Distributive Justice: The Right and Wrong of Our Present Distribution of WealthRyan, John A. (John Augustine)
PhilosophyChristian
Distributive Justice: The Right and Wrong of Our Present Distribution of Wealth
Ryan, John A. (John Augustine)
Economic history; Income distribution -- Moral and ethical aspects; Wealth -- Religious aspects
should go to the consumer rather than to the labourer, or to the
labourer rather than to the consumer, so long as the labourer is
already in receipt of the "equitable minimum."
Turning now to the question of higher wages at the cost of higher
prices, we note that this would result in at least temporary hardship
to four classes of persons: the weaker groups of wage earners; all
self employing persons, such as farmers, merchants, and manufacturers;
the professional classes; and persons whose principal income was
derived from rent or interest. All these groups would have to pay more
for the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of living, without being
immediately able to raise their own incomes correspondingly.
Nevertheless, the first three classes could in the course of time
force an increase in their revenues sufficient to offset at least the
more serious inconveniences of the increase in prices. So far as the
wage earners are concerned, it is understood that all these would have
a right to whatever advance in the money measure of the "equitable
minimum" was necessary to neutralise the higher cost of living
resulting from the success of the more powerful groups in obtaining
higher wages. The right of a group to the "equitable minimum" of
remuneration is obviously superior to the right of another group to
more than that amount. And a supreme wage-determining authority would
act on this principle. It cannot be shown, however, that in the
absence of any such authority empowered to protect the "equitable
minimum" of the weaker labourers, the more powerful groups are obliged
to refrain from demanding extra remuneration. The reason of this we
shall see presently. In the meantime we call attention to the fact
that, owing to the greater economic opportunity resulting from the
universal prevalence of the "equitable minimum" and of industrial
education, even the weaker groups of wage earners would be able to
obtain some increases in wages. In the long run the more powerful
groups would enjoy only those advantages which arise out of superior
productivity and exceptional scarcity. These two factors are
fundamental, and could not in any system of industry be prevented from
conferring advantages upon their possessors.
As regards the self employing classes, the remedy for any undue
hardship suffered through the higher prices of commodities would be
found in a discontinuance of their present functions until a
corresponding rise had occurred in the prices of their own products.
They could do this partly by organisation, and partly by entering into
competition with the wage earners. Substantially the same recourse
would be open to the professional classes. In due course of time,
therefore, the remuneration of all workers, whether employés or self
employed or professional, would tend to be in harmony with the canons
of efforts, sacrifices, productivity, scarcity, and human welfare.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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