Workers’ Educational Association.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1922, Page 4

Workers’ Educational Association.

INTRODUCTORY LECTURE

The opening lecture in connection with the Economics class ot the above Association was held in the Education Board Room on Thursday evening last The Tutor dealt with the subject matter of economies with special reference to the organisation .of modern industry.

It was pointed out that economics was the science dealing with the production, distribution and exchange of wealth. Unfortunately economics was one of the few subjects on which the man in the street felt qualified to speak with authority. He realised the necessity for specialised tracing in cheniistdy, physics or surgery but not in economics. As a result there was a great deal of loose thinking on economic problems. The chief feature of modern industry was the extensive division of labour—the high - degree to which labour Had became specialised. This resulted in greater economic efficiency, and in an increase in the standard of living. In fact, without it civilisation was impossible. Tin’s could be emphasised by a calculation of how long it would tak e the individual, unaided, to produce all the. commodities and services consumed -by him in a day. On the other hand it resulted in the creation of tremendous problems. Each section of the community, became dependant on every other section and the failure of one group of workers might readily precipitate disorder. What would happen, for example if say, all the miners in the world ceased to function. Intensive specialization resulted in lopsided development and work was no longer of much educative value. Control passed into a few hands and the worker was often looked on simply as an ‘‘agent of production.” The division of labour resulted also in the institution of private property, in exchange in the unequal distribution of wealth and in the localization of industry. This last wag a powerful contributory cause of the formation of trusts and large labour organisations. The problems confronting the economist were, ?ind®ed, many and difficult; hut two important problems overshadowed all others. How could a more equitable division of the product of industry be obtained and how could it be made possible tor the worker in an industry to have a greater share in the control of uio own destinies. -Suggested solutions varied from Whitley councils to C nmnunism The lecture next week will deal with the History of Trade Unionism.