The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists
Robert Tressell
Clearly frustrated at the refusal of his contemporaries to recognise the iniquity of society, Tressell's cast of hypocritical Christians, exploitative capitalists and corrupt councillors provide a backdrop for his main target - the workers who think that a better life is "not for the likes of them". Hence the title of the book; Tressell paints the workers as "philanthropists" who throw themselves into back-breaking work for poverty wages in order to generate profit for their masters.
The hero of the book, Frank Owen, is a socialist who believes that the capitalist system is the real source of the poverty he sees all around him. In vain he tries to convince his fellow workers of his world view, but finds that their education has trained them to distrust their own thoughts and to rely on those of their "betters". Much of the book consists of conversations between Owen and the others, or more often of lectures by Owen in the face of their jeering; this was presumably based on Tressell's own experiences.(Summary by Tadhg)
Author - Robert Tressell.
Narrator - LibriVox Community.
Published Date - Thursday, 19 January 2023.
Location:
United States
Description:
Clearly frustrated at the refusal of his contemporaries to recognise the iniquity of society, Tressell's cast of hypocritical Christians, exploitative capitalists and corrupt councillors provide a backdrop for his main target - the workers who think that a better life is "not for the likes of them". Hence the title of the book; Tressell paints the workers as "philanthropists" who throw themselves into back-breaking work for poverty wages in order to generate profit for their masters. The hero of the book, Frank Owen, is a socialist who believes that the capitalist system is the real source of the poverty he sees all around him. In vain he tries to convince his fellow workers of his world view, but finds that their education has trained them to distrust their own thoughts and to rely on those of their "betters". Much of the book consists of conversations between Owen and the others, or more often of lectures by Owen in the face of their jeering; this was presumably based on Tressell's own experiences.(Summary by Tadhg) Author - Robert Tressell. Narrator - LibriVox Community. Published Date - Thursday, 19 January 2023.
Language:
English
Chapter 1
Duration:00:03:59
Chapter 2
Duration:00:20:24
Chapter 3
Duration:00:21:16
Chapter 4
Duration:00:19:00
Chapter 5
Duration:00:20:58
Chapter 6
Duration:00:17:03
Chapter 7
Duration:00:22:08
Chapter 8
Duration:00:10:16
Chapter 9
Duration:00:14:11
Chapter 10
Duration:00:21:47
Chapter 11
Duration:00:16:52
Chapter 12
Duration:00:26:40
Chapter 13
Duration:00:14:10
Chapter 14
Duration:00:05:44
Chapter 15
Duration:00:14:51
Chapter 16
Duration:00:12:23
Chapter 17
Duration:00:06:06
Chapter 18
Duration:00:16:40
Chapter 19
Duration:00:10:58
Chapter 20
Duration:00:19:24
Chapter 21
Duration:00:23:31
Chapter 22
Duration:00:19:09
Chapter 23
Duration:00:28:31
Chapter 24
Duration:00:11:13
Chapter 25
Duration:00:29:07
Chapter 26
Duration:00:20:17
Chapter 27
Duration:00:34:01
Chapter 28
Duration:00:22:46
Chapter 29
Duration:00:22:01
Chapter 30
Duration:00:36:36
Chapter 31
Duration:00:26:54
Chapter 32
Duration:00:21:28
Chapter 33
Duration:00:23:54
Chapter 34
Duration:00:15:10
Chapter 35
Duration:00:08:56
Chapter 36
Duration:00:19:39
Chapter 37
Duration:00:17:54
Chapter 38
Duration:00:12:18
Chapter 39
Duration:00:03:34
Chapter 40
Duration:00:04:11
Chapter 41
Duration:00:14:51
Chapter 42
Duration:00:28:38
Chapter 43
Duration:00:13:15
Chapter 44
Duration:00:12:45
Chapter 45
Duration:00:22:04
Chapter 46
Duration:00:10:29
Chapter 47
Duration:00:17:55
Chapter 48
Duration:00:22:12
Chapter 49
Duration:00:20:57
Chapter 50
Duration:00:15:53
Chapter 51
Duration:00:38:54
Chapter 52
Duration:00:32:41
Chapter 53
Duration:00:31:11
Chapter 54
Duration:00:28:46
Chapter 55
Duration:00:38:16
Chapter 56
Duration:00:15:41
Chapter 57
Duration:00:40:02
Chapter 58
Duration:00:23:23
Chapter 59
Duration:00:21:36
Chapter 60
Duration:00:16:17
Chapter 61
Duration:00:33:53
Chapter 62
Duration:00:54:38
Chapter 63
Duration:00:07:27
Chapter 64
Duration:00:14:54
Chapter 65
Duration:00:15:46
Chapter 66
Duration:00:10:36
Chapter 67
Duration:00:10:34
Chapter 68
Duration:00:23:02
Chapter 69
Duration:00:05:27