FOREWARD
MUTUAL SERVICE DEFINED AND EXPLAINED
Mutual service is action. It is an action that induces a reciprocal action in return. It is
also doing something that needs to be done.
Mutual service is a reciprocal relation between two or more persons. It means mutual
engagements or obligations. In philosophy it is the recognition of the interdependence of
individuals.
Mutual service in a free association results in a harmonious relationship. This condition
is brought about by identity of interests which produces a Like-mindedness, or mutual
understanding. Social order is obtained by agreement in fundamental social needs, just
as discords are caused by disagreement in those matters.
In economics, mutual service means voluntary cooperation; a reciprocal interchange of
goods; a unity of production; an equity in distribution; a production for use rather than
for profit.
Mutual service is now practiced by voluntary associations of individuals, whose purpose
is the establishment of equitable conditions through mutual interests and social rights.
The old legal codes provided for political justice, for civil justice, for social justice. But in
addition to these, mutual service requires economic justice. Industrial justice is as essential
to man’s happiness as are the other three. Intellectual, political, religious freedom
is necessary to man’s happiness and advancement, but so is economic freedom,
and its establishment will be accomplished through mutual service, or voluntary cooperation,
which will be treated at length under its proper heading.
Mutual service in ethics might he described as an exchange of service between people
with equal respect for each other. Real solidarity is established by a common nobility of
sentiment.
The purpose of mutual ethics is collective human welfare. It is not self-sacrifice, but mutual
service. It is a promise for a promise, a receiving and a giving j a mutual interchange
of engagements or obligations; mutual assistance that is effective and preservative,
wherein the servers are served.
The believers in mutual service might properly be called Mutualists, and that name will
be used occasionally when necessary in speaking of those who act in unison for a
common benefit.
The great logician, Mill, said in order to understand a thing it was not only necessary to
know what it is, but to know as well what it is net. So in explaining what mutual service
is, it might be well to state a few things it is not, which it might be mistaken for by the
careless thinker.
What Mutual Service Is Not
Mutual service is not communism, for Mutualists believe in individual ownership of their
product, while the communists believe in a common ownership of property. A Mutualist
can dispose of his interests in a mutualistic society while communists cannot do so.
They have no title which can be separated from the common body.
Mutual service is not State Socialism or Bolshevism because State Socialists do not
own their product. The State does. They cannot dispose of their property and move to
another country with what they have produced, as the State holds title to all properties
and the individual has no separate right or title to property.
Mutual service is not Individualism, because Individualism is a standing alone, while
mutual service means a standing together. Individualism means individual contest or
competition with any and all others, while mutual service means no conflict, no competition,
with any or all that will cooperate with them.
Mutual service is not religion because mutual service is practiced by some of the animal
world. Even the insect world practices it and mankind only can be religious. Mutual service
is a harmonious relationship between earthly beings. Religion is the relationship between
man and God; between man and another world. While mutual service is of this
world, Mutualists uphold the liberty to believe or not believe in another world just as the
individual chooses.
Mutual service had its beginning in an instinctive impulse and is not love because they
had separate origins and have separate applications. Love is limited to one’s own family
and relatives, and it may extend to a few friends, but mutual service may be extended to
all mankind that will be mutualistic in return. The emotions of love and mutual service
are quite different in their effect and extent.
Mutual service is not Fascism because Mutualists believe in equal freedom and not dictatorship.
Mutualists believe in handling their own interests individually or collectively,
while the Fascists admit their inability to do so and empower one man to dictate their life
policy.
Any kind of a dictatorship would be in violation of the mutual service standard of voluntary
cooperation. In a mutual service society. there would be no material or moral compulsion
exercised by one set of men on another group of men through the power of one
side, and the weakness of the other.
The believers in mutual service do not need to convert the whole world, nor even a majority,
to their plan, to benefit by it. A small group can apply it to members. The larger,
the better, but there is no need to wait for a majority, as political parties must, to enact
their plan. Those who will can find other willing ones to put it into operation.
Mutual service means a working together for the benefit of all concerned. It means production
for service, for consumption, and not for profits for one and loss for another. It
pays to work for others if others will work for us in return. This is not sacrifice; it is mutual
helpfulness and accomplishes much more for all than can be accomplished singly.
It is social because it is harmonious. It means that we should be as loyal to our neighbors
as we are to our family. The extended right hand of fellowship has often caused an
opponent to drop a weapon and grasp that hand in comradeship.
The success of the mutual service organizations is not theoretical, but a historical fact.
The reader will find that mutual efforts in production have proven a success beyond any
doubt. Many who have failed in individual efforts have succeeded in mutual efforts. The
mutual service organizations now dominate many fields of business, such as Mutual
Life Insurance, Mutual Fire Insurance Associations, Mutual Building and Loan Associations,
Mutual Credit Unions, etc.
Cooperative marketing was endorsed in 1928 by the Republican and Democratic Parties
as the solution of the farmers’ perplexing problem, and we now have a farm board
operating in behalf of cooperative marketing. Many farmers have known the solution for
years and have been applying it successfully. The agriculturists who understand and
apply cooperative marketing are not the ones who are complaining of failures. A chapter
is devoted to this subject giving the highest authorities on this important matter.
International Cooperation: There are now about two hundred million people in many
lands benefiting by the cooperative system of economics. The case no longer needs to
be argued. The evidence of its success is abundant. All that is needed is its presentation.
This is done briefly in the last chapters of this book.
Mutual service aids in re-establishing harmony between conflicting individual groups. It
tends to the establishing of equity by abolishing disparities. Mutual service snatches the
child from in front of the oncoming automobile. It impels the rescuers to enter the burning
house, or launch the lifeboat from the safe shore. It stimulates beneficence; it mitigates
disappointments, averts many misfortunes, softens the otherwise disastrous
blows, and encourages the fallen to rise