This section is from the book "Elementary Economics", by Charles Manfred Thompson. Also available from Amazon: Elementary Economics.
Distribution, as we have already seen, means the sharing of the products of industry among the factors of production - land, labor, and capital. The shares that go to these factors are respectively, rent, wages, and interest. Usually two other portions are set aside. One is the profits of the enterpriser; the other, the taxes of the government. Thus, in reality, we must account for five shares in distribution; and in doing so we must exercise supreme precaution, for no other phase of our economic life has called forth such bitter controversies or created so much social unrest.
 
Continue to: