第111章

`All these things are produced in the same way,' proceeded Owen.

`They are made from the Raw materials by those who work - aided by machinery.When we inquire into the cause of the present shortage of these things, the first question we should ask is - Are there not sufficient of the raw materials in existence to enable us to produce enough to satisfy the needs of all?

`The answer to this question is - There are undoubtedly more than sufficient of all the raw materials.

`Insufficiency of raw material is therefore not the cause.We must look in another direction.

`The next question is - Are we short of labour? Is there not a sufficient number of people able and willing to work? Or is there not enough machinery?

`The answers to these questions are - There are plenty of people able and willing to work, and there is plenty of machinery!

`These things being so, how comes this extraordinary result? How is it that the benefits of civilization are not produced in sufficient quantity to satisfy the needs of all? How is it that the majority of the people always have to go without most of the refinements, comforts, and pleasures of life, and very often without even the bare necessaries of existence?

`Plenty of materials - Plenty of Labour - Plenty of Machinery - and, nearly everybody going short of nearly everything!

`The cause of this extraordinary state of affairs is that although we possess the means of producing more than abundance for all, we also have an imbecile system of managing our affairs.

`The present Money System prevents us from doing the necessary work, and consequently causes the majority of the population to go short of the things that can be made by work.They suffer want in the midst of the means of producing abundance.They remain idle because they are bound and fettered with a chain of gold.

`Let us examine the details of this insane, idiotic, imbecile system.'

Owen now asked Philpot to pass him a piece of charred wood from under the grate, and having obtained what he wanted, he drew upon the wall a quadrangular figure about four feet in length and one foot deep.The walls of the kitchen had not yet been cleaned off, so it did not matter about disfiguring them.

+------------------------------------------------------------------+| || || || || || This represents the whole of the adult population of the country || || || || || |+------------------------------------------------------------------+`To find out the cause of the shortage in this country of the things that can be made by work it is first of all necessary to find out how people spend their time.Now this square represents the whole of the adult population of this country.There are many different classes of people, engaged in a great number of different occupations.Some of them are helping to produce the benefits of civilization, and some are not.All these people help to consume these things, but when we inquire into their occupations we shall find that although the majority are workers, only a comparatively small number are engaged in actually producing either the benefits of civilization or the necessaries of life.'...

Order being once more restored, the lecturer turned again to the drawing on the wall and stretched out his hand, evidently with the intention of making some addition to it, but instead of doing so lie paused irresolutely, and faltering, let his arm drop down again by his side.

An absolute, disconcerting silence reigned.His embarrassment and nervousness increased.He knew that they were unwilling to hear or talk or think about such subjects as the cause of poverty at all.

They preferred to make fun of and ridicule them.He knew they would refuse to try to see the meaning of what he wished to say if it were at all difficult or obscure.How was he to put it to them so that they would HAVE to understand it whether they wished to or not.It was almost impossible.

It would be easy enough to convince them if they would only take a LITTLE trouble and try to understand, but he knew that they certainly would not `worry' themselves about such a subject as this; it was not as if it were some really important matter, such as a smutty story, a game of hooks and rings or shove-ha'penny, something concerning football or cricket, horse-racing or the doings of some Royal personage or aristocrat.

The problem of the cause of poverty was only something that concerned their own and their children's future welfare.Such an unimportant matter, being undeserving of any earnest attention, must be put before them so clearly and plainly that they would be compelled to understand it at a glance; and it was almost impossible to do it.

Observing his hesitation, some of the men began to snigger.`'E seems to 'ave got 'isself into a bit of a fog,' remarked Crass in a loud whisper to Slyme, who laughed.

The sound roused Owen, who resumed:

`All these people help to consume the things produced by labour.We will now divide them into separate classes.Those who help to produce; those who do nothing, those who do harm, and those who are engaged in unnecessary work.'

`And,' sneered Crass, `those who are engaged in unnecessary talk.'

`First we will separate those who not only do nothing, but do not even pretend to be of any use; people who would consider themselves disgraced if they by any chance did any useful work.This class includes tramps, beggars, the "Aristocracy", "Society" people, great landowners, and generally all those possessed of hereditary wealth.'

As he spoke he drew a vertical line across one end of the oblong.

+------------+-----------------------------------------------------+| Tramps | || Beggars| || Society| || People | || Aristoc- | || racy | || Great | || Landowners | || All those | || possessed | || of | || hereditary | || wealth | |+------------+-----------------------------------------------------+`These people do absolutely nothing except devour or enjoy the things produced by the labours of others.