A.D. 1776
—~—1850.

and with
disastrous
reswulis

in pauperising
 the
population,

720 LAISSEZ FAIRE
of wages which would naturally have followed in the
circumstances of the times, from the increased area under
tillage; in some districts an increase of money wages
appears to have occurred in spite of it’. No obvious opportunity
 of discontinuing this system arose, and what had been
introduced as a temporary expedient became a permanent
practice. Whatever excuse there may have been for adopting
this course at first, its ultimate effects on rural society were
most disastrous. By securing an income to all the labourers,
it offered a direct encouragement to carelessness on the
part of the men, so that the farmers complained they could
not obtain efficient labour; while the remaining members
 of the community had a grievance, inasmuch as they
contributed, through the rates, for the payment of services
rendered to other people. Altogether this custom tended to
degrade the character of the labouring class®. The Committee
which investigated the subject in 1824 went back to first
principles in making their reports. “There are,” they said,
“but two motives by which men are induced to work: the
one, the hope of improving the condition of themselves and
their families; the other, the fear of punishment. The one
is the principle of free labour, the other the principle of slave
labour. The one produces industry, frugality, sobriety, family
employing the poor of the Hundreds of Loes and Wilford (1792), [Brit. Mus. C. T.
104 (3)], p- 8. 1 Bowley, Wages in the United Kingdom, 39.
2 The demoralising effects became apparent to one observer at least before it
had been in operation many months (Annals, xxv. 634). * From what will follow,
amulation and exertion will be totally destroyed; a man working extra hours, etc.,
not doing it for his own benefit, but that of the parish. This has been the effect
of a plan recommended by our magistrates; which, notwithstanding, I cannot but
highly approve, as founded on liberal principles, and perhaps as little exceptionable
 as anything which could have been adopted.
«The effect of this is, that an industrious fellow, who heretofore has earned
his fourteen shillings per week, will now only earn the price of day labour (nine
shillings) ; nor will I blame him, for extraordinary exertions should have extraordinary
 reward ; nor can a man be expected to work over-hours for the relief of
the poor-rates. Another effect is, those who work none, receive as much as those
who do; but this we have remedied, by saying, a man having no debility ought to
earn nine shillings. The profligate part of the women have destroyed or have no
wheels, and say they cannot earn anything unless supplied by the parish. Our
rates are thus risen to about three times their usual quantum, which makes the
farmers highly dissatisfied. * * *
“To avoid this table, the parish are at this moment in the act of beginning
a work-house; but, fortunately for the industrious poor, the bill for the relief of
the poor in their own houses meets that oppression.”