Thuenen as a social reformer
Much earlier than others, von Thuenen realised the social questions urgency.From the 1820s on, he studied the problem of equitable wages.The formula he discovered after decades of research and which is engraved onto his tombstone defines the "natural wage" (A) as the root of the subsistence level (a) and the manufacturing product (p). | „In unserer Zeit aber, wo die Arbeiter mehr und mehr zum Bewußtsein über ihre Lage und ihre Rechte gelangen und künftig mit unwiderstehlicher Macht an der Gestaltung des Staates und der Gesellschaft teilnehmen werden- jetzt wird die Frage über die naturgemäße Verteilung des Einkommens zu einer Lebensfrage für das Fortbestehen der Staaten und der bürgerlichen Gesellschaft.“ Johann Heinrich von Thünen IS, 2. T. S. 62 | |
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Faced with the civil revolution in 1848, von Thuenen began putting his theoretical developments into practise.He shared the income of his manor with his workers. From their 60. year of age on they had free disposal over their paid interests on bank accounts.With this form of pension plan, von Thuenen was far ahead of his time. |
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