Government of a Nation Begins at Home...

"The family is the unit of the nation."

This little quote by F.D. Maurice is full of implications concerning the parental role, which Charlotte proceeds to flesh out. She begins by discussing the pro's and con's of communitstic societies, pointing out that all through history these types of cooperative societies, where members have all things in common, have arisen for the sake of a great work, social or religious reasons and more recently (in her time--early 20th century) as a "protest against inequalities of condition" (P&C.,p.4). She points out that while we may be quick to dismiss this form of government, many well-regulated cooperative bodies have flourished. Many have failed miserably, and the cause she concludes, is due to a "government enfeebled by the attempt to combine democratic and communistic princles; to dwell together in a common life, while each does what is right in his own eyes." (p.4).

Europe has long dreamed of a society where each State would be divided into small communes. Charlotte, probably smiling as she wrote this, then points out what apparently is too obvious to see, that these communes already exist. Each family is in itself a small commune. Each family shares undivided property. Each family shares a common social condtition. Each family has diversity in duties to help it function properly. Sometimes families band together in tribes with a sovereign chief.

Familes today are generally small or extended family lives far away; however, this does not diminish the force or power of the family. Leslie Laurio paraphrased this portion well: "We don't see that this natural commune is the unit that our country is built with, and we fail to realize that the family, like any commune, needs to fulfill all the duties of the government with the same kind of delicacy, exactness and detailed thoroughness that are suitable for any small operation." (P&C in Modern English, p.5)