The Great Money Trick
whole Capitalist Class; you are not supposed to be just three workers, you represent the whole Working Class.'
'All right, all right,' said Crass, impatiently, 'we all understands that. Git on with it.'
Owen now proceeded to cut up one of the slices of bread into a number of little square blocks.
'These represent the things which are produced by labour, aided by machinery, from the raw materials. We will suppose that three of these blocks represent a week's work. We will suppose that a week's work is worth one pound, and we will suppose that each of these ha'pennies is a sovereign. We'd be able to do the trick better if we had real sovereigns, but I forgot to bring any with me.'
'I'd lend you some,' said Philpot, regretfully, 'but I left me purse on our grand pianner.'
As by a strange coincidence nobody happened to have any gold with them, it was decided to make shift with the half-pence.
'Now this is the way the trick works—'
'Before you goes on with it,' interrupted Philpot, apprehensively, 'don't you think we'd better 'ave someone to keep watch at the gate in case a slop comes along? We don't want to get runned in, you know.'
'I don't think there's any need for that,' replied Owen; 'there's only one slop who'd interfere with us for playing this game, and that's Police Constable Socialism.'
'Never mind about Socialism,' said Crass, irritably, 'get along with the bloody trick.'
Owen now addressed himself to the working classes as represented by Philpot, Harlow and Easton.
'You say that you are all in need of employment, and as I am the kind hearted capitalist class I am going to invest all my money in various industries so as to give you plenty of work. I shall pay each of you one pound per week; you must each produce three of these square blocks to represent a week's work. For doing this work you will each receive your wages; the money will be your own to do as you like with, and the things you produce will of course be mine, to do as I like with. You will each take one of these machines and as soon as you have done a week's work you shall have your money.'
The Working Classes accordingly set to work, and the Capitalist Class sat down and watched them. As soon as they had finished, they passed the nine little blocks of bread to Owen,
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