"The Perplexities of John Forstice"

Submitted by admin on Wed, 02/03/2016 - 16:29
Title"The Perplexities of John Forstice"
Year for Search1972
AuthorsRussell, Bertrand [Arthur William](1872-1970)
Secondary AuthorsFeinberg, Barry
Secondary TitleThe Collected Stories of Bertrand Russell
Pagination17-43
Date Published1972
PublisherGeorge Allen & Unwin
Place PublishedLondon
KeywordsEnglish author, Male author, Welsh author
Annotation

Discussion of the nature of the good life modeled on 1877 Mallock. In his The Prospects of Industrial Civilization. New York/London: Century, 1923, written in collaboration with his then wife Dora Russell (1894-1986), he lays out a few of the basic principles that he contends are necessary for a good life. Fundamental to his vision is “The greatest possible amount of free development of individuals” (279), which requires “a compromise between justice and freedom” (279). And he goes on to say that “In a just world, no one will inherit money, no one will own more land than he can cultivate himself, no one will be supported in idleness if he is physically fit to work” and “no one will be allowed to starve” (280). Standing in the way  are “Greed, the lust for power, and the tyranny of custom” (287).
Info Notes

First publication.
Author Note

The author (1872-1970) was born and died in Wales but spent most of his life in England.
Full Text

1972 Russell, Bertrand [Arthur William] (1872-1970). “The Perplexities of John Forstice.” The Collected Stories of Bertrand Russell. Comp and ed. Barry Feinberg (London: George Allen & Unwin, 1972), 17-43. First publication.

Discussion of the nature of the good life modeled on 1877 Mallock. In his The Prospects of Industrial Civilization. New York/London: Century, 1923, written in collaboration with his then wife Dora Russell (1894-1986), he lays out a few of the basic principles that he contends are necessary for a good life. Fundamental to his vision is “The greatest possible amount of free development of individuals” (279), which requires “a compromise between justice and freedom” (279). And he goes on to say that “In a just world, no one will inherit money, no one will own more land than he can cultivate himself, no one will be supported in idleness if he is physically fit to work” and “no one will be allowed to starve” (280). Standing in the way  are “Greed, the lust for power, and the tyranny of custom” (287).