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quently the same production was realised with shortened hours oflabour. But if with shortened hours of labour the same amountin wages on piecework could be paid, this had at once to be recog-nised as an advantage for the employer.
The severest attack against the theory of Ricardo was made byBrentano , in the first instance in his “Arbeitergilden der Gegenwart.”As a result the wage-theory of Ricardo became untenable also forthose hitherto its supporters, whose interests were bound up withit. After Fr. Lange had already acknowledged this in the intro-duction to a later edition of his “ Arbeiter-frage ” (33), it was onlya question of time until the representatives of German SocialDemocracy also acknowledged the scientific advance. This occurredat the Congress at Halle in 1890, where even the former wage-lawwas abandoned (34).
Brentano enforces in detail the teaching above described, thatthe gradual raising of wages and shortening of the hours of labour,being used for elevating the standard of living, is economicallyjustified, in that they bring forth a higher capacity for work.Brentano has, in his writings as well as his lectures, given frequentexpression to the conviction that the elevation of the workingclasses by continuous development of the existing economicalsystem harmonises, indeed, even on the basis of economical pro-gress, and follows as a matter of course—a teaching which mustbe the foundation of all social strivings after peace (35). It is neces-sary for me here to thankfully acknowledge that for the incentiveto which the present work is owing I am indebted to the gentlemanmentioned.
Herkner follows Brentano ’s steps, in his meritorious work —“ Social Reform a Demand of Economical Progress” (Leipsic, 1891).Herkner expressly teaches the utility of all efforts with a tendencyto the elevation of the working classes, especially of legislativeenactments tending to the economical development of strength.
33. F. A. Lange : “Die Arbeiterfrage,” third edition, 1875, p. 190.
34 Compare Brentano: Meine Polemik mit Karl Marx (Berlin, 1890),
p. 7.
35. Compare Brentano: ‘‘The Teaching on the Increase of Wages—Annual for National Economy and Statistics,” published by Hildebrand, vol.XVI. (1871), pp. 251-91; also “ On the Relation between Wages and Hoursof Labour to the Capacity for Labour ” (Leipzig, 187G).