Unto This LastOne of the most astonishingly versatile British writers of the 19th century, art critic JOHN RUSKIN (1819-1900) held a profound sway on European painting and architecture of the 19th and 20th centuries...but he was also a vital influence on the ideals of the later British Labour party, on Gandhi's peaceful revolution, and on our modern notions of charity and charitable organizations. In this 1862 collection of essays, Ruskin lays out his humanist theory of economics and calls for government intervention in the economy to serve values of social justice, of morality, and of higher aesthetics. Ahead of its time and still of great significance today, this is an inspiring vision of how government and culture might work together for the betterment of all. _______________________ ALSO FROM COSIMO Ruskin's Sesame and Lilies: Three Lectures |
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Page 4
... forces , it is usually the simplest way of examin- ing its course to trace it first under the persistent conditions , and afterwards introduce the causes of variation . But the disturbing elements in the social problem are not of the ...
... forces , it is usually the simplest way of examin- ing its course to trace it first under the persistent conditions , and afterwards introduce the causes of variation . But the disturbing elements in the social problem are not of the ...
Page 8
... force . But he being , on the contrary , an engine whose mo- tive power is a Soul , the force of this very peculiar agent , as an unknown quantity , enters into all the political econo- mist's equations , without his knowledge , and ...
... force . But he being , on the contrary , an engine whose mo- tive power is a Soul , the force of this very peculiar agent , as an unknown quantity , enters into all the political econo- mist's equations , without his knowledge , and ...
Page 9
... force , rendering every one of the ordinary political economist's calculations nugatory ; while , even if he desired to introduce this new element into his estimates , he has no power of dealing with it ; for the affections only become ...
... force , rendering every one of the ordinary political economist's calculations nugatory ; while , even if he desired to introduce this new element into his estimates , he has no power of dealing with it ; for the affections only become ...
Page 13
... force him by his competition to work for an inade- quate sum . This equality of wages , then , being the first object to- ward which we have to discover the directest available road ; the second is , as above stated , that of ...
... force him by his competition to work for an inade- quate sum . This equality of wages , then , being the first object to- ward which we have to discover the directest available road ; the second is , as above stated , that of ...
Page 22
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Popular passages
Page 37 - Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.
Page 32 - Buy in the cheapest market and sell in the dearest," represents, or under any circumstances could represent, an available principle of national economy. Buy in the cheapest market? — yes; but what made your market cheap? Charcoal may be cheap among your roof timbers after a fire, and bricks may be cheap in your streets after an earthquake; but fire and earthquake may not therefore be national benefits. Sell in the dearest?
Page 60 - ... the persons who become rich are, generally speaking, industrious, resolute, proud, covetous, prompt, methodical, sensible, unimaginative, insensitive, and ignorant. The persons who remain poor are the entirely foolish, the entirely wise, the idle, the reckless, the humble, the thoughtful, the dull, the imaginative, the sensitive, the well-informed, the improvident, the irregularly and impulsively wicked, the clumsy knave, the open thief, and the entirely merciful, just, and godly person.
Page 72 - THERE is NO WEALTH BUT LIFE. Life, including all its powers of love, of joy, and of admiration. That country is the richest which nourishes the greatest number of noble and happy human beings; that man is richest who, having perfected the functions of his own life to the utmost, has also the widest helpful influence, both personal, and by means of his possessions, over the lives of others.
Page 9 - The largest quantity of work will not be done by this curious engine for pay, or under pressure, or by help of any kind of fuel which may be supplied by the chaldron. It will be done only when the motive force, that is to say, the will or spirit of the creature, is brought to its greatest strength by its own proper fuel; namely, by the affections.
Page 55 - A truly valuable or availing thing is that which leads to life with its whole strength. In proportion as it does not lead to life, or as its strength is broken, it is less valuable ; in proportion as it leads away from life, it is tinvaluable or malignant.
Page 18 - ... heroisms as well as war. May have — in the final issue, must have — and only has not had yet, because men of heroic temper have always been misguided in their youth into other fields; not recognizing what is in our days, perhaps, the most important of all fields; so that, while many a zealous person loses his life in trying to teach the form of a gospel, very few will lose a hundred pounds in showing the practice of one. The fact is, that people never have had clearly explained to them the...
Page 19 - The stipend is a due and necessary adjunct, but not the object, of his life, if he be a true clergyman, any more than his fee (or honorarium) is the object of life to a true physician.