Duringthepredatorystageproper，andespeciallyduringtheearlierstagesofthequasi-peaceabledevelopmentofindustrythatfollowsthepredatorystage，alifeofleisureisthereadiestandmostconclusiveevidenceofpecuniarystrength，andthereforeofsuperiorforce；providedalwaysthatthegentlemanofleisurecanliveinmanifesteaseandcomfort。Atthisstagewealthconsistschieflyofslaves，andthebenefitsaccruingfromthepossessionofrichesandpowertaketheformchieflyofpersonalserviceandtheimmediateproductsofpersonalservice。
Conspicuousabstentionfromlabourthereforebecomestheconventionalmarkofsuperiorpecuniaryachievementandtheconventionalindexofreputability；andconversely，sinceapplicationtoproductivelabourisamarkofpovertyandsubjection，itbecomesinconsistentwithareputablestandinginthecommunity。Habitsofindustryandthrift，therefore，arenotuniformlyfurtheredbyaprevailingpecuniaryemulation。Onthecontrary，thiskindofemulationindirectlydiscountenancesparticipationinproductivelabour。Labourwouldunavoidablybecomedishonourable，asbeinganevidenceindecorousundertheancienttraditionhandeddownfromanearlierculturalstage。Theancienttraditionofthepredatorycultureisthatproductiveeffortistobeshunnedasbeingunworthyofable-bodiedmen。andthistraditionisreinforcedratherthansetasideinthepassagefromthepredatorytothequasi-peaceablemanneroflife。
Eveniftheinstitutionofaleisureclasshadnotcomeinwiththefirstemergenceofindividualownership，byforceofthedishonourattachingtoproductiveemployment，itwouldinanycasehavecomeinasoneoftheearlyconsequencesofownership。
Anditistoberemarkedthatwhiletheleisureclassexistedintheoryfromthebeginningofpredatoryculture，theinstitutiontakesonanewandfullermeaningwiththetransitionfromthepredatorytothenextsucceedingpecuniarystageofculture。Itisfromthistimefortha“leisureclass“infactaswellasintheory。Fromthispointdatestheinstitutionoftheleisureclassinitsconsummateform。
Duringthepredatorystageproperthedistinctionbetweentheleisureandthelabouringclassisinsomedegreeaceremonialdistinctiononly。Theablebodiedmenjealouslystandalooffromwhateverisintheirapprehension，menialdrudgery；