CHAPTER II.EARLY SOCIALISTIC AND COMMUNISTIC THEORISTS

MUCH OF THE COMMUNISTIC and Socialistic literature which was published in Germany during the first half of this century has been lost sight of and forgotten, owing to the perfect inundation of works which has followed since Socialism became a great power in the State. In order, however, to a proper comprehension of this subject, and to a right estimation of latter-day Socialists, it is necessary to learn something of the theories advanced and the work done by the early champions of Socialism in Germany. Passing over Fichte, who, though a philosophical Socialist of revolutionary views, can hardly be said to have exerted great influence as such upon the thought of his day, the leading authors of this school during the first half of the century are found to be Karl Rodbertus, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Heinrich von Thunen, and Karl Mario (Professor Winkelblech), to whom may be added one of the early captains in the camp of Communism, Wilhelm Weitling, a German refugee, who lived long in Switzerland. As the first two of these writers will require extensive notice, it will be convenient to overlook them for the present.

JOHANN HEINRICH VON THUNEN

Taking the other authors in chronological sequence, the first to be noticed is Johann Heinrich von Thunen, of Jeverland, who lived 1783-1850. He was the son of a landed proprietor, and became himself the owner of a large estate near Rostock. He was early intended for the pursuit of agriculture, and his studies at home and at Gottingen University were directed to that end. Political economy became his favorite study, and in 1826 he published the first volume of his classical work, “Der isolirte Staat.” It is still a matter of debate how far Von Thunen was a Socialist, but many of the opinions to which he gives expression are of a decidedly advanced nature. Thus, over sixty years ago, he complains that the remuneration of every industrial undertaker is far too high in proportion to the share of profits which falls to the laborer; and writing at a time when constitutional government could not be said to exist in