TOM DICK AND HARRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2760, 19 July 1924, Page 4

TOM DICK AND HARRY.

A PARABLE OF WEALTH PRODUCTION. “Labour is the source of all wcaltb.” This is ‘.he favourite postulate of Socialists, leaving them, of course to define v hut is labour. Followiii, this is the ie oi\ 1 tli i! “Labour T,l receive uli that U j,reduces” by which is,meant all that is produced, leaving nothing towards capital for future production. The Marxian doctrine is that all value is produced by the expenditure of labour power. This does not quite square with the fact that labour may be spent, often is, on producing what is not wanted and has no value when produced, but then, so much the worse for the fact. In order to avoid the mental strain of the “dreary science” political economy (as written) we intend to present our views on wealth- production in the form of a simple parable. 1 he subject of production and distribution of wealth all arc concerned in for none can do without (what is) the means of material life. Tn general. we find that writers on the subject use words which require special training in order to understand or are given particular meanings by the writer which are only tally disclosed (if evert by residing to the end. As sm-b teaching seldom touches the average busy individual wr- adopt the method of si short story (the actors in which being well known characters). THE FTRST ESTATE.

In the Island of “the first Estate" there existed throe human beings.Tom. Dick and Harry, who were faced with the problem of “how to live.” These throe spent their energies in gathering edible roots wherewith to satisfy their hunger. Tn the course of search they found certain (niters we now call potatoes. Having oaten some of these they discovered that others grew from parts thrown hack into the earth. This was a happy enlightenment and they set to work in crowing potatoes for their food. There being no tools of any kind the digging was done with their hands and and handy stick. The work was very laborious but Tom was very energetic and persevering and he produced a surplus of potatoes over what lie required to live on, whilst the other two barely scratched through the year alive. Tom stored his surplus in a hole which he protected and that was his capital to start the season with. When the time'arrived for'next planting Dick and Harry had no seed while Tom had a quantity in hand. He was the first capitalist. By arrangement Dick and Harry did some digging for Tom in return for a few seed potatoes. This was repeated several times as Dick and Harry were more indolent than Tom and in addition he had each year a bigger c-rop and the added work lie got in return, as he did not sec any sense in letting any of his surplus waste. The community (of: three) became better off and Tom comparatively a rich man. Having now a good supply for his consumption and future use, Tom had leisure to think and plan. The result was a spade was invented as an important adjunct to the capital in the way of seed as far more work could he done with it than without. Dick and Harry borrowed the spade and paid for the loan by services which helped to make Tom still richer. By and by, Dick, who had bestirred himself, had sonic leisure and also some surplus for seed. Tie produced a spado.also and became another, (hough lesser, capitalist. Whilst Tom was (he only capitalist the others competed with .one another and lie could got more out of them by setting Harry’s wants against Dick’s —Harry being the poorest. When there were two capitalists Tom had to compete with Dick for the use of TTarrv’s labour.

Thus, wo see how tho wag-os of labour roso as capital and Iho immher of capitalists increased. Prosperity clearly depends on tho saving- of a surplus and tho use of such as capital to produce still greater surpluses which are named wealth to ho used either for higher consumption or still greater production. Time came when disease ravaged the production of this community. Dick’s surplus vanished and Tom's slock was much lowered. Dick sold his spado to Tom. As the surplus for consumption or use us seed was small Dick and Harry had to work a good deal for Tom for the small share whieh was the wages for their lahour. Again the season changed, stocks increased, the surplus was augmented, prosperity had returned. Dick got another spade and small surplus, Tom had two spade- and Harry gave hint more services for the use of one. Tom had considerable spare time and being naturally ’enterprising', lie set to work on improving his spade and also invented another tool which could lie used in produel ion. At this time a number of other human beings arrived on the island. Some of these were like the three lii'.sf inhabitants originally having nothing to live on and these went to work for Tom, Dick and even Harry, who found his experience ot use as capital to employ others. Others who arrived had capita! in the form of new seeds and tools. I lie prosperity of the islanders increased but was subject to fluctuations of depression. Agitators arose win. inveighed against the rich eapitalists saying “the rich become ever richer and the poor ever poorer." What was often lost sight of in the din of.argument was that the capita! of the rich was .only 01. advantage to them as they could use it, or Im.ve it used, in production. hilst the more that was produced the tu-eater was the supply and the sur-

pluses which made other capitalists. The competition of capital in tliis wav leading to the increase of general prosperity by the mulliphonthm of services rendered.

At a meeting of the seniors alter reviewing the whole position of the development of civilisation within the island, the following pronouncement was deeded upon. That whilst labour is ihc original source of I lie means of life, wealth cannot he accumulated and distributed except bv the employment of capital and whilst capitalists may grow richer iliis can only he by the total wealth becoming greater so that the a\et.,oc of prosperity is enhanced by the constant accumulation of capital and employment in productive enterprise. (Contributed by the N.Z. Well are League).