Chapter 12 Chapter VII

clothing Houses have become the public property of the citizens, and there is no shortage of daily food for each person, then we have to go a step further.The question to be discussed this time is, of course, the question of clothes; and the only possible solution to this question is to seize, in the name of the people, all the shops and warehouses that sell and store clothes.Then it is opened to everyone, so that anyone can freely take what he needs.Community of clothes (everyone has the right to have what he needs in the public storehouse and to have his clothes made in the tailor's shop) is a necessary corollary of the common income of houses and food.

Evidently, we need not take off all the townspeople's overcoats, and pile up all the clothes in one place for everyone to cast lots for, as those clever non-critics say.A person who has a coat on his body, let him wear it well—even if he has ten coats by himself, there is no need to take them off; because most people like to wear new coats, and who would like to wear those coats? What about the overcoat worn by the shoulders of a fat gentleman?And at that time new clothes were enough, and there was no need for old ones. If we count all the clothes and clothes-making materials in the store warehouses and warehouses in the big cities, and make a catalog, we will find that there are already enough clothes and clothes in Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, etc. The materials made it possible for the commune to supply the needs of all citizens, men and women alike.Even if there is a shortfall for a while, public clothing stores can immediately make up for it.We all know that if today's tailors had machines suitable for mass production, their work would move extremely quickly.

Those who object will say: "But every man wants to wear a coat lined with sable fur, and every woman wants to wear a velvet dress!" Frankly, we don't believe that.Not all women like velvet, and not all men like sable linings.Even in today's society, if we ask women to choose their clothes, there must be quite a few of them who prefer simple and practical clothes to the gorgeous clothes that are popular in social society. Tastes change with the times.What is popular in a revolutionary period must be simple things.Society, like the individual, has its periods of cowardice and its periods of heroism.Although today's society is sinking into the pursuit of narrow self-interest and mean and superficial thoughts, how pitiful it looks, but once the big crisis comes, its atmosphere and attitude will change.Society, too, has its periods of greatness and fervor.Now the power held in the hands of ordinary vulgar people will be transferred to the hands of bold and kind people.The spirit of devotion flourishes, and noble deeds take place like a storm; even the average egoist will then feel that it is a shame to linger, even if he does not imitate the noble and courageous actions, at least Admire them too.

The Revolution of 1793 is full of examples of this kind.At times of such spiritual revivals (in individuals as in societies), great currents of zeal drive humanity forward. Nor do we want to exaggerate too much the potency of this noble sentiment, nor do we want to base our social ideals on it.Yet it is not too much to hope for their help in getting through the first and greatest difficulty.It is true that we cannot hope that our daily life will be constantly inspired by such exalted zeal, but we can expect their help at the first glance, and that is all we need. It will take waves of fraternity for the new anarchist society to sweep up and wash the ground away the filth and dregs of centuries of slavery and oppression.In the end, the new society can exist without this self-sacrifice, because the oppression is gone, and a new society is established, full of the feeling of solidarity.

If the nature of the revolution is to destroy, as we have said, the efforts of the egoists, it must give the free will of the individual a wide range of activity.The inhabitants of every street and district should organize themselves to take responsibility for the supply of clothing, and they should make an inventory of all the things in the city, from which they can know how much wealth they can dispose of.It is true that the citizens adopt the same principles in their clothing as they do in their food.That is to say, "Things that are abundant in quantity can be freely taken by anyone; goods that are limited in quantity can be distributed equally."

It is impossible for every man to have a sable-lined coat, and every woman to have a velvet gown, and society must make a clear distinction between the necessities and the superfluous.At least sable fur and velvet should be listed among the unnecessary superfluous goods of life; today's luxury goods may not become tomorrow's common things for everyone, and time will tell.As for the necessary clothes, every citizen of an anarchist city should be assured of their availability.Things that we regard as luxuries for the time being can only be used for the sick, the old and the young, and special items that cannot be included in the daily necessities of ordinary citizens can also be used for the weak. These things are left to private actions. , non-interfering.

Some people will say: "This is simply gray and monotonous, and it will kill all the beauty in life and art." We replied: "No way".Even if we base our opinions on present affairs, we shall point out that an anarchic society satisfies the highest artistic tastes of the people, and does not thereby make them work for the rich and increase their wealth.