Problems in American Democracy Part 27

8. What is the fundamental cause of low wages? Explain clearly.

9. What is an economical remedy for low wages?

10. Why will higher wages result from an increase in the demand for labor?

11. By what three methods may the demand for labor be increased?

12. Name some of the methods whereby the supply of labor may be decreased.

13. What is the importance of personal efficiency in our program?

14. What is the relation of wages to poverty?

15. What is the importance of an economical utilization of income?

16. Summarize the argument in this chapter.

17. Why is the program outlined not an immediate panacea for all social and economic ills?

REQUIRED READINGS

1. Williamson, _Readings in American Democracy_, chapter xvii. Or all of the following:

2. Carver, _Elementary Economics_, chapters xiv, xxix, x.x.xi, and xivii.

3. Carver, _Essays in Social Justice_, chapter i.

QUESTIONS ON THE REQUIRED READINGS

1. Why does the need for justice arise? (_Essays_, page 3.)

2. What is the first duty of the state? (_Essays_, page 9.)

3. What is moral law? (_Essays_, page 23.)

4. What is the relation of meekness to national strength? (_Essays_, pages 33-34.)

5. What is meant by a "balanced nation"? (_Elementary Economics_, pages 118-119.)

6. What is the aim of balancing a population? (_Elementary Economics_, page 119.)

7. Name an important method of securing this balance. (_Elementary Economics_, pages 119-120.)

8. What cla.s.ses of the population multiply the least rapidly? Why is this undesirable? (_Elementary Economics_, page 120.)

9. What is the object of the "geographical redistribution of population"? (_Elementary Economics_, page 120.)

10. Explain the working of the "law of variable proportions" in industry. (_Elementary Economics_, pages 258-260.)

11. Why are there differences of wages in different occupations?

(_Elementary Economics_, page 268.)

12. What is the "law of population"? (_Elementary Economics_, page 273.)

13. What is the effect of immigration upon wages? (_Elementary Economics_, pages 273-274.)

14. What are the two ways of getting men to do what is necessary for the prosperity of the nation? Of these two ways, which is preferable?

(_Elementary Economics_, pages 387-388.)

15. What are the dangers of freedom? (_Elementary Economics_, pages 389-390.)

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPORT

I

1. Make a study of the occupational groups in your locality for the purpose of discovering which of these groups receive the lowest wages.

Can you connect the fact that they receive low wages with their numerical strength?

2. Is the supply of unskilled labor in your community affected by European immigration? If so, attempt to trace the relation of this immigration to low wages in your community.

3. What cla.s.ses of workmen receive the highest wages in your locality?

What is the relation of these high wages to the restricted number of this type of workman?

4. Study the methods by means of which land in your locality is utilized. In what ways, if in any, could various plots be made to employ more laborers?

5. By what means could the supply of capital in your locality be increased? In what ways might this increased supply of capital be utilized? To what extent would the utilization of this increased supply of capital justify the employment of additional laborers?

6. Do you believe that your community needs more entrepreneurs? What reason have you for believing that a training school for the technical professions would increase the productivity of your community?

7. Write to the Bureau of Education in your state for data relative to the status of vocational education in your commonwealth.

8. Interview one or more officials of a bank in your community for the purpose of learning of the ways in which banks encourage thrift.

9. Write to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in your state for information relative to the status of public employment bureaus in your commonwealth.

II

10. Causes of inequality. (Taussig, _Principles of Economics_, vol.

ii, chapter liv.)

11. The Malthusian doctrine. (Malthus' _Essay on Population_. If this essay is not available, consult an encyclopedia under "Malthus.")

12. The principle of self-interest. (Carver, _Essays in Social Justice_, chapter iii.)

13. How much is a man worth? (Carver, _Essays in Social Justice_, chapter vii.)