ETHICS OF THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS 175
is no government at all. The existence of government in any shape is a sign of man's imperfection." And, finally, to similar effect is the declaration of Paine in his Common Sense, that " government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence." x
What degree of truth is there in this conception of anarch- ism or no-government as an ideal ? In one sense there is a good deal ; in another, none. If by anarchism reference is had to the absence of all coercion, the conception is a valid one. If, how- ever, the idea is that all forms of public activities shall disap- pear, it is invalid. As we have elsewhere pointed out, all coercion is in itself painful, and therefore an evil. An ideal social order must, therefore, be one in which the element of coercion is to play no part. On the other hand, as we have also pointed out, in so far as political laws or social conventions are recognized as just by those whose actions are to be controlled, no feeling of coercion is to be experienced. The absence of coercion which is ideally demanded does not, therefore, neces- sarily imply the disappearance of all forms of public activities and regulations. In fact, were all men morally perfect, and intel- lectually enlightened, public activities would in all probability be very widely extended. For with men so perfect morally and intellectually, there would be no difficulty either in establishing or operating an administrative machine with any number of functions. Controlled by such wise and upright men the econo- mies in production that would follow from the establishment of such a control would be obvious, and at the same time the neces- sary competitive struggle between individual workers could be maintained if, indeed, any competition would be needed to stimulate the energies and to weed out the unfit in a race already, ex hypothesi^ so nearly perfect.
It is true, however, that should such a state of development ever be attained, many of what are now among the most impor- tant of the functions of the state would fall into disuse. The exerr cise of all the punitive and, to a large extent, the educational activities of the political authorities would become unnecessary. Legislation would be needed not so much for the purpose of
1 Historical Essays, Fourth Series.
