The Recent Rate of Material Progress in England: Address to the Economic Science and Statistics Section of the British Association, at Manchester, 1887 (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Robert Giffen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0260333573 ISBN 13: 9780260333575

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Explores whether England’s wealth and output kept pace with past growth, using real data and plain reasoning.

In this 1887 address, the author examines if the country’s rate of material progress has slowed since the 1870s. He weighs income tax figures, coal production, and other key indicators, then considers how falling prices might distort traditional measures of wealth. The talk also looks at new industries, changes in employment, and the rise of incorporeal or service-oriented work as signs of a changing economy. The goal is to understand what the statistics really show about progress, not just what they seem to imply at first glance.

The discussion mixes economic theory with practical observations, offering a framework for reading official data and for comparing different time periods. It considers foreign trade, labor hours, weather impacts on agriculture, and shifts in the structure of employment to explain why growth may appear slower even as total activity remains meaningful.

• Assessment of income tax trends as a signal of wealth growth.
• Analysis of coal and iron production as indicators of industrial health.
• Discussion of price changes and their effect on measured prosperity.
• Exploration of new and nontraditional industries reshaping employment.

Ideal for readers curious about historical economic thought, statistics, and the tools used to interpret growth in a complex economy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0260333573
• ISBN 13: 9780260333575
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 55