What is a ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist?’

Question: “What is a ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist?’”

Why Do I Care: I have no idea even though I do wear pretty ragged trousers. It was written under “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer,” a movie, so I assume this suggestion came from the same person. I should look into editing what I write from these Brit’s.

Answer: ‘The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist’ is a novel written in 1910 by Robert Tressell about the woes of capitalism in industrial Britain. It pits capitalism vs. socialism. The philanthropist part comes from the author’s idea that these workers are literally volunteering their hard work for the benefit of their masters.

Conclusion: I’m for anything that questions why we work. I’m opposed to it. Obviously, this book came recommended to me, and maybe one day I’ll read it. I find books written in the early 20^th century, especially in British, can be a pain to read. We’ll see if I ever stumble upon a copy.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ragged_Trousered_Philanthropists

http://www.unionhistory.info/ragged/ragged.php