Rural Depopulation i6i 



group of causes, is found in the fact already 

 noted in regard to wages, that having 

 regard to the disutilities of the employment, 

 wages in agriculture are lower than in the 

 case of similar employments in the towns 

 in other occupations, e.g.^ transport. Labour 

 is, then, naturally attracted from agri- 

 culture. And the labour that is so with- 

 drawn is also naturally the best and not 

 the worst. In considering the influence of 

 wages we must of course understand real 

 wages, looked at from the point of view 

 of the people themselves. In this sense we 

 must include the opportunities for amuse- 

 ments, and the general attractiveness of 

 the towns. From the point of view of the 

 perfectly wise man, a large discount would 

 no doubt be taken from the pleasures of 

 the towns, and a premium added to the 

 delights of the country, but we must 

 estimate the power of attraction from the 



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