what is property-第26章
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Others follow this example； always with the same success。 Then； these installed； the rest disperse；each one returns to his grubbing。 But； while grubbing； it is necessary to live。 While they have been clearing away for their neighbor； they have done no clearing for themselves。 One year's seed…time and harvest is already gone。 They had calculated that in lending their labor they could not but gain； since they would save their own provisions； and； while living better； would get still more money。 False calculation！ they have created for another the means wherewith to produce； and have created nothing for themselves。 The difficulties of clearing remain the same； their clothing wears out； their provisions give out； soon their purse becomes empty for the profit of the individual for whom they have worked； and who alone can furnish the provisions which they need； since he alone is in a position to produce them。 Then； when the poor grubber has exhausted his resources； the man with the provisions （like the wolf in the fable； who scents his victim from afar） again comes forward。 One he offers to employ again by the day； from another he offers to buy at a favorable price a piece of his bad land； which is not； and never can be； of any use to him： that is； he uses the labor of one man to cultivate the field of another for his own benefit。 So that at the end of twenty years； of thirty individuals originally equal in point of wealth； five or six have become proprietors of the whole district； while the rest have been philanthropically dispossessed！
In this century of bourgeoisie morality； in which I have had the honor to be born； the moral sense is so debased that I should not be at all surprised if I were asked； by many a worthy proprietor； what I see in this that is unjust and illegitimate？ Debased creature！ galvanized corpse！ how can I expect to convince you； if you cannot tell robbery when I show it to you？ A man； by soft and insinuating words； discovers the secret of taxing others that he may establish himself； then； once enriched by their united efforts； he refuses； on the very conditions which he himself dictated； to advance the well…being of those who made his fortune for him： and you ask how such conduct is fraudulent！ Under the pretext that he has paid his laborers； that he owes them nothing more； that he has nothing to gain by putting himself at the service of others； while his own occupations claim his attention；he refuses； I say； to aid others in getting a foothold； as he was aided in getting his own； and when； in the impotence of their isolation； these poor laborers are compelled to sell their birthright； hethis ungrateful proprietor； this knavish upstartstands ready to put the finishing touch to their deprivation and their ruin。 And you think that just？ Take care！
I read in your startled countenance the reproach of a guilty conscience； much more clearly than the innocent astonishment of involuntary ignorance。
〃The capitalist；〃 they say； 〃has paid the laborers their DAILY WAGES。〃 To be accurate； it must be said that the capitalist has paid as many times one day's wage as he has employed laborers each day；which is not at all the same thing。 For he has paid nothing for that immense power which results from the union and harmony of laborers； and the convergence and simultaneousness of their efforts。 Two hundred grenadiers stood the obelisk of Luxor upon its base in a few hours； do you suppose that one man could have accomplished the same task in two hundred days？ Nevertheless； on the books of the capitalist； the amount of wages paid would have been the same。 Well； a desert to prepare for cultivation； a house to build； a factory to run；all these are obelisks to erect； mountains to move。 The smallest fortune； the most insignificant establishment； the setting in motion of the lowest industry； demand the concurrence of so many different kinds of labor and skill； that one man could not possibly execute the whole of them。 It is astonishing that the economists never have called attention to this fact。 Strike a balance； then； between the capitalist's receipts and his payments。
The laborer needs a salary which will enable him to live while he works； for unless he consumes； he cannot produce。 Whoever employs a man owes him maintenance and support； or wages enough to procure the same。 That is the first thing to be done in all production。 I admit； for the moment； that in this respect the capitalist has discharged his duty。
It is necessary that the laborer should find in his production； in addition to his present support； a guarantee of his future support； otherwise the source of production would dry up； and his productive capacity would become exhausted： in other words； the labor accomplished must give birth perpetually to new laborsuch is the universal law of reproduction。 In this way； the proprietor of a farm finds： 1。 In his crops； means； not only of supporting himself and his family； but of maintaining and improving his capital； of feeding his live…stockin a word； means of new labor and continual reproduction； 2。 In his ownership of a productive agency； a permanent basis of cultivation and labor。
But he who lends his services；what is his basis of cultivation？
The proprietor's presumed need of him； and the unwarranted supposition that he wishes to employ him。 Just as the commoner once held his land by the munificence and condescension of the lord； so to…day the working…man holds his labor by the condescension and necessities of the master and proprietor： that is what is called possession by a precarious＇1＇ title。 But this precarious condition is an injustice； for it implies an inequality in the bargain。 The laborer's wages exceed but little his running expenses； and do not assure him wages for to…morrow； while the capitalist finds in the instrument produced by the laborer a pledge of independence and security for the future。
＇1＇ Precarious； from precor； 〃I pray；〃 because the act of concession expressly signified that the lord； in answer to the prayers of his men or slaves； had granted them permission to labor。
Now； this reproductive leaventhis eternal germ of life； this preparation of the land and manufacture of implements for productionconstitutes the debt of the capitalist to the producer； which he never pays； and it is this fraudulent denial which causes the poverty of the laborer； the luxury of idleness； and the inequality of conditions。 This it is； above all other things； which has been so fitly named the exploitation of man by man。
One of three things must be done。 Either the laborer must be given a portion of the product in addition to his wages； or the employer must render the laborer an equivalent in productive service； or else he must pledge himself to employ him for ever。 Division of the product； reciprocity of service； or guarantee of perpetual labor；from the adoption of one of these courses the capitalist cannot escape。 But it is evident that he cannot satisfy the second and third of these conditionshe can neither put himself at the service of the thousands of working…men； who； directly or indirectly； have aided him in establishing himself； nor employ them all for ever。 He has no other course left him； then； but a division of the property。 But if the property is divided； all conditions will be equalthere will be no more large capitalists or large proprietors。
Consequently； when M。 Ch。 Comtefollowing out his hypothesis shows us his capitalist acquiring one after another the products of his employees' labor； he sinks deeper and deeper into the mire； and； as his argument does not change； our reply of course remains the same。
〃Other laborers are employed in building： some quarry the stone； others transport it； others cut it； and still others put it in place。 Each of them adds a certain value to the material which passes through his hands； and this value； the product of his labor； is his property。 He sells it； as fast as he creates it； to the proprietor of the building； who pays him for it in food and wages。〃
_Divide et impera_divide； and you shall command； divide； and you shall grow rich； divide； and you shall deceive men； you shall daze their minds； you shall mock at justice！ Separate laborers from each other； perhaps each one's daily wage exceeds the value of each individual's product； but that is not the question under consideration。 A force of one thousand men working twenty days has been paid the same wages that one would be paid for working fifty…five years； but this force of one thousand has done in twenty days what a single man could not have accomplished； though he had labored for a million centuries。 Is the exchange an equitable one？ Once more； no； when you have paid all the individual forces； the collective force still remains to be paid。
Consequently； there remains always a right of collective property which you have not acquired； and which you enjoy unjustly。
Admit that twenty days' wages suffice to feed； lodge； and clothe this multitude for twenty days： thrown out of employment at the end of that time； what will become of them； if； as fast as they create； they abandon their creations to the proprietors who will soon discharge them？ While the proprietor； firm in his position （thanks to the aid of all the laborers）； dwells in security； and fears no lack of labor or bread； the laborer's only dependence is upon the benevolence of this same proprietor； to whom he has sold and surrendered his liberty。 If； then； the proprietor； shielding himself behind his comfort and his rights； refuses to employ the laborer； how can the laborer live？ He has ploughed an excellent field； and cannot sow it； he has built an elegant and commodious house； and cannot live in it； he has produced all； and can enjoy nothing
Labor leads us to equality。 Every step that we take brings us nearer to it； and if laborers had equal strength； diligence； and industry； clearly their fortunes would be equal also。 Indeed； if； as is pretended；and as we have admitted；the laborer is proprietor of the value which he creates； it follows：
1。 That the laborer acquires at the expense of the idle proprietor；
2。 That all production being necessarily collective； the laborer is entitled to a share of the products and profits commensurate with his labor；
3。 That all accumulated capital being social property； no one can be its exclusive proprietor。
These inferences are unavoidable； these alone would suffice to revolutionize our whole economical system； and change our institutions and our laws。 Why do the very persons； who laid down this principle； now refuse to be guided by it？ Why do the Says； the Comtes； the Hennequins； and othersafter having said that property is born of laborseek to fix it by occupation and prescription？
But let us leave these sophists to their contradictions and blindness。 The good sense of the people will do justice to their equivocations。 Let us make haste to enlighten it； and show it the true path。 Equality approaches； already between it and us but a short distance intervenes： to…morrow even this distance will have been traversed。
％ 6。That in Society all Wages are Equal。
When the St。 Simonians； the Fourierists； and； in general； all wh
