Charles Hall (economist)
Charles Hall | |
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Born | 1740 |
Died | 1825 (aged 84–85) |
Nationality | English |
Occupation | Physician |
Known for | Critic of capitalism and early socialist |
Part of a series on |
Socialism |
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Charles Hall (1740–1825) was a British physician,
As a remedy for the problems in society, Hall proposed
Biography
Hall was born in England about 1740, and studied medicine at the
Hall relocated around throughout his career, but probably spent most of his life in
The Effects of Civilization
After witnessing costly food prices and food shortages in England from 1795 to 1801, Hall began to write The Effects of Civilization on the People in European States, which set forth his economic theories. Hall argued that the main cause of food shortage was that too few people worked in agriculture, and too many were employed in trade and manufacturing. From that argument, Hall proceeded to his definition of wealth, arguing that "wealth consists not in things but in power over the labour of others".[5]
The cause of shortages
From his definition of wealth, Hall argued that the problem of poverty in civilised societies derived from the ability of the wealthy, through their control of the labour of others, to determine what is produced. Because the wealthy quickly provide for their own necessities, they spend their surplus on
Statistics
In addition to developing a theoretical model in The Effects of Civilization, Hall attempted to use scientific methods and government statistics to provide evidence for his opinion. According to his estimates, the top 20% of society, the rich, consumed seven eighths of what was produced by the poor, leaving the poor with only one eighth of what they had produced. Later scholars, however, have computed that the inequalities described by Hall were not quite so severe.[8]
Remedies
After describing the cause of poverty, Hall proposed several remedies. Hall was a strong proponent of
Legacy
Hall is regarded widely as important to the development of
Many scholars also identify Hall as one of the "first of the early socialists" and one of the first thinkers to recognise the importance of surplus value and rents to societal inequality.[12]
References
- ^ ISBN 0-262-02256-7.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ^ Dinwiddy, John (1992). Radicalism and Reform in Britain, 1780–1850. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp. 88–9.
- ISBN 0-415-29890-3.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ISBN 0-521-33989-8.
- ^ Oppenheimer, Franz (October 1941). "Charles Hall: An early land reformer". The Freeman. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2009.
- ^ Dinwiddy, John (1992). Radicalism and Reform in Britain, 1780–1850. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 87.
Further reading
- Charles Hall, Effects of Civilization on the People in European States, with Observations on the Principal Conclusions in Mr Malthus's Essay on Population, Routledge/Thoemmes Press, 1994 ISBN 0-415-10503-X
- Charles Hall, The effects of civilisation on the people in European states (1849) at the Internet Archive