employment, but they have not reduced wages at these points by competing for jobs, although they are always in the market offering to sell their labor-power. Even men out of work are asking MORE for their labor-power than they asked a few years ago.
Why are wages rising at these points and everywhere in general? Why are men who are out of work asking more for their labor-power?
There are no Trusts in China—yet. Prices of the necessities of life are extremely low. Do "low prices" in a country necessarily mean the working class is any better off than where "high prices" prevail?
Suppose one landlord owned all the ground and cottages rented to workingmen in one city. Suppose all these men worked in a factory at this point. Suppose the landlord raised the rent on cottages from $10 to $30. If the workmen had been receiving just about the value of their labor-power before, what would happen when rents were raised? Who would actually pay the increase?
