Socialism

(soshal-izm.) [From Lat. social is, pertaining to companionship.] (Pol. Philos.) The science of reconstructing society on entirely new bases, or the substitution of the principle of coöper at i on for that of competition, in every branch of human industry. This view of society is not of recent date. It has been the favorite theme of poets from the earliest ages. But the first attempt to carry it into practical effect was made by the Saint Simonians in France about 1820, who gained numerous adherents especially in Paris. After the revolution of July, 1830, it rose rapidly into notoriety, from the sympathy between the notions which it promulgated, and those entertained by many of the republican party. The views of the St. Simonians were all directed to the abolition of rank and property in society, and the establishment of a ociations such as the followers of Mr. Owen in England have denominated coöperative, of which all the members should work in common, and divide the fruits of their labor; and with these notions, common to many other social reformers, they united the doctrine that the division of the goods of the community should be in due proportion to the merit or capacity of the recipient. But their doctrines and proceedings soon became licentious and immoral; and in 1832, their a ociation was dispersed by government. Some former members of this body attained to places of rank and consideration; and others founded new schools ofS. and communism. Social Science, (so's hal si'ens.) That dept. of science which holds a position partaking of the influences of both political philosophy and political economy. It refers to all matters of theory and fact having for their object the promotion and development of social and industrial improvements and reforms. It embraces sanitary amelioration and hygienic progre ; improved forms of penal and prison discipline; methodical treatment of pauperism and prostitution on enlightened and reclamatory principles; a wise application of the system of public charity; and, generally, includes whatever maybe of sound profit and progre ive value to the community at large. War, (The.) (Rom. Hist.) The name historically bestowed upon the hostile campaigns fought by the Romans on the one hand, and on the other by the leagued Samnites, Marsi, and other Italian tribes. This struggle was inaugurated in B. c. 91, upon the refusal of the Roman republic to invest those nations heretofore its allies, with the right of Roman citizenship. In the first period of the war, the succe es gained by both sides were pretty evenly balanced. But, in the second campaign, B. c. 90, the Romans were victorious, and compelled the Marsi to sue for peace. Ultimately, and after the lo of 300,000 men, the war was brought to an end, in 88, by the Romans granting the nece ary conce ions to those who had taken up arms against them. (so-si'e-te.) [From L. societas; from socio, I a ociate.] In its usually restricted sense, an a ociation organized for the promotion of some object. If formed for commercial purposes, it is usually called a company. Literary S. are often termed academies; S. for social purposes clubs, sometimes political, and sometimes devoted to certain cla es. Benevolent a ociations in this country are very numerous. Islands, (The,) (so-si'e-te,) a cluster of Polynesian islands, in the S. Pacific Ocean, bet. S. Lat. 16°-18°, W. Lon. 1480-155°, consisting of two groups, abt. 70 m. distant from each other, composed of 13 islands, the pp. of which is Tahiti. Area, 580 sq. m. They are very generally mountainous, with a fertile soil, and are surrounded by coral-reefs. These islands were discovered and named by Capt. Cook in 1769, and that of Tahiti was taken po e ion of by the French in 1844. They still remain under the protection of France, and may be virtually considered as French colonies. Pop. 14,522. of Jesus, or JESUITS. (Eccl. Hist.) A religious order in the Roman Catholic Church, which was founded by St. Ignatius LoYOLA, q. v., was confirmed by papal bull of Paul III. in 1540, and soon rose in influence and power far above all the other orders. The general, who is at the head of the order, is elected for life, appoints nearly all the officers of the order, and receives monthly reports from the provincials, and quarterly reports from the superiors of the profe ed houses, the rectors of the colleges, and the masters of the novices. The order is divided into provinces, each of which is governed by a provincial; each profe ed house, or house of full members, is governed by apræposit us; each college by a rector; and each residence by a superior. The Jesuits wear no monastic habit, but dre in black, nearly like secular priests. The power acquired by the Jesuits speedily rendered them hated in most countries where they were established. The order was suppre ed in England in 1604, in Venice 1616, in Portugal 1759, in France 1764, and in Spain 1767. In 1773 the order was totally suppre ed by decree of Pope Clement XIV., but was restored in 1814 by Pius VII., with all the privileges which it po e ed at the time of its suppre ion. The Jesuits have again obtained a footing in most of the countries of Europe and America, and in some countries there are considerable numbers of them. In 1872 the order was suppre ed in Germany, and its members, natives or foreigners, expelled from the empire. [s. 835]