The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844: with a Preface written in 1892Engels, Friedrich
History
The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844: with a Preface written in 1892
Engels, Friedrich
Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Working class -- Great Britain
When these people find no work and will not rebel against society, what
remains for them but to beg? And surely no one can wonder at the great
army of beggars, most of them able-bodied men, with whom the police
carries on perpetual war. But the beggary of these men has a peculiar
character. Such a man usually goes about with his family singing a
pleading song in the streets or appealing, in a speech, to the
benevolence of the passers-by. And it is a striking fact that these
beggars are seen almost exclusively in the working-people's districts,
that it is almost exclusively the gifts of the poor from which they live.
Or the family takes up its position in a busy street, and without
uttering a word, lets the mere sight of its helplessness plead for it. In
this case, too, they reckon upon the sympathy of the workers alone, who
know from experience how it feels to be hungry, and are liable to find
themselves in the same situation at any moment; for this dumb, yet most
moving appeal, is met with almost solely in such streets as are
frequented by working-men, and at such hours as working-men pass by; but
especially on summer evenings, when the "secrets" of the working-people's
quarters are generally revealed, and the middle-class withdraws as far as
possible from the district thus polluted. And he among the "surplus" who
has courage and passion enough openly to resist society, to reply with
declared war upon the bourgeoisie to the disguised war which the
bourgeoisie wages upon him, goes forth to rob, plunder, murder, and burn!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account