The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

"The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists" by Robert Tressell is a story that paints a picture of working-class life in a small English town, especially those working in construction during the late 1800s. The book looks at the connections between workers and bosses, their hard times with money and society, and their opinions about being poor and socialism. Frank Owen is a main character who stands up for those who are treated badly and wants things to change. At the start, workers are fixing up an old house called "The Cave", and as they take a break, we find out about their lives, work, and how they get along, showing the problems of friendship, stress, and class differences. Owen has different ideas about politics and fairness, and he tries to get his co-workers to question why they accept being poor, encouraging them to fight against the system that keeps them down. This is where the book starts talking about bigger ideas about money and how society is set up.