Charles Hall (Economist)

Charles Hall
Born	1740
Died	1825
Nationality	English
Occupation	Physician
Known for	Critic of capitalism and early socialist

Charles Hall (1740–1825) was a British physician, social critic and Ricardian socialist who published The Effects of Civilization on the People in European States in 1805, condemning capitalism for its inability to provide for the poor. In the book, Hall argued that inequalities in wealth and the production of luxuries led to the exploitation of the poor, and their suffering. Hall famously claimed that the exploitation of the poor was so severe that they "retained only the product of one hour's work out of eight".

As a remedy for the problems in society, Hall proposed land reform and progressive taxation. His views and economic theory, particularly his views on severe exploitation of the poor, were important to the development of Marxism, and have led many to consider him one of the earliest socialists.

Hall was born in England around 1740, and studied medicine at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. After completing his medical studies, Hall practised in the West Country of England, where he acquired "intimate knowledge of the living conditions of the poor". Hall read the theories of a number of influential classical economists, including Malthus, David Ricardo and Adam Smith. While he disagreed with many of the ideas of classical economics, it shaped his thinking. Hall's thinking was also shaped by his friendship with the land-nationalization advocate Thomas Spence, with whom he corresponded regularly.

Hall moved around throughout his career, but probably spent most of his life in , practising medicine. In 1785, he published The Family Medical Instructor, a medical reference book. Thereafter, his publications were primarily economic in nature. In 1805, he published his principal work, The Effects of Civilization, followed by Observations on the Principal Conclusion in Mr. Malthus's Essay on Population in 1813. In 1816, Hall was arrested for failure to pay a debt of £157, and he spent the next nine years in the Fleet Prison, before being released on 21 June 1825. While the exact date of his death is uncertain, it is believed that he died shortly thereafter.

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