,H[ ,I ,BECAME A ,SOCIALI/ 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,WILLIAM ,MORRIS 

,TEXT 3 

      ,I AM ASK$ BY ! ,$ITOR TO GIVE SOME SORT ( A HI/ORY 
      ( ! ABOVE CONV]SION1 & ,I FEEL ?AT IT MAY BE ( SOME USE TO DO SO1 IF MY 
      READ]S WILL LOOK UPON ME AS A TYPE ( A C]TA9 GR\P ( PEOPLE1 BUT NOT SO EASY 
      TO DO CLE>LY1 BRIEFLY & TRULY4 ,LET ME1 H[EV]1 TRY4 ,BUT FIR/1 ,I WILL SAY :AT 
      ,I MEAN BY BE+ A ,SOCIALI/1 S9CE ,I AM TOLD ?AT ! WORD NO LONG] EXPRESSES 
      DEF9ITELY & ) C]TA9TY :AT IT DID T5 YE>S AGO4 ,WELL1 :AT ,I MEAN BY 
      ,SOCIALISM IS A CONDITION ( SOCIETY 9 :I* !RE %\LD BE NEI!R RI* NOR POOR1 
      NEI!R MA/] NOR MA/]'S MAN1 NEI!R IDLE NOR OV]WORK$1 NEI!R BRA9-SICK 
      BRA9 WORK]S1 NOR HE>T-SICK H& WORK]S1 9 A WORD1 9 :I* ALL M5 W\LD BE 
      LIV+ 9 EQUALITY ( CONDITION1 & W\LD MANAGE !IR AFFAIRS UNWA/EFULLY1 & 
      ) ! FULL CONSCI\SNESS ?AT H>M TO ONE W\LD MEAN H>M TO ALL--! 
      REALIZATION AT LA/ ( ! MEAN+ ( ! WORD ,C,O,M,M,O,N,W,E,A,L,?4 
     
     

      ,N[ ?IS VIEW ( ,SOCIALISM :I* ,I HOLD TO-DAY1 & HOPE TO DIE HOLD+1 IS :AT ,I 
      BEGAN )2 ,I HAD NO TRANSITIONAL P]IOD1 UNLESS Y\ MAY CALL SU* A BRIEF P]IOD 
      ( POLITICAL RADICALISM DUR+ :I* ,I SAW MY IDEAL CLE> 5\<1 BUT HAD NO HOPE 
      ( ANY REALIZATION ( IT4 ,?AT CAME TO AN 5D SOME MON?S BE=E ,I JO9$ ! 
      7!N7 ,DEMOCRATIC ,F$]ATION1 & ! MEAN+ ( MY JO9+ ?AT BODY WAS ?AT ,I 
      HAD CONCEIV$ A HOPE ( ! REALIZATION ( MY IDEAL4 ,IF Y\ ASK ME H[ MU* ( A 
      HOPE1 OR :AT ,I ?\<T WE ,SOCIALI/S !N LIV+ & WORK+ W\LD ACCOMPLI% 
      T[>DS IT1 OR :5 !RE W\LD BE EFFECT$ ANY *ANGE 9 ! FACE ( SOCIETY1 ,I 
      MU/ SAY1 ,I DO NOT KN[4 ,I CAN ONLY SAY ?AT ,I DID NOT MEASURE MY HOPE1 NOR ! JOY 
      ?AT IT BR\<T ME AT ! TIME4 ,= ! RE/1 :5 ,I TOOK ?AT /EP ,I WAS BLANKLY 
      IGNORANT ( ECONOMICS2 ,I HAD NEV] SO MU* AS OP5$ ,ADAM ,SMI?1 OR HE>D ( 
      ,RIC>DO1 OR ( ,K>L ,M>X4 ,ODDLY 5\<1 ,I HAD READ SOME ( ,MILL1 TO WIT1 
      ?OSE PO/HUM\S PAP]S ( HIS 7PUBLI%$1 WAS IT 9 ! ,WE/M9/] 
      ,REVIEW OR ! ,=TNI<TLY87 9 :I* HE ATTACKS ,SOCIALISM 9 ITS 
      ,F\RI]I/ GUISE4 ,9 ?OSE PAP]S HE PUT ! >GUM5TS1 AS F> AS !Y GO1 CLE>LY 
      & HONE/LY1 & ! RESULT1 SO F> AS ,I WAS CONC]N$1 WAS TO CONV9CE ME ?AT 
      ,SOCIALISM WAS A NECESS>Y *ANGE1 & ?AT IT WAS POSSIBLE TO BR+ IT AB\T 9 \R 
      [N DAYS4 ,?OSE PAP]S PUT ! F9I%+ T\* TO MY CONV]SION TO ,SOCIALISM4 ,WELL1 
      HAV+ JO9$ A ,SOCIALI/ BODY 7= ! ,F$]ATION SOON BECAME DEF9ITELY 
      ,SOCIALI/71 ,I PUT SOME CONSCI5CE 9TO TRY+ TO LE>N ! ECONOMICAL SIDE ( 
      ,SOCIALISM1 & EV5 TACKL$ ,M>X1 ?\< ,I MU/ CONFESS ?AT1 :]EAS ,I ?OR\<LY 
      5JOY$ ! HI/ORICAL P>T ( ,CAPITAL1 ,I SUFF]$ AGONIES ( CONFUSION ( 
      ! BRA9 OV] READ+ ! PURE ECONOMICS ( ?AT GREAT WORK4 ,ANYH[1 ,I READ :AT ,I 
      C\LD1 & WILL HOPE ?AT SOME 9=MATION /UCK TO ME FROM MY READ+2 BUT MORE1 ,I 
      MU/ ?9K1 FROM CONT9U\S CONV]SATION ) SU* FRI5DS AS ,BAX & ,HYNDMAN & 
      ,S*EU1 & ! BRISK C\RSE ( PROPAG&A MEET+S :I* W]E GO+ ON AT ! TIME1 
      & 9 :I* ,I TOOK MY %>E4 ,SU* F9I% TO :AT ( $UCATION 9 PRACTICAL 
      ,SOCIALISM AS ,I AM CAPABLE ( ,I RECEIV$ AFT]W>DS FROM SOME ( MY ,AN>*I/ 
      FRI5DS1 FROM :OM ,I LE>N$1 QUITE AGA9/ !IR 9T5TION1 ?AT ,AN>*ISM WAS 
      IMPOSSIBLE1 MU* AS ,I LE>N$ FROM ,MILL AGA9/ HIS 9T5TION ?AT ,SOCIALISM WAS 
      NECESS>Y4 
     
     

      ,BUT 9 ?IS TELL+ H[ ,I FELL 9TO PRACTICAL ,SOCIALISM ,I HAVE BEGUN1 AS ,I 
      P]CEIVE1 9 ! MIDDLE1 = 9 MY POSITION ( A WELL-TO-DO MAN1 NOT SUFF]+ FROM 
      ! DISABILITIES :I* OPPRESS A WORK+ MAN AT EV]Y /EP1 ,I FEEL ?AT ,I MI<T 
      NEV] HAVE BE5 DRAWN 9TO ! PRACTICAL SIDE ( ! QUE/ION IF AN IDEAL HAD NOT 
      =C$ ME TO SEEK T[>DS IT4 ,= POLITICS AS POLITICS1 I4E41 NOT REG>D$ AS A 
      NECESS>Y IF CUMB]SOME & DISGU/FUL MEANS TO AN 5D1 W\LD NEV] HAVE ATTRACT$ 
      ME1 NOR :5 ,I HAD BECOME CONSCI\S ( !WRONGS ( SOCIETY AS IT N[ IS1 & ! 
      OPPRESSION ( POOR PEOPLE1 C\LD ,I HAVE EV] BELIEV$ 9 ! POSSIBILITY ( A 
      P>TIAL SETT+ RI<T ( ?OSE WRONGS4 ,9 O!R WORDS1 ,I C\LD NEV] HAVE 
      BE5 SU* A FOOL AS TO BELIEVE 9 ! HAPPY & 0RESPECTABLE0 POOR4 
     
     

      ,IF1 !RE=E1 MY IDEAL =C$ ME TO LOOK = PRACTICAL ,SOCIALISM1 :AT WAS IT ?AT 
      =C$ ME TO CONCEIVE ( AN IDEAL8 ,N[1 H]E COMES 9 :AT ,I SAID ( MY BE+ 79 
      ?IS PAP]7 A TYPE ( A C]TA9 GR\P ( M9D4 
     
     

      ,BE=E ! UPRIS+ ( MOD]N ,SOCIALISM ALMO/ ALL 9TELLIG5T PEOPLE 
      EI!R W]E1 OR PR(ESS$ !MSELVES TO BE1 QUITE CONT5T$ ) ! CIVILIZATION 
      ( ?IS C5TURY4 ,AGA91 ALMO/ ALL ( !SE REALLY W]E ?US CONT5T$1 & SAW 
      NO?+ TO DO BUT TO P]FECT ! SAID CIVILIZATION BY GETT+ RID ( A FEW 
      RIDICUL\S SURVIVALS ( ! B>B>\S AGES4 ,TO BE %ORT1 ?IS WAS ! ,:IG 
      FRAME ( M9D1 NATURAL TO ! MOD]N PROSP]\S MIDDLE-CLASS M51 :O1 9 FACT1 AS 
      F> AS ME*ANICAL PROGRESS IS CONC]N$1 HAVE NO?+ TO ASK =1 IF ONLY ,SOCIALISM 
      W\LD LEAVE !M ALONE TO 5JOY !IR PL5TIFUL /YLE4 
     
     

      ,BUT BESIDES !SE CONT5T$ ONES !RE W]E O!RS :O W]E NOT REALLY CONT5T$1 
      BUT HAD A VAGUE S5TIM5T ( REPULSION TO ! TRIUMPH ( CIVILIZATION1 BUT W]E 
      CO]C$ 9TO SIL5CE BY ! MEASURELESS P[] ( ,:IGG]Y4 ,LA/LY1 !RE W]E A FEW 
      :O W]E 9 OP5 REBELLION AGA9/ ! SAID ,:IGG]Y--A FEW1 SAY TWO1 ,C>LYLE 
      & ,RUSK94 ,! LATT]1 BE=E MY DAYS ( PRACTICAL ,SOCIALISM1 WAS MY MA/] 
      T[>DS ! IDEAL A=ESAID1 &1 LOOK+ BACKW>D1 ,I CANNOT HELP SAY+1 BY ! 
      WAY1 H[ DEADLY DULL ! WORLD W\LD HAVE BE5 TW5TY YE>S AGO BUT = ,RUSK96 ,IT 
      WAS ?R\< HIM ?AT ,I LE>N$ TO GIVE =M TO MY DISCONT5T1 :I* ,I MU/ SAY WAS 
      NOT BY ANY MEANS VAGUE4 ,AP>T FROM ! DESIRE TO PRODUCE BEAUTIFUL ?+S1 ! 
      LEAD+ PASSION ( MY LIFE HAS BE5 & IS HATR$ ( MOD]N CIVILIZATION4 ,:AT 
      %ALL ,I SAY ( IT N[1 :5 ! WORDS >E PUT 9TO MY M\?1 MY HOPE ( ITS 
      DE/RUCTION--:AT %ALL ,I SAY ( ITS SUPPLANT+ BY ,SOCIALISM8 
     
     

      ,:AT %ALL ,I SAY CONC]N+ ITS MA/]Y ( & ITS WA/E ( ME*ANICAL P[]1 ITS 
      COMMONWEAL? SO POOR1 ITS 5EMIES ( ! COMMONWEAL? SO RI*1 ITS /UP5D\S 
      ORGANIZATION--= ! MIS]Y ( LIFE6 ,ITS CONTEMPT ( SIMPLE PLEASURES :I* 
      EV]YONE C\LD 5JOY BUT = ITS FOLLY8 ,ITS EYELESS VULG>ITY :I* HAS DE/ROY$ 
      >T1 ! ONE C]TA9 SOLACE ( LABOR8 ,ALL ?IS ,I FELT !N AS N[1 BUT ,I DID NOT 
      KN[ :Y IT WAS SO4 ,! HOPE ( ! PA/ TIMES WAS GONE1 ! /RUGGLES ( MANK9D 
      = MANY AGES HAD PRODUC$ NO?+ BUT ?IS SORDID1 AIMLESS1 UGLY CONFUSION2 ! 
      IMM$IATE FUTURE SEEM$ TO ME LIKELY TO 9T5SIFY ALL ! PRES5T EVILS BY SWEEP+ 
      AWAY ! LA/ SURVIVALS ( ! DAYS BE=E ! DULL SQUALOR ( CIVILIZATION HAD 
      SETTL$ D[N ON ! WORLD4 ,?IS WAS A BAD LOOK-\T 9DE$1 &1 IF ,I MAY M5TION 
      MYSELF AS A P]SONALITY & NOT AS A M]E TYPE1 ESPECIALLY SO TO A MAN ( MY 
      DISPOSITION1 C>ELESS ( METAPHYSICS & RELIGION1 AS WELL AS ( SCI5TIFIC 
      ANALYSIS1 BUT ) A DEEP LOVE ( ! E>? & ! LIFE ON IT1 & A PASSION = 
      ! HI/ORY ( ! PA/ ( MANK9D4 ,?9K ( IT6 ,WAS IT ALL TO 5D 9 A 
      C\NT+-H\SE ON ! TOP ( A C9D]-HEAP1 ) ,PODSNAP'S DRAW+-ROOM 9 ! 
      (F+1 & A ,:IG COMMITTEE DEAL+ \T *AMPAGNE TO ! RI* & M>G>9E TO ! 
      POOR 9 SU* CONV5I5T PROPORTIONS AS W\LD MAKE ALL M5 CONT5T$ TOGE!R1 
      ?\< ! PLEASURE ( ! EYES WAS GONE FROM ! WORLD1 & ! PLACE ( ,HOM] WAS 
      TO BE TAK5 BY ,HUXLEY8 ,YET1 BELIEVE ME1 9 MY HE>T1 :5 ,I REALLY =C$ MYSELF TO 
      LOOK T[>DS ! FUTURE1 ?AT IS :AT ,I SAW 9 IT1 &1 AS F> AS ,I C\LD TELL1 
      SC>CE ANYONE SEEM$ TO ?9K IT WOR? :ILE TO /RUGGLE AGA9/ SU* A 
      CONSUMMATION ( CIVILIZATION4 ,SO !RE ,I WAS 9 = A F9E PESSIMI/IC 5D ( LIFE1 
      IF IT HAD NOT SOMEH[ DAWN$ ON ME ?AT AMID ALL ?IS FIL? ( CIVILIZATION ! 
      SE$S ( A GREAT *ANGE1 :AT WE O!RS CALL ,SOCIAL-,REVOLUTION1 W]E BEG9N+ TO 
      G]M9ATE4 ,! :OLE FACE ( ?+S WAS *ANG$ TO ME BY ?AT DISCOV]Y1 & ALL ,I 
      HAD TO DO !N 9 ORD] TO BECOME A ,SOCIALI/ WAS TO HOOK MYSELF ON TO ! 
      PRACTICAL MOVEM5T1 :I*1 AS BE=E SAID1 ,I HAVE TRI$ TO DO AS WELL AS ,I C\LD4 
     
     

      ,TO SUM UP1 !N ! /UDY ( HI/ORY & ! LOVE & PRACTICE ( >T =C$ ME 
      9TO A HATR$ ( ! CIVILIZATION :I*1 IF ?+S W]E TO /OP AS !Y >E1 W\LD 
      TURN HI/ORY 9TO 9CONSEQU5T NONS5SE1 & MAKE >T A COLLECTION ( ! 
      CURIOSITIES ( ! PA/1 :I* W\LD HAVE NO S]I\S RELATION TO ! LIFE ( ! 
      PRES5T4 
     
     

      ,BUT ! CONSCI\SNESS ( REVOLUTION /IRR+ AMID \R HATEFUL MOD]N SOCIETY 
      PREV5T$ ME1 LUCKI] ?AN MANY O!RS ( >TI/IC P]CEPTIONS1 FROM CRY/ALLIZ+ 
      9TO A M]E RAIL] AGA9/ 0PROGRESS0 ON ! ONE H&1 & ON ! O!R FROM 
      WA/+ TIME & 5]GY 9 ANY ( ! NUM]\S S*EMES BY :I* ! QUASI->TI/IC 
      ( ! MIDDLE CLASSES HOPE TO MAKE >T GR[ :5 IT HAS NO LONG] ANY ROOT1 & 
      ?US ,I BECAME A PRACTICAL ,SOCIALI/4 
     
     

      ,A LA/ WORD OR TWO4 ,P]HAPS SOME ( \R FRI5DS WILL SAY1 :AT HAVE WE TO DO ) 
      !SE MATT]S ( HI/ORY & >T8 ,WE WANT BY MEANS ( ,SOCIAL-,DEMOCRACY TO W9 A 
      DEC5T LIVELIHOOD1 WE WANT 9 SOME SORT TO LIVE1 & ?AT AT ONCE4 ,SURELY ANY ONE 
      :O PR(ESSES TO ?9K ?AT ! QUE/ION ( >T & CULTIVATION MU/ GO BE=E ?AT 
      ( ! KNIFE & =K 7& !RE >E SOME :O DO PROPOSE ?AT7 DOES NOT UND]/& 
      :AT >T MEANS1 OR H[ ?AT ITS ROOTS MU/ HAVE A SOIL ( A ?RIV+ & UNANXI\S 
      LIFE4 ,YET IT MU/ BE REMEMB]$ ?AT CIVILIZATION HAS R$UC$ ! WORKMAN TO SU* A 
      SK9NY & PITIFUL EXI/5CE1 ?AT HE SC>CELY KN[S H[ TO FRAME A DESIRE = ANY 
      LIFE MU* BETT] ?AN ?AT :I* HE N[ 5DURES P]=CE4 ,IT IS ! PROV9CE ( >T 
      TO SET ! TRUE IDEAL ( A FULL & REASONABLE LIFE BE=E HIM1 A LIFE TO :I* ! 
      P]CEPTION & CREATION ( BEAUTY1 ! 5JOYM5T ( REAL PLEASURE ?AT IS1 %ALL BE 
      FELT TO BE AS NECESS>Y TO MAN AS HIS DAILY BREAD1 & ?AT NO MAN1 & NO SET ( 
      M51 CAN BE DEPRIV$ ( ?IS EXCEPT BY M]E OPPOSITION1 :I* %\LD BE RESI/$ TO 
      ! UTMO/4 
     

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,FEBRU>Y #b#h1 #bba 3 ,H[ ,I ,BECAME A ,SOCIALI/ -- ,ADD$4 
,JANU>Y #h1 #bbb 3 ,H[ ,I ,BECAME A ,SOCIALI/ -- ,UPDAT$4 

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