During most of that time he and his family had been existing in a condition of semi-starvation on the earnings of his wife as a charwoman and on the scraps of food she brought home from the houses where she worked.

But all the same, the question of what is the cause of poverty had no interest for him.
'There are many causes,' answered Owen, 'but they are all part of and inseparable from the system.

In order to do away with poverty we must destroy the causes: to do away with the causes we must destroy the whole system.' 'What are the causes, then ?' 'Well, money, for one thing.' This extraordinary assertion was greeted with a roar of merriment, in the midst of which Philpot was heard to say that to listen to Owen was as good as going to a circus.

Money was the cause of poverty! 'I always thought it was the want of it!' said the man with the patches on the seat of his trousers as he passed out of the door.
'Other things,' continued Owen, 'are private ownership of land, private ownership of railways, tramways, gasworks, waterworks, private ownership of factories, and the other means of producing the necessaries and comforts of life.

Competition in business--' 'But 'ow do you make it out ?' demanded Crass, impatiently.
Owen hesitated.