FIXATION BELOW ECONOMIC RENT 41 



which would contribute nothing to the productive power 

 of the nation, but concern itself merely with dividing the 

 present exiguous yield of agriculture on a non-competitive 

 basis ; or alternatively, if rents were fixed by courts, an 

 enormous development of the judicial branch. (2) In the 

 former case, the rents being fixed by a Government depart- 

 ment, nothing but unpopularity could accrue to Government 

 from undertaking such a business ; for in the case of almost 

 every holding either the landlord or the tenant would be 

 dissatisfied with the rent officially fixed. It is true that in 

 the early years Government might gain popularity with 

 the majority of tenants by fixing comparatively low rents, 

 and at the expense of great unpopularity with the landlord 

 class. The tenants having once got accustomed to low rents 

 would want to have them still lower, and would become 

 dissatisfied if they are not lowered still further. Experience 

 in Ireland seems clearly to point in this direction ; besides it 

 is only human nature that this should be the result. (3) The 

 present stagnation in the progress of agriculture would be 

 indefinitely perpetuated, unless the measure were accom- 

 panied by a really energetic propaganda by Government 

 amongst the tenants to teach them improved methods of 

 cultivation by demonstrations in every village, and by the 

 advance of considerable sums in takam loans or through 

 co-operative societies for permanent improvements and 

 purchase of improved stock and implements. The co- 

 operative societies could only be made efficient by a 

 considerable expenditure on a Government-paid staff ; and 

 the progress which might be secured would be at the 

 expense of a very considerable direct charge upon the 

 Provincial revenues. Obviously, f he landlord class would 

 have no incentive to do anything to improve their estates or 

 interest their tenants in improvement of cultivation and 

 crops, unless they could be assured that as a result of such 



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