The Soul of Man under Socialism by Oscar Wilde -- Summary

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In the current state of capitalism, people are forced to live for others, to be altruistic. This happens because poverty is ubiquitous and people are moved to help. These good intentions culminate in negative results: the aid extended maintains the status quo of poverty (the poor make do with what they are given). This does not allow for a systemic change that would solve the root of the problem and not merely its symptoms. 

Socialism would amend this by providing a systemic social change. Private property will be made public (communism which he calls socialism), but there should be no government. Along with socialism, individualism is also necessary (also, socialism will promote individualism). Individualism is achieved by not working and pursuing pleasurable pastimes. Very few people achieve this currently. The rest work like beasts and have no time to self-actualize.

Maintaining private property is a fuss, and so should be abolished. The poor should rebel against their sorry state, and against laws that allow public property. The poor are not aware of the squalor they're in which is why "agitators" (who tell the poor they're poor) are necessary.

Government-based communism wouldn't be good because it would lead to everyone being slaves instead of just some. All change must be voluntary.

The essence of man lies in what he is, not what he possesses. The individualism of rich men is harmed by charity and property obsession and of the poor by working too hard. Therefore abolition of private property will allow men to focus solely on what they are, meaning develop individualism, develop the self.

Attainment of C can be, but need not necessarily be, assisted by Xtianity. Wilde superimposes a Communist interpretation on X in which Jesus promotes personality development and advises against property accumulation. Jesus was an individualist and advocated it, he says.

Then Wilde promotes anarchy. No form of government would do justice to everybody, and the solution is none at all. Punishment only makes people more accustomed to the violence of punishment, which increases crime, which is a feed-forward loop that causes more crime. Punishment should then be abolished too. Furthermore, abolition of PP would banish jealousy- and starvation-driven crime, since there would be no property or food to fight over.

The State "is to be a voluntary association that will organize labor, and be the manufacturer and distributor of necessary commodities". Men will no longer do manual labor which will instead be done by machines. Instead of one man owning a machine and getting rich by renting it, the machine will be communal property and everyone will benefit. Machines will replace human slaves. Men will be free to pursue aesthetic interests. 

***artist transition***

Artists must not take into account public views because the best art is unaffected by external circumstances. Public interference impedes the progress of art and prevents it from evolving because the public is resistant to novel ideas. Individu allows art to develop naturally. The public does not appreciate or understand many aspects of art. Wilde criticizes the artistic criticisms of the public. They do not understand art, and this is because authority is so deeply ingrained that they have no individual thinking abilities and instead channel "public opinion". Artists then try to dictate to artists what to create. Good art is art that comes from inside the artist, unaffected by public opinion. Art manages to advance only under the individual insistence of individual artists, in spite of resistance by the public thereto. Changes in the artistic discourse are made possible when artists set their minds to change without consideration of the public.

Art is to affect the viewer, not vice versa. Viewers must be receptive. It is tempting for the viewer to seek things in Art with which he is already familiar but great art is new art. To appreciate literature and drama, one needs to be patient and open-minded because greatness may not come at the beginning of the work.

Authority in art, therefore, is bad.

Change can be brought about via force. The pen could have been a powerful revolutionary force but is instead wielded by idiot journalists who are effectively servants of that same "Public Opinion". People's private affairs should not be made public via journalism because it causes the subjects pain and it isn't anyone's business.

Oscar Wilde

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