674 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



tion to equality that the mathematical statement of a proportion 

 does to that of a simple equation. We may say it would be abso- 

 lute justice for all men to be rich and happy in proportion to 

 their deserts, whatever that last word may mean ; perhaps it 

 would mean that they ought to be rich and happy in proportion to 

 the pains of the work they do, perhaps in proportion to its results. 



The former seems to me to be the true meaning. If there be 

 such a thing as deserving, it seems to me that the woman who 

 heroically wears herself out as a half -hand deserves more than 

 the man by her side who does a hand's work with ease and pleas- 

 ure — supposing, of course, that they have both previously made 

 the same heroic efforts to acquire skill and efficiency. Absolute 

 justice, if there were such a thing, would give her several times 

 his wages. But could society afford thus to reward people in 

 proportion to their incurable incompetency ? If we say " No," 

 then we decide that absolute justice is undesirable at the present 

 stage of evolution. It can be desirable only under the condition 

 of a perfect equality of gifts; and since this condition is most 

 nearly approached by the lowest savages, we are almost forced to 

 the conclusion that absolute justice is a thing to be avoided 

 rather than courted — at any rate, for the present, and until the 

 course of evolution (or progressive creation) is changed. Such 

 seems to be the real view of everybody, whether he has thought 

 little or much upon the subject ; and yet everybody denies it, and 

 claims to be in favor of absolute justice, or the nearest possible 

 approach to it. Nay, and he is sincere in his claim. The differ- 

 ence between what people believe and what they think they be- 

 lieve is always important, but nowhere more so than in this study 

 of political economy. 



Any system of private property which bestows its blessings in 

 proportion to efficiency in work and management, is unjust to the 

 man who, with a heroic disposition to do his best, is held down, 

 by circumstances over which he has no control, to a life of hard 

 work and little pay. That those who get the least pay have the 

 most irksome work is notoriously not the exception, but the rule. 

 But this is an injustice which it would be fatal to the very life of 

 society to mend, even if it could be done. We can never estimate 

 relative irksomeness ; and, if we could, it would be fatal to put a 

 premium on the incapacity which makes the task irksome. Ca- 

 pacity to work and inclination to work are both important. Both 

 must be developed. Nature's way of doing this was gradually 

 to develop in the human mind the institution of property, as we 

 have it to-day. She planted it there long before any of her creat- 

 ures ever thought of asking why or how or with what probable 

 result ; and she planted it deep, and nurtured its roots to deeper 

 and deeper growth. And she planted by its side a restless long- 



