The subject raises a very interesting study of the prestige going with all sorts of labours prevalent in today's world. The question becomes one of paramount importance in as much as different types of labour have come in course of time to denote different standards or degrees of respect in the society. It has indirectly divided the society into artificial groups - the intellectual and the non-intellectuals. However, if the labours come to be viewed differently under such phenomenal categorisation, it might even affect the solidarity of the nation.
Labour is a necessity in life, both for the bare needs of living and the requirements of a healthy existence. It is so ordained that men and women must earn their own bread by the sweat of their brow. The animals either find their grass or hunt their deer, given free by nature. Human beings, on the other hand, have to procure their food, with the labour either of the body or the mind. There may be some people, who live idly on charity, or lead the life of parasites. That, however, is not really a way desirable. The society can have only undisguised contempt for them.
Labour, then, is a sine qua non of life. The question now, is to see what labours are better and what worse in prestige and utility. We do not propose to enter at present, into a discussion of the economic results of particular labours, though that fact has very essential influence upon the dignity or otherwise or labours. What we mean is that all labours should be judged from whether these labours are necessary for a living, whether the labours are honest or dishonest. The labours that earn profits at the cost of others must be left out of our consideration. The conscience of the people will never admit such labours into the class of labours that are permitted. The problem then confines itself to useful labour done with the body and a serviceable labour done with the mind!
The prestige that some particular type of labour has come now a days to monopolise is based on quite a wrong conception of the need of labour. The disparity in the wages sanctioned for different types of labour becomes a strong factor to influence the prestige associated with one type, withheld from the other. But this basis too is a wrong conception.
Then we should look to the truth that the world simply does not function if all types of labour here be not cooperative. The intellectuals cannot exercise their brains without food and the very food is grown or produced with manual labour. Aversion to one type of labour on the score that this labour is undignified leads in the end, to a decline of the Nation's prosperity. This prosperity is the sum total of the labour rendered by all people of a country. When people desist from any labour because that is contrary to dignity, they may have to sit idle throughout. What they wish for cant begot by their character and training. Again, what they can manage, they do not shoulder. The result is a sure breakdown of the Nation's economic structure.
The dignity of labour is meaningful as we think about manual labour, that is the labour rendered by the body, hands and feet. Such labours are looked down upon by the intellectuals, who enjoy better respect in the economic strata of society. But the whole approach becomes both false and injurious! Aversion to manual labour may lead the people to starve even, rather than take up any useful job - it may lead to parasitic existence. There are the so-called educated people, who are content with any soft white-collared jobs, whatever their salaries or wages. They detest setting up as small traders, detest doing anything but desk work! The symptoms when they break out, are dangerous in the extreme.
We spend a lot over education, but after such heavy expenditure, when we see educated people, with ample sets of degrees, sitting idle, we cannot but be shocked. This is because they have set their hearts upon some particular work only and will not chose any other, whatever the circumstances. While it is not bad to cherish ambitions, there is obviously no reason why the people should dislike some labours, even when they got nothing better to do and finally chose to idle away their lives.
Today we live in highly competitive world and none can afford to waste a single moment of his life. The nation that falls behind in trade and industry, agriculture and transportation, runs the risk of extinction. The development needs the labours of all people, who are not physically or mentally handicapped. All progressive nations of the West have long since discarded any aversion to manual labour. They are not ashamed of doing all that lies in their powers, to build up for them, a happy motherland. Their examples must inspire others. Even in our country, we see people who have risen from very humble positions to great heights of success. Obviously they did not look down upon any kind of labour, whatsoever. If we are set astray from our paths, we can always look up to a Lincoln or Gandhi for inspiration. Where genius lies, no obstacles are insurmountable.
People with brains, with merit, are wasting themselves over white-collared jobs; they will not change the lines even though they see others amassing money, getting prosperity under their very nose. We should realise that all labours are worth their value and the matter of prestige should not feed upon any false ideas. The youth must imbibe a lesson into their hearts from the examples set before them, by the great personalities that the world has seen.
The choice of labour is to be controlled by three factors - fitness, training and the prospects of the job. Let us declare, with all emphasis we can command, that our country, determined to go ahead on its way to prosperity, does not belittle any form of honest labour, whatever the earnings. With the development of country's resources and a better distribution of country's wealth, we hope to see work made available for all. Imperfections will remain, but these should not be allowed to grow on account of people, forming a very wrong standard of evaluating labours.
