Unto This Last

Four essays first printed in Cornhill Magazine make up one of the sharpest attacks on Victorian economics ever written. Ruskin rejects the idea that self-interest and cheap labour form the basis of national wealth, arguing instead that a just economy depends on honesty, fair wages, and the value of human life. Drawing on scripture and plain moral sense, he takes apart the theories of Mill, Ricardo, and their followers, insisting that there is no wealth but life. The book scandalised readers at first, then went on to influence reformers, trade unionists, and Gandhi, who translated it. This free PDF and EPUB edition brings Ruskin’s short, forceful argument to new readers.