As labour is the lot of man, it is desir able that his labour should be as pro ductive as possible, in order that the sum of his enjoyments should exceed that of his endurance. This result is attained by several men combining their labour for one object, and pursuing different em ployments for their reciprocal benefit, in stead of each man labouring independent ly for himself and employing himself in the same manner as all other men. A division of employments, therefore, is not only a natural incident of labour, but is an important auxiliary of human enjoy ment. The means by which it adds to the efficacy of labour are described by Adam Smith to be—lst. an " increase of dexterity in every particular workman ;" 2ndly. " the saving of the time which is commonly lost in passing from one spe cies of work to another ;" and, 3rdly. "the invention of a great number of ma chines which facilitate and abridge labour, and enable one man to do the work of many :" to which may be added, 4thly, the separation which it causes between labour and the direction of labour ; fithly, the power which it gives of using ma chinery effectually, when invented; fithly, the opportunities of exchange which it affords and the means of availing our selves of the enjoyments arising from the natural capabilities of the soil, cli mate, situation, or mineral productions of different parts of the world, and of the peculiar aptitude of their inhabitants for various kinds of industry.
1. The superior dexterity of workmen engaged exclusively in one occupation is universally known. " Use is second na ture," and when a man has been long accustomed to a particular employment, not only has he acquired great dexterity, but his mind appears to be endowed with faculties specially adapted to his business. The jockey seems to have been born for the saddle ; the sailor for the ship : both are active, intelligent, dexterous : but I fancy their occupations exchanged or combined ! the sailor in the saddle, the jockey at the helm ; or both alternately riding the favourite horse at Newmarket and furling the top-gallants of a three decker at Spithead The constant exer cise of the faculties in any act or business gives them an aptitude for it, which to others is a matter of astonishment. The eye and the hand perform their offices with such precision and rapidity, that their work seems spontaneous, as it were, and independent of the will of the workman. Without deliberation, almost without care, the business is done ; and done better than others could do it with the greatest pains. All processes of art and manu facture, and the daily experience of all questionable fact (Babbage, Economy of Machinery and Manufactures). The advantages of peculiar skill are that men can work better and faster, that the pro ducts of their labour are more valuable and more abundant, and that their contri butions to the general stock of the world's enjoyments are multiplied. By follow ing out these advantages through all their relations, they will be found to be the primary source of wealth ; and, in a moral point of view, the main cause of social progress and of the development of the highest faculties of man.
2. " The saving of time which is com monly lost in passing from one species of work to another" enables a man who is constantly engaged in one process to per form more work than he would have been able to get through in the course of a day, if he had been required to change his employment. For this reason, as well as on account of his skill, a division of employments makes his labour more pro ductive.
3. The invention of tools and machine ry is the most effective auxiliary of labour, and it is necessarily promoted iv a division of employments. Those who are constantly attending to one business or de scription of labour must become best ac quainted with its requirements—their ob servation and experience are concentrated upon it—their interest urges them to facili tate their own exertions. How many inven tions are due to workmen employed in manual labour the history of the steam-en gine and of the cotton manufacture will furnish examples : but it is not in the case of workmen alone that division of em ployments facilitates invention. Their em ployers also have their whole minds bent upon improving their business ; and amidst the multiplication of trades arise engineers and machinists, whose sole business it is to construct, improve, and invent ma chinery, aided by all the lights of theo retical science. And this leads us to the fourth advantage of a division of employ ments.
4. If all men were doing the Caine thing, and working for themselves un aided by others, their condition would never be improved ; but by following most skill and industry produce more than they require for their own subsist ence, and reserve a fund for the employ ment of others. [Caprrei.] And thus there grows up from the midst of the people a class of employers who direct the labour of others. Until labour is so directed and maintained by the previous accumulation of capital, It is compara tively ineffectual ; and while a division of employments is a powerful agent in pro ducing capital, the latter, in its turn, faci litates a further subdivision. Without it, indeed, a system of division can only be carried out imperfectly and to a very small extent. The growth of capital also gives to many men the glorious privilege of leisure, exempts them from the neces sity of labour, and leaves them free to study, to reflect, to observe, to reason and investigate. From this class arise men of science and of letters—philosophers, statesmen, historians, poets. And even with these the apportionment of a pecu liar province gives power to their minds, and expands their knowledge. Their natural talents are developed, and their aptitude for particular pursuits becomes as conspicuous in intellectual industry as that of other men in manual operations.