Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wg55d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-06T02:52:13.003Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

CHAPTER VIII - RUSKIN's POLITICAL ECONOMY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 September 2011

Get access

Summary

“ ‘ So then, things are only property to the man who knows how to use them; as flutes, for instance, are property to the man who can pipe upon them respectably ; but to one who knows not how to pipe, they are no property, unless he can get rid of them advantageously. For if they are not sold, the flutes are no property, being serviceable for nothing ; but sold, they become property.' To which Socrates made answer, —'And only then if he knows how to sell them, for if he sells them to another man who cannot play on them, still they are no property.' ”

—Xenophon(The Economist).

WithTime and Tide Ruskin's writing on economics ceased for a while. He never put his economic work, either on its critical or on its constructive side, into connected form. He wrote by snatches; and he wrote in fierce indignation. Also he wrote allusively, giving rein to his fancy in following up any clue in literature or mythology which seemed suggestive of his conclusions. One can sympathise with the City man who is said to have given up Euskin's essays in despair, on finding that, according to this new counsellor, the principles of sound economics required a familiarity with Scylla, Charybdis, Circe, the “ Gran Nemico ” of Dante, and Spenser's Plutus. Euskin himself was aware, in halfmocking humility, of the extent to which his writing fell short (if such be the case) of the calm and orderly style of other economists.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010
First published in: 1911

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×