There was a certain very dry land,
the people whereof were in sore need of water. And they did nothing but seek
after water from morning until night, and many perished because they could not
find it.
Howbeit, there were certain men in
that land who were more crafty and diligent than the rest, and these had
gathered stores of water where others could find none, and these men were
called capitalists. And it came to pass that the people of the land came unto
the capitalists and prayed them that they would give them of the water they had
gathered that they might drink, for their need was sore. But the capitalists
answered them and said:
"Go to, ye silly people! Why
should we give you of the water we have gathered, for then should we become as
ye are, and perish with you. But behold what we will do unto you. Be ye our
servants, and ye shall have water."
And the people said, "Only give us to drink, and we will be your
servants, we and our children." And
it was so.
Wages and Prices
Now, the capitalists were men of
understanding, and wise in their generation. They ordered the people who were
their servants in bands, with captains and officers, and some they put at the
springs to dip, and others did they make to carry the water, and others did
they cause to seek for new springs. And all the water was brought together in one
place, and there did the capitalists make a great tank for to hold it, and the
tank was called the Market, for it was there that the people, even the servants
of the capitalists, came to get water. And the capitalists said unto the
people:
"For every bucket of water
that ye bring to us, that we may pour it into the tank, which is the Market,
behold we will give you a penny; but for every bucket that we shall draw forth
to give unto you that you may drink of it, ye and your wives and your children,
ye shall give to us two pennies, and the difference shall be our profit, seeing
that if it were not for this profit we would not do this thing for you, but ye
should all perish."
And it was good in the people's
eyes for they were dull of understanding, and they diligently brought water
unto the tank for many days, and for every bucket which they did bring, the
capitalists gave them every man a penny; but for every bucket that the capitalists
drew forth from the tank to give again unto the people, behold, the people
rendered to the capitalists two pennies.
And after many days the
water-tank, which was the Market, overflowed at the top, seeing that for every
bucket the people poured in they received only so much as would buy again
half-a-bucket. And because of the excess that was left to every bucket, did the
tank overflow, for the people were many, but the capitalists were few, and
could drink no more than others. Therefore did the tank overflow.
And when the capitalists saw that
the water overflowed, they said to the people "See
ye not the tank, which is the Market, doth overflow? Sit ye down, therefore,
and be patient, for ye shall bring us no more water till the tank be
empty."
Unemployment
But when the people no more
received the pennies of the capitalists for the water they brought, they could
buy no more water from the capitalists, having naught wherewith to buy. And
when the capitalist saw that they had no more profit because no man bought
water of them, they were troubled. And they sent forth men into the highways,
the byways, and the hedges, crying, "If
any thirst let him come to the tank and buy water of us, for it doth
overflow." For they said among
themselves, "Behold, the
times are dull; we must advertise."
But the people answered, saying, "How can we buy unless ye hire us, for how
else shall we have wherewithal to buy? Hire ye us, therefore, as before, and we
will gladly buy water, for we thirst, and ye will have no need to advertise." But the capitalists said to the people: "Shall we hire you to bring water when the
tank, which is the Market, doth already overflow? Buy ye, therefore, first
water, and when the tank is empty through your buying, we will hire you
again."
And so it was because the
capitalists hired them no more to bring water that the people could not buy the
water they had brought already, and because the people could not buy the water
they had brought already, the capitalists no more hired them to bring water.
And the saying went abroad, "It is a crisis."
And the thirst of the people was
great, for it was not now as it had been in the days of their fathers, when the
land was open before them for everyone to seek water for himself, seeing that
the capitalists had taken all the springs, and the wells, and the water-wheels,
and the vessels, and the buckets, so that no man might come by water save from
the tank, which was the Market. And the people murmured against the capitalists
and said: "Behold, the tank
runneth over, and we die of thirst. Give us therefore of the water, that we
perish not."
But the capitalists answered, "Not so. The water is ours. Ye shall not drink
thereof unless ye buy it of us with pennies." And they confirmed it with an oath, saying, after
their manner,"Business is business."
But the capitalists were
disquieted that the people bought no more water, whereby they had no more
profits, and they spake to one another saying, "It
seemeth that our profits have stopped our profits, and by reason of the profits
we have made we can make no more profits. How is it that our profits are become
unprofitable to us, and our gains do make us poor? Let us therefore send for
the soothsayers, that they may interpret this thing unto us." And they sent for them.
Now the soothsayers were men
learned in dark sayings, who joined themselves to the capitalists by reason of
the water of the capitalists, that they might have thereof and live, they and
their children. And they spake for the capitalists unto the people, and did
their embassies for them, seeing that the capitalists were not a folk quick of
understanding, neither ready of speech.
And the capitalists demanded of
the soothsayers that they should interpret this thing unto them, wherefore it
was that the people bought no more water of them, although the tank was full.
And certain of the soothsayers answered and said, "It
is by reason of overproduction." And
some said, "It is
glut." But the signification
of the two words is the same. And others said, "Nay,
but this thing is by reason of of the spots on the sun." And yet others answered, saying, "It is neither by reason of glut, nor yet of
spots on the sun, that the evil hath come to pass, but because of lack of
confidence."
Tranquility
And while the soothsayers
contended among themselves according to their manner, the men of profit did
slumber and sleep, and when they awoke they said to the soothsayers, "It is enough. Ye have spoken comfortably unto
us. Now go forth and speak comfortably unto the people, so that they be at rest
and leave us also in peace."
But the soothsayers, even the men
of the dismal science - for so they were named by some - were loath to go forth
to the people lest they should be stoned, for the people loved them not. And
they said to the capitalists:
"Masters, it is a mystery of
our craft that if men be full and thirst not, but be at rest, then shall they
find comfort in our speech, even as ye. Yet if they thirst and be empty, find
they no comfort therein, but rather mock at us, for it seemeth that unless a
man be full, our wisdom appeareth unto him but emptiness."
But the capitalists said, "Go ye forth. Are ye not our men to do our
embassies?"
Starvation because of Abundance
And the soothsayers went forth to
the people and expounded to them the mystery of over production, and how it was
that they needs must perish of thirst because there was overmuch water, and how
there could not be enough because there was too much. And likewise spoke they
unto the people concerning the sun-spots, and also wherefore it was that these
things had come upon them them by reason of lack of confidence. And it was even
as the soothsayers had said, for to the people their wisdom seemed emptiness. And
the people reviled them saying, "Go up, ye
bald-heads! Will ye mock us? Doth plenty breed famine? Doth nothing come out of
much?" And they took up
stones to stone them.
And when the capitalists saw that
the people still murmured, and would not give ear to the soothsayers, and
because also they feared lest they should come upon the tank and take of the
water by force, they brought forth to them certain holy men (but they were
false priests), who spake unto the people that they should be quiet and trouble
not the capitalists because they thirsted. And these holy men, who were false
priests, testified to the people that this affliction was sent to them of God
for the healing of their souls, and if they should bear it in patience and lust
not after the water, neither trouble the capitalists, it would come to pass
that after they had given up the ghost they would come to a country where there
should be no capitalists, but an abundance of water. Howbeit, there were
certain true prophets of God also, and would not prophesy for the capitalists,
but rather spake constantly against them.
Charity
Now, when the capitalists saw that
the people still murmured and would not be still, neither for the words of the
soothsayers nor of the false priests, they came forth themselves unto them, and
put the ends of their fingers in the water that overflowed in the tank and wet
the tips thereof, and they scattered the drops from the tips of their fingers
abroad upon the people who thronged the tank, and the name of the drops of
water was charity, and they were exceeding bitter.
The Forces
And when the capitalists saw yet
again that neither for the words of the soothsayers, nor of the holy men who
were false priests, nor yet for the drops that were called charity, would the
people be still, but raged the more, and crowded upon the tank as if they would
take it by force, then they took council together and sent men privily forth
among the people and all who had skill in war, and took them apart and spake
craftily with them saying:
"Come, now, why cast ye not
your lot in with the capitalists? If ye will be their men and serve them
against the people, that they break not in upon the tank, then shall ye have
abundance of water, that ye perish not, ye and your children."
And the mighty men and they who
were skilled in war hearkened unto this speech, and suffered themselves to be
persuaded, for their thirst constrained them, and they went within unto the
capitalists, and became their men, and staves and swords were put into their
hands, and they became a defense unto the capitalists, and smote the people
when they thronged upon the tank.
Luxury and Waste
And after many days the water was
low in the tank, for the capitalists did make fountains and fishponds of the
water thereof, and did bathe therein, they and their wives and their children,
and did waste the water for their pleasure.
And when the capitalists saw that
the tank was empty, they said, "The crisis is
ended": and they sent forth and hired the people that
they should bring water and fill it again. And for the water that the people
brought to the tank they received for every bucket a penny, but for the water
which the capitalists drew forth from the tank to give again to the people they
received two pennies, that they might have their profit. And after a time did
the tank again overflow even as before.
The Agitators
And now, when many times the
people had filled the tank until it overflowed, and had thirsted till the water
therein had been wasted by the capitalists, it came to pass that there arose in
the land certain men who were called agitators for that they did stir up the
people. And they spake unto the people, saying that they should associate, and
then they would have no need to be servants of the capitalists, and should
thirst no more for water. And in the eyes of the capitalists were the agitators
pestilent fellows, and they would fain have crucified them, but durst not for
fear of the people.
Their Message
And the words of the agitators
which they spake to the people were on this wise:
"Ye foolish people, how long
will ye deceived by a lie, and believe to your hurt that which is not? For
behold, all these things which have been said unto you, by the capitalists and
the soothsayers are cunningly devised fables. And likewise the holy men, who
say that it is the will of God that you should always be poor and miserable and
athirst, behold, they do blaspheme God and are liars, whom He will bitterly
judge, though He forgive all others. How cometh it that ye may not come by the
water in the tank? Is it not because you have no money? And why have ye no
money? Is it not because ye receive but one penny for every bucket that ye
bring to the tank, which is the Market, but must render two pennies for every
bucket ye take out, so that the capitalists may have their profit? See ye not
how by this means the tank must overflow, being filled by that ye lack and made
to abound out of your emptiness? See ye not also that the harder ye toil and
the more diligently ye seek and bring the water, the worse and not the better
it shall be for you by reason of the profit, and that forever?"
The Evil Recognized
After this manner spake the
agitators for many days unto the people and none heeded them, but it was so
that after a time the people hearkened. And they answered and said unto the
agitators:
"Ye say truth. It is because
of the capitalists and of their profits we may by no means come by the fruits
of our labour, so that our labour is in vain, and the more we toil to fill the
tank the sooner doth it overflow, and we may receive nothing because there is
too much, according to the words of the soothsayers. But behold the capitalists
are hard men, and their tender mercies are cruel. Tell us if ye know any way
whereby we may deliver ourselves out of our bondage unto them. But if you know
of no certain way of deliverance, we beseech you to hold your peace, and let us
alone, that we may forget our misery."
And the agitators answered and
said "We know a
way."
And the people said: "Deceive us not, for this thing hath been from
the beginning, and none hath found a way of deliverance till now, though many
have sought it carefully with tears. But if ye know a way, speak unto us
quickly."
The Remedy
Then the agitators spake unto the
people of the way. And they said:
"Behold, what need have ye at
all of these capitalists, that you should yield them profits upon your labor?
What great things do they wherefore ye render them this tribute? Lo! it is only
because they do order you in bands and lead you out and in and set you tasks,
and afterwards give you a little of the water yourselves have brought and not
they. Now, behold the way out of this bondage! Do ye for yourselves that which
is done by the capitalists - namely, the ordering of your labor and the
marshaling of your bands, and the dividing of your tasks. So shall ye have no
need at all of the capitalists, and no more yield them any profit, but all the
fruit of your labor shall ye share as brethren, everyone having the same; and
so shall the tank never overflow until every man is full, and would not wag the
tongue for more, and afterwards shall ye with the overflow make pleasant
fountains and fishponds to delight yourselves withal, even as did the
capitalists: but these shall be for the delight of all."
How to Apply It
And the people answered: "How shall we go about to do this thing, for
it seemeth good to us?" And the agitators
answered:
"Choose ye discreet men to go
in and out before you and marshal your bands and order your labor, and these
men shall be as capitalists were; but behold they shall not be your masters as
the capitalists are, but your brethren and officers who will do your will, and
they shall not take any profits, but every man his share like the others, and
there may be no more masters and servants among you, but brethren only. And
from time to time, as ye see fit, ye shall choose other discreet men in place
of the first to order the labour."
And the people hearkened, and said
the thing was very good to them. Likewise it seemed not a hard thing. And with
one voice they cried out, "So let it be as
ye have said, for we will do it!"
"The End of All Things"
And the capitalists heard the
noise of shouting, and what the people said, and the soothsayers heard it also,
and likewise the false priests and the mighty men of war, who were a defense
unto the capitalists; and when they heard they trembled exceedingly, so that
their knees smote together, and they said one to another, "It is the end of us!"
Howbeit, there were certain true
priests of the living God who would not prophesy for the capitalists, but had
compassion on the people; and when they heard the shouting of the people and
what they said, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and gave thanks to God
because of the deliverance.
And the people went and did all
the things that were told them of the agitators to do. And it came to pass as
the agitators had said, even according to all their words. And there was no
more any thirst in that land, neither any that was a-hungered, not naked, nor
cold, nor in any manner of want; and every man said unto his fellow, "My brother," and every woman said unto her companion, "My sister," for so were they with one another as brethren and
sisters which do dwell together in unity. And the blessing of God rested upon
that land for ever.
The End
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