Main content

The Living Wage

Jonathan Freedland examines today's concept of a 'living wage' through a treatise written in 1894 by Sir Mark Oldroyd, a Dewsbury mill owner and Liberal MP.

Jonathan Freedland examines current debates about the "living wage" in the light of a publication by woollen manufacturer, Sir Mark Oldroyd in 1894. As Liberal MP and the owner of a number of mills in Dewsbury in Yorkshire, he delivered a lecture to the Dewsbury Pioneers Industrial Society called "A Living Wage". It said: "A living wage must be sufficient to maintain the worker in the highest state of industrial efficiency, with decent surroundings and sufficient leisure".

Jonathan is joined by Dr Stephen Davies from the Institute of Economic Affairs, Dr Sheila Blackburn from the University of Liverpool, Margaret Watson, former editor of Dewsbury Reporter, Father Simon Cuff, a leader with Citizens UK and actor Barrie Rutter.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Tue 8 Sep 2015 21:30
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM

More episodes

Previous

The 1929 General Election and the Art of Political Persuasion

Next

The Long View of Popularising Exploration

See all episodes from The Long View

Broadcasts

  • Tue 8 Sep 2015 09:00
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Tue 8 Sep 2015 21:30
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM

Podcast

  • The Long View

    History series in which stories from the past shed light on current events