Such is the inevitable result under such circumstances, if each man—employer and employed alike—follows his own interest at the bidding of common sense. One man is not more selfish than another; indeed, in a bad sense, nobody is selfish at all; and for the result nobody is to blame. The average wages of Labour are diminished for this simple reason, and for no other—that the average product is diminished which each labourer assists in producing. The community is richer absolutely; but it is poorer in proportion to its numbers.[53] Let us see how this works out. The original product of the first eight labourers was _fifty pounds_ a head, or _four hundred pounds_ in the aggregate. This was raised by the co-operation of Ability to _four hundred pounds_ a head, or _three thousand two hundred pounds_ in the aggregate. But the second set of labourers, whatever Ability may do for them, cannot be made to produce more than _fifty-six pounds ten shillings_ a head, or an aggregate of _four hundred and fifty-two pounds_; and thus, whereas eight labourers produced _three thousand two hundred pounds_, sixteen labourers produce only _three thousand six hundred and fifty-two pounds_, and the average product is lowered from _four hundred pounds_ to _two hundred and twenty-eight pounds_.[54] [Sidenote ◆1 This natural power, however, can be regulated by deliberate action, political and other, and made more beneficial to the labourers;] [Sidenote ◆2 Which action takes two chief forms—legislation, and combinations amongst the labourers. We will discuss both in the next chapter.]