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> Parsons had a class-based sinecure and several of them made huge contributions to science and society. But the vast majority did or achieved nothing and were
by AlbertCory 3y ago
> Parsons had a class-based sinecure and several of them made huge contributions to science and society. But the vast majority did or achieved nothing and were a drain on resources
a drain on whose resources?
- seanhunter 3y agoThe people who would have been paying a tithe[1] to their local church presumably. In the UK there was this thing where the second son of some rich family would typically go into the church (because the first son was going to inherit and there were only so many occupations that were respectable for a rich person to do - any kind of actual work not really being among them). [1] Percentage of earnings, canonically a tenth, but not sure whether/how much that was always the case.
- AlbertCory 3y agoYes, I know what a tithe is. Look, they had a social organization. Somehow or other, they managed to be the most powerful nation on Earth. It seems sort of idle to nitpick on it.
- lifeisstillgood 3y agoThat somehow or other is hiding huge and important details - an area of active historical research / speculation. Personally I put the birth of the Industrial Revolution up There in the top five moments of human history something like Fire Domestication of wheat Wheel Cortez meeting Montezuma Industrial Revolution in Northern England of all Places Whatever it was it happened once. And we have copied it not replicated it (look at Meiji restoration with emperors wearing bowler hats “just in case it helps”.) We cannot get off this train, so we really need to know how the train works