U.S.F.S.R. In London 60 years ago, when he was red-bearded and in his 20s, George Bernard Shaw joined the newly founded Fabian Society.† It was a socialist group, ambitious to reconstruct "society in accordance with the highest moral possibilities." The Fabians rejected the Marxian doctrine that socialism must be preceded by revolution. They believed in "gradualism," holding that the socialist principle was partially embodied in most governments and capable of extension through existing political parties.
Last week, a bit nostalgically, with the old flashing wit, venerable G.B.S. relived those early days—and almost...