large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_08_morris_64kb_96
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_08_morris_64kb
English
6138
Each new machine will cause a certain amount of misery among the workers whose special industry it may disturb; so many of them will be reduced from skilled to unskilled workmen, and then gradually matters will slip into their due grooves, and all will work apparently smoothly again; and if it were not that all this is preparing revolution, things would be, for the greater part of men, just as they were before the new wonderful invention. EACH NEW MACHINE WILL CAUSE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MISERY AMONG THE WORKERS WHOSE SPECIAL INDUSTRY IT MAY DISTURB SO MANY OF THEM WILL BE REDUCED FROM SKILLED TO UNSKILLED WORKMEN AND THEN GRADUALLY MATTERS WILL SLIP INTO THEIR DUE GROOVES AND ALL WILL WORK APPARENTLY SMOOTHLY AGAIN AND IF IT WERE NOT THAT ALL THIS IS PREPARING REVOLUTION THINGS WOULD BE FOR THE GREATER PART OF MEN JUST AS THEY WERE BEFORE THE NEW WONDERFUL INVENTION
; 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. 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. The multiplication of labour has become a necessity for us, and as long as that goes on no ingenuity in the invention of machines will be of any real use to us. AY 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 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 THE MULTIPLICATION OF LABOUR HAS BECOME A NECESSITY FOR US AND AS LONG AS THAT GOES ON NO INGENUITY IN THE INVENTION OF MACHINES WILL BE OF ANY REAL USE TO US
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