304 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL chap. 



fundamental question with which I started, and to have 

 demonstrated that, as a matter of principle, our present 

 land-system is absolutely wrong, cruelly and perniciously 

 unjust. Before proceeding to consider how far this con- 

 clusion is supported by the facts and results of modern 

 landlordism, I cannot but remark on the absolute silence of 

 Professor Fawcett on the whole question of right or wrong. 

 He knows that this aspect of the subject is treated with 

 wonderful force and most convincing illustration in Mr. 

 George's book ; he knows that nearly a hundred thousand 

 copies of that book have been circulated among English 

 readers ; and yet he confines himself exclusively to Mr. 

 George's practical proposals which have really nothing to do 

 with the main question. Are we to suppose that he upholds 

 the convenient doctrine that whatever is is right; that 

 ethics need have no place in political teaching ; and that 

 the happiness or misery of millions is as nothing compared 

 with the maintenance of the usurped rights and 

 privileges of British landlords ? He can surely not 

 imagine that such a mode of treating this great subject 

 can have the slightest effect as an antidote to Mr. George's 

 teachings. 



The Effects of Landlordism. 



We now come to the important practical question, What 

 is the outcome of modern landlordism ? We have seen 

 that, from various points of view, it is wrong in principle ; 

 the works we have referred to on the history of the subject 

 show that it had its origin in force, and has since been 

 largely maintained by confiscation and by unjust legislation ; 

 but we are so practical a people, that, if it can be shown 

 that its results are good we should care little about 

 principles or about history, but would be quite content 

 to maintain a system which works tolerably well. And 

 people actually do say that it works well. Press and 

 Parliament are never tired of exclaiming — " See how 

 rich we are ! What a trade we do with all the world ! 

 Our system, which produces such results, must be all 

 right ! " But along with our great riches we have a 

 mass of terrible poverty, and it is the opinion of disin- 



