Table Of ContentROUTLEDGE LIBRARY EDITIONS:
INEQUALITY
Volume 5
ECONOMIC EQUALITY
IN THE CO-OPERATIVE
COMMONWEALTH
ECONOMIC EQUALITY
IN THE CO-OPERATIVE
COMMONWEALTH
H. STANLEY JEVONS
First published in 1933 by Methuen & Co. Ltd
This edition first published in 2023
by Routledge
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© 1933 H. Stanley Jevons
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-032-43329-5 (Set)
ISBN: 978-1-032-43453-7 (Volume 5) (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-43683-8 (Volume 5) (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-36841-0 (Volume 5) (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003368410
Publisher’s Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but
points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.
Disclaimer
The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and would
welcome correspondence from those they have been unable to trace.
ECONOMIC EQUALITY
IN THE CO-OPERATIVE
COMMONWEALTH
BY
H. STANLEY JEVONS
M.A., B.Sc., F.G.S., F.S.S.
METHUEN & CO. LTD.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON
First Published in 1933
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE ix
PART I
IDEAS AND IDEALS
CHAPTER
I. PRESENT AND FUTURE . . . . . I
Recent Progress—A Period of Change—Compulsory
General Education—The Demand for Social Justice—
Radical and Socialist Reforms mere Palliatives—
Anticipation.
II. HUMAN EVOLUTION l8
The Study of Progress—The Survival of the Fittest
—Group Selection—The Importance of Tradition—
Variations of Individuals—Altruists and Egoists.
III. COMPOSITION OF THE PEOPLE . . .. 32
Occupational Selection in Primitive Times—Racial
Qualities and Mixtures—Modern Occupational Selec-
tion—Occupations of Women—Effects of Occupation
on Character.
IV. THE SOCIAL CLASSES 46
Nations and Classes — Primitive Regulation of
Population—Origin of Caste in Social Function—
Incomes of Ability scarce in Relation to Demand—
Incomes Dependent on Property—Conditions of
Growth of the Propertied Classes—The Social Ladder.
V. DEFECTS OF THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM . .. 67
The Science of Economics—Economics of the Com-
petitive System—Rent of Land—Differences of Capital
Goods—Adjustment of Supply to Demand—Labour
Supply—The Standard of Living—Effect of Trade
Union Rule on Supply—Earnings of Intellectual
Labour—Interest on Capital—Profits—Wastes of the
Competitive System—The Avoidance of Waste in
Industries.
VI. ECONOMIC REASONS FOR EQUALITY QI
Social Tendencies—The Demand for Equality—The
Origin of Inequality of Incomes—Economic Causes of
Inequality of Incomes—Equality of Earnings Possible
vi ECONOMIC EQUALITY
CHAPTER PAG*
VI. ECONOMIC REASONS FOR EQUALITY—Continued.
in the Competitive System—Principle of Minimum
for Efficiency—Principle of Unequal Sacrifice—The
Inevitable Tendency to Equality of Remuneration.
VII. INCENTIVES TO LABOUR . . . . . IOQ
Declining Effectiveness of Individual Self-interest
—Incentives in the Existing Economic System—
Other Egoistic Incentives—Altruistic Incentives—
Incentives to Labour under Communism.
VIII. THE OBJECTIVE 126
Moral Gains—The Spiritual Gain—The Revival of
Art—Intellectual Life—Politics—The Content of Life.
PART II
ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION
IX. NATIONAL ECONOMY 153
General Plan of Organization—The Organization of
Production—The Control of Industry—The Organi-
zation of Supply—Housing Accommodation—Stores
and the Supply of Goods to them.
X. PRODUCTION AND THE NATIONAL DIVIDEND . . 170
Total Production Stream—The Capital Fund—The
National Dividend—Occupations and the National
Dividend—Occupations under Communism—Social
Results of Capitalist Waste—The Increase of the
National Dividend.
XI. THE DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH . . . . 193
The Theory of Equal Means of Enjoyment—The
Abolition of Money—The Need of Variety in Methods
of Supply—Nature of ' Money ' Units and ' Prices '—
Incomes and Satisfaction—Equal Opportunity of
Enjoyment — Immigration and Emigration —
Delinquents.
XII. THE FIXING OF PRICES . . 224
General Principles—Cost of Production—Interest—
Remaining Supplementary Costs—Distribution Costs
—Summary of Costs Forming the Basis of Price—The
Price Level and the General Allowance.
CONTENTS vii
CHAPTER PAGE
XIII. FOREIGN TRADE 242
Organization and Finance—Comparative Costs—
Comparison of Marginal Costs with Foreign Prices—
Cyclical Fluctuations of Trade.
PART III
REALIZATION
XIV. PREPARATION FOR THE CHANGE . . .. 255
A New Social Morality—A Social Purpose—Pre-
liminary Research—Enlightenment—Socialist Propa-
ganda.
XV. PROGRESS IN ORGANIZATION 268
A Gradual Social Revolution—Distinction between
Socialism and Labourism—The Press and the Films—
Existing Socialist Parties and Associations—Need for a
Consistent Organization of Political Activities—The
Industrial Policy of Organized Labour—Existing Insti-
tutions of Socialist Character.
XVI. THE TRANSITION 305
The Instability of a Socialistic System—Preparatory
Measures—The Fundamental Laws—Property in the
Transition—Organizing Continuity of Production and
Services—The Redistribution of Labour—Temporary
Compromise Arrangements—Willing Effort and the
Joy of Achievement.
APPENDIX I : MILL ON COMMUNISM . . . 33!
APPENDIX II (A) I RELATIVE INCREASE OF NON-
PRODUCING WORKERS . . 335
(B) : PRODUCTIVITY OF MODERN
MACHINERY . . .. 3 37
APPENDIX III I BIBLIOGRAPHY . . .. 340
INDEX 349
