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第25章

a new view of society-第25章

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allow misery to predominate; and the labour of man to be most absurdly applied or wasted; when it might be easily directed to remove that misery?     The labour of every man; woman; and child; possessing sufficient bodily strength; may be advantageously employed for the public; and there is not; perhaps; a stronger evidence of the extreme ignorance and fallacy of the systems which have hitherto governed the world; than that the rich; the active; and the powerful; should; by tacit consent; support the ignorant in idleness and crime; without making the attempt to train them into industrious; intelligent; and valuable members of the community; although the means by which the change could be easily effected have been always at their command!     It is not; however; intended to propose that the British Government should now give direct employment to all its working population。 On the contrary; it is confidently expected that a national system for the training and education of the poor and lower orders will be so effectual; that ere long they will all find employment sufficient to Support themselves; except in cases of great sudden depression in the demand for; and consequent depreciation in the value of; labour。     To prevent the crime and misery which ever follow these unfavourable fluctuations in the demand for and value of labour; it ought to be a primary duty of every government that sincerely interests itself in the well…being of its subjects; to provide perpetual employment of real national utility; in which all who apply may be immediately occupied。     In order that those only who could not obtain employment from private individuals should be induced to avail themselves of these national works; the rate of the public labour might be in general fixed at some proportion less than the average rate of private labour in the district in which such public labour should be performed。 These rates might be readily ascertained and fixed; by reference to the county or district quarterly returns of the average rate of labour。     This measure; judiciously managed; would have a similar effect on the price of labour; that the sinking fund produces on the Stock Exchange; and; as the price of public labour should never fall below the means of temperate existence; the plan proposed would perpetually tend to prevent an excess of nationally injurious pressure on the most unprotected part of society。     The most obvious; and; in the first place; the best source; perhaps; of employment; would be the making and repairing of roads。 Such employment would be perpetual over the whole kingdom; and it will be found true national economy to keep the public roads at all times in a much higher state of repair than; perhaps; any of them are at present。 If requisite; canals; harbours; docks; shipbuilding; and materials for the navy; may be afterwards resorted to; it is not; however; supposed that many of the latter resources would be necessary。     A persevering attention; without which; indeed; not anything beneficial in practice can ever be attained; will soon overcome all the difficulties which may at first appear to obstruct this plan for introducing occasional national employment into the polity of the kingdom。     In times of very limited demand for labour; it is truly lamentable to witness the distress which arises among the industrious for want of regular employment and their customary wages。 In these periods; innumerable applications are made to the superintendents of extensive manual operations; to obtain any kind of employment; by which a subsistence may be procured。 Such applications are often made by persons who; in search of work; have travelled from one extremity of the island to the other!     During these attempts to be useful and honest; in the common acceptation of the terms; the families of such wandering individuals accompany them; or remain at home; in either case they generally experience sufferings and privations which the gay and splendid will hesitate to believe it possible that human nature could endure。     Yet; after this extended and anxious endeavour to procure employment; the applicant often returns unsuccessful; he cannot; by his most strenuous exertions; procure an honest and independent existence; therefore; with intentions perhaps as good; and a mind as capable of great and benevolent actions as the remainder of his fellow men; he has no other resources left but to starve; apply to his parish for relief; and thus suffer the greatest degradation; or rely on his own native exertions; and; to supply himself and family with bread; resort to what are termed dishonest means。     Some minds thus circumstanced are so delicately formed; that they will not accept the one or adopt the other of the two latter modes to sustain life; and in consequence they actually starve。 These; however; it is to be hoped; are not very numerous。 But the number is undoubtedly great; of those whose health is ruined by bad and insufficient food; clothing; and shelter; who contract lingering diseases; and suffer premature death; the effect of partial starvation。     The most ignorant and least enterprising of them apply to the parish for support; soon lose the desire of exertion; become permanently dependent; conscious of their degradation in society; and henceforward; with their offspring; remain a burden and grievous evil to the state; while those among this class who yet possess strength and energy of body and mind; with some undestroyed powers of reasoning; perceive; in part; the glaring errors and injustice of society towards themselves and their fellow sufferers。     Can it then create surprise that feelings like those described should force human nature to endeavour to retaliate?     Multitudes of our fellow men are so goaded by these reflections and circumstances; as to be urged; even while incessantly and closely pursued by legal death almost without a chance of escape; to resist those laws under which they suffer; and thus the private depredator on society is formed; fostered; and matured。     Shall we then longer withhold national instruction from our fellow men; who; it has been shown; might easily be trained to be industrious; intelligent; virtuous; and valuable members of the state?     True; indeed; it is; that all the measures now proposed are only a compromise with the errors of the present systems; but as these errors now almost universally exist; and must be overcome solely by the force of reason; and as reason; to effect the most beneficial purposes; makes her advance by slow degrees; and progressively substantiates one truth of high import after another; it will be evident; to minds of comprehensive and accurate thought; that by these and similar compromises alone can success be rationally expected in practice。 For such compromises bring truth and error before the public; and whenever they are fairly exhibited together; truth must ultimately prevail。     As many of the inconsistencies of the present systems are evident to the most intelligent and well…disposed minds; the way for the public admission of the important truths which have now been in part unfolded seems to be rendered easy'。 and it is confidently expected that the period is at hand; when man; through ignorance; shall not' much longer inflict unnecessary misery on man; because the mass of mankind will become enlightened; and will clearly discern that by so acting they will inevitably create misery to themselves。     (As soon as the public mind shall be sufficiently prepared to receive it; the practical detail of this system shall be fully developed。)     For the extensive knowledge of the facts which present themselves on the globe; makes it evident to those whose reasoning faculties have not been entirely paralysed; that all mankind firmly believe; that everybody except themselves has been grievously deceived in his fundamental principles; and feel the utmost astonishment that the nations of the world could embrace such gross inconsistencies for divine or political truths。 Most persons are now also prepared to understand; that these weaknesses are firmly and conscientiously fixed in the minds of millions; who; when born; possessed equal faculties with themselves。 And although t

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