CONCLUSION 221 



of the old local courts, while the importance of the action 

 of the upper courts in attempting to compel employers as 

 well as employees to obey the law can not easily be over- 

 estimated/ In view of this cumulative evidence it is im- 

 possible to doubt that during this first decade the wages 

 and price clauses were thoroughly enforced. The fact that 

 rates remained high after the plague " by no means proves 

 that the thorough enforcement had no effect; on the con- 

 trary, it may prove that, had it not been for the deterrent 

 influence of the levying of penalties under the statutes, the 

 rise would have been even greater. Although from the 

 nature of the case there is no positive method of showing 

 what would have happened to wages and prices had no such 

 restrictions existed, my belief is that regulations as effi- 

 ciently carried out as these were for a short period, at least. 

 could not fail during that period to achieve their purpose 

 to some extent, although not, of course, to the extent de- 

 sired by their framers. That is to say, wages were not 

 kept at the statutory level, but they were kept for ten years 

 at a lower level than would have resulted from a regime 

 of free competition.^ 



' It has been shown that the cases on the contract clause in the upper 

 courts dealt indirectly with the wages clause; p. 178. 



-Pages 4-5, note i. 



■''For a recent statement of this view, see Oman. The Great Revolt, 

 7: "The Black Death permanently raised the price of labour— despite 

 of all statutes to the contrary- though its effects would have been much 

 greater if they had not been checked by the legislation of Parliament." 



The whole subject of economic restrictions is a matter of serious con- 

 troversy among economists. On one side it is maintained that the 

 usury laws tended on the whole to raise, not lower, the rate of interest: 

 on the other it is urged that the regulation of cab fares actually reduces 

 the price of cabs. It must, however, be confessed that the weight of 

 economic opinion is against my view. Without here attempting an 

 analysis of the conditions that go to determine the possibility of accom- 

 plishing a given end by such regulations, it will be universally admitted 

 that thoroughness of administration is essential, and that in the instance 

 under discussion this at least was secured. 



