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Idleness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the obverse side of surplus labour: one section of society rests because another works more, in capitalism as in slavery.

Idleness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠charged to the product anyway: a plough or a draught horse idle all winter still passes on value, because value passes according to the time a thing loses value, not the time it works.

Idleness (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the real luxury of the freed slaves of Jamaica, who grew only what they needed and watched the planters’ coming bankruptcy with an ironic grin.

Idleness (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠possible only where labour is productive: if one man's work can feed five, there will be four idle men for every one at work.

Idleness (n.) could ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠cost an able-bodied man, under Edward VI, a red-hot V branded on his breast and two years as the slave of whoever informed on him.

Idleness (n.) and ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not unemployment was the problem of Elizabethan England: the hard part was overcoming the taste for vagabondage, not finding paid work.

Idleness (n.) prevails ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠wherever revenue predominates; industry, wherever capital does.

Idleness (n.) under ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠Edward VI made a man the slave of whoever denounced him as an idler, to be fed on bread, water and refuse meat, and branded with an S if he was absent a fortnight.