Utopia now: Why the utopian vision of William Morris is now within reach

https://aeon.co/essays/why-the-utopian-vision-of-william-morris-is-now-within-reach

by denisw • 4 years ago

2 3 4 years ago

In my opinion Morris was not a socialist, he was an anti-industrialist, and by implication, anti-cartel/monopoly. I don't even think he was an anti-capitalist in that he championed petit-commerce and boutique trade.

The danger, were such a path to be fully co-opted by the current (very) dominant context, is obvious, and it must realistically be acknowledged. If you profit from an economic model on a large scale, if you draw your rents from it, why would you not fight for it, even when this is not good for anyone else?

This is the big problem today isn't it? The patent system. Specious lawsuits against startups. Copyright trolls. Companies like ebay harassing critics. Facebook playing with political manipulation. These "industrial-scale" companies are becoming gangsters. They've figured that its less cost effective to innovate than it is to hold others back.

mytailorisrich• 4 years ago

He founded the Socialist League and wrote its manifesto:

"He composed the Socialist League's manifesto with Bax, describing their position as that of "Revolutionary International Socialism", advocating proletarian internationalism and world revolution while rejecting the concept of socialism in one country." [1]

Surely, that makes him a socialist.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris#Socialist_Leagu...

nonrandomstring2• 4 years ago

LOL. So he did.

More so; a "revolutionary socialist"

"In December 1884, Morris founded the Socialist League (SL) with other SDF defectors.^[172] He composed the SL's manifesto with Bax, describing their position as that of "Revolutionary International Socialism", advocating proletarian internationalism and world revolution while rejecting the concept of socialism in one country.^[173] In this, he committed himself to "making Socialists" by educating, organising, and agitating to establish a strong socialist movement;"

I stand very much corrected.

Only knowing him from an "arts and crafts" side I'd assumed he was into guilds, local trade and manufacturing etc.

Utopia now: Why the utopian vision of William Morris is now within reach

Related Stories