A sustained attack on selfish capitalism, and a Socialist critique of Edwardian England's social inequality, Robert Tressell's The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists includes an introduction by Tristram Hunt in Penguin Modern Classics.
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists tells the story of a group of working men who are joined one day by Frank Owen, a journeyman-prophet with a vision of a just society. Indicting the 'philanthropy' of the working class, who toil solely for the benefit of their masters, and initiating them into the secrets of the 'Great Money Trick' which alienates them from their labour, Owen's spirited attacks on the greed and dishonesty of the capitalist system rouse his fellow men from their political quietism. A masterpiece of wit and political passion and one of the most authentic novels of English working class life ever written.
Robert Noonan (1870-1911) who took the pseudonym 'Tressell' from the 'trestle table' of the sort used by decorators, was an Irish housepainter who came to England from South Africa in 1900. He settled in Hastings, where he worked as a signwriter for various building firms. Tressell never lived to see his book in print; he died of tuberculosis in 1911, aged forty.
If you enjoyed The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, you might also like Jaroslav Hašek's The Good Soldier Švejk, available in Penguin Classics.
'Some books seem to batter their way to immortality against all odds, by sheer brute artistic strength, and high up in this curious and honourable company must be counted The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Robert Tressell's unfailing humour mixes with an unfailing rage and the two together make a truly Swiftian impact'
Evening Standard
'A brilliant and very funny book'
Spectator
'[It] has always seemed to me a wonderful book'
George Orwell, author of Animal Farm
'The first great English novel about the class war ... witty, humourous, instinctive and full of excitement, harmony and pathos'
Alan Sillitoe
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Groundbreaking socialist novel and cult classic first published in 1914
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Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780141187693
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 2393897-n
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. At the building firm Rushton & Co. the bosses and shareholders get richer and richer, while the workmen and their families struggle against poverty, hunger and debt - yet think they can do little to change their lives. Political firebrand Frank Owen, however, is different. He refuses to believe that his masters are his betters and encourages his fellow workers to fight for a new, just society - although convincing them is harden than he thinks . . .The first authentic portrayal of working-class lives at the start of the twentieth century, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists has inspired generations of political activists and remains a moving paean to human dignity. Tells the story of a group of working men who are joined one day by Frank Owen, a journeyman-prophet with a vision of a just society. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780141187693
Book Description Condition: New. pp. 784. Seller Inventory # 6351391
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780141187693
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Tells the story of a group of working men who are joined one day by Frank Owen, a journeyman-prophet with a vision of a just society. Seller Inventory # B9780141187693
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 784 pages. 7.64x5.04x1.50 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0141187697
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Book Description Condition: New. 2004. Paperback. Tells the story of a group of working men who are joined one day by Frank Owen, a journeyman-prophet with a vision of a just society. Series: Penguin Modern Classics. Num Pages: 784 pages. BIC Classification: FA. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 197 x 129 x 35. Weight in Grams: 528. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780141187693