The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists [155]
subsist on block ornaments, margarine, adulterated tea, mysterious beer, and are content - only grumbling when they are unable to obtain even such fare as this.'
Owen paused and a gloomy silence followed, but suddenly Crass brightened up. He detected a serious flaw in the lecturer's argument.
`You say the people in one and two gets all the best of everything, but what about the tramps and beggars? You've got them in division one.'
`Yes, I know. You see, that's the proper place for them. They belong to a Loafer class. They are no better mentally or morally than any of the other loafers in that division; neither are they of any more use. Of course, when we consider them in relation to the amount they consume of the things produced by others, they are not so harmful as the other loafers, because they consume comparatively little. But all the same they are in their right place in that division. All those people don't get the same share. The section represents not individuals - but the loafer class.'
`But I thought you said you was goin' to prove that money was the cause of poverty,' said Easton.
`So it is,' said Owen. `Can't you see that it's money that's caused all these people to lose sight of the true purpose of labour - the production of the things we need? All these people are suffering from the delusion that it doesn't matter what kind of work they do - or whether they merely do nothing - so long as they get MONEY for doing it. Under the present extraordinary system, that's the only object they have in view - to get money. Their ideas are so topsy-turvey that they regard with contempt those who are engaged in useful work! With the exception of criminals and the poorer sort of loafers, the working classes are considered to be the lowest and least worthy in the community. Those who manage to get money for doing something other than productive work are considered more worthy of respect on that account. Those who do nothing themselves, but get money out of the labour of others, are regarded as being more worthy still! But the ones who are esteemed most of all and honoured above all the rest, are those who obtain money for doing absolutely nothing!'
`But I can't see as that proves that money is the cause of poverty,' said Easton.
`Look here,' said Owen. `The people in number four produce everything, don't they?'
`Yes; we knows all about that,' interrupted Harlow. `But they gets paid for it, don't they? They gets their wages.'
`Yes, and what does their wages consist of?' said Owen.
`Why, money, of course,' replied Harlow, impatiently.
And what do they do with their money when they get it? Do they eat it, or drink it, or wear it?'
At this apparently absurd question several of those who had hitherto been attentive listeners laughed derisively; it was really very difficult to listen patiently to such nonsense.
`Of course they don't,' answered Harlow scornfully. `They buy the things they want with it.'
`Do you think that most of them manage to save a part of their wages - put it away in the bank.'
`Well, I can speak for meself,' replied Harlow amid laughter. `It takes me all my bloody time to pay my rent and other expenses and to keep my little lot in shoe leather, and it's dam little I spend on beer; p'r'aps a tanner or a bob a week at the most.'
`A single man can save money if he likes,' said Slyme.
`I'm not speaking of single men,' replied Owen. `I'm referring to those who live natural lives.'
`What about all the money what's in the Post Office Savings Bank, and Building and Friendly Societies?' said Crass.
`A very large part of that belongs to people who are in business, or who have some other source of income than their own wages. There are some exceptionally fortunate workers who happen to have good situations and higher wages than the ordinary run of workmen. Then there are some who are so placed - by letting lodgings, for instance - that they are able to live rent free. Others whose wives go out to work; and others again who have exceptional
Owen paused and a gloomy silence followed, but suddenly Crass brightened up. He detected a serious flaw in the lecturer's argument.
`You say the people in one and two gets all the best of everything, but what about the tramps and beggars? You've got them in division one.'
`Yes, I know. You see, that's the proper place for them. They belong to a Loafer class. They are no better mentally or morally than any of the other loafers in that division; neither are they of any more use. Of course, when we consider them in relation to the amount they consume of the things produced by others, they are not so harmful as the other loafers, because they consume comparatively little. But all the same they are in their right place in that division. All those people don't get the same share. The section represents not individuals - but the loafer class.'
`But I thought you said you was goin' to prove that money was the cause of poverty,' said Easton.
`So it is,' said Owen. `Can't you see that it's money that's caused all these people to lose sight of the true purpose of labour - the production of the things we need? All these people are suffering from the delusion that it doesn't matter what kind of work they do - or whether they merely do nothing - so long as they get MONEY for doing it. Under the present extraordinary system, that's the only object they have in view - to get money. Their ideas are so topsy-turvey that they regard with contempt those who are engaged in useful work! With the exception of criminals and the poorer sort of loafers, the working classes are considered to be the lowest and least worthy in the community. Those who manage to get money for doing something other than productive work are considered more worthy of respect on that account. Those who do nothing themselves, but get money out of the labour of others, are regarded as being more worthy still! But the ones who are esteemed most of all and honoured above all the rest, are those who obtain money for doing absolutely nothing!'
`But I can't see as that proves that money is the cause of poverty,' said Easton.
`Look here,' said Owen. `The people in number four produce everything, don't they?'
`Yes; we knows all about that,' interrupted Harlow. `But they gets paid for it, don't they? They gets their wages.'
`Yes, and what does their wages consist of?' said Owen.
`Why, money, of course,' replied Harlow, impatiently.
And what do they do with their money when they get it? Do they eat it, or drink it, or wear it?'
At this apparently absurd question several of those who had hitherto been attentive listeners laughed derisively; it was really very difficult to listen patiently to such nonsense.
`Of course they don't,' answered Harlow scornfully. `They buy the things they want with it.'
`Do you think that most of them manage to save a part of their wages - put it away in the bank.'
`Well, I can speak for meself,' replied Harlow amid laughter. `It takes me all my bloody time to pay my rent and other expenses and to keep my little lot in shoe leather, and it's dam little I spend on beer; p'r'aps a tanner or a bob a week at the most.'
`A single man can save money if he likes,' said Slyme.
`I'm not speaking of single men,' replied Owen. `I'm referring to those who live natural lives.'
`What about all the money what's in the Post Office Savings Bank, and Building and Friendly Societies?' said Crass.
`A very large part of that belongs to people who are in business, or who have some other source of income than their own wages. There are some exceptionally fortunate workers who happen to have good situations and higher wages than the ordinary run of workmen. Then there are some who are so placed - by letting lodgings, for instance - that they are able to live rent free. Others whose wives go out to work; and others again who have exceptional