Digital Book
Both prophetic and illuminating, Fabian Freeway documents the rise and progress of
socialism in Britain and the United States and tells the story of the many early triumphs
of the philosophy of socialist incrementalism known as Fabian Socialism.
Part political history, part intellectual history, Rose Martin’s Fabian Freeway traces the influence
of the British Fabian Society in promoting socialism in Britain, beginning in the 1880s. The
group favored gradual progress toward socialism rather than violent revolution; and it proved to
be a major force in promoting British collectivism. Its influence extended to America as well,
where like-minded organizations and persons enhanced its effects. Martin emphasizes Fabian
influences on Wilson and FDR, and continues the discussion through the 1960’s, when the book
originally appeared.
When the British Fabian Society was first founded, its members, echoing Marx’s own
views, believed that socialism could only be introduced to Britain and the United States
through a strategy of very gradual change disguised as reform.
Some Fabians suspected that the United States might never adopt the tenets of true
socialism.
Less than 150 years, later, however, the Fabian strategy has been enormously successful.
Both Britain and the United States are heavily regulated and heavily taxed societies with
highly socialized economies where government agents exercise vast control over the
movement of capital and currency through an enormous bureaucratic apparatus.
In the original Foreword, Loyd Wright, writing in the midst of the Cold War, discusses
Fabian Socialism as “Communism’s helpmate,” and he portrays the ideology as a sort of
friendly-looking version of socialism that will nevertheless end up looking very much
like Soviet-style communism.
Since the end of the Cold War, however, we find that Fabian Socialism is far more
dangerous than revolutionary communism. Highly attractive to so-called “reasonable”
and “moderate” people, and compatible with the ideologies of so many center-left
and center-right political parties, Fabian Socialism, unlike soviet-style communism,
has exhibited a staying-power already shown to be much stronger than anything
revolutionary communism has yet produced.
Fabian Freeway provides a well-documented and rigorously compiled account of the
first eighty years of Fabian Socialism. Anyone with an interest in the history of socialism
and capitalism in the West should not be without a copy of this significant volume.
Contents
Foreword by Loyd Wright
Everything Has A Beginning. . .
1. Make Haste Slowly!
Part I: Great Britain
2. Sowing The Wind
3. The Dangerous Fabians
4. A Chosen Instrument
5. Sedition Between Two Wars
6. Dirge For An Empire
7. Trial By Ordeal
8. Tomorrow, The World?
Part II: The United States
9. The Fabian Turtle Discovers America
10. Putting The Silk Hat On Socialism
11. The Professor Goes To Washington
12. The Perfect Friendship
13. Left Hands Across The Sea
14. The More It Changes . . .
15. . . . The More It Stays The Same
16. By Any Other Name
17. Fabian Face Cards In The New Deal
18. Secret Weaponry
19. Power And Influence
20. More Power And Influence
21. The Commanding Heights
Epilogue: The Moving Finger Writes
Appendices
Appendix I. Fabian Society And British Labour Governments
Appendix II. League For Industrial Democracy—(To 1955)
Appendix III. League For Industrial Democracy—(1963)
Appendix IV. American Civil Liberties Union—(1921, 1963) And National Committee To Abolish The House of Un-American Activities Committee
Appendix V. Americans For Democratic Action, Founders, 1947
Appendix VI. Americans For Democratic Action In Government, 1962
Selected Bibliography
Index of Persons
General Index