'For it must needs that offences come, but woe to him through whom the offence cometh.' The crimes of the future are the harvests sown of the ruling classes of the present. Woe to the tyrant who shall cause the offense! Sometimes I dream of this social change. I get a streak of faith in Evolution, and the good in man. I paint a gradual slipping out of the now, to that beautiful then, where there are neither kings, presidents, landlords, national bankers, stockbrokers, railroad magnates, patentright monopolists, or tax and title collectors; where there are no over-stocked markets or hungry children, idle counters and naked creatures, splendor and misery, waste and need. I am told this is farfetched idealism, to paint this happy, povertyless, crimeless, diseaseless world; I have been told I 'ought to be behind the bars' for it. Remarks of that kind rather destroy the white streak of faith. I lose confidence in the slipping process, and am forced to believe that the rulers of the earth are sowing a fearful wind, to reap a most terrible whirlwind. When I look at this poor, bleeding, wounded World, this world that has suffered so long, struggled so much, been scourged so fiercely, thorn-pierced so deeply, crucified so cruelly, I can only shake my head and remember:
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Current ruling classes sow future crimes; the author dreams of a future without hierarchy or want.
- In plain terms
- Ruling classes cause future crimes; a better future is dreamed.
- What can you take from it?
- Social change requires overcoming current power structures and idealism.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is a crimeless society possible?
- Does faith in evolution help social change?
Another view
The vision is presented as idealistic and difficult to achieve.
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