large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_08_morris_64kb_64
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_08_morris_64kb
English
6138
If we were to wake up some morning now, under our present system, and find it "easy to live," that system would force us to set to work at once and make it hard to live; we should call that "developing our resources," or some such fine name. IF WE WERE TO WAKE UP SOME MORNING NOW UNDER OUR PRESENT SYSTEM AND FIND IT EASY TO LIVE THAT SYSTEM WOULD FORCE US TO SET TO WORK AT ONCE AND MAKE IT HARD TO LIVE WE SHOULD CALL THAT DEVELOPING OUR RESOURCES OR SOME SUCH FINE NAME
 must be taken up daily, and even so would mar our life, even though the hours of labour were short. What we want to do is to add to our wealth without diminishing our pleasure. Nature will not be finally conquered till our work becomes a part of the pleasure of our lives. That first step of freeing people from the compulsion to labour needlessly will at least put us on the way towards this happy end; for we shall then have time and opportunities for bringing it about. As things are now, between the waste of labour-power in mere idleness and its waste in unproductive work, it is clear that the world of civilization is supported by a small part of its people; when all were working usefully for its support, the share of work which each would have to do would be but small, if our standard of life were about on the footing of what well-to-do and refined people now think desirable. We shall have labour-power to spare, and shall, in short, be as wealthy as we please. It will be easy to live. STILL BE A BURDEN WHICH MUST BE TAKEN UP DAILY AND EVEN SO WOULD MAR OUR LIFE EVEN THOUGH THE HOURS OF LABOR WERE SHORT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ADD TO OUR WEALTH WITHOUT DIMINISHING OUR PLEASURE NATURE WILL NOT BE FINALLY CONQUERED TILL OUR WORK BECOMES A PART OF THE PLEASURE OF OUR LIVES THAT FIRST STEP OF FREEING PEOPLE FROM THE COMPULSION TO LABOR NEEDLESSLY WILL AT LEAST PUT US ON THE WAY TOWARDS THIS HAPPY END FOR WE SHALL THEN HAVE TIME AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRINGING IT ABOUT AS THINGS ARE NOW BETWEEN THE WASTE OF LABOUR POWER IN MERE IDLENESS AND ITS WASTE IN UNPRODUCTIVE WORK IT IS CLEAR THAT THE WORLD OF CIVILIZATION IS SUPPORTED BY A SMALL PART OF ITS PEOPLE WHEN ALL WERE WORKING USEFULLY FOR ITS SUPPORT THE SHARE OF WORK WHICH EACH WOULD HAVE TO DO WOULD BE BUT SMALL IF OUR STANDARD OF LIFE WERE ABOUT ON THE FOOTING OF WHAT WELL TO DO AND REFINED PEOPLE NOW THINK DESIRABLE WE SHALL HAVE LABOUR POWER TO SPARE AND SHALL IN SHORT BE AS WEALTHY AS WE PLEASE IT WILL BE EASY TO LIVE
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