PROBLEMS  OF  DISTRIBUTION  229

been  solved.  There  remain  for  discussion
the  vital  questions,  first  of  what  are  the
effects  of  the  use  of  machinery  upon  labour
directly  apart  from  its  wages  (what,  for
instance,  are  the  effects  upon  the  workman’s
producer’s  surplus),  and,  secondly,  of  what
are  its  effects  upon  the  prospects  of  the  more
able  and  ambitious  of  the  labour  world.
These  questions  it  is  for  realistic  economics  to
answer,  but  two  thoughts  may  be  suggested:
the  one  that  the  influence  of  machinery  on
labour  is  elevating  when  the  workman  is
no  longer  called  upon  to  perform  a  mechanical
task,  and  possibly  a  heavy  task,  but  is
required  instead  to  apply  knowledge  and
exercise  intelligence  in  the  management  of
power-driven  appliances  of  a  complicated
nature  ;  and  the  other  that  within  the  large
business  upward  progression  may  be  possible
for  the  talented,  while  it  may  still  be  feasible
to  start  employing,  in  many  industries,  in  a
small  way  which  may  not  be  beyond  the
reach  of  the  pushing  and  thrifty  workman
under  conditions  of  developed  credit.
The  beautiful  theory  of  distribution  expounded ­
  in  the  last  few  chapters  works  in
the  world  as  it  is  against  enormous  friction.
It  is  not,  therefore,  surprising  to  find  in  all
advanced  countries  associations  of  workmen