Mankind has a natural beautiful environment that has been a home for the species since the beginning of people. Life was simple and rich for early man, and he lived in environmental freedom. As societies became more complex, the trading of goods evolved, and then money replaced goods, standing in for their value. The nature of work dramatically changed over the centuries, and the power of money shifted. Some industrial complexes have become negative factors·ruining animal existence, creating stressful lives, and moving nations to create sophisticated nuclear defense systems. Some of the earliest ideas about work have become distorted as people try to carve out an existence in a technological society. It is the purpose of this paper to examine these factors in work, especially from a historical standpoint, and to theorize about some humane alternatives.
What is work? Labor began long ago when man tried to adapt himself to his surroundings and change them somewhat so he could be safe and comfortable. Perhaps some of the cave people were better at tending the fires and others were better at hunting food. Findings from prehistoric history show flint and bone tools·scrapers, polishers, awls, planes, axes, and saws·tools that some of the early people used to take care of themselves (Friedmann, intro.). All the civilizations of the East, of Asia, and of the Americas show that people divided their functions, although not so much as in the year 2002. In early Persia, the same woodworker made chairs, doors, plows, tables, and built houses as well. In the larger towns, trades could be divided into smaller categories, and for example, a shoemaker made shoes for men, and another made shoes for women. There could even be more sophisticated businesses where one made a living only stitching shoes and another cutting the leather (Friedmann, intro.). This early specialization found its way into all the kinds of things that people nee...