Alfred the Great had his problems of anarchy, widespread lawlessness,
terrorism, to meet. After the best thought he could give to the
business, he met them and prevailed. Like diseases call for like cures;
and we may assume without fear that a remedy which has been very
successful in one age is at least worth looking at in another.
We too, like Alfred, have our own troubles—our land-questions,
labor-questions, steady increase of pauperism, and others. In our
struggle for life we fight with different weapons, and have our
advantages of one kind or another over our ancestors; but when all is
said and done there is scarcely more coherence in the English nation
of to-day than in that of 1079. Individualism, no doubt, has its noble
side; and “every man for himself” is a law which works wonders; but we
cannot shut our eyes to the fact that under their action English life
has become more and more disjointed, threatening in some directions
altogether to fall to pieces. What we specially want is something
which shall bind us more closely together. Every nation of Christendom
is feeling after the same thing. The need of getting done in some
form that which frank-pledge did for Alfred’s people expresses itself
in Germany in mutual-credit banks, open to every honest citizen; in
France, in the productive associations of all kinds; at home, in our
co-operative movements and trades-union.
No mere machinery, nothing that governments or legislatures can do in
our day, will be of much help, but they may be great hindrances. The
study of the modern statesman must be how to give such movements full
scope and a fair chance, so that the people may be able without let
or hindrance to work out in their own way the principle which Alfred
brought practically home to his England, that in human society men
cannot divest themselves of responsibility for their neighbors, and
ought not to be allowed to attempt it.