7
The enjoyment of abundance of wholesome food is rearing up a larger proportion of children to manhood, while the number of marriages and the number of births have also become greater. Population is rapidly increasing: at first there was an increased amount of food to be divided among the same number of mouths; but the number of mouths keeps continually multiplying, without any corresponding increase in the amount of food to be distributed among them. The proportion of food that comes to the share of each family continues gradually being reduced, till at length they are no better off than they were at first. There is more food in the country to be sure, but then there are more mouths to divide it among. As far as each family is concerned, the thing is as broad as it is long; they get neither more nor less food to their share than they did before. The increased amount of food gives support to a larger population.
Let us go this over again in other words. At first the labourer gets the same wages, and finds the price of food cheaper. As the population increases, there are more people wanting to get employment—lads, as they grow up, must get something to do, or go to the workhouse. Masters find persons who are willing to do their work for lower wages; they consequently give lower wages; and so wages will continue to fall until the labourer is just able to earn food
