What do you think this quote means? (Please help!)

Question

"If we estimate at a shilling ad day what is lost by the inaction and consumed in the support of each man thus chained down to involuntary idleness, the public loss will rise in one year to three hundred thousand pounds: in ten years to more than a sixth part of our circulating coin."

Answer 1

It's basically saying that unemployed people (people who want to work but can't or don't have a job) are having a huge financial drain on society.

 

If we estimate at a shilling a day (if we assume the cost is a shilling a day, or 1/20 of a pound)

what is lost by the inaction (what is caused by non-working)

and consumed in the support (and paid by society to keep someone afloat)

of each man thus chained down to involuntary idleness (people that want to work, but for whatever reason can't)

the public loss (cost to society)

will rise in one year to three hundred thousand pounds (will cost 300,000 pounds in one year, or 6,000,000 shillings)

In ten years to more than a sixth part of our circulating coin (Over ten years, it will cost more than 1/6 of all the coins in circulation)