142 THE HUMAN FACTOK 



Bombay Presidency tell the same tale that field 

 labourers are more independent, more difficult to 

 secure and to retain than they formerly were, and 

 that they work less efficiently and for shorter hours, 

 though they draw double or treble the wages. Such 

 statements are heard in most countries nowadays, 

 and we may perhaps discount some of the charges 

 brought against labour by employers who are suffering 

 from a change in economic conditions. So far as the 

 labourers are concerned, their position is this : they 

 have had their bad times, sometimes very bad ; and 

 now that economic changes have strengthened their 

 hands, they are naturally going to make the most of 

 the chances that fall in their way. Their condition 

 still leaves much to be desired, and while it is true 

 that an energetic and able-bodied family which is 

 prepared to work hard, is able to live in comfort, 

 according to its own standard, and to put by money, 

 the average labouring family lives pretty much from 

 hand to mouth, even in good times, and subsists 

 with a minimum of the necessaries of life and with 

 few comforts or luxuries. Its standard of living is 

 always very low, and in days of famine or sickness 

 distress is sure to occur. 



In the decade ending with the year 1880 agricultural 

 wages commonly ruled below 3 annas a day, after 

 which a sharp rise occurred to about 4 annas. This 

 rate continued until the famine years at the end of 

 the century pulled wages down again to their previous 

 level in many localities. Early in the twentieth 



