G. D. H.
Cole's book on Guild Socialism. The present state, he says, "is
primarily an instrument of coercion;" [Footnote: Cole, _Guild
Socialism_, p. 107.] in a guild socialist society there will be no
sovereign power, though there will be a coordinating body. He calls
this body the Commune.
He then begins to enumerate the powers of the Commune, which, we
recall, is to be primarily not an instrument of coercion. [Footnote:
_Op. cit._ Ch. VIII.] It settles price disputes. Sometimes it
fixes prices, allocates the surplus or distributes the loss. It
allocates natural resources, and controls the issue of credit. It also
"allocates communal labor-power." It ratifies the budgets of the
guilds and the civil services. It levies taxes. "All questions of
income" fall within its jurisdiction. It "allocates" income to the
non-productive members of the community. It is the final arbiter in
all questions of policy and jurisdiction between the guilds. It passes
constitutional laws fixing the functions of the functional bodies. It
appoints the judges. It confers coercive powers upon the guilds, and
ratifies their by-laws wherever these involve coercion. It declares
war and makes peace. It controls the armed forces. It is the supreme
representative of the nation abroad. It settles boundary questions
within the national state. It calls into existence new functional
bodies, or distributes new functions to old ones.
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