An Essay on the Principle of Population

Chapter 733 An Essay on the Principle of Population

South bank of the Thames River.

At three in the afternoon, the dockworkers called out to one another, set down their work, and gathered in twos and threes in the sheltered spot behind the Warehouse to enjoy their twenty-minute tea break.

Only, tea had become increasingly rare during tea breaks lately.

Most of them gnawed on black bread. The occasional worker who had tea so weak that no sweetness could be tasted in it drew envious looks from those around him.

Just then, a man in a relatively neat black short coat came among them and began speaking to the workers in low voices.

A moment later, he came over and patted Andy's father on the shoulder. Glancing at the clear water in his cup, he sighed. "Scott, times have been hard lately, haven't they?"

Scott glanced sideways, recognized him as someone from the Dockworkers' Union, and nodded dejectedly.

The man in black looked toward the overseers and lowered his voice. "Damn it, sugar is already this expensive, yet those black-hearted bastards still want to cut our wages!"

Scott nodded again in wholehearted agreement.

The man in black continued, "We're planning to strike next Wednesday. We'll go to Downing Street together to protest, demand that wages be restored, and demand lower sugar prices. This is a major matter. You must come with everyone."

Scott's eyes widened at once, and he stammered, "Th-this... I-I'd better not go... I'll be fired. If I lose my job, the whole family will go hungry..."

"What are you afraid of? Everyone will be joining this time. Do they dare fire every last one of us? Who will load and unload the merchant ships that dock here?"

Scott still shook his head. "No, no. If things get