"The mark of the modern industrial state as it now exists is precisely that its workmen do not possess capital. I call it capitalism when property is so unequal that the small man cannot live on his own property, but must hire himself out as a servant to work another man's property... I call it capitalism when the small farmer is forced to become a farm-labourer to the big farmer..The real problem of the present civilisation, which is not property but the disproportion of property, and, for most people, the absence of property... It is not the Conservatives who have defended property; they have hardly succeeded in discovering property..."We are able to own homes if we are very lucky, and whether we own or rent, our lives may be filled with meaningless consumer goods, but how many in America now possess the means through which to produce real goods? I am one of the very lucky ones. I have tools. I also got an order this afternoon via email... so I even have a small market for the things I produce. Is it luck, or related to application of energy to a specific cause over a distinct period of time?
G. K. Chesterton
Illustrated London News
Sunday, March 29, 2009
G.K. Chesteron and capitalism
A friend, Dan Krotz, sent me the following from G. K. Chesterton:
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In a service / knowledge based economy...anyone with a computer, an internet connection, and more than hamburger for brains, can produce.
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