SOCIAL PROBLEMS
BY
HENRY GEORGE
AUTHOR OF "PROGRESS AND POVERTY"
''There is in human affairs one order which is the best. <...> God
knows it, and wills it : man's duty it is to discover and establish
it." — EMILE DE LAVELEYE
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH & CO., i,
FATERNOSTER SQUARE
1884
Then shall they also answer him, saying,''Lord, when
saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or
sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?"
Then shall he answer them, saying, " Verily I say unto
you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye
did it not to me."—MATTHEW. <...> To explain some allusions to time and place it may be
well to say that this book was written in New York during
1883. <...> Though the standpoint is American, the subjects treated
have as much interest and importance on one side of the
Atlantic as the other. <...> We seem to have entered one of these periods. <...> Over
and again have nations and civilizations been confronted with
problems which, like the riddle of the Sphinx, not to answer
was to be destroyed; but never before have problems so vast
and intricate been presented. <...> But as life rises into
higher manifestations, simplicity gives way to complexity, the
parts develop into organs having separate functions and
reciprocal relations, new wants and powers arise, and a greater
and greater degree of intelligence is needed to secure food and
avoid danger. <...> This law — that the increasing complexity and delicacy
of organization which give higher capacity and increased power
are accompanied by increased wants and dangers, and require,
therefore, increased intelligence — runs through nature. <...> Yet not only do his higher
powers require for their use a higher intelligence than exists in
other animals, but without higher intelligence he could not live. <...> Were he not
gifted with intelligence greater than that of any beast, he would
perish from cold, starve from inability to get food, or be
exterminated by animals better equipped for the struggle <...>
Social_problems.pdf
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
BY
HENRY GEORGE
AUTHOR OF "PROGRESS AND POVERTY"
''There is in human affairs one order which is the best.
That order is not always the one which exists; but it is the order
which should exist for the greatest good of humanity. God
knows it, and wills it : man's duty it is to discover and establish
it." — EMILE DE LAVELEYE
LONDON
KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH & CO., i,
FATERNOSTER SQUARE
1884
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Then shall they also answer him, saying,''Lord, when
saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or
sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?"
Then shall he answer them, saying, " Verily I say unto
you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye
did it not to me."—MATTHEW.
TO THE MEMORY OF FRANCIS GEORGE SHAW.
(The rights
of translation and of reproduction are
reserved.) " Yea," saith the Spirit, ''that they may rest from their
labours, and their works do follow them"
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CONTENTS.
PREFACE.................................................................................. 2
CHAPTER I. THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF
SOCIAL QUESTIONS.............................................................. 3
CHAPTER II. POLITICAL DANGERS................................. 11
CHAPTER III. COMING INCREASE OF SOCIAL
PRESSURE. ............................................................................ 19
CHAPTER IV. TWO OPPOSING TENDENCIES................. 27
CHAPTER V. THE MARCH OF CONCENTRATION......... 35
CHAPTER VI. THE WRONG IN EXISTING SOCIAL
CONDITIONS......................................................................... 43
CHAPTER VII. IS IT THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE
WORLDS? .............................................................................. 51
CHAPTER VIII. THAT WE ALL MIGHT BE RICH............ 61
CHAPTER IX. FIRST PRINCIPLES. .................................... 70
CHAPTER X. THE RIGHTS OF MAN. ................................ 79
CHAPTER XI. SHOOTING RUBBISH. ................................ 90
CHAPTER XII. OVER-PRODUCTION. ............................. 100
CHAPTER XIII. UNEMPLOYED LABOUR. ..................... 110
CHAPTER XIV. THE EFFECTS OF MACHINERY. ......... 118
CHAPTER XV. SLAVERY AND SLAVERY..................... 125
CHAPTER XVI. PUBLIC DEBTS AND INDIRECT
TAXATION. ......................................................................... 136
CHAPTER XVII. THE FUNCTIONS OF
GOVERNMENT. .................................................................. 144
CHAPTER XVIII. WHAT WE MUST DO. ......................... 163
CHAPTER XIX. THE FIRST GREAT REFORM. .............. 170
CHAPTER XX. THE AMERICAN FARMER..................... 185
CHAPTER XXI. CITY AND COUNTRY............................ 197
CHAPTER. XXII. CONCLUSION....................................... 202
APPENDIX. I. CONDITION
OF
ENGLISH
AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS. ...................................... 206
II. A PIECE OF LAND. ........................................................ 211
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PREFACE.
well
to say that
To explain some allusions to time and place it may be
this book was written in New York during
1883. Though the standpoint is American, the subjects treated
have as much interest and importance on one side of the
Atlantic as the other. Such differences as there are in the
conditions of the two peoples serve to throw light upon
problems which are presenting themselves to both.
LONDON, January, 1884.
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CHAPTER I.
THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF
SOCIAL QUESTIONS.
There come moments in our lives that summon all our
powers — when we feel that, casting away illusions, we must
decide and act with our utmost intelligence and energy. So in
the
lives
of peoples
come
periods specially calling for
earnestness and intelligence.
We seem to have entered one of these periods. Over
and again have nations and civilizations been confronted with
problems which, like the riddle of the Sphinx, not to answer
was to be destroyed; but never before have problems so vast
and intricate been presented. This is not strange. That the
closing years of this century must bring up momentous social
questions follows from the material and intellectual progress
that has marked its course.
Between
the
development of
society
and the
development of species there is a close analogy. In the lowest
forms of animal life there is little difference of parts; both wants
and powers are few and simple; movement seems automatic;
and instincts are scarcely distinguishable from those of the
vegetable. So homogeneous are some of these living things, that
if cut
higher manifestations, simplicity gives way to complexity, the
parts
in pieces, each piece still
develop into organs
having separate
bird, or beast possess no higher
lives. But as life rises into
functions
and
reciprocal relations, new wants and powers arise, and a greater
and greater degree of intelligence is needed to secure food and
avoid danger. Did fish,
intelligence than the polyp, Nature could bring them forth only
to die.
This law — that the increasing complexity and delicacy
of organization which give higher capacity and increased power
are accompanied by increased wants and dangers, and require,
therefore, increased intelligence — runs through nature. In the
ascending scale of life at last comes man, the most highly and
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