Summary Sidney Smith's blueprint to avert a communist revolution was a calculated system of democratic capitalism. He argued that the threat of a violent revolt did not stem from a flawed working class, but from an elite class that locked up the country's space and resources. By freeing the land, freeing trade, and arming the poor with private property, he believed society could build a prosperous, stable middle-class nation. [2]
If you'd like to explore further, we can look into how British politicians received these proposals at the time, or compare Smith's ideas to other 19th-century land reformers like Thomas Spence or Henry George. Which direction would you prefer?