NEW YORK
TRUE NATIONALIST PUBLISHING COMPANY
1893
This is the second in a series of sociological works, each a smallvolume, I have in course of publication. The first, "A Concept ofPolitical Justice," gave in outline the major positions which seem to melogically to accord in practical life with the political principle ofequal freedom. In the present work, certain of the positions taken inthe first are amplified. In each of the volumes to come, which will beissued as I find time to complete them, similar amplification in thecase of other positions will be made. Naturally, the order ofpublication of the proposed works may be influenced by the general trendin the discussion of public questions.
The small-book plan I have adopted for several reasons. One is, that thewriter who embodies his thought on any large subject in a single weightyvolume commonly finds difficulty in selling the work or having it read;the price alone restricts its market, and the volume, by its very size,usually repels the ordinary reader. Another, that the radical world,which I especially address, is nowadays assailed with so much printedmatter that in it big books have slight show of favor. Another, that thereader of any volume in the series subsequent to the first may onreference to the first ascertain the train of connection and entirescope of the thought I would present. And, finally, that such persons ashave been won to the support of the principles taught may interestthemselves, and perhaps others, in spreading knowledge of theseprinciples, as developed in the successive works.
On the last-mentioned point, a word. Having during the past decadeclosely observed, and in some measure shared in, the discussion ofadvanced sociological thought, I maintain with confidence the principlesof equal freedom, not only in their essential truth, but in the leadingapplications I have made of them. At least, I may trust that, thus farin either work, in coming to my more important conclusions, I have notfallen into error through blind devotion to an "ism" nor halted atfaulty judgment because of limited investigation. I therefore hope tohave others join with me, some to work quite in the lines I follow, andsome to move at least in the direction of those lines.
The present volume I have prepared with care. My attention beingattracted about eight years ago