CH. 10 THE MARGINAL PROPENSITY TO CONSUME 131

subsequent reverse effect on account of provision foruser and supplementary costs, as in the case of lessdurable forms of wealth.

Ancient Egypt was doubly fortunate, and doubtlessowed to this its fabled wealth, in that it possessed twoactivities, namely, pyramid-building as well as thesearch for the precious metals, the fruits of which,since they could not serve the needs of man by beingconsumed, did not stale with abundance. The MiddleAges built cathedrals and sang dirges. Two pyramids,two masses for the dead, are twice as good as one; butnot so two railways from London to York. Thus weare so sensible, have schooled ourselves to so close asemblance of prudent financiers, taking careful thoughtbefore we add to the “financial” burdens of posterityby building them houses to live in, that we have no sucheasy escape from the sufferings of unemployment.We have to accept them as an inevitable result of apply-ing to the conduct of the State the maxims which arebest calculated to “enrich” an individual by enablinghim to pile up claims to enjoyment which he does notintend to exercise at any definite time.