Labor: its importance in social development and human life. Labor is the basis of human life What role does labor play
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Publishing House "Enlightenment", M., 1973
Provided with minor abbreviations
In order to exist, a person must not only know the world, but also to change it, to engage in labor activity.
“Labor,” wrote Marx, “is primarily a process that takes place between man and nature ... In order to appropriate the substance of nature in a form suitable for his own life, he sets in motion the natural forces belonging to his body: arms and legs, head and fingers. Acting through this movement on the external nature and changing it, he at the same time changes his own nature.
Labor is an activity whose purpose is to create social useful product, material or spiritual (the latter includes, for example, works of art). Labor is closely related to cognitive activity because any job requires knowledge and experience. The work of people, as a rule, has a social character.
In labor activity, personality traits, features of mental processes and human properties are manifested. At the same time, labor is the main means of improving these processes and shaping personality traits. Thanks to labor activity, a person develops thinking, abilities, interests, acquires knowledge, skills and abilities, strengthens the will, forms character.
Work causes different feelings, depending on the objective conditions in which a person works. Under capitalism, in order not to starve to death, the working people are forced to sell their labor power to the owners of land, factories and factories. Under socialism, everyone works for himself and society, for the well-being of all its members, and a person has a different attitude to work.
Representatives of all professions speak about the joyful experiences that work gives, especially successful work. No wonder the poet V. Ya. Bryusov wrote:
Great joy - work
In the fields, at the machine, at the table!
Work to a hot sweat
Work without extra bills
All the happiness of the earth - for work!
Adequate physical and mental work, carried out for the sake of a reasonably set goal, favorably affects the health and psyche of a person, makes him cheerful, balanced, creates a good internal state, increases overall vitality, and promotes longevity.
Academician I. P. Pavlov wrote: “All my life I have loved and love mental work and physical, and, perhaps, even more than the second. And he especially felt satisfied when he introduced some good guess into the latter, that is, he connected his head with his hands.
S.P. Korolev, the chief designer of spaceships, was also fond of physical work. The house where he lived was surrounded Orchard and rose bushes. In the book The Road to Space, Yuri Gagarin wrote about the Queen: “He planted all this lush vegetation with his own hands. He loved the smells of loosened soil ... He loved physical labor, often digging in the ground with a shovel in his hands.
Labor (physical, mental, a combination of both) is the main means of meeting the needs of a person, ensuring his life. Even Adam Smith believed that the main, primary source of wealth of any country, any state is labor, and the second - natural resources.
The broadest and most accurate, in our opinion, is the following scientific definition: "Labor is a fundamental form of human activity that creates the entire set of objects necessary for him to satisfy his needs. Labor is the decisive force in the formation of a person himself, the emergence of such properties as consciousness speech, making him capable of communication" [A, 414].
In this definition, the key words are the following, which make up the concept of "labor" and reveal its social essence even more deeply: "activity", "person", "communication".
In the process of labor, people create material and spiritual benefits to satisfy both their personal and collective, social needs. Therefore, the concepts of "joint" or "collective" labor are often used.
Any social production is impossible without the means and objects of labor, the labor force that sets them in motion, and consumer goods, without which the carrier of the labor force - man - cannot do.
In a market economy, as a set of certain relations in the sphere of exchange, through which the sale of goods and the final recognition by society of the nature of the labor contained in them is carried out, it is customary to distinguish between the labor market and the market for consumer goods and services.
More recently, researchers in the USSR argued that in post-capitalist conditions, the labor market does not exist at all; moreover, the marketability of labor power, as well as labor power itself, is disappearing. Most often, the concepts of "labor force" and "labor resources" were used. In particular, "labor force" was understood as a certain combination of physical and spiritual abilities of a single person, which he uses in the process of creating any consumer values.
In the same 60-80s, "labor resources" was understood as a physically developed part of the population of a particular country, possessing mental faculties and certain knowledge necessary for work in the national economy. The latter, by the way, mainly developed due to the constant growth of labor resources, i.e., the intensive inclusion in it of more and more new teams of workers. The main source of their training was a widely developed network of vocational schools, technical schools, technical colleges (higher technical educational institutions). The flagships in this were vocational schools created and functioning on the basis of the largest industrial enterprises - the so-called basic vocational schools.
A large number of working labor resources in the former USSR, the union republics (in particular, in Ukraine) objectively existed due to the presence of a significant number of jobs that do not require highly vocational training. It's about underperforming manual labor, which they tried to improve during the years of socialism, for example, by introducing and using small mechanization. 6
The current situation on the labor market in post-socialist countries is fundamentally different. Intensive technical re-equipment of production, computerization, implementation the latest technologies, information systems, electronic and biological revolutions fundamentally changed the status and role of man in the process of creating material and spiritual wealth. The more intensive, highly organized, technically equipped production, the more a person must study, improve his skills and even retrain, changing the type of activity. It is estimated that during his working life a person is forced to change his profession, specialty 5-6, or even more times. In addition, thousands of new professions and specialties appear in the world every year, their rating and prestige change, and the need for many professions and specialties disappears.
The duration and features of the educational and professional training of the employee depend on the complexity of the work.
Preparation for work involves studying, mastering a profession and certain labor skills, and cultivating the necessary qualities. Over the past few years, the latter have undergone significant changes in essence and features of manifestation.
Take, for example, such a quality as diligence. Many scientists and practitioners interpret it as a kind of positive attitude towards work, which manifests itself in activity, initiative, conscientiousness, enthusiasm and satisfaction with the labor process itself. In addition, in psychological terms, industriousness implies an attitude to work as the most important, and even the main meaning of life. In the 1960s and 1980s, labor productivity was also associated with industriousness, arguing that it, they say, is growing from year to year. However, the real picture looked completely different. Thus, already from the beginning of the 1950s, the trend towards a slowdown in the growth of social labor productivity made itself felt: from 8.8% of annual growth in the 50s, 6.4 in the 60s to 3.9 in the 70s and 3.1% in the 80s. According to official data, in industry, the level of labor productivity in the former USSR was 44% in 1960 compared to the US, 53% in 1970, and 55% in 1980 and 1988. Things are even worse in agricultural production.
The given interpretation of the concept of industriousness, and especially labor as the main meaning of life, in those years, first of all, "served" the ideals of a socialist society. In the same conditions market economy the term "industriousness" is practically not used. Such concepts as "the level of economic education", "economic literacy", "economic consciousness" are more often used, and economic activity for the benefit of society is the creation of personal private property by workers in all spheres of production. The last thesis is quite legitimate, because the decisive condition economic development society is the presence of the owner in all areas of production activity.
If, nevertheless, we consider that industriousness as a characteristic of the attitude to work exists, then it must be considered in close unity with the motives and incentives that encourage a person to work. They depend on many objective factors, the conditions in which a person works. So, according to the data obtained in the course of a survey in 1994 of the population of Ukraine by the sociological service SOCIS - Gallup, among the reasons that reduce the labor activity of the working population, the lack of a fair assessment and remuneration was named by 82% of respondents; lack of a system of incentives to work - 54; change in the position of a working person in society and a real threat of becoming unemployed - 21%. Characteristically, dissatisfaction with the system of assessment and remuneration is most characteristic of respondents under the age of 40, as well as the age group of 60 years and older (most likely, these are working pensioners).
It is also very indicative that a high level of personal responsibility for the work performed also characterizes the extreme age groups of respondents: 18-19 years old - 44% and over 60 years old - 47%. At the same time, not surprisingly, the incentive to work for the age groups from 20 to 39 years old and working pensioners over 60 years old was high earnings. The logic of life is simple: for young people it means receiving high material benefits, and for pensioners it means providing for old age, helping children and grandchildren.
In an effort to earn more money, one should not see how it was for decades in a row under the conditions of the so-called socialist production and way of life, nothing shameful. In the 50-90s, a working person could actually earn as much as the conditions and organization of labor allowed. Even in the early 1990s,
experts estimate that in the USSR about 60% of workers in material production were engaged in manual, inefficient labor, and in agriculture- about 75%.
Assessing the degree of importance of certain socio-economic and spiritual problems according to the proposed ten-point system (where 1 point corresponds to the assessment "the problem does not exist", and 10 - to the assessment "very important problem"), young people put the untimely payment of salaries and pensions in the first places (9, 6); decrease in the standard of living of the population (impoverishment) (9.5); unemployment (9.3); stopping the work of industrial enterprises (8.9), and the crisis of morality, culture, for example, - only in 11th place.
Actively supporting the course towards market reforms, the youth of Ukraine no less actively criticizes the real state of affairs in the economy. Moreover, she hopes that the state will help her in solving social problems by providing preferential or interest-free loans (39%), providing guarantees for free secondary education (67%), creating opportunities to start her own business (46%), providing conditions and guarantees for obtaining the first job (58%), increasing the level of consulting, psychological assistance (35%) .
No matter how difficult the socio-economic situation of Ukrainian youth in general, including in the labor market, over the past seven years, it is they who have a more positive attitude than other social groups in society to the market reform of the economy. This is evidenced by the results of sociological, expert and other surveys. Work in the public sector enjoys less and less prestige among young people. According to statistics, by the end of 1997, only 39% of young people worked in it, 16% in private enterprises, 13% in collective enterprises, and 23% did not work anywhere.
Now let's touch psychological problems working youth.
The appearance of young people, which was established in the 1960s and 1970s in the former USSR, was practically "pink" and unproblematic. Throughout the scientific and popular literature at that time, the assertion dominated that all Soviet youth was highly developed and socially active, had a high level of consciousness, and was infinitely devoted to the cause of the party and the people.
Among all young people, working youth stood out as a model, an example for inheritance. The official ideology asserted that the formation of an advanced Soviet worker with the features of a man of the future was taking place in the Soviet Union. In addition, emphasis was placed on the fact that a new social type of worker was being established, combining the best qualities not only of the Soviet working class, but also of the Soviet intelligentsia. How can one not recall the Leninist term "rotten intelligentsia", even if it was used by chance. At that time, the public consciousness, including young people, was implanted with the conviction that the youth of the main branches of industry were actively advancing to the forefront of technological progress; that young workers are becoming more and more deeply aware of the essence of the laws by which the whole society lives, they are becoming its real support and hope; that the most important aspect of the life of young workers is the need for creative work; that young workers, having high social and political activity, take an active part in the life of their labor collectives, in solving issues related to improving management and organization of production.
The real state of affairs, including not only employment, but also the psychological state, orientation, social activity of working youth in the USSR, was completely different, almost diametrically opposed.
In the so-called socialist time, the issues of the socio-economic situation of young people, their well-being, standard of living or material security were practically not analyzed and studied in depth and in detail (and if they were studied, they seemed to be devoid of objectivity and frankness). In addition, statistics on this issue were not made public. Favorable ideas of conflict-free and problem-free education, vocational training, and labor, youth employment, and other areas of its activity were cultivated.
As a result, the situation of young people in the labor sphere in the 1960s and 1970s and, in fact, until the end of the 1990s, was far from cloudless, and labor activity was often planned in advance and stimulated by the party and the state, and was not the result of personal motives of the young themselves. of people. In particular, back in 1976, Leningrad researchers noticed this. By own
According to the estimates of the young people they interviewed, only 30% worked with the highest productivity, while the rest, under other conditions of labor organization, would have worked much better.
And today, besides the material incentive (earnings), there are practically no other incentives to increase the productivity of the labor of young people, and even older workers. So far, market relations in Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries have not given anything new in return for social competition, competition for the title of the best in a profession, etc. Neither state structures, nor individual firms and entrepreneurs have come up with new incentives. Meanwhile, in many highly developed countries of the world, such incentives exist not only in the form of bonuses and benefits, but also in the form of education for the children of employees, their treatment, recreation, improvement of family members, etc.
Aesop: "The true treasure for people is the ability to work." Because: "... vigilant work overcomes obstacles ..." - M. V. Lomonosov
Labor in a person's life: a parable
One merchant gave his son one ruble every day and said:
- Take it, son, take care and try to save money.
The son, not understanding the value of money, simply threw it into the water. And the father accidentally found out about this, but decided not to say anything, because mere teachings lead to little. Meanwhile, the son continued to do nothing, did not work, but simply ate and drank in his father's house.
“Great personalities are not formed through beautiful speeches but by their own work and its results. Albert Einstein
And then one day the merchant decided to teach his son a lesson, so he warned all his relatives:
- If my son comes to you and asks for money, don't give it.
Then he called his son and addressed him with the words:
- You have already matured and should learn what is "labor" and what is the "value of money". Therefore, go earn a ruble with your own labor, bring it - I'll see what it is, the ruble you have earned.
“Nothing like work ennobles a person. Without labor, a person cannot maintain his human dignity.
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy
The son, accustomed to doing nothing, first of all decided to go to his relatives and ask them for money, but they refused him. Going through everything possible options, he was forced to take a job as a simple laborer, since he had no experience and job qualifications. So he stirred the lime with his bare feet all day hard and through sweat. At the end of the day, having received only one ruble, he brought it to his father.
The father was pleased and said:
- Well, son, now go and throw this ruble you earned into the water.
“Every object that we got at the cost of noble, honest labor seems sweeter and sweeter to us.” Mark Twain "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
To which the surprised son replied:
- Father, how can I throw it away? You have no idea how hard I worked to get it! My toes still burn with lime. No, my hand will not rise to do so.
The father replied:
- And how many times I gave you one ruble each, and you calmly threw them into the water. Did you think that this money was given to me for nothing, without labor? ..
So until you work
You will not know the value of money and labor.
Labor in human life: sayings and aphorisms
"Industriousness is the soul of every business and the guarantee of well-being." - Charles Dickens
“Without effort, talent is like fireworks: it blinds you for a moment, and then there is nothing left.” - Roger Martin du Gard ( French writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1937 "for artistic power and truth in the depiction of man and the most essential aspects of modern life.")
“You need to put your life in such conditions that labor is necessary. Without work there can be no pure and joyful life. - Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
Ali Apsheroni:
“The more stupid a person is, the more often he replaces the main thing with a secondary one”
Be wise in your life, cultivate love for simple labor! Because: "Labor and only labor creates and brings concrete results." — Henry Ford, "My Life, My Achievements."
While studying other subjects students have a fairly complete understanding of the role of labor in human life. However, in this course it is important to note the organic connection between labor and family life of people.
It is advisable to start the lesson by clarifying how students understand the expression "working atmosphere of the family." Based on their statements, we should briefly emphasize the importance of labor for the development of human society.
It was labor that was the source of human progress. society, provided tremendous achievements in the development of science, technology, art. Thus, the concepts of "man" and "labor" are inseparable.
Engaged in physical and mental labor, creating material and other benefits, steadily improving the tools and the actual process of labor, people at the same time improve themselves.
Further, it is important to show the role of work in family life. It is directly related to work both for its own interests and for the good of society. “Without labor, efficient, serious labor, family happiness is nothing but a romantic chimera,” K. D. Ushinsky argued.
Labor for each family is primarily a source of material well-being. For the normal functioning of the family, of course, appropriate material conditions are necessary: the availability of living space, furnishings, household items, etc., as well as the means of subsistence. V. A. Sukhomlinsky warned:
“Do not console yourself with a crackling phrase that with a sweetheart and in a hut - paradise. Marriage is not only a spiritual, but also a material union. If you are going to start a family, think about how financially independent you are, whether you will be able to clothe, cover and feed your girlfriend.
It should be noted that young people who are about to get married do not always think about this prosaic side of the matter. The future married life is drawn by him in the most rosy colors and is sometimes presented as a carefree and happy joint pastime. Real life severely refutes these illusions.
True, now often newlyweds receive significant financial support from their parents. If earlier the father and mother raised their successors, reasonably believing that the growing sons and daughters would be their support, make their lives easier, thank them for all their work and cares, now many outwardly quite independent young people continue to live at the expense of their parents. However, not all fathers and mothers have the opportunity to provide financial assistance to adult children without prejudice to their own interests. Self-respecting young people, as well as their parents, tend to avoid the role of overage dependents, independently satisfy the urgent needs of their young family.
Productive labor for the common good, in addition to material security, brings great moral satisfaction. By producing spiritual and material values, a person makes life better. All this gives him a legitimate reason to feel needed by other people, society, to feel like a full-fledged citizen. And this is a great feeling.
Conscientious work evokes the natural respect of workmates, family members, and everyone around. A high assessment of a working person in production, his active civic position has a positive effect on the working atmosphere of the family: its other members cannot afford dishonesty, laziness in an atmosphere of organization, cheerfulness, optimism, responsibility.
Composition "Work in a person's life."
Work plays a very important role in human life. It is required at least to provide for yourself and your loved ones, to live in good conditions etc.
From a young age, each person begins to learn to work. It usually happens for the first time at school. The work of a student is to study and acquire new knowledge, which is required for education. Serious adult life begins only after graduation, when people start working. There are various specialties, but each of them has an important role. Therefore, it does not matter which profession you choose, as it is still significant. Any specialty is useful and focused on solving various human problems.
The Importance of Professions
The builder works to build new buildings such as residential buildings, educational establishments, hospitals, etc. The miner is working so that with the help of the mined coal we get heat and hot water. A hairdresser is needed to get a beautiful haircut with his help and look neat. All this only says that every profession matters and cannot be replaced.
Shops cannot exist without sellers, children will not learn without teachers, and there will be no one to treat people if there are no doctors in hospitals. Everyone works for the benefit of their family and others. This work is necessarily paid, which allows a person to acquire the benefits necessary for him. Money for work allows you to pay utility bills, buy food, things and much more.
Just as the military has different ranks, there are also opportunities for advancement and development in each profession. As a rule, managers become those who started working in the company as an ordinary worker. Thanks to their hard work and dedication, they managed to grow to a leadership position.
The Importance of Labor
Work has a positive effect on human development. It allows you to learn new things and improve your skills. Some manage to master several professions in a lifetime, choosing the one that they like best. What you will do in your life is entirely in your hands. You are the one who chooses your profession.
