FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25  
26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   >>   >|  
Project Gutenberg's The Theory of the Leisure Class, by Thorstein Veblen This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Theory of the Leisure Class Author: Thorstein Veblen Posting Date: August 6, 2008 [EBook #833] Release Date: March, 1997 Language: English Character set encoding: ASCII *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS *** Produced by David Reed THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS by Thorstein Veblen Chapter One ~~ Introductory The institution of a leisure class is found in its best development at the higher stages of the barbarian culture; as, for instance, in feudal Europe or feudal Japan. In such communities the distinction between classes is very rigorously observed; and the feature of most striking economic significance in these class differences is the distinction maintained between the employments proper to the several classes. The upper classes are by custom exempt or excluded from industrial occupations, and are reserved for certain employments to which a degree of honour attaches. Chief among the honourable employments in any feudal community is warfare; and priestly service is commonly second to warfare. If the barbarian community is not notably warlike, the priestly office may take the precedence, with that of the warrior second. But the rule holds with but slight exceptions that, whether warriors or priests, the upper classes are exempt from industrial employments, and this exemption is the economic expression of their superior rank. Brahmin India affords a fair illustration of the industrial exemption of both these classes. In the communities belonging to the higher barbarian culture there is a considerable differentiation of sub-classes within what may be comprehensively called the leisure class; and there is a corresponding differentiation of employments between these sub-classes. The leisure class as a whole comprises the noble and the priestly classes, together with much of their retinue. The occupations of the class are correspondingly diversified; but they have the common economic characteristic of being non-industrial. These non-industrial upper-class occupations may be roughly comprised under governm
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25  
26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

classes

 

employments

 
industrial
 

Veblen

 

Thorstein

 

economic

 

leisure

 
barbarian
 

feudal

 

priestly


occupations

 

higher

 

culture

 
exemption
 
THEORY
 

LEISURE

 

differentiation

 
exempt
 

distinction

 

community


warfare
 

communities

 
Gutenberg
 

Theory

 

Leisure

 

Project

 

honourable

 

slight

 

exceptions

 
expression

priests

 

warriors

 

attaches

 
warrior
 

notably

 
service
 
commonly
 

warlike

 

office

 
precedence

Brahmin

 
correspondingly
 
diversified
 

retinue

 

common

 

comprised

 

governm

 
roughly
 
characteristic
 

comprises