Why William Morris is the prophet of our time

You know the artwork of William Morris. You know it from Liberty print fabrics, expensive wallpaper, and tchotchkes like masks or water bottles. You know it as pretty and somewhat ubiquitous and may have never thought more about it, or even recognised it as a Morrisonian design when you’ve come across it.

If you follow my instagram, you will have seen that I chose the quote “I do not want art for a few any more than education for a few, or freedom for a few” as a banner; you may even know that this is a quote from Morris. To me, this short slogan – taken from a lecture given by Morris in 1877 – illustrates an ideal world, one in which we value aesthetic satisfaction in combination with self-determination, in which human endeavour is valued not only by the person it services but also by the creator. To me, reading Morris opens my eyes to a positive response to conventional Western philosophy. Morris presents a life which is neither solitary nor futile, which includes relationships to others in its consideration whilst taking into account the unique desires of people as individuals. I find myself turning to Morris as somebody who understands the conditions of late capitalism yet approaches with a Romantic solution, and I feel that, in living more closely aligned with what he articulated, we could create a society that values and sustains happiness.

What, then, are the core aspects of the Morris philosophy? What is it that I see in his writing that suggests a social order I would want? Morris, to me, is a perfect balance between grand sweeping statements of what ‘is’ or ‘must be’ and an actionable perspective which allows you to take responsibility for your own happiness in a world not set up to benefit you. Morris marries idealism and pragmatism, aiming to “make men happy,” acknowledging that there is no place for a civilisation which prioritises the luxury of the few over the base humanity of others. Morris was extreme in his rejection of machinery (especially considering that, for him, domestic and practical labour were hypothetical necessities done by others), but his idea of desiring art, education, and freedom for all demonstrates a sound basic principle, one which I am happy to allow to inform my relationship to the world.

Work is fulfilment

Morris is very clear in his writings that he considers a craftsman’s life to be the one of most value. He tells us that “the hope of pleasure is in work itself… there is a pleasure in the exercise of… energies,” that “a man at work” ought to “exercise the energies of his mind and soul as well as of his body” – in short, that we should pursue physical health, creativity and spiritual fulfilment through work, and that there is no joy in being idle. This reflects common office work, productivity-chasing growth mindsets, and side-hustle culture in a surprisingly prescient way. Morris tells us that a man who despises his work lives “unhappily and without self-respect,” whereas a man whose needs are met elsewhere seeks nothing, that “the reward of [fruitful] labour is life!” This recognises a truth that has become more apparent post*-pandemic: that the amount of time we spend at our jobs cannot be ignored, and we should take steps to satisfy ourselves, whilst acknowledging that in order to be remotely feasible our work must have an impact on the social structures that surround us.

Slow fashion

Fundamentally, Morris was a businessman as well as an artist. His furniture and prints were expensive at the time, and as such accusations were levelled at him of being elitist and not sticking to his principles. Having since learned of how much work – skilled and laborious – went into every stage of making his pieces, as well as how high-quality the materials had to be to withstand the process, I recognise that Morris was in fact valuing the efforts of his workers and refusing to bow to the pressure of the burgeoning fast fashion industry. Even as factories were the standard, Morris chose to manufacture slowly, with costs being driven up by the scarcity of his product in relation to its incredible popularity. As a solution, he suggested that we ought ‘have nothing in [our houses] that [we] do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful,” and that we should carefully choose pieces that last. In a world where we are slowly developing a consciousness of the ecological and economic impacts of fast manufacturing, Morris’ attitude demonstrates an awareness – inspired by Marx’s ‘From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs’ – to recognise that we need fewer shoddy products and should instead value true beauty that lasts.

Developed and changed

Much like fellow Late Romantics Heinrich Heine and Victor Hugo, Morris’ opinions and suggestions developed as his life went on and he was confronted by a wider variety of experiences. Like any normal person, Morris was put off reading Marx, claiming not to be an economic philosopher, and as such even distanced himself from the theory in his younger days; eventually, however, he did engage with and respond to the theories. It was prompting from other major thinkers of the time (significantly, John Ruskin) that caused Morris to engage with Marx, with the impact it had on his his thinking demonstrating a care for his friends and contemporaries and a willingness to grow. Morris moved between places – travelling to new cities, choosing to live in the countryside, engaging with ‘low’ and ‘high’ cultural figures, immigrants, and intellectual arguments. What we can learn from Morris initally disavowing, then choosing to define his thoughts in line with his identification with, Marx is that it is natural for one’s thinking to grow, and we as people should not be afraid to admit we were wrong or be inspired by new experiences or encounters to change our thinking.

The Future

Morris regularly addresses the future in his writing, both a practical future after his own death and a hypothetical utopia in which the social order might better foster the happiness of all men. This is a much more hopeful and dynamic way of approaching philosophy, acknowledging our own actions and the role we can play in shaping society. After atrocities like Bloody Sunday, instead of bemoaning an imperialist establishment Morris’ writings show a willingness to see a better world rather than being knocked back. This does not mean, however, that his thoughts of the future are a pipe dream: by focussing on plausible utopia in his speeches and writings, Morris creates the motivation for us to not only wish for better but for us to begin actioning it. The future in Morris’ writings is heavily influenced by the past (especially in News From Nowhere) and he is careful to paint a picture that is not outlandish, but is guided by principles that will give us all a better life.

* As before, I do not believe that the pandemic is over, and instead use ‘post-pandemic’ as shorthand for ‘a world changed by the pandemic and in which governmental powers have chosen to return to normal regardless of the effects’

On This Topic:

• I recently read J. Bruce Glasier’s account of Morris, and it’s a charming and easygoing read with a great amount of depth – an incredible artefact for anybody interested in history of this period
• Want to own some William Morris, but upset his designs have entered service to capitalism? Why not buy something from Radical Tea Towel Co! I think these make great gifts, and you’re supporting a small, family-run, principled business.
• Yes it is the only YouTube video, the one I live by as I live by William Morris. 

To-Do:

• Stop doing things on Sundays. I’m tired all week if I go any further than the grocery shop on a Sunday.
• MW book to design
• Speak to DT about October

Today’s Culture:

• I finally saw Moulin Rouge on the West End, and it was even better than I anticipated. I want to see it again – and have a friend in mind to take!!
• This is not only good life advice, but comes with an interview with an end-of-life biographer, a profession surprisingly close to my own
• Maggie Rogers has a new album, and I can’t wait to go see her sing it live