　pursued
in　foreign　countries　are　held　up　as　our　example。　The　State　is　exhorted
to　take　the　matter　in　hand　and　establish　a　great　system　of　technical
education。　On　the　other　hand；　many　economists　of　the　individualist
school　exhaust　the　resources　of　language　in　condemning　and
repudiating；　not　merely　the　interference　of　the　general　government　in
such　matters；　but　the　application　of　a　farthing　of　the　funds　raised　by
local　taxation　to　these　purposes。　I　entertain　a　strong　conviction
that；　in　this　country；　at　any　rate；　the　State　had　much　better　leave
purely　technical　and　trade　instruction　alone。　But；　although　my
personal　leanings　are　decidedly　towards　the　individualists；　I　have
arrived　at　that　conclusion　on　merely　practical　grounds。　In　fact；　my
individualism　is　rather　of　a　sentimental　sort；　and　I　sometimes　think　I
should　be　stronger　in　the　faith　if　it　were　less　vehemently　advocated。*
I　am　unable　to　see　that　civil　society　is　anything　but　a　corporation
established　＇227＇　for　a　moral　object　onlynamely；　the　good　of　its
membersand　therefore　that　it　may　take　such　measures　as　seem　fitting
for　the　attainment　of　that　which　the　general　voice　decides　to　be　the
general　good。　That　the　suffrage　of　the　majority　is　by　no　means　a
scientific　test　of　social　good　and　evil　is　unfortunately　too　true；
but；　in　practice；　it　is　the　only　test　we　can　apply；　and　the　refusal　to
abide　by　it　means　anarchy。　The　purest　despotism　that　ever　existed　is
as　much　based　upon　that　will　of　the　majority　（which　is　usually
submission　to　the　will　of　a　small　minority）　as　the　freest　republic。
Law　is　the　expression　of　the　opinion　of　the　majority；　and　it　is　law；
and　not　mere　opinion；　because　the　many　are　strong　enough　to　enforce
it。

　　　　*　In　what　follows　I　am　only　repeating　and　emphasizing
　　　　opinions　which　I　expressed　seventeen　years　ago；　in　an
　　　　Address　to　the　members　of　the　Midland　Institute
　　　　（republished　in　Critiques　and　Addresses　in　1873；　and　in　Vol。
　　　　I。　of　these　Essays　）。　I　have　seen　no　reason　to　modify　them；
　　　　notwithstanding　high　authority　on　the　other　side。

I　am　as　strongly　convinced　as　the　most　pronounced　individualist　can　be；
that　it　is　desirable　that　every　man　should　be　free　to　act　in　every　way
which　does　not　limit　the　corresponding　freedom　of　his　fellow…man。　But
I　fail　to　connect　that　great　induction　of　political　science　with　the
practical　corollary　which　is　frequently　drawn　from　it：　that　the
Statethat　is；　the　people　in　their　corporate　capacityhas　no
business　to　meddle　with　anything　but　the　administration　of　justice　and
external　defence。　It　appears　to　me　that　the　＇228＇　amount　of　freedom
which　incorporate　society　may　fitly　leave　to　its　members　is　not　a
fixed　quantity；　to　be　determined　a　priori　by　deduction　from　the
fiction　called　〃natural　rights〃；　but　that　it　must　be　determined　by；
and　vary　with；　circumstances。　I　conceive　it　to　be　demonstrable　that
the　higher　and　the　more　complex　the　organization　of　the　social　body；
the　more　closely　is　the　life　of　each　member　bound　up　with　that　of　the
whole；　and　the　larger　becomes　the　category　of　acts　which　cease　to　be
merely　self…regarding；　and　which　interfere　with　the　freedom　of　others
more　or　less　seriously。

If　a　squatter；　living　ten　miles　away　from　any　neighbour；　chooses　to
burn　his　house　down　to　get　rid　of　vermin；　there　may　be　no　necessity
（in　the　absence　of　insurance　offices）　that　the　law　should　interfere
with　his　freedom　of　action；　his　act　can　hurt　nobody　but　himself。　But；
if　the　dweller　in　a　street　chooses　to　do　the　same　thing；　the　State
very　properly　makes　such　a　proceeding　a　crime；　and　punish