Principles of Political EconomyPerry, Arthur Latham
General
Principles of Political Economy
Perry, Arthur Latham
Economics
(b) So far as the employees are concerned, in any temporary sense of
dependence or even of injustice, there is open to them the economical
reflection (and it will do them good to bring it home) that their best
route to the respect and favor and feeling of equality of their
employers is through the excellence of the service they render them
and the courtesy (not servility) with which they render it, that as
every capitalist becomes such by means of abstinence they may
themselves by saving become capitalists, that there is nothing in the
nature of their work or its relations to capital to cause them to hang
down their heads, that handsome is that handsome does, that the
opportune offer of the present capital to work on gives them a chance
to exhibit their skill and to earn a living, that the capitalists are
just as dependent on them as they upon those, and that as single
sellers of a valuable personal service they daily confront on a
footing of equality the sellers of a valuable product so created; and
there is open to them also the moral and social reflection fortified
by constant observation and experience, that no matter where a man
begins it is the end that crowns his work, that life to all is a
series of stepping-stones, that manly qualities are appreciated
everywhere, that character tells in the lowest position however high
and low are reckoned, that the poor gain and hold friends quite as
well as the rich, that there was a certain poor wise man that saved
the city by his wisdom and gained a lasting record in consequence,
that the poor and the rich are constantly changing places in this
world, and that there is no respect of persons with God.
We may see now what we are to think of some popular remedies
constantly recommended for low Wages. A brief discussion of what is
false will give us a stronger hold of what is true. The chapter will
close with relevant reference to three current remedies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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