The fluctuating character of modern employment.

Abstract

I could not but feel how much Political Economy is unfairly discredited by the fact that the authoritative text-books within the reach of the ordinary reader are quite out-of-date upon many modern problems of great urgency and interest. Rightly viewed, the discovery by later writers that doctrines of older authorities are untenable is encouraging evidence that an advance has been made in the direction of Truth.

The optimistic, doctrinaire manner of the superior person who condescended to explain the Laws of Progress to former generations has been superseded by the earnest, student-like, rather pessimistic attitude of the modern inquirer who is conscious of the extreme complexity of his problems, and diffident in giving dogmatic assertions. Ihe fluctuating character of modern employment is one of the features of the industry of our time that may serve to illustrate this change of tone.