The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, January 1884: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Promotion of True Culture.; Organ of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. — John Shaqi
The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, January 1884: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Promotion of True Culture.; Organ of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle.Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
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The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, January 1884: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Promotion of True Culture.; Organ of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle.
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
Say you that Christianity is intolerant in thus excluding all other
systems? A religion which excludes that which is false is not therefore
intolerant. If it be true, it must exclude all that is untrue. Let us
have a religion willing to walk abreast with other religions—religions
affirming what it denies, and denying what it affirms—but indulgent
toward all. An intolerant religion is the religion of a sect, and of a
sect in fear.
POLITICAL ECONOMY.
By G. M. STEELE, D.D.
IV.
DISTRIBUTION.
I. Distribution in economics embraces those principles on which the
proceeds of industry are divided among the parties employed in their
production.
If each man owned all the capital concerned in his business, and
performed all the labor involved in each product, this question would
be a very simple one. But when, as in the manufacture of chairs,
of hardware and watches, and in the building of houses, there are
many laborers of widely diverse capabilities, and especially when we
remember that there are innumerable subsidiary occupations, as in
the preparing of materials, the making of tools and machines, the
protection of the workmen, the superintendence of the business, and in
many other ways, the problem becomes a most complicated one.
The subject may be divided as follows:
1. _Wages_, or the compensation of labor.
2. _Profits_, or the compensation of the proprietor or employer.
3. _Interest_, or compensation for capital reckoned as money.
4. _Rent_, or compensation for the use of land.
5. _Taxes_, or compensation for protection by the government.
II. On the subject of _wages_ diverse and contradictory opinions
prevail. A large proportion of the British economists hold the theory
that a low rate of wages is all that can be maintained, or is, on the
whole, desirable among ordinary unskilled laborers. That a man should
have compensation sufficient to furnish him with such food, raiment
and shelter as are essential to keep him in good working condition;
also, in addition, enough to enable him to support a wife (with what
she can herself earn), and to rear at least two children, themselves
prepared to become laborers; and to make some additional allowances for
probable periods of sickness and inability to labor. So much is deemed
absolutely essential even to the capitalist and employer, in order
that their interests may not suffer. The school of writers referred to
profess to find in the human constitution a law which prevents wages
from going much beyond this limit. It is said that if they do go much
beyond this, the population will multiply so rapidly, and the number
of laborers will so greatly increase, that wages will not only fall
back to their limit, but that great suffering will ensue.
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