The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-26
THE LEISURE GLASS.

THE LEISURE CLASS.
The Theory Of the Leisure Glass: an
economic study in the evolution of in
situations, by Thorstein Veblen. Mac
milan Company.
Prof. veblen has achieved work of
exceptionabls originality which, in
spite of its rather threatening title, will
be found intensely interesting. AL
though MS purpose has been to discuss
the place and value Of the leisure class
as an economic factor in modern life,
he has not confined himself strictly
within the limits marked out, and he
has given his attention as well to
many features of social life.
Prof. Veblen traces the leisure class
to its origin in the lower stages OF
barbarism, where no leisure class ex-
lists in a fully developed form. but
where are seen the usages, motives ana
circumstances, out OF which the insti-
tuition of leisure class has
arisen. Among tribes belong
ing to this class there Is a marked dis
tlnction between the occupations OF
men and women, and this distinction
IS of an invidious character, women be-
ing held to the vulgar drudgery, the la
Dor or Industry. while men are exempt
from such employments and are re-
served for war, hunting, sports and de-
Yout observances. The mans occupa-
ton at this earlier barbarous stage is
not the original out of which any APP
preciable portion of later industry has
been developed: in the later develop
ment 1t survives only in employments
that are not classed as Industrial
war. politics, sports, learning and the
priestly office. Virtually the whole
range Of industrial employments IS the
growth of what is classed as woman's
work IN the primitive barbarian CONF
munity The institution of leisure
class is the outgrowth of this early
discrimination between employments,
according to which some employments
are worthy and others unworthy. IN
der this ancient distinction the worthy
employments are those which may be
classed as exploit; unworthy are those
necessary, everyday employments into
which no appreciable element of eX-
plot enters.
This distinction between exploit and
drudgery still holds between the seXea,
those occupations which call for ex-
ploit the assertion of prowess and
power, falling TO the man. while the
drudgery or what is merely diligence
and industry, becoming the rightful
calling Of the woman.
Just as the dignity or indignity of
certain occupations come about from
having been performed by the Superior
or inferior SEX SO the earliest form of
the leisure class consisted in the own
ershtp of property and the first form
| or ownership is an ownership of the
women by the able bodied men Of the
community. Out of this has grown on
the one hand form of marriage rest
ing on coercion, and on the other hand
q atTd fSYN1 ,P ,St. /, -.
institution of individual OWNERSHIP
wealth comes gradually to supplan
trophies as q sign of eputability an(
the possession of wealth, either by In
herltancs or through ones own ex
ertions, becomes a meritorious act.
But. says the author, the mere pos
session of wealth is not enough to gain
and to hold the esteem of men; thu
wealth must be put in evidence. fo
esteem is awarded only on evlden3e
Now, there are two ways of giving evi
dence of wealth: First, by what he call,
conspicuous leisure, and, second bl
conspicuous consumption. Abstentiol
from labor is the conventional eyidenc,
of wealth, and IT is therefore the con
Ventional mark Of social standing Blu
at different times and in differen
places these two signs of reputability
have different values. In simpler an(
more sparsely settled communities, lei
sure, that is the reproductive con
sumption of time, is regarded as q con
vincing proof Of honorable condition
because IN such communities such lei
sure is easily made conspicuous; bu
in large cities, where ones affairs are
not known by every one else, conspicu,
our consumption-the waste Of money
superfluities in food dress, household
ornament, amusement, domestic serv.
ice-is the best way of declaring supe.
riorty.
| Lack Of space forbids a farther fol
lowing out of Prof. Veblen's deeply in.
| teresting line of argument but
enough has perhaps been said to indi-
cate its philosophic trend. It's verdict
on the subject of the new woman"
movements-"these blind and incoher-
ent efforts to rehabilitate the woman's
pre-glacial standing alone
make it valuable adjunct to modern
thought.