An essay on The Dignity of Labour (Work)- | for all classes

The Dignity of Labour (Work)

Outline:

• Manual work formerly given to slaves
• Manual work is now free labour, but still looked down upon by some
• The distinction between manual and mental work misleading
• The Dignity of honest labour
• Conclusion

By 'labour' we generally mean manual work; that is, work done with the hands, as distinguished from work, or work done with the hands. In ancient times, manual labour was looked down upon and then it was treated as an inferior being, Most ancient states were based upon slave labour. In Egypt, the great pyramids were built by slaves. It required intensive labour. Even the Greek city-states consisted of a small number of free citizens, who devoted themselves to the higher arts and professions and left all manual labour to slaves. And yet it was anxiety Greece that taught the world lessons of political liberty and self-government! In modern times slavery has been abolished by all civilized nations, yet a hundred years ago slavery still existed as a recognized institution. 

"Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances" Aristotle

Manual labour is recognized today, at least in theory, as being worthy of free citizens; and no stigma attaches to a man because he works with his hands rather than with his head. And yet the leisure classes still look down on the working classes, whom they call the 'lower classes.  And many a young man of the middle class would rather wear a black coat and sit on an office stool at the door, than soil his hands and earn double the money as an artisan.

"When it comes to human dignity, we cannot make compromises." Angela Merkel

This contempt for manual labour is absurd and wrong, and the distinction between manual and mental work is misleading. all manual work, even so-called unskilled labour, requires some thought; and the skilled work of the engineer, the builder and the potter is really as much mental as manual. It takes more intelligence to be an expert electrical or even a mistri, than to be an office clerk copying letters all day long. 

"The most luxurious possession, the riches treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity." Jackie Robinson

But what we have still to learn is that honest work of all kinds is dignified and worthy of respect. In Pakistan, even the humble 'sweeper' who does unpleasant but absolutely necessary work, ought to be respected, instead of being regarded with contempt and thrust down into the lowest caste. The only things we should be ashamed of are our idleness, and trying to live 'by one's wits" without labour. "Work is worship" and "to work is to pray." We take off our hearts to honest, toil, and honour the honest workman. 

"His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whatever he can;
And looks the whole world in the face,
For owes, not any man."

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