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
all the improvements of industry result only in the enrichment of the
landlord.... The value of our products has increased since 1850 to the
extent of some twenty-eight billions of dollars, while rent has gained
less than three billions. Evidently it has captured but a meagre part
of the new production."[65]
There are strong indications, however, that the per cent. of the
product going to the owners of land has increased considerably in the
last twenty years, and that this movement will continue indefinitely.
According to Professor King's calculations, the per cent. of the total
product assignable as rent advanced from 7.8 in 1900 to 8.8 in 1910,
which meant that during that period the national income increased only
70 per cent., while the share of the landowner increased 91 per
cent.[66] It is true that a disproportionate advance in rent has
occurred between other census years, only to be neutralised by
subsequent decreases; but the present instance seems to include
certain features which did not characterise any of the former gains in
the relative share of the landowner. Since 1896 the prices of food
products "rose most rapidly in the case of meat, dairy products, and
cereals, which were derived directly from the land. The prices of raw
materials show a like relation. Timber, grain, and other raw materials
obtained directly from the land have risen rapidly in price, while
semi-manufactured articles have increased less rapidly, or have
decreased in price.... There is no parallel in any other field to the
advance in those land values upon which civilisation most directly
depends--timber lands, fertile agricultural land, and land in large
commercial and industrial centres. The recent rise in land values has
been little short of revolutionary."[67]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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