The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell

'The present system means joyless drudgery, semi-starvation, rags and premature death; and they vote for it and uphold it. Let them have what they vote for! Let them drudge and let them starve!' There is no other novel quite like "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists". George Orwell called it 'a wonderful book'; its readers have become a living part of its remarkable history. Tressell's novel is about survival on the underside of the Edwardian Twilight, about exploitative employment when the only safety nets are charity, workhouse, and grave. Following the fortunes of a group of painters and decorators and their families, and the attempts to rouse their political will by the Socialist visionary Frank Owen, the book is both a highly entertaining story and a passionate appeal for a fairer way of life. It asks questions that are still being asked today: why do your wages bear no relation to the value of your work? Why do fat cats get richer when you don't? Tressell's answers are 'The Great Money Trick' and the 'philanthropy' of an unenlightened workforce, who give away their rights and aspirations to a decent life so freely. Intellectually enlightening, deeply moving and gloriously funny (complete with exploding clergyman), "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" is a book that changes lives.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780192804532
ISBN 10	0192804537
Title	The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
Author	Robert Tressell
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Oxford University Press
Year published	2005-09-01
Number of pages	702
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable