(August 1914)

The high cost of living is an international phenomenon. From 1874 to 1895, world market prices fell, but from 1896 onward world-wide increases began and still continue. If we give the prices of the necessaries of life in 1900 with the number 100, we will see that in the following years, this figure grew thus :

Australia

Belgium

Germany

France

England

Italy

Japan

Canada

Holland

Norway

Austria

Russia

Spain

United States

These figures are not always comparable to each other, since they have been collected using different methods. But in any case they are enough to give us a very clear idea of the following facts:

The high cost of living is an international phenomenon, it can therefore be explained through the general evolution of capitalism.

The high cost of living has affected different countries to a different extent. This difference may be explained partly through the diversity in the conditions of production and trade in each country, and partly through government intervention by legislation and administrative supervision.