Page:Manual of Political Economy.djvu/99

50 there were better and more skilled workmen. If therefore the English agricultural labourer becomes properly educated, it may be found that the productiveness of the land is as much increased as if an important addition had been made to its natural fertility. Education also produces a most decided improvement in the moral character of the workman. If workmen are dishonest, the loss which is incurred is in no way represented by the amount of property which may be stolen; if reliance cannot be placed upon labourers, they must be superintended and watched, and thus their labour is rendered less productive, because a certain portion of the wealth which is produced has to be paid to overlookers and others who would not be required to watch the labourer if complete confidence could be reposed in him. Thus if one overlooker is required to superintend the labour of twenty men, and if he is paid, as he probably is, twice as high wages as the ordinary workman, it is obvious that the amount paid in labour for the production of a certain commodity is just one-tenth more than it would be, if it were not necessary to employ the overlooker. If therefore his services were dispensed with, the productiveness of labour would be increased; and this would render it possible either to cheapen the commodity to the consumer, or to make an addition to the profits of the employer and the wages of the labourer. The productiveness of labour depends upon a great variety of other personal qualities possessed by the labourer. Intemperance, for instance, makes a labourer less able to do his work, and his labour is sure to be more irregular.

The productiveness of capital may be estimated by the amount of wealth which is produced by the application of a certain quantity of capital. Capital is, of course, capable of producing more wealth when it employs efficient labour and is applied to fertile land; but there are certain circumstances which tend to make capital more productive, whether the land and labour are good or bad. Every improvement in any of the processes of industry makes capital more productive. Without the assistance of the steam-engine, the capital at the present time existing in the country would not suffice for the production of more than a small portion of the wealth