John Ruskin was one of the most influential writers of the nineteenth century. His study of art and architecture in Britain and Europe led him to consider of the conditions of the people who lived in his world, and his interests embraced social and political economy. His ideas propounded in books like Unto This Last had a profound effect: William Morris, Bernard Shaw and many other early socialists practised his teachings. It also shows where the effects of his teaching can be seen today, in green belts, town planning, smokeless zones, the Rent Restrictions Act and the National Trust.