The ragged trousered philanthropists - Robert tressell

Thought this was a rather interesting book, even the life of the author and how the book came about was interesting. This was the author's first and last book and he never lived to see it published. Robert tressell was the author's pen-name and he had worked as a sign writer before deciding to write a book on the social issues he had seen. The book was then published three years after his death and was heavily edited. The editor had cut his book from 250k words to 150k. The current edition that I read was however, the full version. Lengthy it was but a well-worth read.

The book was about the lives of the "working men" in England in the1900s. The author termed them as philanthropists as he thought the way they slogged so hard and not reaped any rewards was akin to being philanthropist. The working men were a group of builders and painters who worked to the bones day and night and yet still lived in poverty. The loafers as the author called them were the ones who didn't have to labor but sat in their offices, giving orders, and lived in luxury. The main lead was Owen, an intelligent man who believed that the reasons for poverty were money, capitalism, private ownership, etc. He advocated fiercely for socialism and eloquently tried to convince his counterparts that they could change the present system, that they could find a way to get themselves out of their current dire state if only they would try. However, Owen soon realized that his efforts were futile. His co-workers did not believe that it is possible that their situation could change. They believed faithfully in being controlled and worked to death by the money men, whom they believed were superior to them and so should lord over them. 

I agree fully that sometimes people do not believe they could rise through the ranks as all their lives they have been told they are not good enough. Power, wealth etc are meant for the individuals who they deemed to be their betters and so they resign to their fate and accept the cards they are dealt with.

It was a very grim and desperate situation painted by the author, with the working men living from hand to mouth and their wives and children suffering along with them. Yet the working men's belief was that if the current life was good enough for them, it would be good enough for their kids. A vicious cycle ensued. Their children would become laborers like them, half starved and overworked, just because they didn't believe that the situation could be better for the likes of them.

Owen and his counterparts spent most of their money and time on brochures on socialism and holding talks to educate  the working class of the viability of socialism but the working class believed firmly in having the capitalists ruled over them. These individuals turned aggressive against all those who promoted socialism and continued to vote for the capitalists. They could not see the dire state they were in and believed this is the way things should be, because this is the only way they have known their entire lives.

It is rather sad that people are often the ones who set their own traps and put themselves to death. 

Almost to the end of the story, Philpot died on the job as the ropes to secure a ladder were unravelling and he did not dare to bring the matter up nor did he dare to reject the work, as he was afraid of being fired. The ropes tore and he fell to his death. The entire book was so grim and gray and reminded me of the gloomy weather in London. The teeny weeny bit of joy was at the end of the book, when hunter, the mean-spirited foreman committed suicide in a moment of madness of trying to draft a bidding proposal for a job that would please his employer, Rushton. Also when Owen in a fit of anger confronted Rushton about not letting one of the young apprentice lit the fire in freezing weather, Rushton got a shock and started treating Owen a little more humanely. 

Throughout the book the author talked about the Christian hypocrites. I have to admit that oftentimes Christians are deemed as hypocrites as we do not preach what we say. Not that I'm trying to find excuses for Christians, but we have to keep in mind that most of us are work-in-progress individuals. But of course there are also those who truly are vile and who use god's words to bully/for ulterior motives. 

It took me a rather long time to finish the book and I'm glad I can now move on to something else.