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<blockquote data-quote="ilostabet" data-source="post: 1314829" data-attributes="member: 13181">My point was that this shift was anything but natural. Up until the industrial revolution, humans were inclined to not be morons in this respect. But they were forced into this by political seizure of common land, abolition of feudal obligations, seizure of Church property and finally by violent repression and destruction of free laborers. Only after this incredibly amount of internal violence from the State towards its own people did they transition into the current mode, because the &#039;local&#039; production became rather expensive and instead of barter workers now employed in factories only had money (and very little of it) to trade with.From a 1770 tract &#039;on Trade and Commerce&#039;:«That mankind in general, are naturally inclined to ease and indolence, we fatally experience to be true, from the conduct of our manufacturing populace, who do not labour, upon an average, above four days in a week, unless provisions happen to be very dear.... I hope I have said enough to make it appear that the moderate labour of six days in a week is no slavery.... But our populace have adopted a notion, that as Englishmen they enjoy a birthright privilege of being more free and independent than in any country in Europe. Now this idea, as far as it may affect the bravery of our troops, may be of some use; but the less the manufacturing poor have of it, certainly the better for themselves and for the State. The labouring people should never think themselves independent of their superiors.... It is extremely dangerous to encourage mobs in a commercial state like ours, where, perhaps, seven parts out of eight of the whole, are people with little or no property. The cure will not be perfect, till our manufacturing poor are contented to labour six days for the same sum which they now earn in four days.»</blockquote>

[QUOTE="ilostabet, post: 1314829, member: 13181"] My point was that this shift was anything but natural. Up until the industrial revolution, humans were inclined to not be morons in this respect. But they were forced into this by political seizure of common land, abolition of feudal obligations, seizure of Church property and finally by violent repression and destruction of free laborers. Only after this incredibly amount of internal violence from the State towards its own people did they transition into the current mode, because the 'local' production became rather expensive and instead of barter workers now employed in factories only had money (and very little of it) to trade with. From a 1770 tract 'on Trade and Commerce': «That mankind in general, are naturally inclined to ease and indolence, we fatally experience to be true, from the conduct of our manufacturing populace, who do not labour, upon an average, above four days in a week, unless provisions happen to be very dear.... I hope I have said enough to make it appear that the moderate labour of six days in a week is no slavery.... But our populace have adopted a notion, that as Englishmen they enjoy a birthright privilege of being more free and independent than in any country in Europe. Now this idea, as far as it may affect the bravery of our troops, may be of some use; but the less the manufacturing poor have of it, certainly the better for themselves and for the State. The labouring people should never think themselves independent of their superiors.... It is extremely dangerous to encourage mobs in a commercial state like ours, where, perhaps, seven parts out of eight of the whole, are people with little or no property. The cure will not be perfect, till our manufacturing poor are contented to labour six days for the same sum which they now earn in four days.» [/QUOTE]

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