Leo Tolstoy

“ It is thus seen that the land question is ever the vital question for all people in all countries. Tolstoy’s argument and appeal must not be set aside by any, with the self-satisfied remark that his words concern only Russia, “which is in such a terrible state.” In truth—as Tolstoy so clearly recognises and points out—in this matter, the only difference between Russia and her Western neighbours is, that she is really in a more hopeful state than they are. Her malady is acute—it has not become chronic—the mass of her people still know what they need, and its remedy lies straight before them. ”

“ In certain other countries—Britain among them—the peoples have been long hypnotised and are left standing, as it were, outside a bewildering labyrinth, full of blind alleys, which, athirst, they wander up and down, while the fountain of economic life lies secret at the heart of the maze. ”

“ At present, something which is miscalled “philanthropy” is the British idol, made up of horrible misconceptions of duty and right living, ana needing to be utterly overthrown. Men who drive labourers off the land, that they may shoot birds—men who make their wealth from employing workmen in poisonous conditions, if only they build hospitals or contribute to churches—are called “philanthropists,” bowed down to, and upheld in honour for the emulation of the young. ”

“ The Free Age Press is an earnest effort to spread those deep convictions in which the noblest spirits of every age and race have believed—that man’s true aim and happiness is “unity in reason and love”; the realisation of the brotherhood of all men: that we must all strive to eradicate, each from himself, those false ideas, false feelings, and false desires—personal, social, religious, economic—which alienate us one from another and produce nine-tenths of all human suffering. ”

“ The British working class, itself enslaved to the landowners, thus becomes in its turn a slave holder, and its first step towards obtaining its own freedom must lie in the direction of its recognition of the falseness and evil of its position as such slave holder. ”

“ The men who trap the workmen’s earnings by their breweries and distilleries, or who sell opium to China, or who receive rents from toiling peasants in South America, that they and their womenkind may spend these in vulgar insensate luxury in London or Paris, deserve a larger share of the same social opprobrium which now befalls the racecourse thimble rigger, the robber of the blind or the receiver of stolen goods. ”

“ At present, British politicians, nearly all belonging to the landowning or manufacturing class, do not hesitate openly to condemn and to endeavour to alter the economic conditions of any British colony or dependency where the labouring aborigines, having sufficient means of independent livelihood on their own land, are unwilling to enter factories, mines, etc., as hired labourers. ”

“ In Great Britain the position is further complicated by the fact that the majority of the people have been so long alienated from the land, that many of them have ceased to understand that it is the one source of sound prosperity, and have become unfit and unwilling to return to agricultural life. ”

“ Henry George said well that is “until there be correct thought, there cannot be right action, and where there is correct thought, right action will follow.” Therefore, be the land question in Great Britain ever so peculiarly complicated, everybody there can further its solution by studying his own ideals and revising them. ”

“ Therefore, the first step possible for these peoples is to be de-hypnotised and awakened to the recognition of what they really need, proceeding thereupon to understand the true character of those who have robbed them of it, and to determine henceforth to refuse to be used as tools in further robbery of the same obscure nature either at home or abroad.
To cease to do evil, is the first step towards learning to do well. ”

“ Then these primitive people—thus driven into mines or factory labour, and often even on some pretext actually deprived of their land—enter into formidable competition with the British landless labourer, who is thus caught as in a vice. ”

“ Of these truly Christian and universal religious aspirations the writings of Leo Tolstoy are to-day perhaps the most definite expression, and it is to the production of very cheap editions of his extant religious, social and ethical works, together with much unpublished matter and his new writings, to which we have special access (being in close touch with Tolstoy) , that we are at present confining ourselves. We earnestly trust that all who sympathise will continue to assist us by every means in their power, and help te make the publications yet more widely known. ”

“ They have themselves become parasites living by forcing intoxicants, arms, or useless trinkets on primitive agricultural peoples whose subjugation and domination by violence further affords sustenance to the extra members of the British landowning class, thereby adding to its power to oppress at home. ”

“ If You Neglect the Little Fire, You Can't Put Out the Big One.
ESSAYS.
The Morals of Diet; or, The First Step.
An Appeal to the Clergy.
Reason, Faith and Prayer.
The Only Means (Tolstoy's Latest Message to the Workers) . ”

“ It is thought to be a feat of statesmanship to invent and impose taxes which shall drive them into doing this, and also to encourage methods of commerce which, by creating false wants, shall tempt them into expenditure only to be met by submission to hired labour. ”

“ HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE? A Letter to Workers. 1d.; post free, 11⁄2d.
5. RESURRECTION. New popular Complete Edition of this great novel, 6d. ; post free, 8d.
4. THE SLAVERY OF OUR TIMES. 128 pages, 1s.; post free, 1s. 1d. In cloth, 1s. 6d. nett ; post free, 1s. 8d. (Cheap Edition, without Portrait or Introduction, 3d. ;post free, 4d.)
3. HOW I CAME TO BELIEVE. (“My Confession.”) Complete Edition, 64 pages, 3 d.; post free, 31⁄2d.
2. WORK WHILE YE HAVE THE LIGHT. Complete Edition of this beautiful story of Early Christian Life. 64 pages, 3d.; post free, 31⁄2d. ”