The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Penguin Modern Classics) Book

Owen is a Master Craftsman working as a decorator in early twentieth century Britain. Through his daily toil, he tells this fascinatingly rich tale of his fellow workers lives of abject poverty and slavish diligence to the business masters: the deprivation of basic human rights, inequalities between the rich and poor; the corruption of the political classes and the clergy; and the paradoxical elevation of status and perversely high regard the working classes have toward their bosses, and the consequent difficulties this causes in trying to elicit change and bring about a better life and working conditions for ordinary people. Robert Tressell, through his wittily clever use of steriotypes, uses sublime irony and a intellectual rationale to demonstrate the root cause of poverty is money. Although with our benefit of 100 years of subsequent history, some of his solutions for redistribution of wealth could be further debated. However, this highly original narrative, written in 1907, is both fascinating and moving, and remains as relevant today as ever. A masterpiece regardless of your political persuasions that will change the way you view the political achievements of the twentieth century.Read More