14 Chapter 1
a handweaverby sucha magnitude,that the introductionof the powerloomin millshad
cost manyhandweaverstheirjobs.Suchan innovation
displacesthe acquiredskillof the menwhoformerlyperformedthe service...
It is not surprising,undersucha stateof things,that somepeopleshouldlose theirheads
andbeginto doubtthe economicdoctrineswhichhavebeenmostthoroughlyestab-
lished.... Manyof themare frightenedat liberty,especiallyunderthe formof competi-
tion,whichtheyelevateintoa bugbear[“source,real or imaginary,of needlessfrightor
fear,” accordingtoDictionary.Com].... Theydo not perceive,furthermore,thatif we do
not likethe survivalof the fittest,we haveonlyone possiblealternative,and thatis the
survivalof the unfittest.Theformeris the law of civilization;the latteris the law of
anti-civilization....
Oneof the chiefcharacteristicsof the greatimprovementsin industry... is thatthey
bringaboutnewdistributionsof population.If machinerydisplaceslaborersengagedin
manufactures,theselaborersare drivento smallshopkeeping,if theyhavelittlecapital;
or to agriculturallabor,if theyhaveno capital[boldfacemine].^56NotethatSumneris not sayingthe handweaversare unfitandshoulddie. He is saying
thattheiroutdatedtechnologicalmethodsare goingextinct,beingreplacedby more
advancedtechnologiesthatprovidegreatersatisfactionto consumers.Thatis not a long-
termtragedyfor the membersof old industriesthat are supplantedby new,moreefficient
ones.BookTwoprovidesstatisticalfiguresdemonstratingthat the majorityof employees
dislocatedfromobsoleteindustriesacquirenewoccupations,andtheyreapthe benefits
fromthe newtechnologiesthat displacedthem.
WhatSumnerMeant
As statedbefore,Sumnerabhorredspoliationcommittedby anyone—especiallya
businessman—as a violationof “civilliberty.” But I can tell youwhatconditionsmet
Sumner’s approval.He wasconvincedthat,inasmuchas Manchesteriteprincipleswere
implementedin a society,the amountof moneyan entrepreneurearnedin it wasdirectly
commensuratewithwhathis customersor clientspaidhimwillinglyin exchangefor the
goodsor servicesthe entrepreneuravailedto them.Recallthe lessonon entrepreneurship
fromBookTwoin this trilogy.Nowwe can studythe wordsof Sumner’s thatDerber,
Galbraith,andReesquotedaboutmillionairesandnaturalselection,but do so withthe
wordsin an accuratecontext.Employingthe locutionfranchiseas a synonymfor product
or service,Sumnerexplains,
No mancan acquirea million[dollars]withouthelpinga millionmento increasetheir
littlefortunesall the waydownthroughall the socialgrades.... Themillionairesare a
productof naturalselection, actingon the wholebodyof mento pickout thosewhocan
meetthe requirementof certainworkto be done.In this respecttheyare just like the great
statesmen,or scientificmen,or militarymen.... Let one of themmakea mistakeand see
howquicklythe concentration[of wealthin the mistakenmillionaire’s hands]givesway
to dispersion.... Theyget highwagesand live in luxury,but the bargainis a goodone
for society.Thereis the intensestcompetitionfor theirplaceand occupation.Thisassures
us that all whoare competentfor this functionwill be employedin it, so that the cost of it
will be reducedto the lowestterms;and furthermorethatthe competitorswill studythe
properconductto be observedin theiroccupation.[boldfacemine]^57Sumnerendsthe essayat exactlythis point.He uttersno disparagingcommentsabout
blue-collarworkersor thosewhoendurefinancialdeprivation.ThisbeliesRees’s asser-
tionthatSumnerhailedmillionairesin orderto implycondescendinglythatblue-collar
employeeswere“workerbees.” Puttingasidethe governistmisrepresentationsof his
philosophy,Sumner’s inferencesare correct.To the extentthata businesspersonsatisfies