166 = Mr. Owen’s Establishment and Improvements. 
- Labour in some shape or other is the cause of all produe- 
tion; of course all the revenue of every society is created by . 
those that work. The annual production of Great Britain, 
is estimated at £54 sterling for every man, woman, 
and child; but only £11 sterling per annum, falls-to the 
share of those who produce it; viz. about 4: the other 4 go 
for tithes, taxes, masters, &c. &c. Such an order of things 
is neither reasonable nor just, and to rectify itas far as possi- 
ble, by laying the axe to the root of the evil, taking away the 
temptation to avarice, cheating, and crime, is the object of the 
newsystem. li proposes to remedy theevil, by enabling the in- 
dustrious producer to retain a far greater proportion of the 
produce of his labour, and removing the necessity of his 
working more than a few hours in the day, to obtain every 
necessary comfort, leaving the rest of his time for moral im- 
ovement and recreation. While the whole legitimate host 
of those that benefit by the present order of things are closely 
united and strongly combined, to support all abuses, it would 
be in vain for individual exertion to strive with such an array 
of well disciplined antagonists, and the only chance of suc- 
ceeding is by a coalition of those useful and industrious pro- 
rs, to retain as much of their own, for their consumption 
1d be as the nature and independence of their situation 
will admit. To obtain these great, good, and devoutly to be 
wished for, effects, the co-operative societies endeavour toes- 
tablish rules and regulations. For instance, for the sake of 
economy and sociability, they eat all at the same table, and 
cook all in the same kitchen, by which they will save fully 
one half of the expenses, and nearly 2 ofthe labour and fuel. 
omen are placed on an equality with men, for education, 
privileges, &c. and thus half of the human race, will be re- 
lieved from the inability of aiding in the great work of civil- 
ization. By amutual guaranty of all the necessaries and con- 
veniences of life, they annihilate the competition and struggle 
for riches and power, and that lust for dominion and command, 
which is the cause of envy, malice, hatred, cruelty, and of 
most of the miseries of mankind. 
The only objection urged by the enemies of the system is, 
that it is impossible ! the eternal cry against every thing new ; 
for, say they, how can you eradicate the passions of men ?— 
+here is no intention of rooting them out ; but the firm reso- 
lution is taken of not planting the violent antisocial passions, 
all of which are nourished, strengthened, and fortified from the 
cradle to the grave, by the unjust and cruel treatment of most 
ana a i f 
