Excerpt from Undesirable Results of German Social Legislation

The philosopher, the politician, the clergyman and the technical man, all these are thinking of and discussing this question. But no one has determined with absolute certainty the point at which legislation in the interests of society as a whole should stop. Nor W111 anyone ever be in a position to do this, inasmuch as every period has its own peculiar requirements. For history reveals to us a changing struggle between the individual and society in an organized form; the individual contending first with the city commonwealth, then with the guild, again with the four estates and lastly with the socialistic community.

We realize that this contest between individualistic and socialistic ideals has been an impelling force in the history of the world, perhaps the greatest impelling force. We recognize the highly beneficial effect of the guilds during the period in which they arose and throve, of this ironclad form of organization, to which the former glory of German cities was due. But we also know that later, when it was necessary to bring about a new ar rangement, men of strong personality burst the fetters of the guild system, and that those countries made the fastest progress in which the individual struck out most freely and boldly into untrodden paths.

Thus does history inform us of changes which at all stages were both welcomed and execrated. Every time such a change took place a flood of literature arose dealing with the old ques tion: Where is the line to be drawn between the rights of the individual and the rights of society considered as a whole? And each time the writers finally had to admit that they knew of no answer.

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