In
our Library - where Books are free
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Chapter 3 - Progress and
Poverty -
From Poverty by James Platt
"PROGRESS AND POVERTY." P47
"In fine, wages have risen 50 per cent., while
none of
the necessaries (except meat) and few of the comforts of life
are 10 per cent. dearer " (MULLHALL). And there can be no
more conclusive proof of the improved condition of our people
than the decline in the criminal calendar, and in the number of
paupers :-
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Books - Factual
Sociology
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Convictions in Scotland
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Convictions in United Kingdom
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Paupers in the United Kingdom
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As regards the rate of remuneration,
landowner, capitalist, labourer, all are subject to the law of
supply and demand. And I deny that the facts justify Mr. George's
conclusion, that with an increase of production, as the labourer
gets no more and the capitalist no more, therefore the landowner
reaps the whole gain. In 1812, the wealth of the United Kingdom
was £2,190,000,000; in 1882, £8,720,000,000. Does Mr. George really
mean, and want us to believe, that the increase of of wealth,
£6,530,000,000, has been absorbed by the owners of land? The capital
and deposits of the banks of the United Kingdom were £260,000,000
in 1850, and £782,000,000 in 1874; does this increase of £522,000,000
belong to the landowners ? The deposits in the savings banks have
increased as follows:-
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England
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Scotland
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Ireland
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Totals
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Does this increase of £44,940,000
belong to tile landowners? Does it not disprove the assertion
that ''the enormous increase in productive power which has marked
the present century, and is still going on with accelerating ratio,
has no tendency to extirpate poverty, or to lighten the burden
of those compelled to toil."
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© Peter Smith 2008
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