[Sidenote ◆1 A redistribution of wealth, if it increased the incomes of some, would lessen the labour of nobody.] [Sidenote ◆2 The next chapter contains an examination of the amount of income which would theoretically result from an equal distribution in this country.] ◆¹ Let us remember then that a redistribution of wealth would have in itself no tendency to alter the existing conditions of the workers in any respect except that of wages only. It would not tend to relieve any man of a single hour of labour, to give him any more freedom in choosing the nature of his work or the method of it, or make him less liable to fines or other punishments for disobedience or unpunctuality. ◆² His only gain, if any, would be a simple gain in money. Let us now proceed to deal with the pounds, shillings, and pence; and see what is the utmost that this gain could come to. CHAPTER III _The Pecuniary Results to the Individual of an Equal Division, first of the National Income, and secondly of certain parts of it._ [Sidenote ◆1 The gross income of the United Kingdom.] [Sidenote ◆2 The whole amount attributed to the rich would not be available for distribution.] [Sidenote ◆3 A certain deduction must therefore be made from the estimated total.] ◆¹ The gross income of the United Kingdom—the aggregate yearly amount received by the entire population—is computed to be in round numbers some _thirteen hundred million pounds_. But though this estimate may be accepted as true under existing circumstances, we should find it misleading as an estimate of the amount available for distribution. So far as it relates to the income of the poorer classes, it would be indeed still trustworthy; but the income of the richer—which is the total charged with income-tax—we should find to be seriously exaggerated, as considerable sums are included in it which are counted twice over. ◆² For instance, the fee of a great London doctor for attending a patient in the South of France would be about _twelve hundred pounds_. Let us suppose this to be paid by a patient whose income is _twelve thousand pounds_. The doctor pays income-tax on his fee; the patient pays income-tax on his entire income; and thus the whole sum charged with income-tax is _thirteen thousand two hundred pounds_. But if we came to distribute it, we should find that there was _twelve thousand pounds_ only. And there are many other cases of a precisely similar nature. According to the calculations of Professor Leone Levi, the total amount which was counted twice over thus, amounted ten years ago to more than a _hundred million pounds_.[2] ◆³ In order, therefore, to arrive at the sum which we may assume to be susceptible of distribution, it will be necessary, therefore, to deduct at least as much as this from the sum which was just now mentioned of