The Christian Response To Industrial Capitalism

266 Pages·1986·13.607 MB·English

by  William Charlton, Robert Oakeshott

ThCeh riRsetsipaonn se
to
IndusCtarpiiatla lism
WillCihaamr lton
TatiMaanlal inson
RobeOratk eshott
She&e Wda rd
London
ISBoN- 7220-t97:;-o
©W illCihaamr lTtaotniM.aa nlal iannsldol no bOcarktc s1h9oUt)t
Nop arotft hibso omka yb er eprodsutcoeriden,ad retrieval
systoertm r,a nsmiinat ntfyeo dr,om rb ya nmye ans, ekctronic,
mechanpihcoatlo,c orpeycionrgod,rio ntgh,e rwwiitsheto,hu et
pripoerr miosfst ihoen p ubAllirlsi hgrehertssse. r ved.
PubliisnGh reedBa rti tian1i 9n8b 6y
She&c Wda rLdi mited.
2,C reechLuarnceh,
LondEoCn3,5A A Q
Boopkr oduBcitlilo n Ireson
FilmbsyWe atv rneTyy peseNtotrewrisNc,oh r,f olk
Prinatnebddo unbdv
A.Wheat&o CnoL .t dE.x,e tDeerv,o n
Contents
Ch<1ptcr
PHE l-ACE
oN E TheS ociParlo blem
Two TheE ighteCeenntthuC rhyu racnhd
Laissez-Faire 11
THREE Britialienf1 o8r5c5
FOURl 3riAtfati1en8r 5 5
FI vC aEt hoTlhiicn kiilnegf1 o8r9c1 104
s1 Oxf fiCcaitahlo Tleiacc hainnAdgc tion
AftIe8 r9 1
SEVEN Non-Christians
EIG IIA Tp plicaatnIidno dnisv iduals
NINE ITsh erAe C hrisTtriaadni ?t ion 2.20
TEN ITsh erAC eh risPtrioagnr amme? 237
NOTES 24(>
INDEX 257
Preface
IJnu l1y9 8c2o nafe rweanhsce ela dtP laCtoelrl Oexgfoer,d .
Ittsh ewmaeCs a thSoolciTicea alc hainnWdgo rkOewrn er­
shiapn,di th adt hrsepeo nsPolrasCt:oe lr lietgsete hlef,
Christian oAfsB suosciinaEetxsiesoc nu tainvdJe osb,
OwnersLhiimpi tCeadr.d inal BaAsriclh biHosufhm oep,
Westminasntdte hrRe,t H onD aviSdt eMePl w erteh e
conferencpea'tsrjAoomniosnn.ttg h owsheoa tteinwtde erde
thteh rperee swernitt ers.
Onet hiwnhgi ecmhe rvgeerdcy l eafrrlotymhc eo nference
wast hnee efdoa rs impilnet,r odbuocotwkoh riycw ho uld
outlnioontne l tyhd ee veloopfmC eanttht ohliincak bionugt
thseo cpiraolb lwehmihsca hvfo el loiwneddu stribaulti sation,
thteh inkoifon tgh er Cbhordiisaentsidi n adni viadnuda ls,
whicwho ulidpf,o ssipbllatech,eCe h risrteisapnoa nsas e
wholienr elattoti horene spoonfps reo grersesfoirvmee rs
outstihdCeeh risttriaadniT thiiboson o.ik sa na ttetmop t
meetth ante eTdh.ef ieilsad ne normoonueas,n wde a re
viviadwlaytr heta hte arrec impaorrewtaehas an vtne ob te en
ablteoc ovaerta laln,d o thewresh avceo veorneldy
superfIihtca issae lelmwyeo.dr thwhhoiwleevt,eo pr r,e sent
oufri ndtiotn hgpesu brluidci meanstt haearyry We e.h ope
thoatth weirblsels timutloga otd eede pientrth ose u bjaencdt
thmaeta nwyhoiulpen ge opilnpe a rtiwciubllelea nra btloe d
getto g riwpist thh eisses auteas ne arlaigeter h awne
oursedlivde.s
Wea rgel atdob ea btloea cknowhleelodpfvg aer ikoiunsd s
fromt hfoel lowJiA.n.gE :.d eB auwR,e Jvo hBnr eeRne,v
PauBlr eGtutya, n Mdo lCllyu ttonJ-aBmrCeooscrn kfo,r d,
PrinDcjeosrsd jRaeJdvRz ..eF ,r eSsJDe,r a nMdr As. H ellen,
LinHdean rWya,l tKeern daRlelvP, .L aurSJe,nM tr sM .
MelotGtecm,m aN esbiRtetvR, o beNritn dA,l phonse
RamilPertoR,fe zsohaanzdtv h,eL ibraorfiU asnh aw
College.
CHAPTERO NE
ThSeo cPiraolb lem
Int hsee cohnadlo fft heei ghthce eennttaup rryo cbeesgsa n
inE nglvavnhdwi actsho s pretaood t hceoru ntarniwdeh si ch
ins ompea rotfts h weo rilsdst giolilon ngI. \t V tahsFe r ench
whofo undfo ri tt hnea m'et hIen dusRtervioallu tIito n'.
comprtihsreeesle e menTthse:ir esm echanisoartt hieo n,
(i)
introdoufcm taicohnia nnetdse chnibqywu heisco hn mea n
cand ot hew orkf ormedrolnybe y s ever(ailiT;)h e
populagtrioow-nis n E nglaannWdda lbeest weIe7n8a 0n d
r9riogt r efwr o8m, 000t,o30 60,00 00,000( iTpiheier) s ons;
growitsch o ncentirnea xtpeadn dtionwgnw sh,i cloeu ntry
distrsitcatgsno arat rede e populAa kteeyfd e.a tupraert,
cauasnedp aretf feocftt h,e psreo ceissts hesaw,to riksn o
longpeurto utto p eopilnte h ehiorm ebsu,wt o rkearrse
concentirnfaa ctteodrw iheesrs et rriucltoe fds i sciaprlci ne
enforbcyoe vde rseers.
Iti so bviotuhsai tni tsellafb,o ur-msaacvhiinngie sr y
desirIatsb hloer.t tehnheso uorsfw ornke edteokd e eap
populaitnbi eoinna gn,bd r ings twhrieet ahocifehn v eryone
thintghsao tt hercwoiusbleed a fforodnelbdyy t hrei ch.
Industriwaoluilsndaa ttiuorbnae le lxyp ecttoep dr oduce
leisaunlrdue x uarnyid,n fa citht a asl moasltw aiynts h leo ng
runc ausae rdi sienl ivisntga ndtahrrdosu gshoocuite ty.
Neverthihtea lasel sgsseo n erpartoebdl wehmiscc ohl lective­
lya rseo meticmaelsle esdp,e cbiyaC lolnyt inwernittaelr s,
'tshoec piraolb lem'.
Int hef irpslta cieti, si nevitthaabitln ed ustrialisation
shoucladu as ep rofoudnids locoafpt eioopnl lei'vseI sf.
thsek itlrlasd itiinao s noacli ceetayts oeb eu sefuilft, h e
balanofca eg eiss a ltearneddp opulaotuitosnt trhiep s
accommodationi fpa evoapiallreafoe br clee-d,o nt his
accouanntdt oo btafoiond a ndw ork- tom ovei nto
unfamiliar enivitis or bovnimtoehunacstto s n nections with
THES OCIALP ROBLEM
2
thpea asnttd h ken owwni blelb rokaennld,i vtehsr oiwnnt o
confusion.
Theirsei nternessee ntamtte hndeti sciipmlpionsoeen d
thnee wf actloarbyob uytr h faec toorwyn earnsdt heir
oversheeenrc hmTehne.ri esr esentamtte hnleto sosf
freedoemm bodiinet dhs eh iafwta fyr otmh pea rtly self­
controlledo ft shifoetr umaeotrui towno rTkheerrsie.s
resenttmoaeotn t the ex ploietmabtoidoiinnte hdge r ossly
µneqwuaagl'e b argbaetiwne'e nne wft ahceto owrnyea rnsd
thewiorr kforAcnedis it. s w iderleym araknerdde gretted
thaatlo lra lmoaslctlu stoimnatreyr perresloantiaoln ships
anrde sponsaisbb ieltiwtemieaenss ta enrmd e nh avbee en
swept baytw haey hnaetwwe adgb ea rgbayiw nh,aM ta rx
caltlheceda snhe xus.
Somoeft hweo resftf oefci tnsd ustriaartleri asnastiitoino ­
naoln;c tehs eh ifrfotma gricaunlhdta unrdei tcoir nadftu stry
habse eenf fetchtedeyid m inainmsdah ye vedni sapBpueta r.
thediirs appecaarnanbnoecct oe u notneM.de chaniissa tion
noatp roctehsoasct c ounrcsae n fodr a lIlct.o ntiannuiden s ,
advanscoecdi teotdiuaenysd tehrie n fluoeftn hceeel ectro­
niicnsd uisittas rc yc eleIrnma atnicyno gu.n tlroinegs- term
unemplohyambsee neitnn creaanswdii ntighut, n happiness,
demoralainsdva itoiloenWn hcaewt.o ndeirfp, e opalree
leavsicnhgow oiltn ho p rospoefec vted ro inagn ything
excceapstu al, luanbsokuirl?l ed
Evewnh etrhepe r obloeftm rsa nshiatvbieeo esnnm oothed
outo,t hperro blreemmsa IinnW .e steErunr owphee riet
begainn,d ustrieasltiasbalititissoihennelt d fh foer mo f
indusctarpiiatlaB ly'i isnmd.u csatpriitaawlle mi esaman'
systienwm h icthh earreie n p rinctiwpopl aer ttioae ns
undertaap krionpgr:wi heoto owrnt sh aes saentddse cides
howt heayrt eo ubseea dn,wd o rkwehrocs o nttrola acbto ur
undtehrpe r oprideitroerc'tsi on.
Thef irpsrto priweetrooefr tsie nnd iviwdhuota hlesm ­
selwvoersk ientd h een terApsrt iismweee. no tn t,h ewseer e
replbaycp eedr swohnohs a lde asnsld e csosn newcittiihot n.
Int hper ivsaetceot fom ord eirnnd utshtaers ys beetlsot nog
sharehwohlomd oesrtshl ayvn eok nowleodftg hbeeu siness
andn os aiyn i tw hateavnedar n;i ntermceldaiosafst e
managhearassr iwsheonr un btuhsei noefstosen,mn o roer
lebsusr eaulcirnaAetttsi h.sce a mtei mteh ehraeds e veloped,
THES OCIAPLR OBLEM 3
moscto nspiciunto huCesol mym unbilsotac p ,u blsiecc tor
inw hicthhe el ectaosarw ahtoelo ert, h erierp reseonrta tives
rulemrasyb, er egaradste hdpe r opriaenttdoh rmesa ,n age­
menmte rgienstt ohb eu reaupcrroapcDeyer s.p oibtvei ous
andi mpordtiaffnetr ebnoctethsh ,es syes tetmhspe,r ivate
andt hSet actaebn,e v iewaesvd a rieotfti hesesa mteh ing,
indusctarpiiatlia ntl hibesr mo saedn se.
Indusctarpiiatlai lsni ostam p roduocftt h eI ndustrial
RevoluItnei sosne.in etcx ei sitnte hdfie f tche ntBuCr.Ty h e
Athensitaant eNsimcaihnaa asdt houssalnadiv net shs ei lver
mineasn,id wt a sw itbhr ililrioatnnhytaP tl acthoo asset he
settfoirhn iggs r edaita loongj uues tTihcReee ,p utbhlheio cu,s e
ofC ephaalm uasnw, h oe mploIy2 e0sd l aivnae nsa rmaments
factoBryyt .hb ee ginonfti hnfiegf teceenntthtu hrseyi alnkd
woolilnednu swterrioeer sg aniinIs teadol ncy a pitlailniesst.
TheI ndusRtervioalluw tainsoo tnth ien cepotfti hoseny stem
buitte sx pantsoais otnao tfde o minatthieenc go nosmciecn e.
Iitps r otnoet wod efeIcttte sn.ed ssp,e ciinta hlpelr yi vate
formt,od eprtihvweeo rkoefrh ijsu ssth airnet hvea lue
generbayht eildsa boaunrgd,i vtehsti ost hper opriTehteo r.
resuhlatso ftbeene an f lagruannfatildryi striobfu tion
incomew eaanldIta thl .s o ttode enndtysh w eo rkaenrry e al
contorvoeltr h ceo ndoufct th een terpTrhieds eem.o cratic
princaispsleterh tapste ophlaeva er igthoct h oowsheow ill
govetrhne amn,td o as aiynt hdee cisaiboongusot v ernment
poliAcsyS .e eboRhomw ntorbesee r'vdeedm,o corftaecny
stoaptts h faec tograyt e'.
Christhiaaasnl iwtaypy rso feasc soendc weirtnhh u man
well-bienti hnwigos r alsdw elalsi nt hnee xDti.d Christians
percetihsveoe c piraolb lteowm hsi cthhI en dusRtervioallu ­
tiogna vrei sWee?r teh eayb lteoi mplemoerpn rto paonsye
soluttioto hnesOm r?d itdh eeyx acetrhbeamt?e
In1 904M-a5xW ebepru fotr wa(ridTn h Per oteEstthainct
antdh Sep iorfCi atp itaalt ihsemas'bio)stu htre e lationship
betweCehnr istiaanndmi otdye rcna pitawlhiischmha s
attramcutcedhdi scusHsedi eofn.ic naepdi tianlg iesnme ral
ast hsey stematiocfp rpoufiartnsa, uc ittit vhipetu yr pose of
whicihts o e nudp w itahs smeotrsve a lutahbaltneh owsiet h
whicyho sut arCtaepdi.t ailnti hssimes n hseeo ,b serhvaesd ,
exisitnme adn ayg easn sdo ciebtuiitent s hm;eo deWrne sitt
is distibnytg hurifesuehr etfdhe eart oufwr heisc thhf ei risst
4 THES OCIALP ROBLEM
thmeo sstt riaknidin mgp orttahonert g:a niosfaf trieoen
labouunrdi emrp orsueldoe ffs a ctory tdhirese cmiopvlailn e,
ofw orfkr otmhh eo mea,ns dy stebmoaotki-ck eTehpiisn g.
developWmeebnertre, a socnoeudnl,od t h avoec curred
unleas fasi rn umbeorfe mployaenrdes m ployheaeds
accetphtwaeotdr iknp rofit-bmuaskiiinnasegg so sot dh ing
fori tosw n saankidedt ;i n do otc cbuerfo trhese e venteenth
centouror uyt sEiudreoa pneNd o rAtmhe rbieccaa tuhsiiess
ad iffaincsduu lrtp rtihsiitnnoagg c ceWphta.t , ltethdoe n,
itasc ceptWaenbceferi? nt dhsae n swienPr r otestIann tism.
thMei ddAlgee isyf,o wua ntteold e aasd p echioalllyliy fe ,
yojuo inare edl iogridoLeuurst. h reerj etchtcieosdu rasned ,
lookfionsrgo metthopi unitgni tpsl aicnet,r otdhuiecd eeda
ofa' cal(lBienngAt'c} c)o.r tdoti hniigds e oan,ej 'osbo ,n e's
ordineacroyn oamcitcii vnti htweyo rlidasw, a yo fs erving
GodW. ebetrh ougthhtiw sa st hee xteonftL uther's
contribfuottrih oern e;s Ltu,t hwearsa traditionalist,
suspiocfci oomumse arncwdeo rdrliyc hTehseC. a lvinists,
howevoeprp,r ebsyst ehfder ightdeoncitnorgfiP nree des­
tinawteiroeenn ,c ourtaoig memde rtshee msielncv aepsi tal­
isatc tiivnoi rtdyte obr a nidsohu batbso wuhte tohren ro t
thewye rsea vaendtd;o P uriotfaa nnas s cettuirnPc,i etists,
Quakearnsdo thetrows h omm onasltiiwfeca sc losed,
idlesneeesmsaes di ann,hd a rwdo reki,t ahsae nre ntrepre­
neuorra sa ne mploayl eeeg,i tfiomroamfat sec eticism.
R. THa.w neiynh, i fosr ewotrodT alcPoatrts ons's
Engltirsahn sloafWt eiboeanrn da gaiinnh iosw nb ook
Reliagnitdoh nRe i soefC apithalacisrs imt,i tchitishsee ds is.
Thea ccustahtWaietob nep rl a'cteeosxo c luasnei mvpeh asis
upoinn tellaenecdtt huiafcloa rlcW eesb'eh ri msiensl ofm e
measuarnet iciipnha itCseh sa ptIeIbr;u ti tm ayb e
questwihoentePhdre ort estraenadtliilhdsya m va me o nopo­
-'-
lyo ft hweo rekt hSiocm.he i stodreitatenhcssetp iorfi t
capitiantl hifesr mee ceo noomfty h tew elcfetnht Iuritys .
already inrf oibfutsete ntIht-acalenynd,tt urhyeg reat
expansoifDo unt ccha pitaplriescmet dheecd a pitalists'
convertsoCi aolnv iinnit shm1e 5 60Osur.c onciesnrn o t
witcha pitiangl einsembr uawtli tihn dusctarpiiatlWa el ism.
mayc oncedaen e tshtaeotefh m a rwdo rfokr i tos, vsna ke
wamso rmea rkaemdo nPgr otetshtaaannm tosnC ga tholics.
Webehri msheolwfe,v learey,ms p haosnti hsoe r ganisation,
THES OCIALP ROBLEM 5
11m1o dernc apitaolffri eselm a,b oWuhry.w ast hetrhei s
labotuoro rganTiosa en?s vtv'hearwt e muslto oki,n
Tawneyw'osr dtso,' econoomrigca nisaantdsi oocni al
structIuntr heee'i .g hteceenntthuE rnyg,l ahnadda l arge
populaotfpi eornsw ointnsho thbiunttgh eliarb otuosr e ll.
Webearn dt hofsoewr h omh ew rotper obatbhloyu ght
thattoh avgei vreints oec apitwaalsaif sema t(hiiefctr o uld
bes howtnob elotnhge irner )e ligciaopAn.n' ost hsecrh ool
oft houghhatsv iewreedl igwiiotlnhe sfsr ienedyleys .
Bakunin fsoiprwte h aekhnses ays:
Wea rcco nvitnhcatethdm e o shta rmoffua llt lh infgosr,
humanainftdoy tr r uatnhpd r ogirtsehs Cesh ,u rCcohu.il btde
otherDwoicsisnet o? fat l olnt hCeh urtcophe rvtehyreot u nger
generaatneidso pnesct ihwaeol mleyIn s?n oiStth weh ob,yh er
dogmahsel,ri ehses,rt upiadnihdte iyrg nomsieneytk.os
destlroogyit chailn aknisdnc gi e.n.c.De o,e ssh neo ttu rn
whaitls i viinnatgc o o rpcsaeas,st i frdeee daonmpd,r eatchhe
etersnlaalvo eftr hyme a ssfeotsrh bee neoffti ytr aanntds
explo11i ters
Thesaers et rownogr dbsu,tt h eayr neo utt tewrietdh out
excuIsne1 .7 8L8o uXiVsI 'msi nisNteecrkp eurb liTshheed
ImportaR1e1lcieg i�o(u s wOhpiicwnhai sot nrsa\n silnattoe d
Engltihsseha myee abryM arWyo llstonleacttrehawrefi tfe,
ofW illGioadmw iInnt. h iboso Nke ckmeari nttahia'ntis t
belotnogt she es seonftc hele a wosfp ropetroit nyt roduce
5
andm aintcaoinns tainmtmleynd sies par.iT thieae rsg'u­
mentosf o rthoedcooxn omairsewt hso lilnyc apoafb le
persuatdhpieon ogtr h aiittts o t heiinrt etrote askptea ritna
syst'eimwn h icohn ceo usladty h aotn pea rotfs ociheatdy
beefno rmseodl efolrty-h ceo nvenoifet nhcoeet hearn'd,
onlrye liwgiisloulnffi cteok eetph eamc quiescent.
Ona c arerfeuald ihnogw,e veevre,Nn e ckseere rmast her
ingenutohuacsny nicaanldi, ti sd iffitcoau rlgtut eh at
Christiinia tnsifaetvlyof u erxsp loiatnardte iporne sTshieo n.
IndusRtervioallu otcicounri rnce odu ntwrhiiecwshe rei,n
name laeta sCth,r istTihaonsw.eh oc austehdes ocial
problaenmdws h oe xplotihtpeeo do arn dw eauks ually
profeCshsreids tainatdnr iitteyood b tatihsneu ppoorrat t,
leatshtne e utraolfti htCeyh ,r isatuitahno rTihteioyeft se.n
succde.e1 d3etuhte tnh ose grwahpop wliettdhh per oblems