THE FOREIGNER. 177 



of the theory of Government from the family to the State, 

 he says " that the movement of progressive Societies has hitherto 

 been a movement from Status to Contract." By this he means 

 that in primitive Society a man, and still more a woman, belonged 

 to a community known as the family and enjoyed the rights 

 and liabilities of that community, whereas in modern Societies 

 each individual is made responsible for his own acts. Under 

 primitive conditions a man is almost born in the trade which 

 he is destined to follow all his life. In its fullest development 

 the system is known as caste, and is found still existent in India 

 and the South Sea Islands. There, as is well known, are races 

 who follow one trade. 



A study of the condition of agricultural labourers in Europe 

 during the last three or four hundred years shows us a body of 

 workers in an almost similar economic condition which we may 

 call that of status. When the feudal system broke up and the 

 modern capitalistic system took its place the industrial worker 

 in the towns rapidly assumed the condition described as the 

 more advanced by Sir Henry Maine. He was free to follow 

 what occupation he chose, his wages were regulated by the law 

 of supply and demand. Higher skill led to better remuneration, 

 but the obligation of the employer ceased when there was no 

 longer any work for him to do. As a result his wages rose far 

 above those of the worker in Agriculture, but he was more liable 

 to unemployment, and having no means of support in that 

 emergency he ran the risk of complete ruin and even starvation. 

 The agricultural labourers remained for many years still in the 

 more primitive condition. They followed the same occupation 

 generation after generation, generally in the same village, often 

 on the same farm. This was the normal state of things in the 

 eighteenth century. Wages were almost nominal and were 

 practically the same for all classes of labour. A shilling a day 

 in the early part of the century, a shilling and two pence during 

 the period of rising prices in the latter part, and what is more 

 remarkable these wages often not paid for many weeks. Among 

 the Brandsby Accounts which I examined for the " History 

 of Agriculture and Prices " were several receipted bills from 

 labourers which showed that no payment had been made for 

 months, and in one or two cases for a year or even two years. It 

 is clear that the men did not depend on their cash wages for their 

 living, but regarded them as a means whereby such necessary 

 articles as they could not make themselves were bought or 

 replaced when worn out. The man and his family depended 

 for their livelihood on payment in kind, for I do not think there 

 was much time left over when his day's work was done to cultivate 

 a garden. The modern allotment was, of course, unknown. 

 Support is given to this theory by the family budgets, which 



