Work Sucked in the 1850s

Work Sucks in the 1850’s

Work is a very important part of everyone’s life. Work leads to wages, which then leads to the lifestyle you may live. Between 1750 and 1850, work transformed greatly in Europe. It changed all types of aspects of work including where you work, what you do, and how much you may get paid for it. Industrial capitalism transformed greatly in a century; however work continued to decline with the advancement of time. Therefore, work was better in 1750 then it was in 1850.

“The worker therefore only feels himself outside his work, and in his work feels outside himself” (134.). This statement was said by Karl Marx while he was talking about the alienation of labor. The alienation of labor was simply separating a person from his or her skill. “Each person-man, woman or child-must be paid in proportion to his contribution in capital, work and talent” (117). This implied that people should be paid according to their skills. In the 1750’s work was much more skillful than it was in the 1850’s. In 1750 people would work depending on what they were good at. For example, someone who was good at making shoes would be a shoemaker. In 1850 the alienation of labor took these skills away from people because they would do a simple task in a factory such as pulling a lever. Basically, in 1850 people’s labor skills were being wasted because they were stuck in a factory doing a simple task.

“Work sessions must be varied about eight times a day because a man cannot remain enthusiastic about his job…” ( 117). This statement was a suggestion made by Charles Fourier, who wanted work to become better. This statement talks about division of labor. Division of labor was a direct result of industrial capitalism, and it created alienation of labor. In 1750 workers would do the same thing such as making shoes. Their means of production would simply be small tools. In 1850 they would do many boring things instead of just one. Also, their means of production would include bigger, more technological advances that not everyone would be able to run. This “improvement” still made work very boring. Work in the 1750’s was more exciting than work in the 1850’s.

“The object which labour produces labour’s product” (133). This statement was made by Karl Marx, and can show how the meaning and value of labor is affected by this transformation of work from 1750 to 1850. In 1750 work was valued highly because people were doing what they were good at. However, in 1850, work was not valued highly because people were doing tedious jobs that they did not like. Usually, people did better work when they liked the work they were doing in 1750. In 1850, people did not like their boring jobs, so they might not have worked as hard.

“Workshops, fields, and gardens must offer the worker the enticements of elegance and cleanliness” (117). This was another one of Fourier’s conditions that he thought would improve work in the 1850’s. In 1750 people worked inside their houses. Working at your own house would make someone feel more relaxed and comfortable and more labor would get done. Also, working in your house allowed you to work with people you were