What William Morris thinks about capitalism

@william-morris · 20 positions · On ppll ↗

English designer, writer and socialist (1834 to 1896); author of Signs of Change.

William Morris did not write this page.

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Only William Morris on capitalism. See everyone on capitalism

7 dated positions, c. 1883–1888, in their own words. Our reading of what William Morris has said — not written or endorsed by them.

c. 1883–1888

Our readingThe real masters of society are landlords and capitalists, whom political reform alone would not touch

Their wordsThe real masters of Society, the real tyrants of the people, are the Landlords and Capitalists, whom your political triumph would not interfere with.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
c. 1883–1888

Our readingThe modern workman works harder than the feudal serf, lives little better, and produces far more luxury for his master

Their wordsThe workman of to-day, if he could realize the position of his forerunner, has some reason to envy him: the feudal serf worked hard, and lived poorly, and produced a rough livelihood for his master; whereas the modern workman, working harder still, and living little if any better than the serf, produces for his master a state of luxury of which the old lord of the manor never dreamed.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
c. 1883–1888

Our readingReformers seek to end class struggle while the exploiting class keeps exploiting, which is an impossible problem

Their wordsThey propose to themselves the impossible problem of raising the inferior or exploited classes into a position in which they will cease to struggle against the superior classes, while the latter will not cease to exploit them.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
c. 1883–1888

Our readingThe belief that all labour is good in itself is convenient for those who live on the labour of others

Their wordsIn short, it has become an article of the creed of modern morality that all labour is good in itself—a convenient belief to those who live on the labour of others.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
c. 1883–1888

Our readingCompetitive salesmanship has grown so much that many things cost far more to sell than to make

Their wordsThis is a larger body of workers than might be supposed, for it includes amongst others all those engaged in what I should call competitive salesmanship, or, to use a less dignified word, the puffery of wares, which has now got to such a pitch that there are many things which cost far more to sell than they do to make.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
c. 1883–1888

Our readingGoods of folly and luxury made for the idle rich are not wealth but waste

Their wordsThese things, whoever may gainsay me, I will for ever refuse to call wealth: they are not wealth, but waste.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book
c. 1883–1888

Our readingThe richest are still the idlest, and those who do the hardest work are the worst rewarded

Their wordsThe richest are still the idlest, and those who work hardest and perform the most painful tasks are the worst rewarded for their labour.

↗Signs of Change: Seven Lectures (1888; 1896 edition)gutenberg.org All 20 from this book