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to facts and may not use his imagination； I would describe the
happy day when the last steam locomotive shall be taken to the
Museum of Natural History to be placed next to the skeleton
of the Dynosaur and the Pteredactyl and the other extinct
creatures of a by…gone age。
THE SOCIAL REVOLUTION
BUT THE NEW ENGINES WERE VERY
EXPENSIVE AND ONLY PEOPLE OF WEALTH
COULD AFFORD THEM。 THE OLD CARPENTER
OR SHOEMAKER WHO HAD BEEN HIS
OWN MASTER IN HIS LITTLE WORKSHOP
WAS OBLIGED TO HIRE HIMSELF OUT TO
THE OWNERS OF THE BIG MECHANICAL
TOOLS； AND WHILE HE MADE MORE
MONEY THAN BEFORE； HE LOST HIS
FORMER INDEPENDENCE AND HE DID NOT
LIKE THAT
IN the olden days the work of the world had been done by
independent workmen who sat in their own little workshops in
the front of their houses； who owned their tools； who boxed the
ears of their own apprentices and who； within the limits prescribed
by their guilds； conducted their business as it pleased
them。 They lived simple lives； and were obliged to work very
long hours； but they were their own masters。 If they got up
and saw that it was a fine day to go fishing； they went fishing
and there was no one to say ‘‘no。''
But the introduction of machinery changed this。 A machine
is really nothing but a greatly enlarged tool。 A railroad
train which carries you at the speed of a mile a minute is
in reality a pair of very fast legs； and a steam hammer which
flattens heavy plates of iron is just a terrible big fist； made of
steel。
But whereas we can all afford a pair of good legs and a
good strong fist； a railroad train and a steam hammer and a
cotton factory are very expensive pieces of machinery and they
are not owned by a single man； but usually by a company of
people who all contribute a certain sum and then divide the
profits of their railroad or cotton mill according to the amount
of money which they have invested。
Therefore； when machines had been improved until they
were really practicable and profitable； the builders of those
large tools； the machine manufacturers； began to look for customers
who could afford to pay for them in cash。
During the early middle ages； when land had been almost
the only form of wealth； the nobility were the only people
who were considered wealthy。 But as I have told you in a
previous chapter； the gold and silver which they possessed
was quite insignificant and they used the old system of barter；
exchanging cows for horses and eggs for honey。 During
the crusades； the burghers of the cities had been able to gather
riches from the reviving trade between the east and the west；
and they had been serious rivals of the lords and the knights。
The French revolution had entirely destroyed the wealth
of the nobility and had enormously increased that of the middle
class or ‘‘bourgeoisie。'' The years of unrest which followed the
Great Revolution had offered many middle…class people a
chance to get more than their share of this world's goods。 The
estates of the church had been confiscated by the French Convention
and had been sold at auction。 There had been a terrific
amount of graft。 Land speculators had stolen thousands
of square miles of valuable land； and during the Napoleonic
wars； they had used their capital to ‘‘profiteer'' in grain and
gun…powder； and now they possessed more wealth than they
needed for the actual expenses of their households； and they
could afford to build themselves factories and to hire men and
women to work the machines。
This caused a very abrupt change in the lives of hundreds
of thousands of people。 Within a few years； many cities
doubled the number of their inhabitants and the old civic centre
which had been the real ‘‘home'' of the citizens was surrounded
with ugly and cheaply built suburbs where the workmen slept
after their eleven or twelve hours； or thirteen hours； spent in the
factories and from where they returned to the factory as soon
as the whistle blew。
Far and wide through the countryside there was talk of the
fabulous sums of money that could be made in the towns。 The
peasant boy； accustomed to a life in the open； went to the city。
He rapidly lost his old health amidst the smoke and dust and
dirt of those early and badly ventilated workshops； and the
end； very often； was death in the poor…house or in the hospital。
Of course the change from the farm to the factory on the
part of so many people was not accomplished without a certain
amount of opposition。 Since one engine could do as much
work as a hundred men； the ninety…nine others who were
thrown out of employment did not like it。 Frequently they attacked
the factory…buildings and set fire to the machines； but
Insurance Companies had been organised as early as the 17th
century and as a rule the owners were well protected against loss。
Soon； newer and better machines were installed； the factory
was surrounded with a high wall and then there was an
end to the rioting。 The ancient guilds could not possibly survive
in this new world of steam and iron。 They went out of
existence and then the workmen tried to organise regular labour
unions。 But the factory…owners； who through their wealth
could exercise great influence upon the politicians of the different
countries； went to the Legislature and had laws passed
which forbade the forming of such trade unions because they
interfered with the ‘‘liberty of action'' of the working man。
Please do not think that the good members of Parliament
who passed these laws were wicked tyrants。 They were
the true sons of the revolutionary period when everybody
talked of ‘‘liberty'' and when people often killed their neighbours
because they were not quite as liberty…loving as they
ought to have been。 Since ‘‘liberty'' was the foremost virtue
of man； it was not right that labour…unions should dictate to
their members the hours during which they could work and
the wages which they must demand。 The workman must at
all times； be ‘‘free to sell his services in the open market；'' and
the employer must be equally ‘‘free'' to conduct his business
as he saw fit。 The days of the Mercantile System； when
the state had regulated the industrial life of the entire
community； were coming to an end。 The new idea of ‘‘freedom''
insisted that the state stand entirely aside and let commerce
take its course。
The last half of the 18th century had not merely been a
time of intellectual and political doubt； but the old economic
ideas； too； had been replaced by new ones which better suited the
need of the hour。 Several years before the French revolution；
Turgot； who had been one of the unsuccessful ministers of
finance of Louis XVI； had preached the novel doctrine of
‘‘economic liberty。'' Turgot lived in a country which had
suffered from too much red…tape； too many regulations； too
many officials trying to enforce too many laws。 ‘‘Remove this
official supervision；''