Fors Clavigera (Volume 1 of 8) Letters to the workmen and labourers of Great Britain

"Fors Clavigera (Volume 1 of 8)" by John Ruskin is a series of letters from the 1870s, written to the working people of Great Britain, and they deal with a wide variety of economic and moral issues. Ruskin wanted to teach and motivate the working class, encouraging them to recognize their own worth and fight for their rights. He starts by talking about the worries that Britain had at the time about other countries and inequalities at home. He criticizes the British people for failing to make things better because they were divided and selfish, and makes a commitment to improving society by focusing on art and the ability of workers to support themselves. Ruskin explains that being successful depends on grasping important economic ideas, pushing workers to work together to create a shared savings to replace debt, and offering solutions for reducing suffering during times of economic hardship.