Chapter I: Front Matter

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 Guildsmen--Final
Statistics--The War