"I had no idea that Christianity and republicanism were the same thing." "Republicanism," returned the statesman, "is a vague term, invented in an abortive attempt to define by one word the mass of inextricable disorder arising in our times from the fusion of socialistic ideas with ideas purely republican.

If you mean to speak of this kind of thing, you must define precisely your position in regard to socialism, and in regard to the pure theory of a commonwealth.

If you mean to speak of a real republic in any known form, such as the ancient Roman, the Dutch, or the American, I understand you without further explanation." "I certainly mean to speak of the pure republic.

I believe that under a pure republic the partition of wealth would take care of itself." "Very good, my friend.

Now, with regard to the early Christians, should you say that their communities were monarchic, or aristocratic, or oligarchic ?" "None of those three, I should think," said Gouache.
"There are only two systems left, then--democracy and hierarchy.