large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb_1
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_05_morris_64kb
English
6138
To drop all irony, surely this was one of those stages of civilization at which one might well say that, if it was to stop there, it was a pity that it had ever got so far. I have had to study books and methods of work of the eighteenth century a good deal, French chiefly; and I must say that the impression made on me by that study is that the eighteenth century artisan must have been a terrible product of civilization, and quite in a condition to give rise to _hopes_—of the torch, the pike, and the guillotine. TO DROP ALL IRONY SURELY THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE STAGES OF CIVILIZATION AT WHICH ONE MIGHT WELL SAY THAT IF IT WAS TO STOP THERE IT WAS A PITY THAT IT HAD EVER GOT SO FAR I HAVE HAD TO STUDY BOOKS AND METHODS OF WORK OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY A GOOD DEAL FRENCH CHIEFLY AND I MUST SAY THAT THE IMPRESSION MADE ON ME BY THAT STUDY IS THAT THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY ARTISAN MUST HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE PRODUCT OF CIVILIZATION AND QUITE IN A CONDITION TO GIVE RISE TO HOPES OF THE TORCH THE PIKE AND THE GUILLOTINE
trial production since the Middle Ages, is known as the system of division of labour, wherein, as I said, the unit of labour is a group, not a man; the individual workman in this system is kept life-long at the performance of some task quite petty in itself, and which he soon masters, and having mastered it has nothing more to do but to go on increasing his speed of hand under the spur of competition with his fellows, until he has become the perfect machine which it is his ultimate duty to become, since without attaining to that end he must die or become a pauper. You can well imagine how this glorious invention of division of labour, this complete destruction of individuality in the workman, and his apparent hopeless enslavement to his profit-grinding master, stimulated the hopes of civilization; probably more hymns have been sung in praise of division of labour, more sermons preached about it, than have done homage to the precept, “do unto others as ye would they should do unto you.” FIRST CHANGE IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES IS KNOWN AS THE SYSTEM OF DIVISION OF LABOUR WHEREIN AS I SAID THE UNIT OF LABOR IS A GROUP NOT A MAN THE INDIVIDUAL WORKMAN IN THIS SYSTEM IS KEPT LIFE LONG AT THE PERFORMANCE OF SOME TASK QUITE PETTY IN ITSELF AND WHICH HE SOON MASTERS AND HAVING MASTERED IT HAS NOTHING MORE TO DO BUT TO GO ON INCREASING HIS SPEED OF HAND UNDER THE SPUR OF COMPETITION WITH HIS FELLOWS UNTIL HE HAS BECOME THE PERFECT MACHINE WHICH IT IS HIS ULTIMATE DUTY TO BECOME SINCE WITHOUT ATTAINING TO THAT END HE MUST DIE OR BECOME A PAUPER YOU CAN WELL IMAGINE HOW THIS GLORIOUS INVENTION OF DIVISION OF LABOUR THIS COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUALITY IN THE WORKMAN AND HIS APPARENT HOPELESS ENSLAVEMENT TO HIS PROFIT GRINDING MASTER STIMULATED THE HOPES OF CIVILIZATION PROBABLY MORE HYMNS HAVE BEEN SUNG IN PRAISE OF DIVISION OF LABOUR MORE SERMONS PREACHED ABOUT IT THAN HAVE DONE HOMAGE TO THE PRECEPT DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD THEY SHOULD DO UNTO YOU
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