310 PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION 



been largely discontinued. There is little doubt, also, that the war 

 will have the effect of stimulating the consumption of cheese as 

 a substitute for meat and of margarine as a substitute for butter 

 in a number of European countries. 1 



Attention has been drawn previously 2 to the effect that an in- 

 crease in the purchasing power on the part of the working classes 

 in any European community, has normally upon their per capita 

 consumption of animal foodstuffs. In Great Britain, and in some 

 other countries, the war has accentuated the movement already in 

 progress, towards a betterment of the financial status of the working 

 classes. Although there may be some set-back in this direction 

 later on, the democratic tendencies that seem almost everywhere 

 to be in evidence as undercurrents of the war, will, if realised, lead 

 to a further improvement in the position of these classes. On these 

 grounds, therefore, the war may produce a strong tendency in 

 Europe towards an increased consumption of animal foodstuffs 

 among important sections of the population. This tendency may 

 not be quickly realised owing to the limited supplies, but 'if the 

 demand remains strong enough, the resulting rise in prices, even 

 if not very great, may lead to the production of increased supplies. 

 It is thought by some that European populations will be poorer as 

 a consequence of the war, and this may be true of the communities 

 as a whole without affecting the working classes which constitute 

 the mass of consumers. In this connection it is important to con- 

 sider three special factors : first, the distribution of incomes 

 among the various social classes ; second, the rates of family 

 incomes, which may increase among the working classes owing to 

 the increased employment of women in better paid occupations ; 

 and third, the probable continuance of the decline of the birth-rate 

 which, if it extends to any marked degree among the working classes, 

 would have the effect of increasing the purchasing power per family 

 unit. 



In the machinery of marketing and distribution the war may 

 bring about developments and improvements affecting the con- 

 sumer's effective supplies of animal foodstuffs. During the wai- 

 period considerable developments have already taken place in the 

 control of the marketing arrangements for all foodstuffs both in 

 Europe and North America, and further progress may be made in 

 this direction with benefits to producers and to consumers alike. 

 In particular, it is possible that the cost of marketing and distri- 

 buting perishable produce such as animal foodstuffs may be re- 

 duced if consumers' interests gain strength under centralised control. 



It must be noted also that technical progress in general agri- 

 culture and in animal industries has by no means ceased throughout 

 the world as a result of the war. On the contrary, a number of 

 producing countries that have fortunately been entirely free from 



1 See Part II., Chap. ii. 8 See Part II., Chap. iv. 



