English Social Movements

Socialistic Tendencies In Municipal And National Politics. It is less than ten years since the first of the existing English Socialist organizations was established. In 1881, a group of educated men formed the " Democratic Federation," which at the beginning held merely Radical party views. But under the leadership of Mr. H. M. Hyndman it grew more and more socialistic, and in 1883 the name of the society became the " Social Democratic Federation." As this name suggests the German Socialist organizations, it is generally taken for granted that the Federation is transplanted from Continental soil. It is true that Carl Marx, duringhis residence in London, had a good deal of influence with Mr. Hyndman and other persons of extreme tendencies. There have also been numerous German refugees in London from time to time. But the membership of the different Socialist organizations has been made up almost wholly of English people, and their programmes have to a large extent taken character from the distinctive nature and circumstances of English life. Mr. Hyndman is a graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge. At the time of his espousal of Socialism, he was a wealthy member of West End society. It is a fair test of his honesty that ho was shunned by his former associates, and expelled from his club; and that he spent a fortune to advance the new cause. He is still, perhaps, the leading exponent of Socialism in England, so far as knowledge of the subject goes. His organizati... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.