Root matters in social and economic problems

Most writers on social problems tacitly assume that no other considerations than those of supply and demand, or competition and remuneration, need be taken into account when questions relating to the numbers that may be employed in the various branches of human industry are concerned.
Under ordinary circumstances (excluding foreign interference, and making due allowance for special skill) all branches of services within a certain country are paid at rates of wages which are, broadly speaking, correlative to effort or time expended, and consequently so long as the rates of wages are locally proportionate to definite effort and skill, it matters not whether the average rate per hour be nominally high or low, so long as expenditure is also determined locally by such correlative conditions.