large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb_2
large/6138/signsofchange_1209_librivox_64kb_mp3/signsofchange_09_morris_64kb
English
6138
In a true society these miracles of ingenuity would be for the first time used for minimizing the amount of time spent in unattractive labour, which by their means might be so reduced as to be but a very light burden on each individual. IN A TRUE SOCIETY THESE MIRACLES OF INGENUITY WOULD BE FOR THE FIRST TIME USED FOR MINIMIZING THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN UNATTRACTIVE LABOUR WHICH BY THEIR MEANS MIGHT BE SO REDUCED AS TO BE BUT A VERY LIGHT BURDEN ON EACH INDIVIDUAL
 and till art arises again amongst people freed from the terror of the slave and the shame of the robber. Meantime, in any case, the refinement, thoughtfulness, and deliberation of labour must indeed be paid for, but not by compulsion to labour long hours. Our epoch has invented machines which would have appeared wild dreams to the men of past ages, and of those machines we have as yet _made no use_. They are called “labour-saving” machines—a commonly used phrase which implies what we expect of them; but we do not get what we expect. What they really do is to reduce the skilled labourer to the ranks of the unskilled, to increase the number of the “reserve army of labour”—that is, to increase the precariousness of life among the workers and to intensify the labour of those who serve the machines (as slaves their masters). All this they do by the way, while they pile up the profits of the employers of labour, or force them to expend those profits in bitter commercial war with each other. THE SHAME OF THE PAST CORRUPTION UNTIL ART ARISES AGAIN AMONGST PEOPLE FREED FROM THE TERROR OF THE SLAVE AND THE SHAME OF THE ROBBER MEANTIME IN ANY CASE THE REFINEMENT THOUGHTFULNESS AND DELIBERATION OF LABOUR MUST INDEED BE PAID FOR BUT NOT BY COMPULSION TO LABOR LONG HOURS OUR REPOCH HAS INVENTED MACHINES WHICH WOULD HAVE APPEARED WILD DREAMS TO THE MEN OF PAST AGES AND OF THOSE MACHINES WE HAVE AS YET MADE NO USE THEY ARE CALLED LABOR SAVING MACHINES A COMMONLY USED PHRASE WHICH IMPLIES WHAT WE EXPECT OF THEM BUT WE DO NOT GET WHAT WE EXPECT WHAT THEY REALLY DO IS TO REDUCE THE SKILLED LABORER TO THE RANKS OF THE UNSKILLED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF THE RESERVE ARMY OF LABOR THAT IS TO INCREASE THE PRECARIOUSNESS OF LIFE AMONG THE WORKERS AND TO INTENSIFY THE LABOUR OF THOSE WHO SERVE THE MACHINES AS SLAVES THEIR MASTERS ALL THIS THEY DO BY THE WAY WHILE THEY PILE UP THE PROFITS OF THE EMPLOYERS OF LABOR OR FORCE THEM TO EXPEND THOSE PROFITS IN BITTER COMMERCIAL WAR WITH EACH OTHER
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