The inevitable effect of equality of income, assuming it could be accomplished, is discussed.

Two or three years ago George Bernard Shaw had a prize article in the “Metropolitan” in which he advocated “Equality of Income” as a panacea for all the ills that afflict civilization. I remember he urged that if all had equal incomes the race would be improved; for there would be greater freedom of selection. He seemed to deplore the fact that under present conditions “men and women meet in parks and other public places, recognize natural affinity” so promptly responded to by some but are nevertheless kept apart because of this iniquitous inequality of income. However much the man may be attracted by the personality of the lady he will not humble himself to make advances if she gives evidence of being financially beneath him; while his advances will be spurned if he bears the marks of a more meagre income than she enjoys.

It was the same old free-love doctrine, and the author argued at length to show that inequality of income thus seriously interferes with the free course of “natural affinity” and hence retards the coming of the “superman.” He did not in that article suggest how he would equalize incomes. Suppose we study, for a moment, not how to accomplish it, but the effect of its consummation.

If equality of income would be a panacea now—if it would solve the ills we have and prevent others—it would have worked well from the beginning. Imagine therefore that instead of following the divinely implanted impulse to acquire, to hold, to exercise sovereignty, to achieve, the race had remained as it was when it had no income, and therefore when no inequality of income existed. Would churches and cathedrals have been built? Would colleges and universities have been founded? Would art and literature have flourished? Would America have been discovered? Equality of income would have left Queen Isabella with no jewels to sell with which to purchase the Santa Maria. In fact there would have been no Santa Maria to purchase. The race would have remained where the race started. Inequality of income began when incomes began. Inequality of income marks the birth of civilization, and if civilization ever dies “equality of income” should be the title of its dirge.

The wealth of the United States is about twenty-five hundred dollars per capita. Assume, if you please, that all our property could be and has been converted into cash. Then assume that the rest of the world is able and willing to supply our every need and our every want so long as our money lasts! We would eat up and wear out the accumulation of the centuries in about three years; and henceforth would go about clothed in skins, and our own skins at that. The world lives from the income and accretion resulting from the accumulations of the ages, but in order to make it effective it must be kept in circulation, going first to labor, thence to the producer—the manager—by way of the merchant, and again to labor.