# Ruskin's Preface

> Ruskin acknowledges the hostile reception to the essays he published in Cornhill Magazine and defiantly insists that this is his best work. He regrets only that his proposal for fixing wages drew attention from his chief aim, which was to redefine wealth and to show that wealth can only be acquired under certain moral conditions of society—in particular, honesty. Some say that asking for honesty is setting the bar too low, but given the current state of society, simple honest is a high enough aspiration.

> Ruskin then outlines his policy recommendations to assure his readers that he is no socialist. Ruskin wants to see government-run vocational training schools for the young and unemployed, and he wants homes established for the old and destitute.

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# «The main objective of my four essays was to properly define “wealth” (Sec 1)

Although these four essays met a hostile reception, I consider them my truest and best work and reprint them here essentially unaltered. But I regret including my proposal to organize labor with fixed wages because my primary concern was to define “wealth.” Mill states—wrongly—that our common understanding of the word is sufficent.

# «My secondary objective was to show that wealth can only be acquired if there is honesty (Sec 2)

My secondary objective was to show that wealth can only be acquired under certain moral conditions of society—in particular, honesty. Pope writes that an honest man is the noblest work of God. It is at least one of God’s noblest works. Honesty is perhaps rare these days, but it’s not incredible or miraculous. Honesty is not an aberration. It’s a consistent force that prevents chaos. Some say that Pope overvalues honesty. They ask, “Can’t we ask man to strive for still more?” For the present, however, it will be enough to recover honesty and keep our faith that there are still honest men. For, the survival of any nation depends on the proportion of its citizens who refrain from fraud out of honesty, not just for fear of punishment. These essays, therefore, focus on wealth and honesty (not labor), because if we have honesty, the organization of labor will come easily.

# «My policy recommendations are training schools for youth and homes for the old and destitute (Sec 3)

I wish to assure the reader that my future direction is not toward dangerous ground. My policy recommendations are no more than the following: First, establish government schools to teach laws of health and exercise, habits of gentleness and justice, and, especially, a trade. Secondly, establish, as part of the schools, factories and workshops that would produce goods of the highest quality. Thirdly, set the unemployed to appropriate work at these government schools for vocational training. Lastly, establish homes for the old and destitute, maintaining them with honor, unless they are responsible for their misfortune. As I elaborate, please consider the difficulty and uncertainties but also the potential.