Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Labour Question: Being an Abridgement of Henry George's Condition of Labour
In 1901 he became managing director of an engineering works in the south of Scotland, a post which he held up to the time of his death in 1923. He came to his work with no knowledge of business or business management; but he always kept clearly before him the idea that the works were to be carried on so as to be a benefit to all concerned and to that end he strove with all his might. He realised that sympathetic understanding and friendly co-operation between employers and employed were the first considerations it was in that spirit that he met all the difficulties that are inevitable in such undertakings.
Inspectors and visitors to the works frequently remark on the general atmosphere of good fellowship and keenness over work which is apparent during a walk through the shops, and they sometimes ask how such a state of things is brought about. Had they known the personality of Harry Davies, the spirit which animated him and his power of communicating that spirit to Others, they would have understood.
He truly loved his fellow men and his deep human sympathy and love of liberty and truth and justice inspired him with the belief that these could be reached if only people would faith fully follow the light of reason. He believed that a better understanding among men was possible, and longed for it passionately, and strove for it in all his activities.
His struggle at the works was not merely to make his own living in his own way, but to win conditions under which all concerned in the works might co-operate to the utmost of their ability in freedom and justice. What was achieved was achieved only because of his belief in a wider emancipation, which could only be reached by eliminating monopoly from industry according to the principles of Henry George.
Under existing economic conditions the con?ict between capital and labour was a dog fight in which each side, ignoring the fact that both were hampered and oppressed and robbed by. Monopoly, turned on one another; and instead of freeing themselves from the common enemy of land monopoly, employers and employed attempted to arm themselves for their mutual con?ict with similar weapons of restriction and tyranny.
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